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In the News...
Updated daily: Monday to Friday
Friday, July 30th, 2010152 die in Pakistan's worst air disaster
A Pakistani passenger jet crashed in bad weather killing all 152 people on board in the country's worst air accident. The Wednesday morning Airblue flight from Karachi was preparing to land when it went down in the fog-shrouded Margalla Hills to the north of Islamabad, the capital.
Obama picks 'View' over Boy Scouts
President Obama, the honorary chairman of the Boy Scouts of America, will not attend the group's 100th anniversary celebration Wednesday – opting instead to appear at fundraisers and on an ABC daytime talk show.
Vatican accused of hypocrisy over short skirts dress code
Visitors said that at a time when the Catholic Church is battling scandals over paedophile priests and decades of cover-ups, it should have more important things to worry about.
Biblical Mystery of Dead Sea Scrolls Solved?
The recent decoding of a cryptic cup, the excavation of ancient tunnels in Jerusalem, and other archaeological detective work may help solve one of the great biblical mysteries: Who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Court Upholds Expulsion of Counseling Student Who Opposes Homosexuality
A federal judge has ruled in favor of a public university that removed a Christian student from its graduate program in school counseling over her belief that homosexuality is morally wrong. Monday's ruling, according to Julea Ward's attorneys, could result in Christian students across the country being expelled from public university for similar views.
Thursday, July 29th, 2010BASHING FOR HOSPITALS OVER BAN ON THE BIBLE
HOSPITAL bosses who want to ban Bibles from patients’ bedside lockers have been attacked by religious leaders. They warned that sick people will be deprived of spiritual comfort just when they need it most.
Rome's Homosexual Priests
In the basement dining room of Le Mani In Pasta, a trattoria in central Rome, a young, glossy-eyed couple stare at each other across a table for two. They smile and blush over a private joke. There is no handholding or kissing, but they are clearly more than friends, even though they are both wearing dark shirts and the telltale white clerical collar.
Florida church plans to burn Korans on 9/11 anniversary
Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center, a church in Florida that pledges to "stand up for righteousness," is organizing an "International Burn a Koran Day" for the upcoming anniversary of Sept 11. The nondenominational church, which has "Islam is of the devil" signs displayed in its front lawn, has organized past protests against Islam. (It's also the title of a book penned by Jones. The sign has repeatedly been vandalized.)
Royal Mail to celebrate King James Bible’s anniversary
The Royal Mail is planning to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible with a series of special stamps. The commemorative stamps, which are due to be produced next year, have been prompted by numerous requests from members of the general public.
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010Solomon's Temple to be rebuilt, in Brazil
One of the world's largest and most controversial Pentecostal churches has been given permission to build a $200m (£130m) replica of Solomon's Temple in Brazil's economic capital, São Paulo.
Hospitals to ban Bibles
The ban, at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, is intended to help cut levels of infectious superbugs such as MRSA.
Vicar gives Holy Communion to dog ?
The priest gave the Host – considered by Christians to represent the body of Jesus Christ – to an Alsatian cross called Trapper. St Peter's Anglican Church in Toronto has since been deluged complaints from Christians all over Canada.
Study: Few Americans Say Faith is Top Priority
Although the United States is known worldwide to be a religious nation, few Americans say that faith is a top priority in their life.
Back to School: Do You Know What Your Child is Learning?
Another school year is set to begin at high schools and colleges where the next round of biology students will be filled with evolutionary misinformation. At the center of this propaganda campaign are the many biology textbooks used to indoctrinate young minds with old dogma. These textbooks contain the latest evolutionary newspeak, but the underlying lies are no different.
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010White House backed release of Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi
THE US government secretly advised Scottish ministers it would be "far preferable" to free the Lockerbie bomber than jail him in Libya. Correspondence obtained by The Sunday Times reveals the Obama administration considered compassionate release more palatable than locking up Abdel Baset al-Megrahi in a Libyan prison.
Evangelical Lutheran pulpits welcome non-celibate 'gay' pastors
Seven pastors who work in the San Francisco Bay area and were barred from serving in the nation's largest Lutheran group because of a policy that required gay clergy to be celibate are being welcomed into the denomination.
Idling Toward Death: Sitting Linked to Dying Early
Sitting around too much in one's spare time appears to increase the risk of dying, regardless of physical activity, researchers found.
Monday, July 26th, 2010Church minister to tweet Holy Communion to the faithful
In a modern spin on Christianity's most sacred rite, worshippers are being invited to break bread and drink wine or juice in front of their computers as they follow the service online.
Thousands of Christian Zionists Gather to Support Israel
More than 4,000 Christian Zionists gathered in Washington, D.C., this week to send a pro-Israel message to members of Congress. The fifth annual Christians United for Israel Washington Summit brought together everyday Christians, politicians, Orthodox Jews, and evangelical leaders on July 20-22 to show solidarity with Israel and to lobby federal lawmakers on behalf of the Jewish state.
Christians examine morality of birth control
Is contraception a sin? The very suggestion made Bryan Hodge and his classmates at Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute laugh. As his friends scoffed and began rebutting the oddball idea, Hodge found himself on the other side, poking holes in their arguments. He finished a bachelor’s degree in biblical theology at Moody and earned a master’s degree at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Obama's Gay Rights Push 'Distressing,' Says So. Baptist Leader
The Obama administration’s role in the accreditation of a U.S.-based gay rights group by the United Nations is “distressing,” says a Southern Baptist public policy leader. After strong lobbying from the Obama administration, the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission was given consultative status by the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Monday. ECOSOC voted 23-13, with 13 abstentions, to allow the gay rights group to attend U.N. meetings and submit statements to U.N. agencies and governments.
Congressman: Obama advancing Islamic law in Kenya
The Obama administration is buying votes in Kenya, charges Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health.
Homosexual priests caught at 'gay' nightclubs
A journalist from Panorama, a conservative weekly news magazine owned by Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, used a hidden camera to film interviews with three gay priests, who introduced the journalist to the gay clubs they apparently frequent, and allowed the journalist to film their sexual encounters with strangers, including one in a church building.
Friday, July 23rd, 2010New Zealand school sanctioned after firing sports coach for being gay
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A New Zealand Christian school has been ordered to pay undisclosed compensation and apologize to a sports coach it fired because he was gay.
House Church: Skip the sermon, worship at home
To get to church on a recent Sunday morning, the Yeldell family walked no farther than their own living room to greet fellow worshippers. The members of this "house church" are part of what experts say is a fundamental shift in the way U.S. Christians think about church. Skip the sermons, costly church buildings and large, faceless crowds, they say. House church is about relationships forged in small faith communities.
Labour repeats call for sex education for 5-year-olds
A new amendment to the Government’s Academies Bill has been tabled by Labour as part of an ongoing push to force sex education on children as young as five.
Obama adviser: U.S. 'ideal place for renewal of Islam'
A religion adviser to President Obama has close ties to the imam who wants to build a 13-story Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero. The two have been documented together discussing America as "the ideal place for a renewal of Islam," WND has learned.
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010Pakistan city tense after 'blaspheming' Christians shot
Police reinforcements have been called in the Pakistani city of Faisalabad a day after two Christians charged with blasphemy were shot dead outside court.
Supreme Court Police Told School Teacher It’s ‘Definitely Contrary to the Law’ to Pray on Supreme Court Steps, Says Alliance Defense Fund
(CNSNews.com) – The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) wants assurances that an Arizona Christian school teacher will not be arrested if she prays on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court building.
Dreaming of the Third Temple in a conflicted Land of Israel
On Tisha B'Av, Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau speaks to Haaretz about the Temple Mount, the Gaza disengagement and secularism.
Does Presidential Assassination Program Exist?
A story came out a little while ago that, quite honestly, I can't believe I missed, but someone sent it to me. It's about the "presidential assassination program," where "American citizens are targeted for killings far away from any battlefield, based exclusively on unchecked accusations by the executive branch that they're involved in terrorism."
An adoption movement? Agencies say interest on rise
The adoption agency Bethany Christian Services says interest from couples in adopting is significantly ahead of what it was last year, a trend that is being seen elsewhere and, adoption leaders say, is an example of a growing adoption movement among Christians.
La. bishops: No guns in Catholic churches
Concealed handguns won't be allowed in Roman Catholic churches, despite a new state law allowing them. "We don't think it is appropriate to have guns in churches," Danny Loar, executive director of the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops — the church's public policy arm in Louisiana, said Monday.
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010Half Israel Wants to See Holy Temple Rebuilt
Half the Israeli public wants the Holy Temple (Beit HaMikdash) to be rebuilt. This is the main finding of a poll commissioned by the Knesset Television Channel and carried out by the Panels Institute.
'Evolutionary evangelist' gives heresy bad name
A former evangelical preacher, who now calls himself an "evolutionary evangelist," maintains that Christians need to embrace atheism to fully understand God. Michael Dowd, author of Thank God for Evolution, has released a new work that critics say strays even further from biblical Christianity.
Christians unfairly targeted for hate crime prosecutions
Christians in Britain are being unfairly targeted for hate crime prosecutions, according to a new report by the Civitas think-tank. The report, entitled A New Inquisition: Religious Persecution in Britain Today, also warns that existing hate crime legislation poses a danger to freedom of speech.
Airport body scanners reveal all, but what about when it's your kid?
There's been lots of talk lately about body scanners — the new airport security tool that allows screeners to see through clothes. People are concerned about privacy, delayed flights, health effects.
Growing number of worshipers make themselves at home
Megachurch, meet microchurch. Growing numbers of Coloradans believe the tiny house church, also called a simple church or an organic church, might be the mightier transformer of Christian lives.
Church-made movies seek to change lives: Will you go?
I recently spent a day on the set of Courageous, the fourth film being made Sherwood Baptist Church for my story today on this new trend. (Check it out in the video shot by my colleague, Jack Gruber, and the photo gallery, too.)
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010Zero Tolerance for ‘Ground Zero’ Mosque says ‘Son of Hamas’
Mosab Hassan Yousef, author of the best-selling book, “Son of Hamas” (with Ron Brackin), who recently won the right to stay in the Unites States after a huge campaign by both Christians and Jews, has weighed in on the huge controversy of the “Ground Zero” Mosque in New York City.
Attack on Nigerian Christian Village Leaves 8 Dead, Church Burned
Eight people in Nigeria were killed early Saturday when Muslim Fulani herdsmen launched an overnight attack on a Christian village near the city of Jos, officials reported. Among those killed was the wife of a pastor, his two children and a grandson.
U.S. to fund radical feminist group
"Women need respect and opportunity, not a global agency that will just demand money and power for its elitist leaders," contends Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America (CWA). "There are serious needs of women around the world, but we've learned that these types of U.N. agencies don't meet those needs."
White Christian Britons 'unfairly targeted by draconian religious hate laws'
Over-the-top ‘religious hate’ laws have fuelled a worrying trend of prosecutions for even mildly critical remarks, a think tank has warned. Draconian hate laws have dragged disputes that would normally be settled in a healthy argument between people into the courts, it suggests. The majority of those prosecuted are white men, it claims.
'Thought police' slam media with fine totaling $125,000
A Christian-inspired media group is being targeted with a fine of about $125,000 for its broadcast of television ads that promote the traditional family by using video footage of homosexual "pride" events and asking "Proud … of what?"
Monday, July 19th, 2010Evangelical Churches to Pray for Gulf Coast
Evangelical churches across the nation, including several megachurches, will join in a national day of prayer for the Gulf Coast community on Sunday. The “National Day of Prayer for the Gulf,” sponsored by the National Association of Evangelicals and the Evangelical Environmental Network, expects to inspire thousands of Christians to pray for the residents of the Gulf Coast impacted by the BP oil spill.
NBC, CBS reject ad against ground zero mosque
Two major broadcasters have refused to air an advertisement urging Americans to protest the building of a mosque and Islamic cultural center just blocks from the ruins of the World Trade Center. NBC and CBS refused to broadcast the 60-second ad, which is sponsored by the National Republican Trust, a conservative organization that promotes "American values" and supports candidates running for office.
Falling prayer
The Barna Group has released a new survey of “faith practices” among American Christian teenagers, which is to say it covers the things that many people think are important for young Christians to do. It’s comforting to find prayer on the list, though disquieting to learn it’s in a 15-year slump, according to Barna. Twenty-nine percent of self-identified Christian teenagers are under the impression, it seems, that one can have a relationship with Christ that does not include praying to Him. Other practices are down as well: Sunday school attendance, tithing, evangelizing, even the all-important small-group membership. At least church attendance is holding steady, though Barna’s president David Kinnaman suggests that one impetus for many teens to attend church is their desire to maintain friendships.
