Rap Sheet
Links on R&P from around the web
Abortion Foes Debate Best PR Approach
posted on January 25, 2013David Gibson of Religion News Service looks at the division in approaches among anti-abortion activists. While some aim to “shock” the public with graphic images of fetuses, a new generation of activists is using logical arguments and images of ultrasounds to convince people of their cause. In a recent column, Simcha Fisher, an anti-abortion activist, wrote, “If you want people to listen to you and have sympathy for your cause, don’t come across as a lunatic.”
Given Deborah, Jael, and Judith, Why Shouldn’t Women Serve in Combat?
posted on January 25, 2013Following the Pentagon’s decision to allow women to fight in combat, Owen Strachan, Jan McCormack, and Alan “Blues” Baker examine the religious and Biblical foundations for having women fight at Christianity Today. The authors, with both religious and military backgrounds, agree that women should be given the opportunity for moral and practical reasons. Baker, a former Rear Admiral and Chaplain of the Marine Corps, writes, “As Christians, we should seek to serve where we are gifted. We should support those who are best qualified for combat, whether male or female.”
Talking About Abortion in the Religious South
posted on January 25, 2013At Salon, Katie McDonough looks at the changing relationship between religion and abortion in the South. Many southern advocates for women’s reproductive rights see the language of “abortion rights” to be the cause of opposition against a woman’s right to choose. James Bowley, Ph.D., a professor of religious studies at Millsaps College, said, “Change the language. Talk about it as women’s reproductive rights. Don’t talk about it as abortion rights. It is a much larger picture than that.”
Dalai Lama Stresses Science and Secularism in Jaipur
posted on January 25, 2013At The New York Times, Neha Thirani Bagri writes about the Dalai Lama’s speech at the Jaipur Literary Festival, in which he addressed the relationship between science and spiritualism, expressing his belief that the two are not incompatible, but rather help build on the other. Bagri writes, “He recounted his conversations with modern scientists in which he said he had seen many ways in which Buddhism and modern science overlapped.”
Poll Shows a Double Standard on Religious Liberty
posted on January 25, 2013Lauren Markoe at Religion News Service looks at the “double standard” of many Americans on the issue of religious liberty. While they worry that religious freedom is at risk, they also fear that activist groups, such as gay-rights proponents, are removing “traditional Christian values” from the public sphere. David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, said, “They cannot have it both ways. This does not mean putting Judeo-Christian values aside, but it will require a renegotiation of those values in the public square as America increasingly becomes a multi-faith nation.”
Abusive Partners Can Sabotage Contraception
posted on January 25, 2013Kim Painter at USA Today reports on “reproductive coercion,” a form of sexual abuse in which a partner “sabotages” contraception. Such abuse was reported by 25 percent of teens with abusive partners. Rebekah Gee, an obstetrician and gynecologist in New Orleans, said, “Often, it’s about taking away choices, taking away freedom, control and self-esteem.”
Did the Pro-Life Movement Lead to More Single Moms?
posted on January 25, 2013At Slate, Naomi Cahn and June Carbone examine the unintended consequences of the anti-abortion movement. Because many conservatives morally oppose abortions, they are left with a greater number of single-parent families: “In conservative communities, the hardening of anti-abortion attitudes may have increased the acceptance of single-parent families. And by contrast, in less conservative communities, the willingness to accept abortion has helped create more stable families.”
At Supreme Court, Gay Marriage Foes Make Their Strongest Case Yet
posted on January 23, 2013At The Atlantic, Andrew Cohen overviews the latest, and strongest, legal arguments used by proponents of Proposition 8 to oppose same-sex marriage. Intended to win the swing-vote of Justice Kennedy, a recently filed brief hopes to persuade the justices that the new case to be heard by the Supreme Court is “different” than previous cases: “To prevail, foes of same-sex marriage must convince at least five justices — and especially the aforementioned Justice Kennedy — that this case is different from three other Supreme Court decisions that recognized either broader marriage rights or protections from discrimination based upon sexual orientation,” Cohen writes.
At Inaugural Prayer Service, a Glimpse of the Pastor-in-Chief’s Vision
posted on January 23, 2013Elizabeth Dias of TIME provides a dispatch from Tuesdays Inaugural Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral. She notes how the president has been cast as a “pastor-in-chief.” The Rev. Adam Hamilton, the United Methodist minister who gave the event’s sermon, told President Obama, “Unlike any other President that we’ve had, you have the ability to cast vision and inspire people. You should have been a preacher.”
The Winners and Losers of Israel’s Election
posted on January 23, 2013At The New Republic, Ben Birnbaum analyzes the Israeli election results, providing a list of five winners and losers. Despite underperforming expectations, Birnbaum argues that Prime Minister Netanyahu emerged as a “winner”: “Netanyahu is still set to keep his job, and is on his way to becoming Israel’s longest-serving prime minister.” However, his party Likud was among the election’s losers.