Stories were flying all over the Internet last week alleging that Pope Francis may have performed an exorcism on a wheelchair-bound man — said to be a 43-year-old Mexican pilgrim called Angelo — in St. Peter’s Square, following the Mass for Pentecost. Even better, the moment was caught on video: after a few words from a priest accompanying the young man, the pontiff placed his hands prayerfully upon Angelo’s head, a gesture commentators have declared “a real act of exorcism.” Some have said the Pope wore a grim expression as he approached the task, though the low-quality video makes it difficult to be sure. Under the Pope’s prayerful touch, Angelo convulses and slumps in his chair. The Pope moves on to greet the next child, but not before Angelo’s priest hands over a file folder, taken by a member of the Pope’s suit-wearing security team. [Click headline for more…] Read more
David Hayward reminds everyone not to have “Bible Blindness”: Are we so captivated by our knowledge of scripture and our theology that we cannot see the forest for the trees? (via nakedpastor) Read more
The highest-ranking Catholic in the nation says churchgoers should pull out all the stops to block marriage equality in the United States, even if it means sacrificing…something. They’re not really sure what. Under the direction of the notoriously anti-gay Cardinal Timothy Dolan (pictured above), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops delivered this bulletin to parishioners around the country in anticipation of the Supreme Court’s decision on the Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8, the two marriage equality cases the Court heard earlier this year: [Click headline for more…] Read more
Kountze High School in Texas is the place where cheerleaders recently won a court battle to hold up banners with Bible verses on them before football games: But last night, Kountze was home to a senior prank that may have gotten horribly out of hand: [Click headline for more…] Read more
Australian Cardinal George Pell has admitted during a parliamentary inquiry in Victoria that the Catholic Church has worked to systemically cover up child sexual abuse in Australian parishes. The recent papabile described the rape of children as young as five-years-old in response to questions from the inquiry. He declared that he was “fully apologetic and absolutely sorry” for the Church’s complicity, and — when asked whether he considered the acts “totally un-Christ-like” — admitted, “I would have to agree with you.” [Click headline for more…] Read more
As you might know, American Atheists recently pointed out that at least one Georgia state park had Bibles in the cabins. Since these are taxpayer-funded parks (and not privately-owned hotels), that’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. But Governor Nathan Deal said more than a week ago that “any group is free to donate literature,” not just Christian ones. American Atheists, perhaps not expecting that answer, gleefully took him at his word and made plans to gather materials for distribution in the state’s parks. How does the Governor feel now that an atheist group is calling him on his (possible) bluff? [Click headline for more…] Read more
Cardinal Timothy Dolan is leading the charge against Obama’s HHS Mandate, which requires all employers — even Catholic ones — to provide health plans that cover “preventive health services” for women. Listening to him speak on the subject, you’d think a mandate that businesses must pay for employees’ contraceptives and abortions would utterly and absolutely destroy the Catholic Church — and America! — as we know it. It’s about religious freedom, he insists, and it’s a slippery slope towards the removal of that freedom: [Click headline for more…] Read more
In 2006, atheist Alain Simoneau told the city council of Saguenay, Quebec (Canada) that they needed to stop reciting a prayer at their meetings. It took years for a lawsuit to get filed and for a local court to issue a ruling, but in 2011, Quebec’s human-rights tribunal stopped the city from holding its 20-second prayer to “all-powerful God.” The tribunal also made the council take down a crucifix that was on the wall and pay $30,000 in damages to Simoneau. While the case was in progress, the prayer was replaced with a (still excruciatingly long) two-minute moment of silence. Yesterday, Quebec’s Court of Appeal reversed that ruling (PDF, in French), somehow making the absurd case that “reciting a prayer does not violate the religious neutrality of the city.” … the hell? [Click headline for more…] Read more
Megan, 22, is a recent Duke University grad and a gifted writer. Because she was born with a rare connective-tissue disorder called epidermolysis bullosa, she’s had to get used to people asking “What’s the matter with Megan?” Hence the name of her new blog. Sometimes, strangers pray on her. Not just for her. On her. ”Having a visible disability is like shark bait for ignorant people lacking scruples,” she explains. “I swear, the mere sight of crutches is like blood in the water.” So when she’s out and about, the faithful approach her. Well-meaning folks. Kindness in their hearts. Filled with the spirit. And they really, really want their Lord to perform a miracle. One time, Megan got caught in what she describes as an “unholy prayer sandwich”: [Click headline for more…] Read more
Over at the Guardian, Andrew Brown writes about a conversation he had with philosopher (and New Atheist author) Daniel Dennett. One of the topics that came up was how Dennett feels compelled to help people think rationally — out of religion — while Brown see no reason to do that. As the title of the piece says, he’s “an atheist but… [he] won’t try to deconvert anyone.” That’s one hell of a straw man argument, of course, intended to make Brown appear more tolerant and rational than Dennett: [Click headline for more…] Read more
