Notices by Jack Jenkins (jackmjenkins@mastodon.online)

I feel like Mastodon might be a good place to ask this #space question: I know we have some video footage from #Mars, and that we've recorded some sounds.

But do we have any footage that pairs both as a *rover* is moving? I.e., a shot of Mars with sound as a rover moves — or even just as it pans? #MarsRover

NEW from me: A GOP-led House investigation is targeting 200+ groups accused of fueling Biden's "historic border crisis" by aiding migrants.

But the list includes faith groups and *entire denominations*, and some are calling the probe a violation of religious liberty. https://religionnews.com/2025/06/25/faith-groups-say-republican-led-probe-violates-their-religious-freedom/

NEW: I spoke with the LA-area pastor who confronted masked men conducting an apparent immigration action on church property — men, she says, who waved a weapon at her and told another church staffer that "the whole country is our property."

DHS claims ICE wan't there — but I have video, and it may just have been a different DHS team. https://religionnews.com/2025/06/13/in-church-confrontation-apparent-immigration-agents-wave-a-weapon-at-pastor/

Man, a Wood Thrush has no business having a song that pretty.

It’s like one of those talented friends you’ve known for years who suddenly starts belting out during karaoke and you’re like “oh come on you can sing too?!”

There’s a sizable protest of what appears to be entirely faith leaders and clergy outside the Capitol right now, with the demonstrators speaking out against the GOP-led budget.

It’s a Pentecost gathering “for a moral budget.”

Lawmakers are also expected to appear.

There’s another faith-led Moral Mondays protest in front of SCOTUS right now — this one noticeably larger than in weeks past.

The march from a church to SCOTUS, where people will decry cuts to healthcare programs in the GOP budget, is led by pastors and wheelchair users (and some who are both).

Via Aleja Hertzler-McCain at @religionnews: Resettling Afrikaners is a ‘Faustian bargain,’ says Episcopal Church’s Sean Rowe https://religionnews.com/2025/05/20/resettling-afrikaners-is-a-faustian-bargain-says-episcopal-churchs-sean-rowe/

1. Honestly, I think this is a pretty big deal.

Makes me wonder if Pope Leo is gonna drop an encyclical or apostolic exhortation in the next year or so focused on labor issues in the 21st century — including, or perhaps especially, AI. https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-leo-tells-cardinals-they-must-continue-precious-legacy-pope-francis-2025-05-10/

There've been lots of Trump 2.0 protests, but major ones have had faith ties:

* Budde's sermon
* Six faith-led lawsuits
* Pope's letter criticizing immigration policies/fight with Vance
* Rep. Al Green's protest of Trump's speech
* Sen. Booker's marathon speech
* "Sit-in"
* Rotunda arrests

Religious left: still a thing
https://mastodon.online/@jackmjenkins/114468263088077015

BREAKING: For the second time in two weeks, clergy and faith leaders have been arrested while praying in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, part of a larger protest against the GOP-led budget.

I know it wouldn’t be narratively interesting, but I feel like one thing we rarely see in a post-apolocyptic film/show is a pocket society that just sort of…figured it out.

They’re living an awful world, but they’re safe. They’ve got it together. There’s no hidden despot.

They’ve just…survived.

You know, I — like most reporters — don’t necessarily *need* Snopes to confirm that my reporting was accurate, but it’s nice that they did. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/rev-william-barber-arrested-praying-capitol-rotunda/

BREAKING: Police just surrounded Rev. William Barber, prominent activist and pastor, as he and others prayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

Police then expelled everyone (including credentialed press!) from the Rotunda to (presumably) arrest them.

I've covered protests here a lot. Never seen anything like it.

What are you reading this weekend?

This is your regular reminder that if you have a news tip or something you'd like to share/leak about religion and politics — including about ongoing battles over immigration, refugees, federal workers, policies within the federal government, etc. — you can reach me on Signal: jackmjenkins.60

What are you reading this weekend?

My hot take on Mastodon is that, yes, it doesn’t have the user base of Threads or the “juice” of Bluesky, etc.

But as a journalist, I have no plans to ever completely abandon this platform, because, if nothing else, the *overall structure* is de facto more durable than anything else out there. That durability is proven, and in an unsettled world, could prove vital to getting out information should other platforms fail/get taken down, etc.

Also, folks are mostly pretty nice here.

What are you reading this weekend?

Long story short: Mastodon is relatively small, but it has enough people and a big enough reach to justify using it, and the very fact that it’s incredibly hard to kill makes it a smart choice for journalists to remain involved with.
https://mastodon.online/@jackmjenkins/114166648845595134

EXCLUSIVE(S): In pair of Lent-focused letters, major Christian leaders and denominations blast the Trump admin, call on fellow Christians to take action to protect immigrants, refugees and the poor as a matter of faith. https://religionnews.com/2025/03/04/christian-leaders-condemn-trump-administration-urge-faithful-to-advocate-for-vulnerable-during-lent/