Wednesday's News & Ideas - 1/17/2024

Dispelling the zombie myth of white evangelical support for Trump
Religion Dispatches: The assertion that unchurched white evangelicals are the most supportive of Trump is not supported by the preponderance of evidence.

Dozens of Black churches receive total of $4 million for historic preservation
Religion News Service: This year’s grants, which range from $50,000 to $200,000, will allow congregations to address issues such as mold contamination, demolition, water filtration and deferred maintenance.

It’s possible to find spirituality in technology, but beware those who misuse it for personal gain
The Guardian: Mysticism has long found a home online, but the rise of generative AI through services like ChatGPT is making it easier than ever to project a sense of magic upon technology.

Doomsday cult pastor and others will face murder and child torture charges over deaths of 429 in Kenya
CBS News: Kenya’s director of public prosecutions on Tuesday ordered that 95 people from a doomsday cult be charged with murder, manslaughter, radicalization, cruelty and child torture, among other crimes, over the deaths of 429 people believed to be members of the church.

Israel army kills two Christian women in ‘cold blood’ at Gaza church compound
Al Jazeera: A Christian woman and her daughter shot dead in Gaza’s Holy Family Church by an Israeli soldier, the patriarchate says.

The Spark

“Fair Trade” labels conceal brutal abuses of farmworkers
Many grocery products from Mexico are sold in the US with labels touting their fair labor practices — but the farmworkers* who produce that food say they are subject to widespread abuse by their employers, Jacobin says.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers