Religion Randomness

[malchior]

Edit: Post in wrong thread. *Moved* to PR randomness

[LordMortis]

who is the State of Texas in this case? Paxton?

[malchior]

Yes it'd be Paxton but is also the wrong thread so moving the post.

[Isgrimnur]

The editor in chief of Christianity Today is warning that evangelical Christianity is moving too far to the right, to the point that even Jesus’s teachings are considered “weak” now.

“What was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, ‘I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ,’ the response would not be, ‘I apologize.’ The response would be, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak,’” Moore said. “When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we’re in a crisis.”

[GreenGoo]

No.
Shit.

[malchior]

It's almost like it never was about Jesus in the first place.

[Isgrimnur]

[waitingtoconnect]

The editor in chief of Christianity Today is warning that evangelical Christianity is moving too far to the right, to the point that even Jesus’s teachings are considered “weak” now.

“What was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, ‘I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ,’ the response would not be, ‘I apologize.’ The response would be, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak,’” Moore said. “When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we’re in a crisis.”

And the Trump said “those of you who wish to help out are unworthy and will be cast out as they may return with disease” ("The U.S. cannot allow EBOLA-infected people back. People that go to far away places to help out are great - but must suffer the consequences!")

[Holman]

Right-wing American Christianity is morphing into something distinct enough in its theology (which in this case is also ideology) from mainstream Protestantism to be considered a new religion, or at least a new branch that is as far from the main as the Latter-Day Saints were at their founding.

The emphasis on “spiritual warfare” and the flirtation with modern-day prophets is going to lead to some very dark places.

[waitingtoconnect]

Like the constitution they just take the bits of the Bible they like and discard the rest.

[Holman]

Like the constitution they just take the bits of the Bible they like and discard the rest.

It's probably fair to say that Christians have done that in every era.

What's more disturbing is that we might be abandoning the principle that religion is an individual, private matter. Whenever particular forms of Christianity have been held to be of public political importance, bloodshed has followed.

[Unagi]

Like the constitution they just take the bits of the Bible they like and discard the rest.

It's probably fair to say that Christians have done that in every era.

And it's even how the Bible itself was actually made.

[Isgrimnur]

That would be an ecumenical matter.

[gilraen]

Et tu, New Jersey?

IN 2011, VICTORIA Crisitello took a part-time job at St.Theresa School, a Catholic school in Kenilworth, New Jersey — the same school she attended as a child. Three years later, the school’s principal approached Crisitello about a full-time job teaching art to elementary school students. If she were to take the job, Crisitello, who was unmarried, told the principal she would need a raise. She was pregnant and would have to arrange childcare for when she was at work. Crisitello was fired a few weeks later, after being informed that she had violated the school’s code of ethics by having premarital sex.

Crisitello sued. Her lawyer — joined by a number of civil rights groups, including the ACLU of New Jersey — argued that the school violated New Jersey’s anti-discrimination statute, which prohibits employment discrimination against pregnant people. This week, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the school was justified in firing Crisitello because New Jersey’s law offers an exception to religious organizations.

[gbasden]

Et tu, New Jersey?

IN 2011, VICTORIA Crisitello took a part-time job at St.Theresa School, a Catholic school in Kenilworth, New Jersey — the same school she attended as a child. Three years later, the school’s principal approached Crisitello about a full-time job teaching art to elementary school students. If she were to take the job, Crisitello, who was unmarried, told the principal she would need a raise. She was pregnant and would have to arrange childcare for when she was at work. Crisitello was fired a few weeks later, after being informed that she had violated the school’s code of ethics by having premarital sex.

Crisitello sued. Her lawyer — joined by a number of civil rights groups, including the ACLU of New Jersey — argued that the school violated New Jersey’s anti-discrimination statute, which prohibits employment discrimination against pregnant people. This week, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the school was justified in firing Crisitello because New Jersey’s law offers an exception to religious organizations.

Religious exemptions for this crap need to die in a fire. Violating employment law shouldn't be up to the whims of one's religious beliefs.

[LawBeefaroni]

How it started:

1/16/2016

SPRINGVILLE — A Utah County mother of six is documenting her family's life on a popular YouTube channel so her children can see the power of a mother.

Realizing there are just five years before her oldest turns 18, Ruby Franke said her "8 Passengers" YouTube channel is her way of slowing time down and living in the moment.

The Franke family are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Though they are not very "loud and in your face" about that fact on their channel, they also don't hide it. Franke said she thinks it has been a missionary experience for them.