The anti-Israel boycott campaign: a study in failure
Shahid Alam, writing this week in a Cairo magazine, Al-Ahram, declared that "slowly but steadily, the Western people are throwing their support behind the campaign to divest from, boycott and impose sanctions on Israel." It certainly seems that way. I've read often, over many years, about students demanding that their universities sell whatever stocks they own in Israeli companies and in corporations supporting the defence of Israel. I've read, too, about boycotts of Israeli products and attempts to get churches and corporations to sell Israel-connected stocks.
Cops: Kids can't pray at U.S. Supreme Court
A Christian private-school teacher is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to allow constitutionally protected prayer outside the court building after her class was "abruptly" ordered to stop praying on the grounds.
Archaeologists Uncover Goliath's Hometown
An ongoing archaeological excavation in Tel Tzafit continues to unearth the ruins of what was once the city of Gat – described in the Bible as the hometown of Goliath. Professor Aren Maeir, who is directing the dig, spoke to Arutz Sheva's Hebrew-language news service to discuss the latest finds.
NEA celebrates 'drag queen' teachers
The National Education Association (NEA) continues to alienate more and more of its conservative constituents as the organization showed its liberal leanings at its 2010 national convention. At this year's meeting in New Orleans, the largest professional organization and labor union in the U.S. recognized a new caucus: the NEA Drag Queen Caucus.
Friday, July 16th, 2010Can Animal Rights Go Too Far?
Starting in 2015, every egg sold in California will have to comply with strict hen-rights rules. Cages will have to be large enough for the birds to stand up, lie down and spread their wings without touching each other or the sides of the cage. California voters adopted these rules for in-state egg producers two years ago. Last week, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a law that extended the rules to out-of-state producers who want to sell their eggs in California.
Opponents pack hearing on mosque near ground zero
Dozens of opponents and some supporters of a mosque planned near ground zero attended a raucous hearing Tuesday about whether the building where the Muslim place of worship would be created warrants designation as a city landmark and should be protected from development.
Confirmed! Obamacare's 1st taxpayer-funded abortions
The leader of the Republican party in the House and pro-life organizations are wasting little time in slamming the Obama administration over revelations that it has approved the first set of taxpayer-funded abortions under the new health care law President Barack Obama signed.
Mosque near 9/11 site to be opposed by Christian centre
In response to a proposed mosque blocks from ground zero, controversial televangelist Bill Keller announced on Tuesday that he plans to open a Christian center nearby.
WITHOUT GOD, THERE IS NO LIBERTY
Government can suppress it, deride it, attempt to lay claim to it, but they cannot stop it. Talk show hosts are speaking of it, many are now calling for it and more Americans understand the necessity for it, whether they believe in it or not. There is an uprising, a movement, a need to return to God. From the founding of this great nation, our forefathers knew that our liberty and rights are gifts from our Creator.
Thursday, July 15th, 2010Sweden Bans Home-schooling, Religious Instruction
The Kingdom of Sweden took a dramatic turn toward totalitarianism with the adoption of a sweeping new education “reform” package that essentially prohibits home schooling and forces all schools to teach the same government curriculum.
Muslims seek to add holidays on NY school calendar
Muslim parents, students and civic groups are campaigning to add two of their religious holidays to the New York City public school calendar, pinning their hopes on state lawmakers after failing to win over Mayor Michael Bloomberg to the idea.
New York court overturns FCC’s expletives policy
A federal appeals court on Tuesday tossed out a government policy that fines broadcasters for allowing curse words on live television, concluding that the rule was unconstitutionally vague. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan struck down the 2004 Federal Communications Commission policy, which said that profanity referring to sex or excrement is always indecent.
BBC accused of anti- Christian bias by viewers
The BBC has been forced to defend an EastEnders storyline after outraged viewers accused the corporation of anti-Christian bias. The complaints centre around a plotline on EastEnders which portrays Lucas Johnson, a Christian Pentecostal pastor, as a deranged killer whose deeds are motivated by his Christian faith.
The big crash – America plunges into Depression
It's the worst of times. America is plunging back into Depression. Only one out of every two Americans of working age has a job. Forty years ago that would have been okay. Dad went to the factory. Mom stayed at home to mind the kids. These days, just to keep the show on the road, mom and pop both work and the kids go to daycare.
Majority of Americans lack faith in Obama: poll
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Nearly 60 percent of American voters say they lack faith in President Barack Obama, according to a public opinion poll published on Tuesday. The results of the Washington Post/ABC News poll are a reversal of what voters said at the start of Obama's presidency 18 months ago when about 60 percent expressed confidence in his decision making.
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010More women lured to pornography addiction
Researchers have long known that the Internet has contributed to pornography addiction by making it so easily accessible — no need to go out in a raincoat, pull a hat down over the face, and sneak furtively into the red-light district.
Mayor: Arrested Christians 'attacked' Michigan city
The case of four Christians arrested at a recent Arab festival in Dearborn, Mich., is heating up with the mayor publicly blasting the group in a letter, claiming the city "has been under attack for several years" by the missionaries. The Christians were arraigned today on misdemeanor charges of disturbing the peace. All four pleaded not guilty.
Chavez, Venezuelan church clash over freedoms
CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez and leaders of the Venezuelan Catholic Church are tangling like never before, angering parishioners who feel the president and his clerical detractors aren't following Jesus Christ's creed of brotherly love.
Walter Hawkins dead: Award-winning gospel singer was 61
RIPON, Calif. -- Walter Hawkins, a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, composer and pastor from Oakland, died Sunday. He was 61. Walter Hawkins, who was battling pancreatic cancer, passed away at his home in Ripon, Calif., his older brother Edwin Hawkins said.
YMCA not trying to shed Christian ties with new logo
The Young Men's Christian Association sounded snappy in 1844 England. The Y.M.C.A. had a better ring to it in 1967.
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010Divorce 'is contagious'
An Orthodox Church theologian who was invited to greet the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has criticized its approval of non-celibate homosexual clergy.
University Accuses Catholicism Prof of Hate Speech
The University of Illinois has fired an adjunct professor who taught courses on Catholicism after a student accused the instructor of engaging in hate speech by saying he agrees with the church's teaching that homosexual sex is immoral.
Ontario police set to charge Muslim extremist
Over the past three years, Salman Hossain has openly called for terrorist attacks in Canada, cheered the killing of Canadian troops in Afghanistan and urged fellow Muslims to “exterminate” Canada’s Jewish population.
Islam on the rise, compliments of Obama
A conservative political activist says President Obama's pro-Islamic leanings are to blame for radical Islamic groups becoming so emboldened that they are openly holding conferences on U.S. soil calling for the establishment of a global Islamic empire.
