RNS Morning Report - 👽 Inside New Age spirituality's new age

Aliens Among Us "I grew up watching Star Trek with my dad, but only recently did I seriously consider the existence of aliens or interview someone who claimed to be one," said RNS national reporter Kathryn Post, who documented her experience attending the Conscious Life Expo in Los Angeles in today's article exploring New Age's new galactic turn. "Starseeds — people who see themselves as extraterrestrial beings in human form — seemed to be everywhere at the Expo, where cosmic stories about aliens and evil elites offered a spiritual alternative to institutional religion," Post wrote about the New Age spirituality conference that draws 5,000+ people a year. "As a religion reporter I’m no stranger to the supernatural. In this story, I aimed to take seriously the conspiracies ramping up in this space while respecting the nontraditional, less extreme beliefs of attendees who asked: if you believe in angels, are aliens really such a leap?" Read Kathryn Post's full coverage of the starseeds, government plots, and alien auras of New Age's new age.      Top Stories Starseeds, government plots and an alien mantis: Inside New Age spirituality’s new age (RNS) — Thousands converged in Los Angeles for the Conscious Life Expo, where influencers and cultural shifts are fueling cosmic belief systems often featuring extraterrestrials. How the Book of Esther echoes through 17th-century Netherlands to this day RALEIGH, N.C. (RNS) — Since its inclusion in the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Esther has been embraced in different ways and in different times by Jews and Christians around the world. Iranian evangelicals are staying put, tentative but hopeful, says pastor ISTANBUL (RNS) — 'With this death of the supreme leader, everybody is firstly happy and hopeful but are still asking 'What's next?'' said Hormoz Shariat, who runs a streaming ministry for Iranian Christians. Photo gallery: The attack on Iran shocks, heartens and divides the world   Opinion Impulsive kings and random chance: Purim’s parallels to our political moment (RNS) — While Trump wages his war of choice on the thinnest of pretexts, the Jewish calendar is focusing on the vanity of human power and the amorality with which it is exercised. America’s moral power is the first casualty in Iran (RNS) — America's power in the world comes not from its military might alone, but from its moral authority. ICYMI Iran’s reprisals shutter Israel’s houses of worship during Ramadan and Purim (RNS) — For Israeli Muslims and Jews who would normally be celebrating in their houses of worship, there is a palpable sense of loss. Michelangelo’s ‘Last Judgment’ gets cleanup as tide of visitors to Sistine Chapel grows VATICAN CITY (RNS) — A thin, white film caused by decades of rising visitor numbers has dulled the dramatic contrasts of Michelangelo’s 'Last Judgment' in the Sistine Chapel. Support Our Work As a nonprofit newsroom that covers all faiths, RNS sits uniquely at the intersection of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. News tips or feedback? Email comments@religionnews.com. Like the Morning Report? Share it with a friend. Forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here. We rely on reader donations to power our reporting. Donate here. Or send a check to: Religion News Foundation PO Box 1808 Columbia, MO 65205

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