Monthly Archives: November 2009

Narrating "The Narrative"

Lots of scary things in Sunday's New York Times, including a rise in food stamps, bank resistance to helping troubled homeowners and a horrific detention center at an American base in Afghanistan. But nothing, not even news of Med Grow … Continue reading

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Killer Abs and Cooking Pots

I played hooky Friday to catch a 9:15 a.m. screening of “New Moon”—with, to my surprise, a theater full of women over 40. I hadn't expected so many of my contemporaries, much less my mother's, but when Jacob tore off … Continue reading

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Religion Gone Rogue? On Sarah Palin's Faith-Based Book

J. Terry Todd Sarah Palin returned in full force this week to promote her just-released Going Rogue—and to use media appearances to settle scores with “the media” for its treatment of her during the 2008 campaign. She was in the … Continue reading

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Will a "God Gene" Tell Us What Religion Really Is?

by Brie Loskota In last weekend's New York Times, science writer Nicholas Wade argued that new discoveries in archeology and evolutionary biology might allow us to bridge the gap between religion and science.  Religion, he notes, has historically provided cohesion … Continue reading

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Don't Trust Anyone!

by Lynn Clark  This month ABC premieres the first four episodes of the much-anticipated V, a remake of the popular 80s sci-fi miniseries that now stars Elizabeth Mitchell as an FBI agent and Scott Wolf as a vain TV anchorman … Continue reading

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Missing the Mark on Fort Hood

by Dalia Hashad When the story on the shootings at Fort Hood broke, I tried to resist getting drawn into the whirlwind of irresponsible coverage, most of which seemed to deliver the direct or subconscious message that to find the … Continue reading

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New Directions in Religion, Politics and the Media

Thursday, November 12, 2009 University of Southern California University Religious Center 5 – 7 pm Refreshments will be served The evening will be sponsored by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Admissions, with a joint presentation by HDS alumni Professor Diane … Continue reading

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When Does a Gunman Become a Terrorist?

by Zain Shauk Hours after a gunman killed 13 and wounded 30 at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday, reporters and news anchors were still piecing together information about what appeared to be a mass murder. … Continue reading

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Disney's Voodoo Princess

By Judith Weisenfeld On November 26, audiences in New York and Los Angeles will have the opportunity to attend the premiere of The Princess and the Frog, featuring Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), Disney's first animated black princess. The various trailers … Continue reading

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Religion Talk: Foul Is Fair and Fair Is Foul?

by Courtney Bender New York Times readers can safely expect to read about witches every October 31. The only suspense is the angle the reporter will take. Last week, Samuel Freedman came through with a front-page story declaring that Wicca … Continue reading

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