Pastor: Crisis Is in the Church, Not Outside It
Many Protestants here lack sincerity in faith, said Yeo, deputy senior pastor of Covenant Evangelical Free Church and honorary general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore. The solution the pastor proposed: to live life from the inside out and to embrace the call to radical discipleship in our lives, and going back to the basics like coming back to the Word of the living God.
NBC Changes Rules to Allow Homosexual `Today' Wedding
After a meeting with gay and lesbian activists on Thursday, NBC's "Today" show said it is changing the rules for its annual wedding contest to allow same-sex couples to apply for a ceremony conducted on morning TV. NBC extended the deadline for applications until Monday. Already thousands of couples have expressed interest in the on-air wedding, which the top-rated morning show has sponsored for a decade, a spokeswoman said.
Friday, July 9th, 2010Christian Brethren sued for barring camp to gay group 
THE youth support group said it wanted to help gay youth tackle homophobia. The way the Christian Brethren understood it, allowing the promotion of a homosexual lifestyle at a campsite they owned was against the word of God.
Hawaii governor vetoes same-sex civil unions bil
Hawaii's governor on Tuesday vetoed legislation that would have permitted same-sex civil unions, ending months of speculation on how she would weigh in on the contentious, emotional debate.
Presbyterians (USA) to consider redefining marriage
This week's General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will consider redefining marriage to include same-sex couples and allowing ministers to perform same-sex weddings.
Obama Orders NASA to Seek Better Relations With Muslim World
Though international diplomacy would seem well outside NASA's orbit, Bolden said in an interview with Al Jazeera that strengthening those ties was among the top tasks President Obama assigned him. He said better interaction with the Muslim world would ultimately advance space travel.
New Yorkers fight three new mosques
Holy wars are breaking out all over New York. Three separate plans to build Muslim worship centers in New York City have proved more difficult and contentious than expected, igniting protests by local residents and anti-jihad activists and prompting charges of "Islamophobia" and bigotry.
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010Australia bans Christian schools from teaching creationism
The South Australian Non-Government Schools Registration Board has published a new education policy that states it requires the ''teaching of science as an empirical discipline, focusing on inquiry, hypothesis, investigation, experimentation, observation and evidential analysis.'' It then goes on to state that it "does not accept as satisfactory a science curriculum in a non-government school which is based on, espouses or reflects the literal interpretation of a religious text in its treatment of either creationism or intelligent design," reports Thaddeus M. Baklinski, LifeSiteNews.com.
Tom Cruise’s religion in the spotlight over forced abortions
The Church of Scientology, popularly known as the church to which Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise belongs, is facing increased scrutiny in Australia and elsewhere over allegations that the organization has abused members and even coerced women psychologically into having abortions, reports Peter J. Smith, LifeSiteNews.com.
Orthodox Anglicans call for prayer over gay bishop nomination
Anglican Mainstream has made an “urgent” call for prayer after reports emerged over the weekend that the nominations for the next Bishop of Southwark include an openly gay cleric. Dr Jeffrey John is believed to be on the list of nominations being considered on Monday and Tuesday by the Crown Nominations Commission.
ACL: Truth of open-slather abortion push hidden
"If the public were properly informed of the reality of the unspeakable cruelty which results from open-slather abortion laws, surveys would find less enthusiasm for the practice", the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) said in response to claims today that decriminalising abortion has high public support.
Indonesian Muslims arm for religious war
Muslim mobs in the Jakarta suburb of Bekasi are forming small militia bands to stop what they say is the Christianization of this town a few miles east of Jakarta, Indonesia's capital city. The actions come in response to Christians privately baptizing about a half-dozen Muslim converts to Christianity.
Bishop Shot Dead in Night Raid at Church
Gunmen shot dead a bishop in a midnight raid at a church in Nairobi's outskirts on Sunday. Bishop Joseph Segel of the Redeemed Church, Ongata Rongai was shot twice in the chest as he attempted to block the attackers from entering the church.
Dow Repeats Great Depression Pattern: Charts
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is repeating a pattern that appeared just before markets fell during the Great Depression, Daryl Guppy, CEO at Guppytraders.com, told CNBC Monday.
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010PC(USA) Elects Pro-Homosexual Moderator
A pro-gay marriage candidate was elected Saturday to serve as moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for the 219th General Assembly. Cynthia Bolbach, an elder from Arlington, Va., was the only candidate out of six to express unqualified support for same-sex marriage, as reported by the denomination.
7.9 million jobs lost, many forever
The recession killed off 7.9 million jobs. It's increasingly likely that many will never come back. The government jobs report issued Friday shows that businesses have slowed their pace of hiring to a relative trickle. "The job losses during the Great Recession were so off the chart, that even though we've gained about 600,000 private sector jobs back, we've got nearly 8 million jobs to go," said Lakshman Achuthan, managing director of Economic Cycle Research Institute.
Influential Pastor Warns of Socialism, Departure from God
America currently stands in a very dangerous position, said renowned pastor and author Dr. Charles Stanley. Today more than ever, the country is turning away from God and moving closer toward socialism, he warned. And the consequences will be grave.
You Say God Is Dead? There’s an App for That
An explosion of smart-phone software has placed an arsenal of trivia at the fingertips of every corner-bar debater, with talking points on sports, politics and how to kill a zombie. Now it is taking on the least trivial? topic of all: God. Publishers of Christian material have begun producing iPhone applications that can cough up quick comebacks and rhetorical strategies for believers who want to fight back against what they view as a new strain of strident atheism. And a competing crop of apps is arming nonbelievers for battle. ...
Morocco Continues to Purge Nation of Foreign Christians
Moroccan authorities expelled eight more foreign Christians from the country last weekend, bringing the total of deported Christians since March to 128. Two foreign women married to Moroccan Christians were included in this third wave of deportations since March, raising concerns that local authorities intend to harass the country’s small but growing Protestant community.
Friday, July 2nd, 2010Italy seeks to end classroom crucifix ban
The Italian government is appealing to the European court of human rights to overturn a ban on classroom crucifixes. This case against crucifixes was brought by a woman who argued that her children had a right to a secular education under Italy's constitution.
PM tells it as she sees it on the God issue
Just nine days ago, the prime minister of the time, Kevin Rudd, drew on the words of the 18th-century Christian theologian John Wesley to explain his international view. ''The world is my parish,'' Wesley is said to have proclaimed.
