Here’s a couple that I found interesting: 

Penn State scandal and NCAA sanctions

USA Today Faith & Reason blog: “Catholic priest victims: NCAA too light on Penn State”

Washington Post’s For God’s Sake column: “Penn State NCAA Penalty: Using a bomb when needing a scalpel.”

Huffington Post: “Penn State: Morality Matters”

Colorado theater shootings

Huffington Post: “Cain, Colorado and the Divided Human Heart”  

USA Today Faith & Reason: “Billy Graham’s team prays with Colorado shooting victims”

USA Today Faith & Reason blog: “Colorado priest prays for Colorado victims and gun control”

(Photo above — AP Photo/Centre Times Daily: A worker hangs a blue tarp over the fence that was installed around the Joe Paterno statue as crews worked to remove the statue in State College, Pa., on Sunday, July 22.  The university announced Sunday that it was taking down the monument in the wake of an investigative report that found that the late coach and three other top Penn State administrators concealed sex abuse claims against Jerry Sandusky, who was recently convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys, sometimes on Penn State’s campus.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

You know the one that features actress Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy, who, with her husband Sean, adopted Michael Oher, a poor teen who went on to become a collegiate football player and NFL player. I met the Tuohys, by the way, when they visited Oklahoma City in June 2011 for the Arrow Child & Family Ministries Ambassadors luncheon and they were very nice and, well, inspirational.   

Lifeway Christian Resources, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, has apparently decided to take “The Blind Side” movie videos off Lifeway Christian Store shelves. A Baptist pastor is saying that it contains a racial slur and profanity. The movie, which is PG-13, may be brought up at next week’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in New Orleans, La., through a resolution submitted by the pastor, a Florida minister, who brought up these same concerns at an SBC meeting several years ago.    

Read the Associated Baptist Press story here: “Lifeway pulls ‘Blind Side’ Movie from stores”

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

Randy Wayne can empathize with his alter ego, Jake Taylor, the popular teen character at the center of the new movie “To Save a Life.”

The actor, who graduated from Moore High School, said he thinks most people will find a character they can relate to in the feature film set to premiere Friday in theaters.

That may be why the faith-themed movie already has amassed a following across the country, as word-of-mouth from screenings helps spread information about the film.

The movie is a partnership between Samuel Goldwyn Films and Outreach Films. The film has inspired a soundtrack featuring contemporary Christian group NewSong and a nonfiction book designed to help teens in crisis.

Wayne said he initially rejected the movie’s script without really reading it because he had been told it had a low budget.

When his agent urged him to give the script a more thorough reading, Wayne said he loved it.

“I thought it was amazing, that I’d do it for free,” he said during a telephone interview from his Los Angeles home.

Wayne said the movie attracted him because it has “heart” — with a relevant message not just about the tragedy that befalls one of the characters but about combating real-life issues such as self-centeredness, cliques and apathy.

“There are so many movies people make just to make money,” he said.

“This is a script that is real. I could see it making a difference. It’s not just some fairy tale.”

Wayne said Jake, the character he portrays, is a popular all-star athlete at his high school whom everyone wants to know. All the girls want to date him. He has an athletic scholarship and has a successful future mapped out. A tragedy at the school brings Jake and other characters in the film to a higher level of self-awareness and accountability for each other.

Wayne, 28, said he thinks the film’s popularity has spread word-of-mouth before its release because of its positive message about helping others.

“You can’t watch this movie and leave the theater without thinking good thoughts,” he said.

“I’d love for kids to watch the movie and go back to school or wherever they hang out and feel they can befriend people who are not in their circle and not have the animosity of cliques,” Wayne said.

“I hope the movie makes everyone feel they are worth something.”

The first session is tonight at 7 p.m. at the Paul Thompson Event Center, 10 E Memorial Road.

“Courageous” premiered in theaters Sept. 30. It tells the story of four law enforcement officers who are challenged to be better fathers. The movie explores the themes of manhood and fatherhood and what it means to be courageous.

For more information,  call 749-9418.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

Lots of Oklahoma churches have indicated they will support the film when it hits the big screen.

A cable channel is offering a behind-the-scenes look of the movie’s filming tonight. “The Making of Courageous” premieres on the Gospel Music Channel, also known as GMC, at 7 p.m. tonight. A bonus showing is set to air  at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 25.

The faith-inspired movie tells the story of of four law enforcement officers as they are challenged to be better fathers.

“The Making of Courageous” shows how 1,500 volunteers worked with a professional crew to create the movie 

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor       

The movie tells the true story of young surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack, and her return to surfing afterwards.

Well, in the middle of everything else going on last week, I got a chance to talk with Sarah Hill, the young woman who was Hamilton’s youth ministry leader and friend at North Shore Christian Church in Kauai, Hawaii. 

In “Soul Surfer,” Oklahoma’s own Carrie Underwood portrays Hill.

Hill visited Oklahoma City to speak at the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma’s women’s conference  April 15-16 at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center near Davis. The conference was held the same weekend as the Women of Joy conference at the Jim Norick State Fair Arena.

I covered Sarah Palin’s presentation at the  Women of Joy conference and I know there were thousands of women there. I know some of them might not have been able to attend the Baptist conference because of that.

