Idol Chatter

Patton Dodd may believe God likes the Colorado Rockies, but over at J-Walking, David Kuo wonders if Jesus wants the Rocks to lose the World Series. Are they pointing to a Heavenly Father-Son rift? Hardly. David’s not saying Jesus has anything against this team. Far from it. He just believes that a loss will glorify…

When female rap pioneers Salt-n-Pepa disbanded in 2002 it seemed like the typical band breakup: Cheryl “Salt” James couldn’t take the harsh glare of fame and the exhausting lifestyle that came with it, while Sandy “Pepa” Denton was ready to keep on rapping and felt betrayed by her partner’s sudden abandonment. Now VH-1 is trying…

Yes, it’s true. Eventually, it was bound to happen: a reason to watch TV. And not just any TV, but specifically “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” featuring the social misfit Larry David himself. Sure, the benefits are specifically for schizophrenia patients whose doctors use the show in therapy to spark reactions, but nonetheless, let’s raise a glass…

So what does God look like to you? A few weeks ago, we posed this question, promising that the best 10 responses will win copies of “Evan Almighty on DVD.” More than 300 of you submitted entries, and here are our top picks. In no particular order, the winners are: God has no face and…

Oscar-nominee Ryan Gosling plays another challenging and off-beat role: A young, socially awkward man who is in love with… a life-sized doll he buys off the Internet. Yet somehow, “Lars” ends up as a sweet story about community, faith, and love. Go figure. Watch two clips here, and then read our interview with Gosling and…

The title of Sidney Lumet’s latest is lifted from the old Irish saying “may you be in heaven thirty minutes before the devil knows you’re dead,” the entirety of which is typed across the screen as a disguised Ethan Hawke watches a bullet-riddled robber fly through the doors of his parents’ jewelry store, set smack…

As I’ve mentioned in Idol Chatter before, the novelist Tom Perrotta was a college writing teacher of mine and had a major influence on me professionally, so I’ve avoided reviewing his work in the media. But in his latest novel, “The Abstinence Teacher,” Perrotta takes the story to Beliefnet’s turf by portraying what happens when…

Popular Christian rockers Casting Crowns have the distinction of being the first band to post a profile and fan club on our new social networking site. The band most recently topped the music charts with their new album, “The Altar and the Door.” If you haven’t already done so, check out their profile, where you…

This is the way Sports Illustrated’s Rick Reilly explains what is happening to the Colorado Rockies this fall: “When it seemed even [Rockies fans’] patience had run out, God looked down and said, ‘Oh, geez, are those people still believers? Send them a gift basket.'” It’s gotta be God, right? The good people of Colorado–my…

For a group of three mothers who left India to start life anew, living in the new world brings new experiences and presents new challenges. Their daughters, Kiran, Preity, and Rani, call their mothers “The Hindi Bindi Club,” also the name of Monica Pradhan’s novel about coming home, to a suburb of Washington D.C. for…

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