'Son of Hamas' granted asylum in United States
Mosab Hassan Yousef, the eldest son of a prominent Hamas leader on the West Bank and author of a globally circulated book recounting his conversion to Christianity, has been granted asylum in the United States by an immigration judge.
Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds 'gay' marriage ban
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has upheld the state’s constitutional ban on gay marriage and civil unions. In a 7-0 ruling, the court on Wednesday ruled that the 2006 constitutional amendment was properly put to voters in a statewide referendum.
Thursday, July 1st, 2010Julia Gillard risks Christian vote with doubts on God
THE Australian Christian Lobby has warned that Julia Gillard might have alienated Christian voters by declaring she does not believe in God. But the ACL has also expressed optimism that the new Prime Minister is pragmatic and will maintain predecessor Kevin Rudd's family-friendly policies, including respect for marriage and care for the marginalised.
Thousands of evangelicals called to know the 'right' Jesus
While it's obvious that atheists and those who follow a liberal theology hold to an inaccurate view of Jesus, not all evangelical Christians have it right either.
Pope launches team to 're-evangelise' the West
Benedict XVI announced the creation of a new Vatican department dedicated to tackling what he called "a grave crisis in the sense of the Christian faith and the role of the Church."
Report Shows Teen Girls Are Drinking More Than Boys
New data released today from the Partnership for a Drug Free America suggest that not only are girls now drinking more than boys, they turn to drugs and alcohol for more serious reasons as well. The report, which analyzed results from the 2009 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), a survey of teen attitudes and behaviors, shows that the number of middle- and high-school girls who say they drink has increased by 11 percent in the past year, from 53 percent to 59 percent. Boys have stayed at about the same level, hovering around 52 percent. ...
European Court: no right to homosexual marriage
There is no universal right to same-sex marriage, the European Court of Human Rights ruled last week. The court said individual European states may decide for themselves whether to allow homosexual marriage or not.
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010Jail for Ferrari-driving French priest who stole fortune
A FRENCH Catholic priest who drove a Ferrari, lived with a mistress and had 28 bank accounts has been jailed for fraud. Father Antoine Videau amassed a fortune equivalent to £2 million over 20 years by stealing donations to the church and rent from church property.
Books With Gay Themes for Young Readers Take Off
At his Kentucky elementary school, kids taunted Brent on the playground about being gay, whatever that was. By eighth grade, he realized what they meant and came out to a friend — and vice versa.
Gulf oil spill disaster and Biblical prophecy: Is there a connection?
Gulf oil spill disaster and Biblical prophecy: Is there a connection? A number of websites and news organizations have begun to relate the Gulf oil spill with predictions of disaster as told in the book of Revelations in the Christian Bible. Is it crazy doom and gloom theory? Or is there something to it?
Supreme Court: Christian Group Can't Bar 'Gays'
The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a public school has the legal right to deny a Christian campus group recognition and funding if it bars gays from becoming voting members and taking on leadership positions.In a splintered 5-4 vote, the court ruled in favor of the unusual school policy of the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.
US in secret talks with Hamas
A senior Hamas figure said Friday that official and unofficial US sources have asked the Islamist group to refrain from making any statements regarding contacts with Washington, this following reports that a senior American official is due to arrive in an Arab country in the coming days to relay a telegram from the Obama Administration.
Jihad Denial Syndrome
This sums up the Obama administration's national security assessment regarding our ongoing conflict with global Islamic jihad. Unfortunately for us, it seems they have come down with a severe case of Jihad Denial Syndrome (JDS). Americans were tipped off to this when the Pentagon released its report on the Fort Hood jihadist attack. The mountains of evidence, including Nidal Hasan screaming "Allahu Akbar" as he fired away, indisputably revealed that Hasan was motivated by the ideology of jihad.
Muslim landlords force Christians to 'evict their homes'
KHANEWAL, PAKISTAN -- Christian residents of a village close to Khanewal, the capital city of Khanewal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan, are being forced by local Muslim landlords to "evict their homes" by Thursday, July 1, 2010. There are 250 Christian families living there amidst 6,000 Muslim families.
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010Calls to ban brothels in Australia's 'Bible belt'
Powers to ban brothels on moral grounds are being sought by a Christian-dominated council in one of Australia's fastest-growing regions. Although regulations vary, prostitution is generally legal across much of Australia and brothels are controlled by planning laws.
How to sell Christianity? Ask an atheist.
Jim Henderson is a recovering evangelist. Back in his soul-chasing, church-starting days, he began hearing a grating dissonance between his faith in Jesus and the way he went about winning new converts. Henderson realized he was doing unto others what he would never want done unto him. He was manipulating conversations to set up a pitch. Viewing people as potential notches on his evangelism belt rather than fellow sojourners and prospective friends. Listening only to the extent it could reveal an argumentative opening. He realized he hated the whole enterprise.
Prepare for "monster" money printing by the Federal Reserve
Entitled "Deflation: Making Sure It Doesn’t Happen Here", it is a warfare manual for defeating economic slumps by use of extreme monetary stimulus once interest rates have dropped to zero, and implicitly once governments have spent themselves to near bankruptcy.
Judge rules evangelist can hand out Bibles at Pride Festival
After a week of intense debate that culminated in arguments about the Constitution in a federal courtroom, a judge Friday affirmed a Wisconsin evangelist's right to hand out Bibles at this weekend's Twin Cities Pride festival in Minneapolis' Loring Park.
Jesus did not die on cross, says scholar
The legend of his execution is based on the traditions of the Christian church and artistic illustrations rather than antique texts, according to theologian Gunnar Samuelsson.
School Teaches Kids Religion Is a Disease
Just when you thought the separation of church and state was more than an option, like paper or plastic, the matter has been settled at MS 51 in Park Slope. And the lesson falls on the side of atheism. "RELIGION," a sheet from English class, handed out to eighth-graders, is provocatively titled. The typewritten paper presents some 20 quotes that can be described as anti-God, coming from philosophers from Kierkegaard to Schopenhauer. Even a "Yiddish proverb."
Sunday, June 27th, 2010Tax office push for charity monitoring
THE tax office wants a special national body set up to monitor "not for profit" charities, admitting that churches - such as the multi-million-dollar phenomenon Hillsong - are literally "invisible" to it.
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Obama inches toward 'gay' agenda
President Barack Obama is chipping away at his long list of promises to homosexual voters but has yet to earn the enthusiastic backing of the reliably Democratic voting bloc.
