For hundreds of years, through the post-World War II era, Japanese marriages were brokered through “omiai,” a practice in which matchmakers — usually relatives, family friends or bosses — linked singles in their orbit. But the custom fell out of fashion, giving way to organic dating and, eventually, a wave of casual-dating apps. (Davis & Notoya, The New York Times)
Read MoreOne night in April, a leader of the artificial intelligence company Anthropic treated a group of religious thinkers to dinner at a high-end tasting menu restaurant in San Francisco after a long day. For months, Anthropic has been hosting private meetings like this one, shuttling in dozens of religious scholars from across the world, papering them with nondisclosure agreements and demanding that key aspects of many conversations remain confidential. (Dias, The New York Times)
Read More"I want to speak to you this morning, not as a candidate, but as a fellow Christian," [James Talarico] told the congregation. "My grandad was a Baptist preacher in south Texas. And when I was real little, he told me that Christianity is a simple religion." (DeRose, NPR)
Read More“This phenomenon,” the pope said, “contradicts every defeatist attitude.” He called the trend a “marvel” and said the church must work to “respect their personal history” and offer them a “welcoming environment.” He said the greatest challenge was to “foster” the newcomers, to ensure they remain in the faith. (Faiola & Boorstein, The Washington Post)
Read MoreArtificial intelligence use among more than 2,300 middle-school students is increasing rapidly—and any AI use is associated with higher social anxiety and depressive symptoms, according to a paper, currently under review, from researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The more often the students use AI, the more anxious and lonely they become. (Jargon, The Wall Street Journal)
Read MoreThe messages on Resurrection Lutheran Church’s sign range from witty to practical to profound. It’s an effort to inspire and attract drivers and passersby that’s uniquely popular in churches across America, the quintessential land of open roads and advertisements. “This is about people saying, ‘this makes a difference to me,’ and … sensing they’re loved by God,” says Heather Hultgren, who’s in charge of Resurrection’s daily sign changes. (Dell’Orto, AP News)
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