By Bobby Ross Jr. | GetReligion
Shocking!
Absolutely shocking!
Perhaps you saw the news today — via a tweet by the New York Times to its nearly 39 million followers — about White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
In case you’re standing, I’ll hold on just a second so you can sit down.
OK, brace yourself. Here it is. Deep breath, everyone!
Without further weeping and gnashing of teeth, the tweet from the Times:
Did you catch that!?
To repeat, Sanders IS AN EVANGELICAL WHO READS A CHRISTIAN DEVOTIONAL BEFORE NEWS BRIEFINGS.
Stop the presses!
I kid. I kid. But more than a few folks on Twitter chuckled at the Times’ characterization of Sanders’ spiritual discipline:
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All of my GetReligion columns (August 2017):
• Hate groups, far-right conservatives and other labels: Can we guess why journalists rely on certain terms? Published Aug. 1.
• What ever happened to that Presbyterian church that split over gay clergy? Paper offers half the answer. Published Aug. 2.
• Good journalism? Slanted journalism? Readers disagree on story out of Cornhuskers territory. Published Aug. 3.
• Mark of the Beast: This time, a Godbeat pro gives us 666 reasons to like her apocalyptic story. Published Aug. 7.
• Absolutely shocking news! Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reads Christian devotionals. Published Aug. 8.
• Hey Coke drinkers: These pastors’ lawsuit will make you rethink your love for sugary soft drinks. Published Aug. 9.
• Fried Twinkies? Yes, please. And read this delightful story on a church’s state fair food stand. Published Aug. 10.
• Is Supreme Court case as simple as baker’s refusal to make same-sex wedding cake? Here’s why it’s complicated. Published Aug. 14.
• Not a dying trend: This is why cremations — and religion — keep making headlines in the U.S. Published Aug. 15.
• Bye bye holy ghosts! TV station lets faith shine in report on family killed in car crash. Published Aug. 16.
• Losing my religion (or gaining a new one): This is what’s surprising about conversions in America. Published Aug. 18.
• Thank you, British friends: Here is the most fun eclipse story I’ve read (and most lacking in context). Published Aug. 21.
• Scouts use this school for free, but Bible club must pay: What might be strange about that? Published Aug. 22.
• In nitty-gritty of journalism, the difference between a ‘devil worshiper’ and a ‘known devil worshiper.’ Published Aug. 23.
• Hey Washington Post: About Paula White and those ‘bible-bleeding’ Christians who support Trump. Published Aug. 24.
• Have faith, Houston: Looking forward to more God stories after ‘rains of biblical proportions.’ Published Aug. 28.
• Flood him with criticism: Let him who is without sin cast the first stone at Joel Osteen and his church. Published Aug. 29.
• On the Nashville Statement, one national newspaper offers less slanted coverage than another. Published Aug. 30.
• A baby baptized in the Stanley Cup: What kind of person does that? And why? Published Aug. 31.