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Political & Religious Controversy - Universal Life Church Monastery Blog

Is There an Anti-Trans “Holy War” Brewing? Leaked Emails Cause Alarm

March 24th, 2023

Leaked emails between South Dakota officials and anti-trans lobbyists are sparking widespread concern among LGBTQ+ rights groups due to their stark opposition to transgender rights and Christian nationalist language. Continue Reading »

Posted in: LGBTQ & Human Rights, Political & Religious Controversy | 29 Comments »

Priests Can Have Sex After All? Pope Francis Calls Clergy Celibacy "Temporary"

March 17th, 2023

Should priests be allowed to marry and have sex? Pope Francis recently said that he's considering changing the rule requiring Catholic clergy to be celibate, which would upend a nearly thousand-year-old tradition. Continue Reading »

Posted in: Political & Religious Controversy | 66 Comments »

Pledge of Allegiance May Soon Be Mandatory in AZ Schools

March 9th, 2023

Should the Pledge of Allegiance be required in schools? The Arizona House just passed a bill forcing children to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance, unless they have parental permission to opt out. Continue Reading »

Posted in: Political & Religious Controversy | 137 Comments »

What the Hell Is Happening in Tennessee?

March 9th, 2023

Tennessee legislators have passed HB 878, a controversial new bill that would allow ministers and government officials to decline to perform any weddings they deem “objectionable” based on their religious beliefs. Continue Reading »

Posted in: LGBTQ & Human Rights, Political & Religious Controversy | 81 Comments »

Florida Oversight Board Will Monitor Disney Content For "Wokeness"

March 2nd, 2023

Thanks to a newly passed law, many of Disney’s financial decisions will now be subject to review by a board that critics say is heavily biased against any entertainment content that could be seen as “woke.” Continue Reading »

Posted in: Political & Religious Controversy | 44 Comments »

Mormon Church Accused of Routinely "Baptizing" Dead People – Including Holocaust Victims

February 24th, 2023

Is it a show of love or wildly offensive? The Mormon Church received pushback for posthumously baptizing the dead, particularly Jewish Holocaust victims, but also deceased celebrities and even mass murderers. Continue Reading »

Posted in: Political & Religious Controversy | 107 Comments »

Censorship or Sensitive Editing? Updated Roald Dahl Books Draw Strong Reactions

February 23rd, 2023

Is it censorship or changing with the times? Hundreds of changes have recently been made to Roald Dahl's books by publisher Puffin in order to reflect modern sensibilities. But many were outraged at the edits. Continue Reading »

Posted in: Political & Religious Controversy | 61 Comments »

Catholic Church Lobbies for Loophole on Child Abuse Reporting Bill

February 23rd, 2023

Should clergy be required to report child sex abuse they hear about in confession? A new bill in Washington wants to make clergy mandatory reporters, but Catholics are demanding clergy-penitent privilege remain. Continue Reading »

Posted in: Political & Religious Controversy | 98 Comments »

Are Boys Wearing Dresses an "Abomination to the Lord?" One Ohio School District Thinks So

February 20th, 2023

One Ohio boy's choice to wear a dress to school was called an "abomination" and "demonic" in a school board meeting, prompting outrage from the boy's parents who say their son just wants to be left alone. Continue Reading »

Posted in: Political & Religious Controversy | 152 Comments »

The Sermonator: With AI-Generated Sermons, Pastors Ponder Robot Takeover

February 17th, 2023

There's been a lot of talk of AI and chatbots lately, and pastors are not immune to the general job security unease. With advancements made every day, will pastors eventually be replaced by artificial intelligence? Continue Reading »

Posted in: Political & Religious Controversy | 45 Comments »