#religion
#religion

Books

The Darkest Week of the Year: Fosse's Septology - The Paris Review

Jon Fosse won the Nobel Prize in Literature and his recent seven-volume epic, Septology, serves as a guidebook and religious text. The story follows an aging painter as he prepares for his annual Christmas exhibit and contemplates accepting a Christmas dinner invitation from a friend. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Banning prayer rituals in school? Just get religion out of education completely | Polly Toynbee

Schools are often a battleground for social conflicts, with teachers expected to fix issues that exist outside the school

Religion can be a controversial topic in schools, with values being set by education secretaries [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Education

Top London school taken to high court over prayer ban

A high-performing state school in England is facing a legal challenge for its ban on prayer rituals on school premises.

The school's ban on prayer has been deemed discriminatory by the Muslim pupil who brought the case, as it made her feel guilty and unhappy.

The school's prayer policy was implemented in response to abuse and harassment after pupils were seen praying in the school playground. [ more ]

Chicago Tribune

Chicago

Former North Chicago officer receives $475K settlement in suit against city

Former North Chicago police officer settles discrimination lawsuit for $475,000.

Officer faced harassment based on his national origin and Muslim religion. [ more ]

morediscrimination

Advocate.com

6 days ago

At Mother's Day, Jerrod Carmichael's fractured relationship between a gay son and his mom resonates

The Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show explores complex dynamics of family relationships and societal pressures. [ more ]

Frenchly

6 days ago

Gad Elmaleh's New Film, 'Stay with Us,' is About a Crisis of Faith - Frenchly

Gad Elmaleh's latest film delves deep into faith, portraying his personal struggle with religion in a serious and thought-provoking manner. [ more ]

Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs

2 weeks ago

Review of Anthony Grafton, "Magus" (opinion)

Sir James Frazer categorized human understanding into magic, religion, and science as an evolutionary sequence. [ more ]

VG247

2 weeks ago

Indika review - A bizarre, beautiful, and unforgettable journey of a scorned nun

Indika is a serious game that delves into morality, religion, and institutional criticism through the journey of a troubled nun. [ more ]

english.elpais.com

3 weeks ago

The Bible: The diverse market for the most read book in the world (now sold by Donald Trump)

The God Bless the USA Bible combines the King James Version with U.S. founding documents and patriotic elements for a price of $60, endorsed by Donald Trump. [ more ]

Futurism

Mistral CEO Says AI Companies Are Trying to Build God

The CEO of Mistral, a new AI firm, rejects the notion of creating artificial general intelligence (AGI) equating it to a desire to create God. [ more ]

Mail Online

The people who worship robots and artificial intelligence

People are turning to machines as a new religion, with AI-powered prophets and robot priests delivering sermons and conducting funerals.

AI technology like ChatGPT is being consulted for guidance and meaning, with people interpreting its responses as personalized and intelligent.

Some people may believe that AI is 'alive' and capable of providing guidance, similar to religious scriptures, despite the lack of actual meaning or consciousness. [ more ]

Forbes

Merry AI Christmas: The Most Terrifying Thought Experiment In AI

AI Moses, illustration by S.Korsun for Alex Zhavoronkov, Dating AI: A Guide to Dating Artificial ... [+]

Business Insider

moreArtificial intelligence

Former Google engineer and Trump pardonee Anthony Levandowski relaunches his AI church

Former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski is relaunching his "Way of the Future" AI church.

The church aims to help people gain a deeper understanding of artificial intelligence.

Levandowski was previously pardoned by Donald Trump after pleading guilty to stealing trade secrets. [ more ]

www.scientificamerican.com

Science

The Milky Way Illuminated Ancient Egypt's Goddess of the Sky

The Milky Way fascinated ancient civilizations, like the Egyptians, associating it with deities and spirits.

Ancient Egyptians incorporated astronomical observations into religion and mythology, including the personification of celestial objects like the sun. [ more ]

www.amny.com

Film

How Dev Patel got Monkey Man,' his directorial debut beset by challenges, to the finish line | amNewYork

Dev Patel's Monkey Man film draws inspiration from Hindu mythology and superhero iconography.

The film explores themes of faith, justice, and the duality of religion as both a unifier and a source of division. [ more ]

www.cbc.ca

Film

Norman Jewison, director of Moonstruck, In the Heat of the Night, dead at 97 | CBC News

Acclaimed director Norman Jewison has died at age 97.

Jewison was known for addressing civil rights issues and religion in his films. [ more ]

www.mediaite.com

Left-wing politics

Caitlyn Jenner Accuses Biden White House of Trying To Destroy Religion' on Basis of Debunked Easter Egg Story

Accusation of Biden trying to destroy religion

Claim of Easter egg story as evidence of religion attack [ more ]

Queerty

Left-wing politics

Joe Biden's beautiful Trans Day of Visibility messages prompt right-wing meltdown

Right-wingers upset over Biden's Trans Day of Visibility proclamation coinciding with Easter Sunday.

Biden reaffirms commitment to supporting transgender Americans through his statement on TDoV. [ more ]

Truthout

Left-wing politics

Poll Finds Gen Z Voters Are More Likely to Identify as LGBTQ Than Republican

Generation Z adults are more likely to identify as LGBTQ than to say they are Republicans.

