- Music Man. Elmer Maas, 69, a musician, philosopher, civil rights worker, and one of the founders of the Plowshares anti-nuclear movement, died May 7 in Connecticut.
Departments
Rose Marie Berger, Mark Betz 8-01-2005
William Peltz 8-01-2005
Contrary to what Jim Wallis writes in "A Life of Moral Consistency" (Hearts & Minds, June 2005), Pope John Paul IIs "consistent ethic of life" wasnt that consistent. He believed that an unjust war doesnt have the same moral weight as abortion.
Rose Marie Berger, Mark Betz 8-01-2005
An Iraqi boy helps with a cleanup project organized in Fallujah, Iraq, by the Muslim Peacemaker Teams. Street cleaning and praying with Sunni Muslims were the teams first public actions.
Emily R. Hershberger 8-01-2005
Churches in Colombia and the United States held more than 20 nonviolent vigils on Mothers Day weekend calling for an investigation into the February massacre of eight members of San José de Apartadó, a Catholic-rooted peace community in Colombia.
Dinah McCandless 8-01-2005
I was very impressed with the article on marriage by Jesse Holcomb ("Marriage and the Common Good," July 2005); it was very eloquent and broad in scope. His writing skill defies the youth to which he alludes in the article. Congratulations to him on his recent engagement!
Bevan Manson 8-01-2005
The excellent article by Donna Britt ("Confessions of a Blue State Christian," June 2005) left out one point: It is Republican media magnates such as Rupert Murdoch who are the ones condoning much of the sex and violence in TV or film. Behind them are the companies that pay for advertising.
Rose Marie Berger, Mark Betz 7-01-2005
Brazilian churches have taken on that countrys handgun epidemic by organizing their parishes and community centers to host drop-off sites for weapons - no questions asked. "Christian churches have adopted an active and committed position with civil society in the struggle against the weapons industry
Rose Marie Berger, Mark Betz 7-01-2005
War veterans, families with relatives in the military, peace activists, and others met in Washington, D.C., in March to publicly sign a statement of support for U.S. soldiers in Iraq who are refusing orders to fight for reasons of conscience. Signers could be charged with violating U.S.
Robert Roth 7-01-2005
When the faithful welcome the breaking of Gods word into relationships, politics, and economics, hope arrives. Adopted as Gods sons and daughters, people begin to make the reign of God their greatest loyalty.
Lee Anne Litzsinger 7-01-2005
I found Jim Wallis recent article "For the Heath of the Nation" (May 2005) disappointing. Besides the disapproving tone it takes toward more "fundamentalist" evangelical Christians, it came across as flawed on several points. What troubled me most was a misplaced focus on environmental protection.
Herb Edwards 7-01-2005
Peter Henriot, like so many others, totally dismisses the potential of GMO crops in favor of organic agriculture for feeding Zambias population ("The Zambia Experiment," April 2005). Zambia will double its population in 25 years. Are they going to double the acreage for crop production? At whose expense?
Mark Libby 7-01-2005
I appreciated Scot DeGrafs article ("Less is More"), as it is always good to get practical tips on being better stewards. I want to point out something minor regarding the use of compact florescent bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs.
Martin Johnson 7-01-2005
Scot DeGrafs article ("Less is More," May 2005) was great, but he missed a critical mode of transportation: the bicycle. I am in my mid-50s, and co-workersincluding people in their 70sand I bicycle up to 10 miles one way to work.
Rose Marie Berger, Mark Betz 7-01-2005
- Always Low. The Wal-Mart clan-America's wealthiest family with $84 billion-joined forces with 65 other "high-wealth families" organized by the Policy and Taxation Group in Santa Ana, California, to seek a permanent repeal of the estate tax.
- Abolish Me. The New York State Assembly's Codes Committee defeated a bill to reinstate New York's death penalty. Out of 170 witnesses who testified at five public hearings, 148 opposed the death penalty, nine argued for it, and five supported it with changes.
- About Time.
Louis Templeman 7-01-2005
Against the ugly annals of
Bible-thumper politics bounce the echoes
of Bad-Eye Thomas' lonesome cry.
His tears collect against the
coffers engineered by Robertson's broadcasts;
the retention walls defined by Falwell's broadsides.
Such rhetoric trickled down from
palatial headquarters (funded from small contributions)
to the votes of the faithful tithers.
Mrs. Thomas, Christopher's mother,
having deposited her social security check,
found his money coupon, kept neatly between
her phone bill and her monthly offering
Rose Marie Berger, Mark Betz 7-01-2005
Talking Bible Dolls has released its newest product - a huggable, washable, and talking Jesus plush doll.
Rose Marie Berger, Mark Betz 7-01-2005
Three hundred Israeli high-school students signed a letter refusing to participate in the occupation of the Palestinian territories, according to a letter they sent to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in March.
Rose Marie Berger, Mark Betz 7-01-2005
Manchester and Salford, England, jointly became the 100th Fairtrade Towns in March, ushering fairly traded coffees, teas, and chocolates into local cafés and achieving a landmark victory for the growing trade justice movement in Great Britain. "The towns raise awareness and sales of fair trade, which both contribute to tackling