: Left Behind makes the front page of The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, the National Prayer Breakfast, and other stories from around the world.
British ex-gay ministry gives up, saying conversion therapy efforts don't work
Jeremy Marks, director of the United Kingdom organization Courage, is taking "sabbatical leave" from parent organization Exodus International because Courage founder Jeremy Marks says Exodus's mission to help people out of homosexuality doesn't work. "We are definitely wanting to be separated from the 'ex-gay' label and be more focused on supporting Christians who are gay," Marks told Gay.com. "None of the people we've counseled have converted no matter how much effort and prayer they've put into it. There is much more benefit to the more honest view." Marks has been involved in conversion therapy for more than 14 years—and says it hasn't worked in his own life either. But he's not going to leave his wife of nine years. "This is because I believe in keeping the vows I made before God, and my wife deserves to be loved, not deserted," Marks says. "Having said that, in truth my orientation has not changed."
Winning with LeftBehind | The Left Behind series is, in many ways, nothing more than a gussied-up version of an old, old evangelistic strategy: swinging your arm around your friend's shoulders, looking earnestly into his eyes, and asking, "If you were hit by a bus tomorrow, would you go to heaven?" (Lauren F. Winner, The Hartford Courant)
Hark! A Christian thriller about the Last Days that doesn't (totally) suck. That's got to be a sign of the times. (Cody Clark, Mr. Showbiz)
Heaven Help Us | Immediate Disclaimer: This is not to denigrate the religious beliefs that inform Left Behind, an adaptation of the best-selling Christian thriller of the same name. This is simply to address the hilariously bad manner in which those beliefs are expressed. (The Washington Post)
Couple stars in Left Behind film | Kirk Cameron and Chelsea Noble met on the set of "Growing Pains" and have worked together on and off screen ever since (Associated Press)
Defining news grows tricky | A bad ruling by the church? Definitely. An unnecessary hurt to a family? Yes. A public relations disaster? Absolutely. But was this news? (Beverly Beckham, Boston Herald)
Ministers join demonstration | Thirty leading ministers and priests have said they are prepared to be arrested as part of a blockade of a Trident submarine base (The Scotsman)
Lutheran leader may join fight over Vieques | George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, plans to lead a delegation to Puerto Rico next month (Chicago Sun-Times)
Religion and politics:
Undue process? | Ashcroft backing is causing a rift among Baptists (Abilene Reporter-News)
Some black pastors see new aid under Bush | While many African-Americans still harbor mistrust and doubt toward President Bush, many members of the black clergy are looking for ways to work with the president and other Republicans (The New York Times)
Faith, church, and state | There are risks involved in the Bush approach. But the potential payoff is huge (William Raspberry, The Washington Post)
Persecution:
Guatemala bishop case set for trial | After nearly three years of investigation, military officers and a priest will go on trial for the murder of slain human rights crusader Bishop Juan Gerardi
Baroness Caroline Cox under fire for buying and freeing Sudanese slaves:
Baroness buys liberty for slaves | Baroness Cox has bought and freed 1,500 people. She calls it 'first aid'. Others call it folly (The Observer, London)
Why I buy human beings | Baroness Cox, a grandmother of ten, has risked her life to buy and free hundreds of slaves in Sudan. Yet she stands accused of perpetuating the slave trade. (The Times, London)
Sharpe ruling | Canadians are entitled to ask why it has taken two years to get to reach this conclusion (Editorial, National Post)
Protecting the children | For the most part, the Supreme Court of Canada has acted responsibly and prudently (Editorial, The Ottawa Citizen)
Pornography decision a sound compromise | Balancing protection of children against freedom of speech, the Supreme Court allows prosecutions to proceed. (Editorial, The Vancouver Sun)
Good sense on child porn | The Canadian public, not to mention law-enforcement authorities, will feel a real sense of relief at yesterday's balanced Supreme Court ruling on child pornography. (Editorial, The Montreal Gazette)
What, exactly, is child porn? | If a pedophile asks the question 'What is child pornography?' because he wants to possess it, Parliament says here's how you should do it (Edward L. Greenspan, National Post)
U.S. Supreme Court's virtual child porn case:
Supreme Court to consider digital images | May the government criminalize computer-generated images of fictitious people engaged in imaginary acts? (The New York Times)
Church casts its bread | Church hands out $25,000 to parishioners, telling them to "bless someone in the community." (The [Colorado Springs] Gazette)
Duke divinity professor bemoans state of clergy | William H. Willimon says about 40 percent of his students "appear to be attracted to the church as some kind of secure living." (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Why Jackson won't quit | What's different now that Jackson has returned so quickly after confessing weakness is his apparent perception that the threats to civil rights are reaching a point of no more politics-as-usual. (David Dante Troutt, Los Angeles Times)
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What nerve! | This perv to serve as Jesse aide (Rod Dreher, New York Post)
Has history been too generous to Gutenberg? | The 15th-century German craftsman has long been believed to be the father of modern typography. But the secretive inventor may have to share some of the paternity now. (The New York Times)
Baptists on a mission in Miami | Progressive National Baptist Convention seeks converts, distinction from National Baptist Convention USA (The Miami Herald)
Anglican church leader to visit Nigeria | Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey will travel to states that have implemented Shari'ah as well as mainly Christian south (News24, Johannesburg, South Africa)
While we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
We’ve got little information on Jesus’ appearance and personality. But that’s the way God designed it.españolFrançais
C.S. Lewis recommended discernment over diatribes in exactly the moments we’re most eager to indulge in critique.
