The Ten Worst Religious Stories of 2008

10. Jews feel the financial and image pain of Wall Streeter Bernie Madoff as his money lies damage Yeshiva University and Elie Weisel as well as smaller stakeholders.

9. Sarah Palin's witchcraft video.

8. Rev. Jeremiah Wright appears at the National Press Club. By playing the fool Wright makes his defenders, including Barack Obama, look foolish.

7. Prosperity Gospelers add to the foreclosure crisis by preaching that Jesus had provided poor congregants with a house they could not afford.

6. Elizabeth Dole runs the "There is No God" campaign ad accusing opponent Kay Hagen (who teaches Sunday School) of atheism.

5. The Catholic Church, Mormons and Rick Warren join in a theologically unlikely alliance to pass Proposition 8 and revoke the right of Gays and Lesbians to marry. Rick Warren is tapped by Obama to offer the invocation at his inauguration.

4. The anti-Muslim rhetoric in the presidential election, coupled with a persistent belief that Barack Obama was a Muslim was bad enough. But it was topped off by the Obama campaign's insistience on the candidate's Christian faith rather than condemning the religion-baitng.

3. Buddhist Monks and nuns are slaughtered in Tibet as China cracks down in anticipation of the Olympics and similar violence in Burma by the dictatorship.

2. Islamist terrorists take the city of Mumbai hostage killing people of all faith and especially targeting Jews.

1. With all of the power of the world religions in 2008 we did not muster the political will to stop the daily starvation of thousands of our fellow human beings.

Cross-posted from Beliefnet's Progressive Revival blog

Comments

[youngat80]

Why are all the religious stories so negative?
The biggest religious story of this -- or any -- year is the one that is never written. It is the story of food banks, disaster volunteers, child care, hospice, safe havens, alternatives to gangs, an endless list of serving one's fellowman.
How about it, Huffington Post? Will you make an effort to have at least 1 positive story each week in 2009?

[LMPE]

OK, so there's lots of stuff about Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. Why do Shinto, Taoism, Confucianism and Sikhism never make it into stories (positive or negative) about religion? Are they just completely boring faiths?

[Zanti]

Hm. You don't suppose it's because they're not popular in our culture?

No, the answer can't be that simple....

Another mystery--why does football get more coverage in my local news than other sports?

[mcthfg]

Hmmm... what a great world/list this would be if everyone grew up and ditched the great sky daddy.

I know a lot of you are scared, but you can do it! Think about it - you already know very little about your religion already, and ditching it won't hurt one bit!

Make it a new years resolution - no more mythology! Make the world safer for you, your friends, your family, and SCIENCE! We all win!

[Zanti]

Let's start with the mythology that Christians, as a rule, believe in a "great sky daddy."

Love your patronizing tone. Very... patronizing. Yes.

[dfranz]

Religion is a man made consept. Hypocricy shows itself in different ways.