This is True: Religion http://www.thisistrue.com/religion.html en-us 2007-04-22T15:30:07-07:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Randy the Anti-Christ? http://www.thisistrue.com/antichrist.html Religion and Politics. It's said those are the two subjects one should never discuss in polite company, because it just leads to impolite arguments.

But when you write a news commentary column about weird and stupid things, politics comes up often. And, indeed, if I rant about something stupid done by a politician from the left I'm branded a "stinking heartless Conservative", and when I zing a politician from the right I'm called a "leftist Boulder liberal". Dare I say that equates to "anti-Democrat" and "anti-Republican" both? That kind of name-calling came to a head, if you will, during the Clinton Sex Scandal, and I addressed both of those complaints with a Special Clinton Scandal Issue and its "Liberal Response".

]]> 1225@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Religion 2007-04-22T15:30:07-07:00 Good Clean Family Values http://www.thisistrue.com/famiglia.html Hey: the priest didn't have any problem with it. From True's 4 December 2005 issue -- just another story that simply needs to have a photo included.

Where There's Steam, There's Heat

Famiglia Cristiana ("Christian Family"), Italy's leading Roman Catholic magazine, came under fire after it ran an ad for a ventilation company which showed a woman in the shower. Readers could easily see her backside through the steamed-up shower door. "If you want to see clearly," the ad said, "call an electrician now." The editor, the Rev. Antonio Sciortino, at first defended the ad, but decided to apologize to readers after they "made it clear" the ad upset them. (Reuters) ...Hey, cut him some slack: if he's been following his vows, the photo wasn't something he'd be able to recognize.

]]> 1207@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Religion 2005-12-05T11:20:16-07:00 Civil Rights: Justice for All, or...? http://www.thisistrue.com/aclu.html Read the story, then decide: why did I include it in a weird news column?

]]> 1204@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Religion 2005-09-20T12:00:00-07:00 Still Fundamentally Wrong http://www.thisistrue.com/taliban2.html After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I dubbed Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "The American Taliban". In the four years since, not much has changed. In 2005's 9/11 issue of True came this story:

]]> 1199@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Terrorism 2005-09-11T15:15:55-07:00 The Missionary's Position http://www.thisistrue.com/pastorized.html Or, Much Ado About Nothing!

I got exactly one complaint about a story in the 6 July 2003 issue:

Down Under

Remington is introducing its Bikini Trim and Shape electric razor in the U.K. The razor, which was previously introduced to the U.S. market, is specifically designed for women to use to shape their pubic hair. According to the company, their market research found that 79 percent of women shaved off part or all of their pubes, and 36 percent trimmed their hair into a specific design, such as a heart or their partner's initial. (PA) ...In block letters, or Braille?

]]> 1154@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Religion 2003-07-15T11:31:36-07:00 A Chat with Dr. Rev. Rus about the "Brave Girl" Case http://www.thisistrue.com/braverus.html Naturally, this story started a discussion between me and True's Official Consulting Pastor, Dr. Rev. Rus Jeffrey, who is the Senior Pastor (read: boss) of a church in Upstate New York. (He also understands e-mail publishing, as he runs several lists of his own -- check out the "Communications" section of his site's nav bar.) Below is a transcript of the most interesting part of the discussion.

]]> 1151@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Religion 2003-02-20T15:37:57-07:00 India Tracy Story Summary http://www.thisistrue.com/bravepop.html This is a summary of the story discussed here.

Despite being a well-behaved, straight-A student, India Tracy was often sent to the principal's office at Horace Maynard Middle School in Union, Tennessee. She was sent there when her mother refused permission for the school to send India to a tent revival during school hours, and when India declined to portray Mary in a religious Christmas play.

]]> 1150@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Religion 2003-02-17T15:17:10-07:00 White Hot Rage http://www.thisistrue.com/bravegirl.html Welcome to the 21st Century

Editorial comments from This is True for the week of 16 February 2003:

It's pretty rare that I get truly angry over a story.

Outspoken and direct, sure, which some readers sometimes take for anger, but actual anger is quite infrequent. The first Premium subscriber, Dave in Colorado, sent me a story earlier this week that has me seething: a young lady in Tennessee has sued her public (taxpayer-funded) school because she can't stand the continual humiliation of verbal and physical abuse by teachers and other students because she's not a Christian.

]]> 1148@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Religion 2003-02-17T09:54:36-07:00 Fundamentally Wrong http://www.thisistrue.com/taliban.html Written 21 September 2001 And see the 2005 Update

It was rather difficult to sit down and write an issue of what's generally supposed to be a funny column after the events of 11 September, even though I didn't have to write another column until Sunday, 16 September. But that date rushed right up and the work was slow going, keeping me up until about 1:30 a.m. Monday so I could meet my 8:00 a.m. deadline.

]]> 1132@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Terrorism 2001-09-21T14:56:58-07:00 Jerry Falwell Transcript http://www.thisistrue.com/falwell-transcript.html Partial transcript of Jerry Falwell's comments on the Thursday, 13 September 2001 edition of the "700 Club", the basis for my story about The Original American Taliban:

JERRY FALWELL: And I agree totally with you that the Lord has protected us so wonderfully these 225 years. And since 1812, this is the first time that we've been attacked on our soil and by far the worst results. And I fear, as Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, said yesterday, that this is only the beginning. And with biological warfare available to these monsters -- the Husseins, the Bin Ladens, the Arafats - what we saw on Tuesday, as terrible as it is, could be miniscule if, in fact -- if, in fact -- God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve.

]]> 1131@http://www.thisistrue.com/ Religion 2001-09-13T11:14:40-07:00