Chick-fil-A says it set a sales record on Wednesday, the day supporters rallied around the fast-food chain amid a debate over its president's opposition to same-sex marriage.
One reason for the fierce loyalty to the Atlanta-based chain: Southerners tend to be emotional about their food, writes Kim Severson in The New York Times.
Chains like Chick-fil-A and Waffle House, both founded in the Atlanta area in the middle of the last century, have strong associations for Southerners because they were part of the coming of age of a new South.
Speaking of the Old Gray Lady, David Brody at the Christian Broadcasting Network takes issue with The New York Times after a reporter there described Teavangelicals as “far right.” A more apt moniker? “Constitutional conservatives.”
Hundreds of young people have gathered near the London 2012 Olympic Park at the start of a 12-day evangelization event called the Joshua Camp. It is hosted by the Sion Community, a Catholic group that defines its mission as spreading the Gospel.
Also in England, a judge has ruled that a 10-year-old girl is mature enough to choose her religion. He rejected claims by the girl’s Jewish mother that she had been “brainwashed” by her father and was too young to be baptized a Christian.
In case you were wondering why hip-hop artist Snoop Dogg wants to be known as Snoop Lion, RNS has the answer.
On the sex and religion beat: The former pastor of an Indiana Baptist church is being investigated for sexual relations with a teenage girl. And a Kansas City Catholic priest pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges.
The head of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious is the subject of a profile by our own David Gibson. The key to understanding Sister Pat Farrell, the Franciscan nun, may be her years of ministry in Pinochet’s Chile and war-ravaged El Salvador. The drama between the American nuns and the Vatican continues next week when the nuns gather in St. Louis to decide whether to accept or reject the Vatican’s overhaul. Stay tuned to this channel for details.
Six former U.S. Vatican ambassadors have joined to support Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney and are calling on other Catholics to do the same.
A new poll shows Fortnight for Freedom, the Catholic bishops’ efforts to fight a federal mandate that requires employers — with some exceptions — to cover birth control, has worked. Fifty-six percent of Catholics agree with the bishop’s concerns. But that doesn’t mean Mitt Romney has tied up the Catholic vote, according to the Pew Forum poll.
Confused? TGIF. There’s the weekend to mull it over.
Yonat Shimron
Photo: Sister Pat Farrell in the parish of Cristo Obrero in Arica, Chile about 1984. Credit: RNS photo courtesy Sisters of St. Francis
John McGrath | Aug 3, 2012 | 12:06pm
Southerners tend to be emotional about their food? And other people aren’t? And northeastern “foodies” are just arrogant, not emotional, about their food?
Many people who support full rights for gays are not at at ease with the idea of attacking someone for expressing a controversial (obnoxious?) opinion rather than arguing against the opinion. Many also do think that a gay “kiss-in” is not a good idea because ... 1. It will be viewed as a failure compared to the the successful “eat-in” in support of Chick-Fil-A .... 2. Just not appropriate or effective.
Carl Diederichs | Aug 3, 2012 | 12:24pm
The fact that this man spoke out is his right. The fact that we then gave him a platform and more money is ridiculous. Can you count the number of owners of companies who are bigots as are so many of us?
frequentwind | Aug 3, 2012 | 2:18pm
Re: Calling the Tea Party “far right.” This is a group that believes that every Muslim in the country is part of a secret conspiracy to take over the country and impose Sharia law. They have introduced legislation to ban the practice of Sharia, effectively making Islam a crime. They have said that Islam does not deserve First Amendment protection because it’s not really a religion. The President’s overtures to Arab countries are because he secretly is a Muslim, born in Kenya.
And I’ve just covered the Tea Party as to one issue. There’s lots more where that came from. Sorry David Brody of CBN, but the truth hurts. You may prefer “constitutional conservative,” but the rest of us can call it for what it is.
dan bloom | Aug 4, 2012 | 12:27am
That Schaap’s behavior was discovered accidentally at a youth conference last week is telling. In this age of internet devices 24/7, the “stupid” (scare quotes ironic) pastor left his “smart” phone on the pulpit. A deacon found it, and then, and then, guess what? A message text came through from the 17 year old girl that revealed the sexual nature of their er ‘‘relationship’‘. So another reason not to leave valuable handheld devices around where anyone can find them! The man deserves what he is gonna get, too. The girl? She shoulda know better, too! oi.