On their trip to Sydney, Australia, Franke and her husband ran into the LDS missionaries and included footage of them in their video. After that post, several commenters explained they didn't know the men in the badges were LDS missionaries and one said they were going to stop and say "hi" next time they saw them. She said "8 Passengers" has also given Franke's children a chance to share their faith "in a way that they normally wouldn't in Springville, Utah." Several people have asked Franke's 12-year-old daughter, Shari, what she likes to do when she dates. Sheri then explains she has chosen not to date until she is 16 years old.

Now:

8/31/2023
IVINS , Washington County — A popular YouTube blogger and the creator of Utah County-based mental health counseling company have been arrested and accused of child abuse after police say a malnourished child who appeared to have had his hands bound ran to a neighboring home for help.

Jodi Nan Hildebrandt, 54, and Ruby Franke, 41, were arrested Wednesday for investigation of two counts each of aggravated child abuse.

The investigation began when a 12-year-old boy — Franke's son — "climbed out of the window of an Ivins residence belonging to Jodi Hildebrandt and ran to a neighbor's home," according to a police booking affidavit.

The boy asked the neighbor for food and water.

"The neighbor observed duct tape on (the boy's) ankles and wrists and contacted law enforcement. Upon arrival, law enforcement observed the wounds and the malnourishment of (the boy) to be severe," the affidavit alleges.

...

Police then found a 10-year-old girl in Hildebrandt's home who also appeared to be malnourished. Police say both children were staying in Hildebrandt's home and were under her direct care.

"Ms. Hildebrandt requested a lawyer and did not speak with us. Once given her charges, Ms. Hildebrandt informed me (the children) should never be allowed around any other kids," police wrote.

[Isgrimnur]

Porn therapist Jodi Hildebrandt violated state law and disciplined for telling LDS church, BYU about man (2012)

All of the claims made by Jodi Nan Hildebrandt were false, the man asserts, but they led to his loss of privileges in the church and his ejection from BYU.

[Alefroth]

They run to neighbors for help so quickly. Enjoy them while you can.

[Isgrimnur]

They just don't make duct tape like they used to.

[Skinypupy]

Mormon church in the news yet again. Every time it seems to get a little more abhorrent.

Court Cites Clergy-Penitent Privilege in Dismissing Child Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Mormon Church

An Arizona judge has dismissed a high-profile child sexual abuse lawsuit against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ruling that church officials who knew that a church member was sexually abusing his daughter had no duty to report the abuse to police or social service agencies because the information was received during a spiritual confession.

In a ruling on Friday, Cochise County Superior Court Judge Timothy Dickerson said the state’s clergy-penitent privilege excused two bishops and several other officials with the church, widely known as the Mormon church, from the state’s child sex abuse mandatory reporting law because Paul Adams initially disclosed during a confession that he was sexually abusing his daughter.

Although the church excommunicated Adams, its decision to withhold his abusive behavior from civil authorities allowed him to continue abusing his daughter for seven years, during which he began abusing a second daughter, starting when she was just 6 weeks old.

Fuck. That.

[Pyperkub]

Mormon church in the news yet again. Every time it seems to get a little more abhorrent.

Court Cites Clergy-Penitent Privilege in Dismissing Child Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Mormon Church

An Arizona judge has dismissed a high-profile child sexual abuse lawsuit against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ruling that church officials who knew that a church member was sexually abusing his daughter had no duty to report the abuse to police or social service agencies because the information was received during a spiritual confession.

In a ruling on Friday, Cochise County Superior Court Judge Timothy Dickerson said the state’s clergy-penitent privilege excused two bishops and several other officials with the church, widely known as the Mormon church, from the state’s child sex abuse mandatory reporting law because Paul Adams initially disclosed during a confession that he was sexually abusing his daughter.

Although the church excommunicated Adams, its decision to withhold his abusive behavior from civil authorities allowed him to continue abusing his daughter for seven years, during which he began abusing a second daughter, starting when she was just 6 weeks old.

Fuck. That.

While I'm generally for calling out awful practices by churches, etc, even I'm a bit leery of holding the entire church responsible for not reporting stuff said in confession. I don't know that there's a good solution, tho I do think that the Lawyers/Bishops it was elevated to should have done more than just excommunicate him. Did they try to get him to turn himself in? Were there other efforts to help the child? The article doesn't say.

During the course of its investigation the AP revealed that a retired Utah legislator, an attorney with the law firm of Kirton McConkie, advised Bishop John Herrod not to report Adams’ abuse to civil authorities, after Herrod contacted him through the church Helpline. In the Mormon church, a bishop's responsibilities are roughly equivalent to those of a Catholic priest, although Mormon bishops are lay people.

Church records disclosed during the lawsuit showed that attorney Merrill Nelson held multiple conversations with Herrod and a second bishop, Robert “Kim” Mauzy, over a two-year span and recommended they withhold the information from civil authorities, based on church doctrine and the clergy-penitent privilege.

