Author: Alex Trent

If we imagined US states as people, then their birthdates would be the date when they were founded and became officially recognized by the US government. When looking at states under a zodiac analysis lens, do they share qualities with the signs they were “born under?” Do the qualities these states possess reflect the general conception of their populations by others? California Source: Rob Martin/Unsplash The state of California was officially founded on September 9, 1850. Under the zodiac astrological system, this would make the state of California a Virgo. Virgos have positive traits of being kind and hardworking but…

There have been 45 people in the history of the United States who have had the honor of serving as its president. What kind of person does it take to serve the country in its highest office? Let’s examine the qualities of some prominent US presidents and see how they may relate to their astrological signs. George Washington Source: Wikimedia Starting off first is America’s first and arguably most iconic president, George Washington. The Country’s capital, thirty-three counties, seven mountains, nine colleges, and an entire state are named after him. Washington was born under the Pisces astrology sign, shared by…

75 Christian leaders have signed a statement released by the Christian group Circle of Protection, which represents prominent churches and national-level Christian organizations, aimed toward the White House and the United States Legislature demanding more needs to be done to combat racism and poverty. Circle of Protection argued that God is calling Christians to step up after a failure of substantial police reforms and as people of color continue to suffer higher rates of violence. Racism is Getting Worse Source: Markus Spiske/Unsplash In their statement signed by prominent Christian leaders, Circle of Protection asserts that racism is becoming an increased…

Delegates representing the United Methodist Church at their general conference enacted a series of historic rule changes that will see condemnation of homosexuality stripped away from church doctrine. Among the many changes, LGBT church members can now become clergy, and the definition of marriage has been redefined to include same-sex couples. Redefinition of Marriage Source: Draw Coffman/Unsplash An amendment to the definition of marriage was added to official church rules after a long debate that lasted more than an hour between competing delegates from different countries. The definition still acknowledges marriage between a man and a woman but says this…

In a recent interview, “Succession” star Brian Cox slammed the Bible and religion in general in a scathing rant. Cox, an Emmy-winning actor, expressed dissatisfaction with the way religion controls people and picked apart details he found bad in the Genesis creation story. Worst Book Ever Source: Rod Long/Unsplash During an interview with “The Starting Line Podcast,” Scottish Actor Brian Cox didn’t hold back his disdain for the Bible and people who believe in it. “The Bible is one of the worst books ever, for me, from my point of view. Because it starts with the idea that out of…

Russell Brand, a podcaster with millions of followers, was celebrated for sharing his baptism experience in the River Thames on social media over the weekend. However, just a day after undergoing the Christian baptism ritual, he created controversy after posting a video of him looking through Tarot cards and explaining different readings and interpretations, something that many Christians disagree with. Christian Baptism Source: Kaleb Tapp/Unsplash Brand, an artist and podcaster with a focus on spirituality, was ecstatic in the aftermath of his baptism which he described as overwhelming. “Something occurred in the process of baptism, that was incredible, overwhelming, literally…

In the halls of Silicon Valley, one might expect programmers and data analysts to be hard at work figuring out cold AI algorithms without a religious thought or word being uttered between them. However, recently, Catholic priests have been having closed-door meetings with AI programmers who reached out to them to gain the church’s insight into understanding what makes a human a human. A Say Over AI Source: Steve Johnson/Unsplash For their part, Catholic priests have been meeting with programmers under an interest of discussing what the emerging field of AI means for human society and to have input on…

Catholic churches across America are undergoing a big change as growing numbers of young Catholics are looking for a return to tradition from their local parishes. While there are still many liberal Catholic parishes and conservative Catholics currently remain a minority, church leaders around the country are noticing the subtle signs of a growing wave of conservative influence. The Way Things Were Source: James Coleman/Unsplash After the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, many Catholic churches began embracing more modern, liberal sentiments. A liberal interpretation of Catholic doctrine started to influence American Catholics as the years went by, leading to…

A new survey conducted by HR Brew and Harris Poll found that US workers are split on their opinions around religion, DEI, and sharing their faith at work. Survey respondents are also divided on whether religion belongs in diversity, equity, and inclusion training initiatives in the workplace. Survey Data Source: Bench Accounting/Unsplash The HR Brew/Harris Poll survey asked more than 2,000 US adults questions related to DEI and workplace spirituality and religion. 67% of respondents said they wanted to have a formal DEI program, while only 49% reported that their company actually had one. What is DEI? Source: University of…

Delegates at the United Methodist Church general conference are continuing to meet this week to discuss a host of different issues. Key among these issues may be a possible change to long-held bans on same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy members. This is the first legislative gathering for delegates in five years, and historic changes are already reportedly being made during the 11-day-long conference. Historic Changes Source: Hitkiller666/Wikimedia On Thursday, the delegates at the United Methodist Church endorsed a policy shift for the organization that would restructure it into regional conferences. This restructuring would give the region for the United States…