This weekend on the Dish, we provided our usual eclectic mix of religious, books, and cultural coverage. In matters of faith, doubt, and philosophy, Gary Gutting urged us to put love first, Wesley Hill contemplated the crucified God, and Matthew Sitman defended Christian Wiman’s new religious memoir. Damon Linker considered the theocons’s case against same-sex marriage, Scott Galupo analyzed the compartmentalization of the fundamentalist mind, and Andrew Cohen revisited a brilliant essay on God and evolution. Lauren Winner realized doubt is essential to the religious life, The Economist mused on the footwear of the faithful, and Rachel Johnson paid a visit to a kibbutz she spent time at in her youth. We also featured a video series from John Corvino about the morality of homosexuality, including what the Bible really says about the matter, here and here, while Marc Ambinder reminded us of the tragic lives that still await many gay teenagers. In the latest installment of The Mind Report, Charles Randy Gallistel made the case that we don’t really know how memories are stored.

In literary and arts coverage, Elizabeth Wurtzel pondered the fate of the rock star, Michael Leary unpacked Terrence Malick’s To the Wonder, and Christina Pugh argued for the conservatism of poetry. Michael Kimmage found Philip Roth to be the last of a dying breed, Justin Ellis applauded the NYT’s serendipitous poetry, and Doug Allen explained his minimal social media presence. Rodney Welch read a mediocre play by Nabokov, Patrick Feaster found a way to recover the audio of old records, and Alexander Huls described the profound impact of the special effects developed for Jurassic Park. Read Saturday’s poem here and Sunday’s here.

In assorted news and views, Emily Urquhart chronicled her daughter’s albinism diagnosis, Joseph Stromberg provided the science behind the smell of rain, and women proved to be thought the hornier sex for much of history. Rose Surnow profiled a novel approach to matchmaking, Colin Lecher examined your sense of smell’s role in dating, and the demand for American sperm increased. William Breathes reviewed pot dispensaries in Colorado, Seth Masket wondered where the Youtube politicians were, Bijan Stephens was pessimistic about his post-Yale job prospects, and Josh Horgan thought the social sciences are still struggling to find their place in the shadow of the hard sciences. MHBs here and here, FOTDs here and here, VFYWs here and here, and the latest window contest here.

– M.S.

(Photo by Flickr user oveth)