This (from a click through) is very disturbing institutionalization of the cover-up rather than helping both the children and the person tho:

The AP’s investigation in August revealed a system, centered on the help line, for screening all accusations of child sex abuse within the church before reporting the information to civil authorities.

This included a policy of destroying all records of calls to the help line at the end of each day, according to the AP’s findings. Meanwhile, all calls referring to serious instances of abuse, including those involving bishops or abuse on church property, are immediately referred to lawyers with Kirton McConkie, which insists the calls are confidential and out of reach of law enforcement under the attorney-client privilege.

[Alefroth]

Out with the MAGA-

https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-fran ... 023-11-11/

Pope Francis has dismissed Bishop Joseph E. Strickland of Tyler, Texas, one of his fiercest critics among U.S. Roman Catholic conservatives, a Vatican statement said on Saturday.

It is very rare for a bishop to be relieved of his duties outright. Usually bishops in trouble with the Vatican are asked to resign before submitting a resignation, which the pope accepts.

[Isgrimnur]

Popes make such moves, considered drastic, when a bishop refuses a request to resign. Strickland is 65, 10 years shy of the usual retirement age for bishops. Strickland had said earlier this year that he would refuse to resign if asked.

[Blackhawk]

Out with the MAGA-

https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-fran ... 023-11-11/

Pope Francis has dismissed Bishop Joseph E. Strickland of Tyler, Texas, one of his fiercest critics among U.S. Roman Catholic conservatives, a Vatican statement said on Saturday.

It is very rare for a bishop to be relieved of his duties outright. Usually bishops in trouble with the Vatican are asked to resign before submitting a resignation, which the pope accepts.

The missing detail is that his issue with the Pope was with his attempts to modernize the church and make it more inclusive. In other words, "This Vatican is woke!"

"The blasphemy is that this holy priest is canceled while an evil president promotes the denial of truth and the murder of the unborn at every turn, Vatican officials promote immorality and denial of the deposit of faith and priests promote gender confusion devastating lives...evil," Strickland wrote on the platform then known as Twitter.

[Alefroth]

Yup. He also called the U.S. Catholic Church 'reactionary'. Since he's actually the reactionary, he clearly doesn't know what that means.

[Isgrimnur]

WV prison finally releases atheist inmate denied parole for refusing to profess Christianity

In an incredible victory for (non-)religious freedom, a prisoner who was forced to participate in religious activities in order to be eligible for parole has won his case and been released from jail. Even better, the prison has changed it policies so no future inmate is placed in a similar situation.

[Daehawk]

No one should be in that situation now. Thats like Pilgrim and witch hunt days. Geez. I didn't think that went on. Wow.

[Isgrimnur]

https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking- ... an-veteran

[Isgrimnur]

Shia LaBeouf enters Catholic Church, considers vocation to the diaconate

Hollywood star Shia LaBeouf was received into the Catholic Church with the sacrament of confirmation by Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron on Sunday evening.

The Capuchin Franciscans-Western American Province announced LaBeouf’s confirmation on their Facebook account Tuesday.
...
LaBeouf’s confirmation sponsor, Capuchin friar Brother Alexander Rodriguez, told CNA Wednesday that the actor wants to become a deacon “sometime in the future.”

Rodriguez said that LaBeouf began entertaining the idea of the diaconate during his recent film “Padre Pio.” In that film, LaBeouf played the titular St. Pio of Pietrelcina and Rodriguez played the role of a friar.

“He just spontaneously said, ‘I want to become a deacon,’ and he still feels that way,” Rodriguez said.

The sacramental ceremony took place at Old Mission Santa Inés Parish in Solvang, California, the same Capuchin parish that LaBeouf first went to train for his role as a Franciscan friar in the “Padre Pio” film.

[Isgrimnur]

https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking- ... an-veteran

US man faces hate crime over damage to Satanic Temple display in Iowa

Michael Cassidy, 35, an ex-Navy pilot who lost a race for the Mississippi legislature last year, was motivated by the victim's religion, prosecutors say.

On Tuesday, he was charged with third-degree criminal mischief in violation of individual rights - a hate crime.
...
In a statement on Wednesday, the Satanic Temple thanked the Polk County prosecutors for "recognizing the Satanic Temples authentic religious standing, reinforcing our rightful place in a society that acknowledges diverse beliefs".

The group has previously said that the statue was damaged "beyond repair" and filed a claim for $3,000, according to the Sioux City Journal.

The newspaper reports that the group is also requesting an additional $3,300 (£2,365) in restitution for the removal of the statue.

Glinda Vyn Cooley, a Satanic Temple minister, said that members of the congregation wore bullet proof vests to retrieve the altar from the statehouse due to online threats.

