… Barack Obama is essentially saying that he recognizes that this nation was built with a Christian foundation, which is significant progress for liberals we on the right should be applauding. Barack Obama further says that we should thus fight for universal Christian values. But since there is no universal Christian values book, he’s saying we should fight for the ones everybody agrees on, including the Christian Left… that doesn’t leave much besides that “Love Thy Neighbor” stuff.

In other words, if this is a Christian country, as Obama seems to be admitting to, we shouldn’t be isolating any Christians who may not agree with the likes of James Dobson by only writing Christian legislation from a very VERY narrow non-Catholic conservative perspective.

I agree 100% with that.

Having watched our society split into two polar opposite camps that seemingly will never be able to unify as one, I have to also say that I agree with Kevin Tracy that the time has come to figure out what we have in common so that we can figure out common sense solutions to our nation’s problems — instead of always fighting with each other and with the other side. Much of Congress’ inability to do anything — both the GOP and the Democrats have failed to do anything during the 2000s — stems from our leaders’ inability to look at the greater picture. Much of this myopia comes from the constant battles and hate that has been a feature of Washington politics for far too long.

Let’s focus on common goals so that we can get the things that we agree upon resolved. Once we figure out how to get on the same page, maybe Washington will be able to get things done.

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Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Democrats, politics, religion, Republicans

Video: Pope Benedict in America

Pope Benedict in America links:

Benedict in America

Coverage of Pope Benedict’s Visit to the United States

Pope Benedict Arrives in the United States

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Technorati Tags: Benedict, Catholic, Pope

The Top 8 American Idol contestants sang “Shout to the Lord” with modified lyrics.

Reports Reality TV Magazine about the controversy that has erupted among sensitive people who are easily offended:

Leave it to American Idol to step into a huge controversy with a charity fundraiser. To close out Idol Gives Back, the American Idol top 8 finalists sang “Shout To The Lord.” By ending the show with a Christian song, it ran the risk of possible offending people of other religions.

However, the finalists sang a modified version of the song. Instead of singing the verse that goes “My Jesus, My Savior,” the finalists sang “My Shepherd, My Savior.” Jesus was replaced with the word “shepherd.”

The change was likely an attempt by American Idol producers to lessen any controversy among people of different religions. However, the modification of the song seems to have created controversy as well.

Adding fire to the controversy was a segment where Mariah Carey sang “Fly Like A Bird” — one of my favorite songs — which included the words “Higher Jesus.”

American Idol is one of America’s most popular television shows, so I wouldn’t worry that society will crumble. The producers know what American audiences want and put on a great charity show last night.

Maybe there will come a day when people aren’t so easily offended by things that shouldn’t be offensive.

I doubt it.

It’s always in someone’s interest to have a group of people who are easily outraged. It makes fund raising easier for those on the pro- and anti- side of the “outrage.”

It’s too bad that people who are always shocked don’t focus their attention on outrages like the premeditated beating of a teen girl captured on video in an attempt to create a popular viral video or all of the shooting deaths occurring among Chicago public school students.

For some reason, the true outrages just don’t ever seem to get people fired up as much as religious references.

Video: Mariah Carey “Fly Like A Bird”

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Technorati Tags: American Idol, controversy, Fly Like A Bird, Jesus, Mariah Carey, outrage, religion, Shout to the Lord, viral video

Will it win the hearts and minds of a new generation, or does it stray too far away from the message of love and forgiveness contained in the Bible?

To be fair, one version of the Manga Bible does contain the text of the Bible in addition to the graphic comic book parts, according to its website.

Containing both the full TNIV text of the Bible plus the entire Manga adaptation, this is the most Extreme version of the Bible yet!

Writes Neela Banerjee in the New York Times of the Manga Bible:

“We present things in a very brazen way,” said Mr. (Ajinbayo) Akinsiku, who hopes to become an Anglican priest and who is the author of “The Manga Bible: From Genesis to Revelation.” “Christ is a hard guy, seeking revolution and revolt, a tough guy.” …

The medium shapes the message. Manga often focuses on action and epic. Much of the Bible, as a result, ends up on the cutting room floor, and what remains is darker. …

Abraham rides a horse out of an explosion to save Lot. Og, king of Bashan, looms like an early Darth Vader. The Sermon on the Mount did not make the book, though, because there was not enough action to it.

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Technorati Tags: Manga Bible, religion