I’m sharing my chat with Hill in Saturday’s Life section of The Oklahoman. I found that she has an interesting story all her own.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor        

Douglass (pictured at right) co-wrote and produced the film “Heaven’s Rain” about the 1979 night his parents were murdered and he and his sister were shot.

Here’s a story from the Associated Baptist Press about his appearance on “The View” with his sister: “Filmmaker discusses faith, forgiveness on ‘The View.’”     

Many Oklahomans already know that Brooks Douglass’ parents Richard and Marilyn Douglass served as Christian missionaries in Brazil. The Rev. Richard Douglass was pastor of Putnam City Baptist Church at the time of his death.

The former state legislator’s movie about that night and its aftermath seems to be reaching a wide audience. I know that was his hope: To reach people with a message about grace and forgiveness triumphing over evil. 

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

Douglass is scheduled to promote the Dateline episode with an appearance on NBC’s Today show, which on Friday morning. The Today show airs at 7 a.m. 

The Dateline episode will focus on the brutal 1979 attack on the Douglass family in their rural Oklahoma home, in which two criminals claimed the lives of Brooks Douglass’ father and mother, the Rev. Richard Douglass and Marilyn Douglass. Brooks Douglass, who was 16 at the time of the attack,  and his sister Leslie, who was 12,  survived the attack and eventually testified against the men who killed their parents.

Douglass went on to become a state senator, serving in the state Legislature for 12 years. He sponsored numerous peices of victims’ rights legislation during that time.

He co-wrote, produced and starred in the feature film “Heaven’s Rain,” which enjoyed a premiere and and limited run in Oklahoma and Los Angeles, Calif., in September 2010. Douglass told NewsOK’s Angi Bruss that  the movie is set to open in more theaters in Oklahoma and Texas at the end of January and nationwide sometime in March.

Much of the movie was filmed in Oklahoma and features some well-known Oklahoma sites such as the state Capitol building, the Governor’s Mansion,  the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester and First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City.    

Douglass, who now lives in Los Angeles, Calif., has proven in several interviews with The Oklahoman and other media that he is a willing to talk about one of the most horrible times of his life. He has done so with a grace and dignity that many people might not be able to muster in the aftermath of such a tragedy.

“Heaven’s Rain” was directed and co-written by Paul Brown and stars Douglass as his father Richard Douglass, Mike Vogel who portrays teen and young adult Brooks Douglass, Taryn Manning (who now stars in the TV show “Hawaii Five-O”) portrays Leslie Douglass and Kelly Curran  portrays Marilyn Douglass, Brooks Douglass’ mother.

For more information on the Dateline episode, visit: Dateline: Brooks Douglass and “Heaven’s Rain.”  

For more information about the movie, visit: www.heavensrainmovie.com.

For Brooks Douglass interview with NewsOK’s Angie Bruss, visit: “Brooks Douglass discusses his new movie.” 

For my stories on the former senator and “Heaven’s Rain,” visit: “Feeling Heaven’s Rain.”

“Former state senator shares and bares his soul in ‘Heaven’s Rain.’”

“Movie Review: ‘Heaven’s Rain’ tells story of former state senator’s parents’ murders.” 

Photo caption: Brooks Douglass, portrays his father, the Rev. Richard Douglass, and Nicolas Braico portrays young Brooks in the feature film “Heaven’s Rain.”

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor 

Well, a new single by Underwood will be featured on the “Voyage of the Dawn Treader” soundtrack to be released in November. That tidbit of news comes from the Facebook page for the “Voyage” film set for a Dec. 10 premiere. According to the movie’s Facebook page, Underwood’s song will be featured on the movie’s end credits. The song is called “There’s A Place for Us”  according to David Hodges (He was one of the co-writers with Underwood and Hillary Lindsey), one of the people related to the project, and is to be released as an iTunes exclusive on Nov. 16.

The soundtrack is set for release on Dec. 7, according to Amazon.com.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor 

Then I received word today of a new contest related to the upcoming movie.

So I guess it’s time to see what updates are available about the latest ”Narnia” film and the new contest.

“Voyage of the Dawn Treader” is set to premiere Dec. 10 in theaters nationwide. If you are interested in viewing one of the official movie trailers, click here: “Voyage trailer” and scroll down once you click on the link.  

Now about the contest.  To participate in Focus on the Family’s “Focus on Christmas” contest,  tell in 200 words or less who is your favorite “Narnia” character and why you would like to go to the ”Voyage of the Dawn Treader” London movie premiere.

One winner will receive a trip for two to the London premiere.  

For more information about the contest, visit “Focus on Christmas.”

The “Narnia” films are based on the beloved children’s fiction book series by author and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis. Incidentally, there’s still a lot of discussion on the Internet about the merits of Walden Media making all seven of the books in the series into movies. Some folks argue that all of them may not translate well on the big screen while others are saying it will be a dream come true if all the books are made into film so they can have a complete movie set.

Also, here’s something else. The Internet Movie Database has a special link devoted to “Voyage.” Get connected to it here: “Voyage of the Dawn Treader.”

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor