Tuesday's News & Ideas - 5/16/2023
- Inside Kenyan pastor’s cult
- Truman, godfather of Israel
- CNN’s disastrous town hall
- US inquires on India attacks
- Sudan’s fighting impacts clergy
- Disaster response expert
He told followers to starve to meet Jesus. Why did so many do it?*
The New York Times: Hundreds were drawn to a remote wilderness in southeastern Kenya by the End Times preaching of pastor Paul Mackenzie. Relatives and ex-members tried to intervene, but some did not want to be rescued.
Associated Press: Kenya doomsday death toll hits 200, with more than 600 reported missing
How a U.S. president known to disparage Jews became godfather of Israel*
The Washington Post: Seventy-five years ago Sunday, the first Jewish state in nearly 2,000 years was declared in Jerusalem. Exactly 11 minutes later, the historic announcement was followed by another: The U.S. government had recognized that newborn state, called Israel.
CNN’s disastrous ‘town hall’ with Trump put the country at risk
Religion Dispatches: Prior to the event, CNN’s defense was that its coverage was appropriate because Donald Trump is a former president who’s currently the leading Republican nominee for president in 2024.
US asks India to check ‘continued targeted attacks’ on minorities
Al Jazeera: State Department’s annual report on religious freedom lists attacks on Muslims and Christians in the world’s most populous nation.
Sudan’s increased fighting empties Christian clerics from the capital Khartoum
Religion News Service: The brewing civil war in the country has convinced Christians and their leaders to leave the capital en masse, with many fleeing across the border to South Sudan.
The Spark
How a disaster expert prepares for the worst
Lucy Easthope, who has worked on major emergencies* since 9/11, says that small interventions can make a significant difference, The New Yorker says.
*access is limited for nonsubscribers
