Monday’s News & Ideas - 2/2/2026
- No religious revival data
- Buddhist monks’ peace walk
- Trump’s false ‘de-escalation’
- Maine clergy organize
- Misdemeanor against abuse survivor
- A.I. delusions
There is no religious revival
ARC: Trend stories about rising religiosity are not supported by evidence.
If I wasn’t Methodist, I might be Buddhist
Religion News Service: My Methodist heart was ‘strangely warmed’ in the dead of winter in North Carolina by a stalwart group of Buddhist monks walking for peace, Michael Christensen writes.
Make no mistake about Trump’s Minnesota ‘de-escalation’
Religion Dispatches: With ‘immigration czar’ Tom Homan taking the reins it’s likely to be pivot in style only.
If the U.S. had 100 people: Charting Americans’ religious beliefs and practices
Pew Research Center: Large numbers can be difficult to picture, but what if we scaled down the numbers by imagining a town of 100 people?
US woman resolves misdemeanor case opened after accusing priest of predatory behavior
The Guardian: Heather Jones said that she can’t help but surmise that a misdemeanor case may have been pursued to undermine her credibility after coming forward against Robert Sullivan.
The Spark
How bad are A.I. delusions? We asked people treating them.
Dozens of doctors and therapists said chatbots* had led their patients to psychosis, isolation and unhealthy habits.
*access is limited for nonsubscribers