By TERRY MATTINGLY, Scripps Howard News Service

Americans want shades of gray in abortion debate

When it comes to abortion, the vast majority of Americans know what they want -- and what they want isn't going to please Planned Parenthood or the Vatican.
What they want is compromise. What they want are shades of gray.

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Paul Weyrich and the culture war

It was the kind of quote that is catnip for politicos and scribes inside the Washington Beltway.
"What Americans would have found absolutely intolerable only a few years ago, a majority now not only tolerates but celebrates," proclaimed Paul M. Weyrich, chairman of the Free Congress Foundation.
Then came the statement that set pundits to chattering for weeks.

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Top 10 religion news stories of 2008

After waves of headlines about faith and politics, President-elect Barack Obama was the clear choice as the top Religion Newsmaker of 2008.

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Celebrate Advent, Christmas,the Epiphany

Merry Christmas.
No, honest, as in "the 12 days of" you know what between Dec. 25 and Jan. 5.

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Mattingly: How teens think about religion

When pollsters ask Americans the Eternal Question they almost always say, "I believe in God."
Ask young Americans about faith and the response is something like, "I believe in God and stuff." Finding the doctrinal meaning of "and stuff" is tricky.

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Sobering numbers about teen behavior

Take comfort in this: The items on the following "to do" list do not apply to all teens today.
-- Lie to your parents about those wild weekend plans -- check.
-- Steal that scarf you want at the mall -- check.
-- Download that term paper off the Internet and add a few mistakes to confuse the teacher -- check.

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Religion is at the core of many stories

It only takes a few words to call back the memories from 30 years ago, all those nightmare images from the jungle sanctuary in Guyana.
"Revolutionary suicide" may do the trick, especially when combined with that grim quotation from one survivor, "They started with the babies." But it was another Jonestown catch phrase that leapt into the national consciousness.

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Mattingly: Getting the facts wrong

Richard Ostling has never gotten used to seeing journalists commit sins of omission and commission on the religion beat.

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