Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is said to be the only unforgivable sin. I've never understood exactly what that looks like, or met anyone who could explain it to me, but I'm fairly certain that if you were the unfortunate, you wouldn't pay the price until death.

Sadly, the same can't be said for those who blaspheme Islam in the Muslim world. Just ask Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, the 23-year-old Afghan journalist, sentenced to death for his words, of which the exact nature I can't find online. He's appealing, and Reporters Without Borders said he caught a break yesterday when his case was moved to Kabul.

"His request for transfer to Kabul has finally succeeded, allowing Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh to be separated from other detainees in the vast Pul-i-Charki jail, in the east of the capital. His transfer to Kabul has given rise to hopes that his appeal will not be influenced by religious fundamentalists, as was the case when he was sentenced to death for “blasphemy” by a court in Mazar-i-Sharif, on 22 January 2008.”

This article was cross-posted at The God Blog.

Posted by Brad Greenberg at April 1, 2008 | Comments (2)

Leon Podles, senior editor at Touchstone, has a new book out: Sacrilege: Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church.

Richard John Neuhaus, editor of First Things, which is not unlike Touchstone, didn't like it. In the recent issue, he called Podles's book rambling and shrill. "Even righteous anger does not justify the author's suspension of caution and charity in attributing motives," Neuhaus wrote.

Today, on Touchstone's blog, senior editor S.M. Hutchens struck back on Podles's behalf. He callsFirst Things "the finest journal of its type" and Neuhaus "genuinely likeable and for whom I have the highest regard," but then comes a poem that begins:

Ah, good Father Richard, on hearing screaming boys,
Is just as right as ever in keeping out the noise.
No rambling rants like Podles’ should ever make one think
The faith is made of suffering more than stately rows of ink.

The poem goes on. As do the comments. Perhaps it's better if, on this item, you comment there rather than here.

Posted by Ted Olsen at January 3, 2008 | Comments (0)

Each year readers of the Chicago Tribune's "Tempo" section are treated to the editors' list of 50 favorite magazines. Few religious magazines make their list. And this year, no religious perspectives appeared on their June 26 honor roll.

Yesterday, the Tribune ran a list of readers' favorites to balance the shortsightedness of their list. Not surprisingly, the Atlantic and Real Simple were among those faves that the readers chided them for omitting. And here at CT, we were pleased to see our efforts were also given recognition.

Here's what they wrote about us:

Christianity Today: "Covers a broad range of issues with an open-minded and inclusive point of view for the evangelical reader, acknowledging that 'evangelical' can mean many different things."

Not sure how to parse "open-minded and inclusive for the evangelical reader," but I think that qualifies as a left-handed compliment. And as a southpaw, I'll take it.

Posted by David Neff at July 20, 2007 | Comments (6)