Jesus will return by 2050, say 40pc of Americans
Americans are largely optimistic about the future, according to the poll from the Pew Research Center For The People and The Press/Smithsonian Magazine. By mid century, 71 per cent believe cancer will be cured, 66 per cent say artificial limbs will work better than real ones and 81 per cent believe computers will be able to converse like humans.
Cops at Michigan Arab fest accused of enforcing Shariah
One of the nation's top legal teams regarding civil and religious rights has stepped into a dispute stemming from last weekend's Arab Festival in Dearborn, Mich., where police are accused of enforcing Islamic law.
Christian evangelists arrested at Arab festival
Police in the heavily Arab Detroit suburb of Dearborn say they arrested four Christian missionaries for alleged disorderly conduct at an Arab cultural festival.
Obama Inserts Gay Dads into Father’s Day Proclamation
In his fathers’ day proclamation President Barack Obama made what pro-family leaders have said were a number of praiseworthy statements about fatherhood and the importance of fathers in the lives of their children. At the same time, the president drew sharp criticism for using the proclamation as an opportunity to show his support for homosexual parenting.
Euthanasia deaths increase in Holland
The number of euthanasia cases in Holland has increased by 13 per cent in one year, prompting the Dutch Government to launch an official inquiry. Last year 2,636 Dutch people were killed by euthanasia, with 80 per cent of the victims dying at home after being administered with lethal drugs, whereas in 2008 this figure was 2,331.
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010Christians Urged to Oppose U.K. Government's Pro-Gay Agenda
Christian Concern for our Nation is calling on Christians to take action after the U.K government outlined its pro-homosexual agenda this week. Minister for Women and Equalities Theresa May set out plans on Wednesday to tackle prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in all aspects of life, including education, the workplace, the criminal justice system and international rights.
Evangelical leaders: Gulf oil spill raises moral issues
Leaders of a group that encourages evangelical Christians to care for the environment say the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico raises moral challenges for the country. The Revs. Jim Ball and Mitchell Hescox, leaders of the Evangelical Environmental Network, are visiting southern Louisiana to pray with people who have lost jobs because of the spill.
Masculine Leadership Needed Now More Than Ever
As we approach Father's Day this Sunday, I think it is necessary to once again draw attention to what has become one of America's greatest problems: the dearth of masculine leadership in the home.
Report: $1 Billion in Tax Dollars Given to Abortion Advocates
More than $1 billion in federal funds have gone to abortion advocacy organizations over the past eight years, according to a newly released report. In the first-of-its-kind report, the non-partisan Government Accountability Office details the amount of tax dollars received by six organizations between 2002 and 2009.
Kill the Christians
It has never been easy to work as a Christian—local or foreign—in Afghanistan. But since a video was broadcast on Afghan television showing the baptism of converts in Kabul, the danger has escalated—and the tiny minority suddenly finds itself a potentially sizeable pawn in a game of political chess.
Europe's rise of anti-Islam sentiment
A national defense and terrorism expert is encouraged that an anti-Islamic party led by a controversial Dutch politician made a very respectable showing during the recent elections in the Netherlands. She sees it as a sign that Europeans are growing tired of the growing influence of Islam on the continent.
Watering down religious liberty
This month the White House published its revamped National Security Strategy, which includes a section on “Values.” We’ve written in the past about the administration using the phrase “freedom of worship” instead of the all-encompassing term “religious liberty,” which would cover expressions of faith outside of worship. Some folks in the State Department I’ve talked to say the phrase might have been a fluke, not intentional. But the new document from the White House seems to embrace that weaker phrasing, listing among the United States’ universal values people’s freedom to “worship as they please.”
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010Kevorkian: 'I have no regrets'
Ann Arbor, Michigan (CNN) -- There haven't been many times when I have been at a loss for words when conducting an interview as a medical reporter. This was one of those moments.
Baptists’ large military presence colors 'gay' debate
The Southern Baptist Convention is battling the expected repeal of Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell on a number of fronts: its agencies are contacting Congress and the Pentagon, retired chaplains are sending letters to President Obama, and a resolution likely to be adopted at the denomination’s annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., this week (June 15-16), condemns allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.
Are Lying Children Naturally Smarter?
A new study suggests that how well you lie as a child is a strong indicator of how successful you’ll be as an adult. Research conducted by the Institute of Child Study at the University of Toronto indicates the skills needed to tell a convincing lie, such as quick thinking and the ability to use information to your own advantage, demonstrate a highly functioning brain. And the younger children demonstrate these skills, the better developed their brains are.
'Gay' Days at Disney World
Gay Days is now one of the largest gay-pride events in the world. According to Watermark, a Florida-based gay newspaper that has been covering Gay Days since it started, about 150,000 people attended this June's six-day gathering, which included 17 pool parties, a business expo, a comic-book convention, a film festival, an after-hours trip to a Disney water park (think dance music and guys in very small swimsuits), bobble-head painting and tie-dyeing for the kids, rivers of alcohol (and some other substances) for the adults and, on June 5, the great culmination: 20,000 to 30,000 lesbians, gays and their families and friends descending on Disney World, everyone clad in red shirts to signify their presence
The Witchdoctors of African Football
Just as every German team has a physiotherapist, every African team has a resident witch doctor. And the spells work, say some. The governing body of African football has gone out of its way to ban the practice.
Stephen Hawking on Religion: 'Science Will Win'
Celebrated physicist Stephen Hawking knows more about the universe than almost any other person ever to walk the planet, but some answers still escape even him. When asked by ABC News' Diane Sawyer about the biggest mystery he'd like solved, he said, "I want to know why the universe exists, why there is something greater than nothing."
Belgian patients are being killed without consent
Terminally ill patients in Belgium are being subjected to euthanasia without their consent, according to a shocking study. The findings are likely to inflame concern that any move to legalise assisted suicide or euthanasia in the UK would leave vulnerable people dangerously exposed.
Monday, June 7th, 2010Prisoners convert to Islam for jail perks
Inmates are converting to Islam in order to gain perks and the protection of powerful Muslim gangs, the Chief Inspector of Prisons warns today. Dame Anne Owers says that some convicted criminals are taking up the religion in jail to receive benefits only available to practising Muslims.
Rosaries a popular gang tool
Gangsters not only wear certain colors—reds for Bloods, blues for Crips, for example—they also arrange the beads to signal their rank in the gang, and teach young members to plead religious freedom if they’re hauled into the principal’s office, said Jared Lewis, a former police officer in California who worked in public schools.
