Five for Friday: Changing Religious Rhetoric, Jokes About Celebs

By Stan Friedman

CHICAGO, IL (January 22, 2014) — Many Covenanters routinely share links to social media articles and videos with one another that Covenant News Service believes may be of interest to others. Each Friday we post five of them. Following is a sample of those submissions—their inclusion does not represent an endorsement of any views expressed.

Ferguson: Why I Don’t Make Fun of Struggling Celebrities

In the wake of a certain young celebrity’s arrest this week, several people linked to this story, which includes a brilliantly funny, sobering, and convicting 2007 monologue by former late-night host Craig Ferguson. In it, he tells why he would no longer make jokes about struggling celebrities. At times, you might say, the audience laughs in the wrong places, which prove his point The reasons he gives aren’t all what you might expect, and they’re not just about the celebrities. Be sure to watch the second video as well. If you only click on one link this week, make it this one.

Religious Conservatives Want to Change Conversation Tenor

Led by Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, some of the best-known religious conservatives in the United States, launched the “Imago Dei” campaign to encourage political and religious discussion that recognizes all people are made in the image of God. In this piece authored by three of the leaders, they write that using derogatory language is “rhetorical pornography.” This is a great and long-overdue step. Critics already have noted, however, that some of the leaders were just last week engaging in the behavior they are now campaigning against. Actually, we’re all pretty good at that, so perhaps the campaign leaders—and the rest of us—can listen to our critics and live up to being the Imago Dei.

Worst Christian Book Covers of 2013

I promise this is the last 2013-related list. This one was just too good to pass up.

The Congregation as a Resource Center

The writer raises several intriguing questions that could lead churches to make perhaps subtle yet major changes in how they see part of their ministry.

The Surprising Discovery About Those Colonialist, Proselytizing Missionaries

Andy Crouch tweeted that this is Christianity Today cover story is the one that has most excited him since he became the magazine’s editor.

 

 

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