Today marks the 150th anniversary of the start of  the American Civil War.  (Do they still teach it as the War Between the States or the War of Northern Aggression in southern schools?  Sigh.)  While this 19th century bloodshed wasn’t directly a faith conflict — not compared to Europe’s Catholics vs. Protestants, India’s Hindus vs. Muslims, etc.,…

Today marked the beginning of France’s controversial ban on the burqa — not to be confused with the niqab, hijab or chador, as I’ve previously noted here (and CNN reminds us), but rather the clothing that completely hides a Muslim woman’s face. However, I’ve now seen reports that the ban DOES also extend to the niqab,…

Perhaps a bit morbid for a Fun Friday, but I still got a kick out of this story — partly because I’m still debating whether to buy this gadget now, or wait for the inevitable upgrade: iPad 2 sold out in the afterlife as Chinese pray for the dead (Reuters) During the Qingming festival, also known…

As the April 29 royal wedding rapidly approaches, is it creepy or sweet to pray for Prince William and Catherine “Kate” Middleton to stay faithful to each other? Well, it can’t hurt, right? (Especially not with some people actually betting on divorce.) After all, with all the scandal that has plagued Britain’s House of Windsor in…

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