Protest against plan to build mosque at Ground Zero
A plan to build a mosque and cultural center near ground zero in New York City is drawing fire from families and friends of those who died in the 9/11 attacks. Pamela Geller, executive director of Stop Islamization of America, organized a protest Sunday against the proposal, calling it "an insult" and "demeaning to non-Muslims to build a shrine dedicated to the very ideology that inspired 9/11." She says the mosque should be built somewhere else.
Britons link Islam with extremism, says survey
Most people in the UK associate Islam with extremism and the repression of women, a survey has suggested. The online YouGov poll was conducted for moderate Muslim organization the Exploring Islam Foundation.
Over 1 Million March for Jesus in Brazil's Largest City
Over a million people took to the streets of São Paulo, Brazil, on Thursday for the 18th annual March for Jesus. The event, held each year on the 60th day after Easter Sunday, drew believers from various denominations as well as hundreds of floats from different parts of the country.
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010From Bush to Obama: Sanctity of Human Life Day to Gay Pride Month
President Barack Obama has for the second year in a row issued a proclamation declaring June "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month." While prior to his leaving office President George W. Bush issued a Sanctity of Life Day proclamation for 2009, such a proclamation was rejected by President Obama for 2010.
Future pope refused defrocking of convicted priest
The future Pope Benedict XVI refused to defrock an American priest who confessed to molesting numerous children and even served prison time for it, simply because the cleric wouldn't agree to the discipline. The case provides the latest evidence of how changes in church law under Pope John Paul II frustrated and hamstrung U.S. bishops struggling with an abuse crisis that would eventually explode.
Another graduation prayer, another investigation
The ACLU of Montana is asking the state Board of Regents to investigate whether the invocation and benediction given during the Montana State University-Northern graduation ceremony unconstitutionally promoted Christianity.
Creationism to be taught in Queensland classrooms
CREATIONISM and intelligent design will be taught in Queensland state schools for the first time as part of the new national curriculum. Creationists dismiss the science of evolution, instead believing that living things are best explained by an intelligent being or God, rather than an undirected process such as natural selection.
U.S. trying to deport 'Son of Hamas'
The Department of Homeland Security is trying to deport the son of a Hamas founder who told of his conversion to Christianity and decade of spying for Israel in a New York Times best-seller. "Son of Hamas" author Mosab Hassan Yousef revealed on a blog hosted by his publisher he is scheduled to appear June 30 before Immigration Judge Rico J. Bartolomei at the DHS Immigration Court in San Diego.
'There definitely is a God' most complained about poster
A total of 1,204 people complained that the Christian Party advert was offensive to atheists and could not be substantiated. The ASA did not investigate the advert - a response to a British Humanist Association (BHA) poster reading: ''There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life'' - because political party campaigns are outside its remit.
Monday, May 17th, 2010Christian B&B owner faces legal action from same-sex couple
Susanne Wilkinson told the two men that it went against her religious convictions to let them share a double room at the guest house where she lives with her family. She was reported to police but no charges were brought. However, she has now been told that Michael Black and John Morgan plan to sue her for discrimination.
Mission Leader: You're Unemployed if Not Working for God
Many people argue that they have a job and have plenty of work, said Obed Alvarez, international director of the New World Mission Association in Peru. However, the landowner (God) is calling those standing idle to work for him, he pointed out as he read from Matthew 20 about the parable of the workers in the vineyard.
Obama threatens to 'impose' Palestinian state
If Israel and the Palestinians fail to reach an agreement to create a Palestinian state, the Obama administration will look into imposing a solution on the parties, a senior Palestinian Authority negotiator told WND. The negotiator, speaking by telephone from Ramallah, said the PA agreed to resume direct talks with Israel earlier this week only after a U.S. pledge to ensure against any new Jewish construction in eastern Jerusalem and the strategic West Bank.
Parents warned about upcoming 'Milk Day' in Calif.
A conservative activist is urging parents to take action against the homosexual indoctrination of "Harvey Milk Day," which will affect California public school students as young as five years of age. Last year, lawmakers in The Golden State designated May 22 be the day that schools honor the openly homosexual San Francisco politician who was assassinated in 1978. Although that date falls on a Saturday this year, Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com reports that May 17-28 may include exercises in celebration of Milk, as students will participate in commemorative activities honoring him without parental notification or consent.
Shock video: Gay discussion gets U.K. preacher arrested
A shocking video has emerged showing a Baptist street preacher in the United Kingdom being arrested for calling homosexuality a sin. Newspaper stories about 42-year-old Dale Mcalpine have received attention in the United Kingdom and the United States, but the video -- which Mcalpine recorded with a hidden camera -- did not surface publicly until May 14. It lasts just under two minutes and makes it clear that he was arrested for expressing a biblical view of homosexuality.
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010Cardinal accuses Vatican official of abuse cover-up
Internal Catholic Church bickering over the handling of its sexual abuse scandal has escalated to a new level, with one cardinal accusing another of a cover-up. The accusations were leveled by Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Vienna against Italian Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who served for 16 years from 1990 to 2006 as secretary of state, the Vatican's second-most important position.
Vietnamese government targets Christians
Vietnamese officials are purchasing phone snooping gear so they can listen in on Christians' phone calls, reports persecution watchdog International Christian Concern.
Hope College Upholds Homosexual Policy amid Protest
A Reformed Christian college in Holland, Mich., on Friday rejected petitions by gay rights advocates and alumni to drop its policy on homosexuality. After months of protest and criticism sparked by a decision not to allow the film "Milk" to be screened on campus, Hope College's board of trustees reaffirmed its position that homosexual practice is contrary to Scripture.
Atheists lose Obama inauguration fight
Atheists who oppose prayer and other religious elements in presidential inaugurations have lost a case in a federal appeals court. A three-judge panel on Friday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit that sought to stop Barack Obama from using the words "so help me God" when he took the oath of office last year. Those who sued also wanted to stop ministers from saying prayers at Mr. Obama's inauguration and wanted the court to eliminate religion from future inaugurations.
Judge who struck down Day of Prayer in spotlight
Since U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, critics have declared what they think of her: A Marxist. A moron. A disgrace. One person wrote that he was praying God removes her from office. Several warned she is headed to hell. Republican Rep. Ted Poe of Texas took to the House floor to taunt: "What's next, Judge Crabb? You going to ban Thanksgiving and Christmas as national holidays?"
