RELIGION
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40 Million Hugs and Counting—Maternal Spiritual Guide Tours America
It is said that she knows more people on a first-name basis than anyone in the history of the world. She knows their stories and struggles and relieves them of their burdens with a rose-scented healing hug. She has been called a vessel of the Holy Spirit, a channel to the Almighty, and a Hindu god to be worshipped. She…
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How to Violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause in Six Easy Steps
Louisiana’s public school system is ranked 49th out of the 50 states of our Republic. That’s 49th in quality, 47th in dropout rate, 47th in reading scores, 48th in math and 43rd in the percentage of threatened or injured high school students. Such egregious marks for the Bayou State’s quality of education cry out for immediate, bold action. Fortunately, Louisiana’s…
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Here Come the Spiritual Directors—The Facilitators for the Religiously Unaffiliated
Where do you seek spiritual counsel and advice if you identify with no religion? Or even if you do, but don’t want coaching couched in a context limited to one specific faith? Enter the spiritual directors—practitioners who counsel based on individual spirituality rather than an agenda rooted in any particular faith or discipline. It’s an ancient practice, possibly rooted in…
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Why David Miscavige Is Listening to Harlem
Really, any relationship comes down to knowing you are heard and understood—whether it’s between mother and child, father and son, teacher and student, coach and player, mayor and city or even two nations. I still remember standing in the auditorium of our Church’s spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida, over 15 years ago, right after an event we had held. There,…
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David Miscavige—Shaking Hands With My Hero
I have shaken David Miscavige’s hand twice, but for someone not very familiar with Scientology, I think the first time is the most revealing. I was a young singer-songwriter living in Los Angeles. My career was going well. I had recently signed a contract with Warner Records. My music was on the radio and I was sharing the stage with bands I…
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Jewish and Muslim Students Alike Suffer from Alleged Antisemitic Incident at High School
The first time you crack open your high school yearbook should be the first of decades of doing the same, lingering over photos that evoke cherished memories of a past time of growth and wonder. However, for the Jewish Student Union (JSU) members of East Brunswick High School in central New Jersey, opening their 2024 yearbook was far from the…
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David Miscavige: A Remarkable Leader, An Extraordinary Gentleman
“Hey, I saw your kid on TV!” The voice reached me from behind as I walked down the corridor of my Scientology Church. During the split second that elapsed between hearing the voice and turning around to see its source, the thought flashed: “That sounds familiar, but is it anyone I know?” Then I saw who it was: David Miscavige, ecclesiastical…
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“Hate has no place in our city”—Antisemitic “Day of Rage” NYC Demonstrations Intimidate Subway Riders, Block Traffic and Spread Hate Speech
“Raise your hand if you’re a Zionist,” the mob chanted. “This is your chance to get out.” No one on the crowded New York subway car dared to move. After a moment, a man from the mob shouted, “Okay, no Zionists here. We’re good.” The antisemitic incident happened on June 10 at the 14th Street-Union Square Station and, shortly after…
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Freedom of Religion Argument Goes One-For-Three in the First Round of Pro-Choice Lawsuits
In a victory for anti-abortionists, most of them—according to a recent Public Religion Research Institute survey—White Christian nationalists—the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the right to abortion two years ago. Across the spectrum of Christian and non-Christian religions, however, a majority of Americans support at least some access to abortion. Some of those religions have protested the high court’s decision…
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Unitarian Universalists Vote For Love
At this June’s annual assembly of the Unitarian Universalists in Rochester, NY, the voting delegates decisively embedded love into the bedrock of the faith, as 80 percent chose to adopt changes to its covenant clause, otherwise known as Article II of the faith’s bylaws. The change in the bylaws, which are essentially a mission statement, is the first since 1987.…
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