Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

[Houston Chronicle]   Local school districts got a green light Friday to offer high school students an elective Bible course without the specific state standards that some contend are necessary to guide well-intentioned teachers from straying into religious proselytizing. State Board of Education members argued about whether they were obligated to establish specific state standards for the new course approved by state lawmakers last year or allow the 1,039 independent school districts to set up their own course, using existing general guidelines from English and ... Read More

[Washington Post]   The Home Run Derby, a made-for-TV contest that precedes Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, is usually a frivolous folly. Players blast home runs, the fans ooh and ahh, and everyone has a good time. But Monday night’s event unexpectedly turned into a showcase of religious beliefs. Christians applauded Josh Hamilton’s first-round feats, while atheists took it on the chin from an ESPN broadcaster. Hamilton, the 27-year-old Texas Rangers outfielder, has seen his life come full circle. In 1999, he was the No. ... Read More

[AP] The price of oil recorded its biggest weekly drop ever, and a gallon of gas finally pulled back from its record high. So is it time to declare the energy bubble popped? Read about it here. [From me] Where is the biggest drop in gas prices?  When crude goes up the price at the pump goes up immediately.  Why don't thy drop the price now that they had the biggest drop ever? What do you think? Read More

[Belfast Telegraph] Well the Pope thinks so. Pope Benedict XVI says religion can solve conflicts in a world threatened by "sinister and indiscriminate forms of violence".   The 81-year-old pontiff was speaking during his visit to Australia as part of the Catholic Church's World Youth Day event. He said religion was a "fundamental right" of all people that could "resolve conflicts through peaceful means and with full regard for human dignity". Story here. [From me] I don't mean to be disrespectful but I think the Pope is misguided.  Religion will ... Read More

[World Net Daily]   Christians will face prison for speaking out against homosexuality if Brazil's Senate passes a bill approved unanimously by its House of Representatives. The measure is considered the country's newest attempt to promote homosexuality, disguised as an act to combat discrimination, the Catholic News Agency reports. If anyone prevents actions of "homosexual affection" in public or private locations open to the public, they could face up to five years in prison for doing so, the Association of the Defense of Life reports. The bill also ... Read More