Mr Cassidy had previously been charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, punishable by a maximum sentence of a year in prison and a $2,560 fine.

[Unagi]

Mark Wahlberg shares Ash Wednesday message, reveals daily routine that starts with prayer


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ma ... ba83&ei=21


a prayer app

George Orwell, eat your heart out.

[stessier]

I don't understand - what is wrong with a prayer app?

[Max Peck]

Catholic Prayer App Hallow Platforming ‘Fringe Elements’ On Catholic Right

A hugely popular Catholic prayer app that’s shot up the App store rankings is platforming controversial Catholic figures including chastity influencers, and could be presenting them as having mainstream views, experts have told VICE News.

The Hallow app, which has enjoyed venture capital success with a $40 million investment in its last funding round and is backed by Peter Thiel and J.D. Vance, has made mainstream media coverage in the last few weeks including actor Mark Wahlberg who spoke about his faith on NBC’s Today Show as a paid spokesperson for the app. Classical singer Andrea Bocelli and his children have been appearing in social media ads for Hallow, which co-founder and CEO Alex Jones – no relation to the InfoWars founder – said was the first faith-based app to break into the top 10 downloads in the App store.

Nothing Sacred: These Apps Reserve The Right To Sell Your Prayers

2016 was the worst year of Katie’s life. Just after New Year’s Day, her 24-year-old son went missing. Seven weeks later, police recovered his body from the river that snakes through her town. For months, to get to work, Katie had to drive across the bridge near where his body was found. To grieve, she turned to prayer apps: first, the now-defunct Instapray, and then to Pray.com.

Thanks to Pray.com, Katie found solace in a community of what she calls "prayer warriors" — thousands of people who share their deepest fears and hopes in a public Facebookesque feed of prayers and prayer requests. Katie posted prayers for her son, for her former husband, who died by suicide in 2008, and for her youngest child, who struggles with addiction. (All app users' names have been changed to protect their privacy.)

As Katie laid out her spiritual anguish, Pray.com was data mining it, matching her actions in the app to details about her that it purchased from data brokers.

Pray.com collects data about its users in multiple ways. According to its privacy policy, the company records detailed information about users, including their physical location, the links they click on, and the text of the posts they make. Then, it supplements that information with data from “third-parties such as data analytics providers and data brokers,” which can include “your gender, age, religious affiliation, ethnicity, marital status, household size and income, political party affiliation and interests... geographic location, and Personal Information.” The policy also says Pray.com shares users’ personal information, including identifiers that link their activity to specific devices, with “third parties” for “commercial purposes.”

Venture capitalist Katherine Boyle put it bluntly in a 2020 Washington Post op-ed: “A holy trinity is in place: isolated people hungry for attachment, religions desperate for growth in an online world, and technology investors searching for the consumer niches yet to digitize.”

Since then, technologists and investors have matched Boyle’s enthusiasm. A new Catholic app called Hallow, which offers devotional content with titles like “Overcoming Hopelessness,” announced in November that it had closed a $40 million Series B fundraising round. In December, a similar app called Glorify also raised $40 million. These apps, which also collect extensive information about their users, are backed by some of Silicon Valley’s best-known prospectors: Greylock Partners (Pray.com), Andreessen Horowitz (Glorify), and Peter Thiel (Hallow). Greylock, Andreessen, and Thiel are also all known for their investments in Facebook, which recently ramped up its own prayer offerings by rolling out a new tool called “prayer posts.”

What, indeed, could be wrong with a Peter Thiel project?

[Unagi]

I don't understand - what is wrong with a prayer app?

/atheist

When I was brought up, I was taught that prayer was a communication with God... generally in the privacy of one's head. The very idea that an app is now involved... I just shake my head.

Does one now need a prayer app? Is that maybe not a little, oh - I don't want to get dramatic, but - maybe a little predatory? $9.99 /month for the latest channel to God?

My first thought would just be dismissive: "Suckers", but truly - if I had a loved one that signed up and started paying them money, I would feel like they were being taken advantage of.


Although, evolutionarily speaking - I suppose it makes perfect sense for religion to morph into a social media platform. That charges $9.99 a month. lol

A modern day indulgence, wouldn't you say?

[Isgrimnur]

Something something Matthew 6.

[Unagi]

I thought that was going to be:

"This people is honouring me with their apps but their heart is very far from me"

but that's 15

[hepcat]

Mark Wahlberg shares Ash Wednesday message, reveals daily routine that starts with prayer

[Blackhawk]

This conversation is a whole bunch of funky.

[Alefroth]

I wonder if prayer books were pooh-poohed when they came out.

[Brian]

Mark Wahlberg shares Ash Wednesday message, reveals daily routine that starts with prayer

Marky Mark is no Bill Pullman, that's for sure.