Inspiration Faith & Prayer Health & Wellness Entertainment Love & Family
Newsletters Special Offers

Idol Chatter

Religion has found a hero in Hollywood. Actor Patrick Swayze, best known for bumping and grinding his way into our hearts in the 1987 hit film “Dirty Dancing” and for that killer pottery-making scene in “Ghost” (1990), has come out in defense of religion. According to ContactMusic.com, the spiritual star fears films cynical of religion,…

Slated for a young girl’s 15th birthday, a Mexican Quinceanera celebrates virginity and coming-of-age with the extravagance of the ritziest bat mitzvah. In Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland’s appropriately titled film (that would be “Quinceanera“), emphasis on all the trimmings–a hummer limo, a brand new dress–causes a rift between Magdalena (Emily Rios), an Americanized 14-year-old,…

The Anti-Defamation League has formally accepted Mel Gibson’s apology for his anti-Semitic outburst last Friday. After calling Mel’s first attempt at apology “unremorseful,” the ADL has helpfully offered to take the “Passion of the Christ” creator up on his offer to meet with Jewish leaders. “Once he completes his rehabilitation for alcohol abuse, we will…

In the immortal words of Alice Cooper, “School’s out for Summer.” But Cooper, the heavy metal maestro, is making sure that the kids of southwest Phoenix will still have a safe place to go once school doors are closed. MSNBC.com, via the Associated Press, reports that Cooper’s Christian, nonprofit Solid Rock Foundation, “has begun fundraising…

Is California’s tradition of spiritual experimentation a kind of faith in itself? In a new book, “The Visionary State: A Journey Through California’s Spiritual Landscape,” writer Erik Davis and photographer Michael Rauner explore California’s long history–make that pilgrimage–from promised land to breeding ground for alternative spiritual movements. Key to that history is California’s perfect storm…

Last week, Donna blogged on Stephen Colbert’s interview of Bill Donahue, leader of the Catholic League. It’s now up on youtube.com, so you can judge for yourself: Click to watch.

This past weekend, I was sitting in New York City’s Union Square, waiting to meet a friend, when a group of people caught my eye. They were all wearing long, white, flowing robes. Their leader was strumming a guitar. And they were all holding up signs reading, “Jon Stewart is God.” They sat in a…

Criticized yesterday for an apology that was deemed “insufficient” and “unremorseful” by Abraham H. Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, actor Mel Gibson released a full statement today asking for the forgiveness of the Jewish community for his anti-Semitic tirade during an arrest on DUI charges. “There is no excuse, nor should there…

Those of us who watch public television are fully aware of what a refreshing alternative it is to the mindless programming on most networks. Unfortunately, the federal government is making it harder for public broadcasting to continue doing its job. Most recently, PBS has expressed concern that it could face fines if it does not…

Idol Chatter hardly needs to add to the barrage of quips, canned responses, and commentary about Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic outburst during his arrest early Saturday morning. Sadly, even in the 21st century, and even from stone sober blatherers, talking crazy about “the Jews” is about as surprising as a cyclist failing a urine test and,…
archives most recent
search this blog
More from Beliefnet and our partners