As Christianity loses followers across the United States, fascination with unidentified flying objects is climbing. Director Steven Spielberg has now entered that conversation with a new film titled “Disclosure Day,” which takes on the subject of extraterrestrial life and what it could mean for religion. The movie raises the question of whether God is exclusively the creator of Earth, or whether a divine being might encompass all intelligent life throughout the universe. Across the country, conventions for UFO believers are growing in number, with some attendees claiming that beings from other planets are themselves representations of God. Religious leaders are divided — some consider UFOs to be demonic in nature, while others caution that the nation’s fixation on them is becoming unhealthy.
A newly released report is raising alarms about the treatment of Christians in Nepal. The organization International Christian Concern says the predominantly Hindu country imposes legal restrictions on followers of Christ, subjects them to social pressure, and at times exposes them to violence. ICC stated: “According to Christian leaders in Nepal, increasing Hindu nationalism seeks both to reinforce the country’s identity as a Hindu nation and to suppress Christian growth. Christian converts, especially those who leave Hinduism, often endure severe social consequences.” Current figures show that 81 percent of Nepal’s population practices Hinduism, while Christians make up roughly two percent.
A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit brought by a former Yosemite National Park ranger who lost her job after displaying a large transgender pride flag on a rock wall at a California park. U.S. District Judge Jennifer Thurston ruled that Shannon Joslin, who identifies as nonbinary, failed to follow the correct legal procedures when filing the case. Because Joslin was still in a probationary period at the time of the termination last year, the proper course of action would have been to file a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel. National Park Service rules prohibit any employee from displaying flags that express personal social or political views within the national parks.
Polyamory — the practice of having multiple romantic partners simultaneously — is emerging as the next major debate for progressive religious denominations. Churches that previously moved to accept homosexuality and transgenderism are now facing calls to extend blessings to group marriages as well. Within the Presbyterian Church USA, a debate is underway over a proposal that would require ordained ministers to practice monogamy. In the Episcopal Church, three priests have given up their ordination vows due to conflicts between their church roles and their personal family arrangements. The Episcopal Church also considered, but ultimately did not move forward with, a 2024 resolution aimed at studying “diverse family structures.” Across the border in Canada, the Lutheran Church is also examining the issue of polyamory.