Gen Z voters are less religious than Americans overall. [ more ]

AnOther

Design

Brilliant Things to Do This April

Peter Hujar: Portraits in Life and Death at the Istituto Santa Maria della Pietà in Venice showcases intimate portraits of creatives from the 1970s.

Nick Cave's show features 17 ceramic figurines telling the story of the Devil, reflecting his interest in religion's impact on life. [ more ]

Axios

Black Lives Matter

Survey: Percentage of Americans "unaffiliated" with a religion rises again

26% of Americans are unaffiliated with a religion, up from 2013.

General public, especially younger Americans, is moving away from religions endorsing certain policies. [ more ]

Above the Law

Law

Ronna McDaniel And Taking One For The Team

Honesty is crucial when considering whether to lie for a team or cause.

Lying on behalf of a specific team, including religious or national affiliations, may be justifiable in certain circumstances. [ more ]

www.mercurynews.com

Career

Harriette Cole: My boyfriend's commitment to his faith was the deal-breaker

Successful couples from different religions face challenges in finding a harmonious balance.

Be clear about your relationship requirements to avoid heartbreak in the future. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Career

How do you bring your spiritual self to your job and make sure you are doing more good than harm? | Jackie Bailey

Work can be a spiritual practice in various religious traditions.

Checking in with oneself and aligning actions with values can help maintain a sense of spirituality at work. [ more ]

www.aljazeera.com

Europe news

Far from harmless': Patriarch Kirill backs Putin's war, but at what cost?

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church supports the Kremlin's actions in Ukraine

The Russian Orthodox Church has a significant influence in Russia and beyond [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Europe news

Russia-Ukraine war live: head of Russian Orthodox church added to Ukrainian wanted list'

Ukraine's interior ministry has placed Patriarch Kirill, head of Russia's Orthodox church, on a wanted list for allegedly abetting the conflict in Ukraine.

Ukraine is trying to uproot the influence of priests it accuses of maintaining close links to Russia and subverting Ukrainian society. [ more ]

Sactown Sports

San Francisco 49ers

Brock Purdy keeps faith in mind to keep cool amongst the chaos

Brock Purdy, the young 49ers quarterback, stays grounded and humble due to his faith and belief in something bigger than himself.

Purdy's devotion to his religion and reliance on God has helped guide him through the pressures of playing football and reaching the Super Bowl. [ more ]

Kqed

Music

Chelsea Wolfe Says Witchcraft and Sobriety Informed Her Latest Album

Witchcraft influences Chelsea Wolfe's music and creative process.

Witchcraft is not a religion and each practitioner has their own unique path. [ more ]

LGBTQ Nation

Music

Lil Nas X claps back at Christian rappers outraged at him for rapping about God

Lil Nas X is clapping back at Christian rappers who have criticized his turn toward religious themes in his music.

He defended his right to make Christian music while still being provocative and expressing himself in different ways. [ more ]

www.dw.com

Parenting

Can God change how kids understand right and wrong? DW 02/06/2024

Children tend to believe that widely shared moral rules cannot be changed by God.

Researchers found that children deny the idea that God can change moral rules. [ more ]

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk

Digital life

Young Reporter:Cultural Identity Osob Dualle Burntwood School

Cultural identity shapes who you become as an individual and includes beliefs, values, traditions, and customs.

Culture and religion are separate entities, but culture can shape one's identity and everyday lifestyle. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Digital life

I tried Mike Johnson's favorite anti-porn app. It didn't go well

Covenant Eyes is an anti-porn phone app used by House speaker Mike Johnson.

The app aims to help people live porn-free through accountability and sending phone activity to a designated partner.

The app uses AI technology to determine what is considered pornographic. [ more ]

BBC News

London

UCKG: Church tells boy 'evil spirit' hides in him

A UK branch of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) has been filmed conducting exorcisms on a 16-year-old and using 'strong prayers' to 'cure' a gay ex-member.

The UCKG tells its members it can help with mental health conditions by casting out evil spirits and describes epilepsy as a 'spiritual problem'.

The UCKG has branches in the UK and around the world and conducts 'strong prayers' that involve pastors laying hands on members of the congregation. [ more ]

Upper West Side, NY Patch

Upper West Side

St. John The Divine Attempted Statue Swiper Sought, NYPD Says

A man attempted to steal a religious statue from The Cathedral Church of St. John The Divine on the Upper West Side.

The suspect dropped the statue and fled when he noticed security inside the building. [ more ]

www.thelocal.fr

France politics

Why is Macron under fire for Hanukkah candle ceremony in French presidential palace?

French President Macron faces controversy over attending Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony

Critics accuse Macron of breaking strict secularism laws [ more ]

Poynter

Media industry

The Israel-Hamas war makes it clear: Local media must reclaim the religion beat - Poynter

Local media must prioritize coverage of religion in order to address the rise of antisemitic and Islamophobic attacks.

The United States currently has very limited coverage of religion in mainstream media, with only a few dozen reporters covering the topic full-time. [ more ]

HuffPost