Oh, Catholic League - it isn't even Halloween and you're getting ready for Christmas already! The Sun reports that the Catholic League sent a letter to Schools Chancellor Joel Klein questioning why nativity scenes cannot be displayed in schools.
Can someone's religion shield her from charges for smuggling bushmeat into the United States? The NY Sun has a fascinating article about the case of a woman who is facing criminal prosecution for bringing "steaks of monkey meat" from Guinea to NYC. The Scopes Monkey Trial, this is not, but Milbank, Tweed Hadley & McCloy is representing Mamie Manneh on a pro bono basis.
When the son of famed televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Jay Bakker, made the decision to be a “gay affirming” pastor, his life was almost ruined for the second time. Financial backers dropped him, he had to let go of some of his staff, and churches he was scheduled to speak at pulled out.
A six-foot tall chocolate sculpture of Jesus which will be displayed at a Midtown hotel next week is stirring up controversy. Catholics are calling Cosimo Cavallaro's "My Sweet Lord" an "all-out war on Christianity."
The Pentagon released a transcript where Khalid Shaikh Mohammed has confesses to planning the September 11 attacks, as well as other terror attacks, during a tribunal hearing. The NY Times notes that the hearing "also summarized some of the evidence the Pentagon says supports the designation of Mr. Mohammed as an enemy combatant." Mohammed has been in U.S. custody since his capture in 2003.
Last month, Jason Kidd filed for divorce from his wife, Joumana, citing extreme cruelty. The Nets point guard claimed his wife kicked and punched him, as well as put tracking devices on his cars and computers, not to mention taunted him during games. The Kidds' relationship had its patches and other allegations of spousal abuse - back in 2001, Joumana Kidd had some called 911 while Kidd played for the Phoenix Suns (she said he had punched her in the face because she didn't want him eating their son's French fries).
A traditional french dessert served during the holidays, Gothamist gets excited about these each year. They come in every kind of flavor combination: chocolate/coffee, chocolate/caramel, lemon, raspberry, there are even ice-cream-cake versions. They're usually made with a sponge cake, layered with flavored buttercream or other filling, rolled up and then covered with more buttercream and decorated with powdered sugar, fondant leaves or mushrooms, or other decorations. Intended to look like a log ready for the fire, they're eaten on Christmas day.
Premiering tonight on the Sundance Channel is a six part reality series about a tattooed, pierced alterna-preacher Jay Bakker, called . As the only son of TV evangelical preachers Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Jay had a pretty troubled childhood what with the scandals over Jim's illicit affair and accounting fraud, the Bakkers subsequent divorce and Jay's descent into substance abuse. However, now Jay has his life more on track with a marriage and a commitment to running his church, Revolution which holds its non-denominational services in a bar. The series follows Jay's attempts to reconnect with his estranged father, care for his mother who's battling cancer and move Revolution from Atlanta to Williamsburg, Brooklyn when his wife gets into grad school.
THEATER: Pot-au-Noir (The Black Hole) is a retelling of the story of Cain & Abel "through the lens of the Great American Myth -- combining images of Hollywood Film Noir, the Gold Rush, the Dust Bowl, and Manifest Destiny with a story that is at the core of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and, therefore, America." Jake Hooker’s new production promises lyrical text, contemporary dance and live music to tell a story of lies, deceit, jealousy, lust, revenge and, finally, murder. - John Del Signore
Michelle Goldberg, Brooklyn resident and senior political reporter for Salon.com, recently published her first book, Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, a detailed examination of the rise of Christian Nationalism. Her research took her outside the largely secular NYC, and even further afield from the liberal ideology of which New Yorkers have grown so accustomed. In her book, Goldberg details the actions and intentions of the Christian right and presents a clear picture of politics under an evangelical president.
Cathlin Baker, Ordained Minister & Special Asst. to President, UTS
There's a really cute picture in the New York Times of little kids dressed up as the Bible action hero, Bibleman. Bibleman has been in Flushing Meadows Park, on hand for the Billy Graham revival (which saw Bill and Hillary Clinton last night), is fascinating to Gothamist because who knew Christians would think men wearing tights would be okay. That, and the "Jew-y villains" that WFMU's blog pointed out. For instance, here's WFMU's description of one villain: "The Fibbler - A Jewish Gene Wilder / Burgess Meredith kind of villain who clouds the minds of young people and gets them started down the path of evil secular humanism by encouraging white lies and equivocation." Check out the Times to see more quotes like this prayer that the man playing Bibleman yesterday gave the children, "Dear Jesus, I think you're really cool, and I want you to be my best friend. So I admit that I have sinned, and I ask you to forgive my sins." See, that's why kids love Christianity - being forgiven of everything bad they do!
Admittedly, Gothamist has Easter bunnies on the brain. But when we glanced at the Special Op-Ed Report on the NY Times homepage, we couldn't help but wonder if an Easter story would accompany the caption "An International Basket Case." Alas, it's a story about the troubles in Zimbabwe (the interactive report starts "Africa is a mess...") and where Christianity is on the rise.
Gothamist turned 1 this week. And the week in full
What all young girls have been waiting for: Teen People/CosmoGirl/Elle Girl mixed with a little Christianity in Revolve, the New Testament magazine for teen girls. And yes, publisher Thomas Nelson, Inc., is hyping it as "A Bible that looks like a magazine!" ABC News and the Post look at Revolve, which has quizzes, Love Notes from God, and beauty secrets ("The fire of God's love burns out the sin the same way the hot steam routs the dirt out of your pores. This kind of relationship with God will do more to improve your looks than any amount of facials"). [Via Metafilter]
With her death almost two months ago, Newsday has a feature about what Lyric Benson's mother has done to honor the memory of her daughter. Deborah Janicke had to watch her daughter essentially die in front of her, shot in the head by ex-boyfriend Robert Ambrosino, who then killed himself. Janicke made the decision to donate Benson's organs to people in need, telling Newsday, "Organ donation did help us. It kept this from being such a waste." Janicke also gives her thoughts about her daughter's re-affirmation of Christianity and her relationship with Ambrosino.
That's the problem with the major organized religions like Christianity, Judiasm, Buddism, and Islam- they never go out and do anything wacky like trying to clone Jesus. NY Times: Religious Sect Says It Will Announce the First Cloned Baby: A religious sect that contends that space travelers created the human race by cloning themselves said yesterday that it would announce today that the first cloned human baby had been born.
New NY State License Plate Revealed—And Required On All Cars
Cops: Columbia Prof Punched Woman In "White Privilege" Brawl
Despite Gay Brothers, State Sen. Diaz Still Anti-Gay Marriage
Cops: Fort Greene Violence Sparked By Chicken Wing Promotion
Flashback: Last Brownstone Standing
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