Militants Execute Christian Leader in Somalia
Islamic militants yesterday killed another leader of the underground church movement in Somalia, sources said. Before he was fatally shot on Tuesday (May 4) in Xarardheere, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Jowhar, 57-year-old Yusuf Ali Nur had been on a list of people the Islamic extremist al Shabaab suspected of being Christian, sources who spoke on condition of anonymity told Compass. Al Shabaab, said to have links with al Qaeda, has vowed to rid Somalia of Christianity.
Mosque to go up near New York's ground zero
Plans to build a mosque two blocks away from ground zero have set off an emotional debate among area residents and relatives of victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Cordoba House project calls for a 15-story community center including a mosque, performance art center, gym, swimming pool and other public spaces.
Monday, May 3rd, 2010Anglican bishops in secret Vatican summit
In a move likely to raise tensions between the two Churches, a group of Church of England bishops met last week with advisers of Pope Benedict XVI to set in motion steps that would allow priests to convert to Catholicism en masse.
Ontario wises-up, shelves sex-ed content
Amidst opposition from parents and pro-family groups in Ontario, the premier of that Canadian province has decided not to introduce a new explicit sex-education program that was scheduled to begin this fall.
Dems spark alarm with call for national ID card
A plan by Senate Democratic leaders to reform the nation’s immigration laws ran into strong opposition from civil liberties defenders before lawmakers even unveiled it Thursday.
Obama blasted, 13 nations cited on religious freedom
At a press conference Thursday in a building two blocks from the White House, members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released their annual report, which details religious freedom violators around the world. The report also slams the Obama administration for its inattention to the issue.
Baby boy survives for nearly two days after abortion
The 22-week infant died one day later in intensive care at a hospital in the mother's home town of Rossano in southern Italy. The mother, pregnant for the first time, had opted for an abortion after prenatal scans suggested that her baby was disabled. However, the infant survived the procedure, carried out on Saturday in the Rossano Calabro hospital, and was left by doctors to die.
Friday, April 30th, 2010Seasoned archaeologists battle over 'Noah's Ark'
Has the real Noah's Ark spoken of in the Bible truly been found, or is it just another big fish tale? One well-known archaeologist who himself has made two expeditions to Mount Ararat in search of Noah's Ark is throwing cold water on this week's claim the Old Testament vessel has finally been discovered, believing it to be a hoax.
Retired chaplains warn against reversing 'Don't Ask'
The careers of many if not most military chaplains will end if the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy against open homosexual service is overturned, more than 40 retired military chaplains contend in an April 28 letter to President Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
Tony Perkins: I see 'hostility' toward Christianity
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, says he sees more and more limits being placed on what is "politically correct" for Christians to do. "I see an environment being created that is hostile to Christianity," he said. "Two months ago, I was disinvited to speak at Andrews Air Force Base. Just last week … Franklin Graham [was] disinvited to pray at the Pentagon on the National Day of Prayer."
Most Americans Believe Jesus Speaks to Them
A majority of Americans believe Jesus speaks to them in some form or another, finds a new survey. Fifty-two percent of Americans said Jesus speaks to them by influencing or connecting directly with their mind, emotions or feelings, according to a survey conducted by The Barna Group. Slightly more than two in five people said Jesus communicates with them through the Bible passage they read or that is read to them.
Most young adults today don't pray, don't worship and don't read the Bible
Most young adults today don't pray, don't worship and don't read the Bible, a major survey by a Christian research firm shows. If the trends continue, "the Millennial generation will see churches closing as quickly as GM dealerships," says Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources. In the group's survey of 1,200 18- to 29-year-olds, 72% say they're "really more spiritual than religious."
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010Muslims attack Christian convert with acid
Dina el-Gowhary, the 15-year-old Egyptian Muslim-born girl who converted to Christianity, was subjected to an acid attack, the latest in a string of failed attempts by Muslim fanatics against her and her father, 57-year-old Peter Athanasius (Maher el-Gowhary), who converted to Christianity 35 years ago. Several Fatwa's were issued calling for the "spilling of his blood," which makes their lives in constant danger in the face of the reactionaries and advocates for the enforcement of Islamic apostasy laws, which call for the death of a convert.
Lawmakers say Boy Scouts not 'gay' enough for honor
Minority Republican lawmakers sponsored a resolution this week honoring the 100-year anniversary of the Boy Scouts. This being California, the political equivalent of a school-yard brawl broke out. Democrats ultimately killed the resolution after criticizing the Boy Scouts for excluding homosexuals. Predictably, Republicans became indignant and accused Democrats of defaming a cherished American institution.
Virginia Tech Pastor: Should We Fire God?
On the third anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre, a pastor dares to ask the question most Christians would rather avoid: Should we fire God?
'Safer' not to defrock paedophile priests, says Catholic Church official
Adrian Child, the director of Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS), told The Tablet that communities were better protected when the Church was able to supervise known abusers and manage their behaviour after the completion of their sentence.
Obama extends health care rights to gay partners
WASHINGTON – In a move hailed as a step toward fairness for same-sex couples, President Barack Obama is ordering that nearly all hospitals allow patients to say who has visitation rights and who can help make medical decisions, including gay and lesbian partners. The White House on Thursday released a statement by Obama instructing his Health and Human Services secretary to draft rules requiring hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid payments to grant all patients the right to designate people who can visit and consult with them at crucial moments.
National Day of Prayer ruled unconstitutional
A federal district court in Wisconsin today ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb issued the decision in a case filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based atheist and agnostic group that challenged the constitutionality of a 1988 federal law.
Thursday, April 15th, 2010Evangelical Professor at Center of Evolution Flap Sets Record Straight
The evangelical professor who resigned from his position last week following the commotion over a pro-evolution video set the record straight over the weekend with an open letter to his colleagues.
Nebraska Enacts First-Ever Abortion Ban Based on Fetal Pain
Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman signed into law today another landmark bill banning abortion after 20 weeks gestation, on the basis that an unborn child feels pain at that age. Just hours before, the Nebraska legislature had passed the legislation, the first of its kind in the United States. Pro-life advocates believe it could pose a direct and historic challenge to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that deprived the states the power to regulate or restrict abortion.
Is the U.S. Army Losing Its War on Suicide?
From the invasion of Afghanistan until last summer, the U.S. military had lost 761 soldiers in combat there. But a higher number in the service — 817 — had taken their own lives over the same period. The surge in suicides, which have risen five years in a row, has become a vexing problem for which the Army's highest levels of command have yet to find a solution despite deploying hundreds of mental-health experts and investing millions of dollars. And the elephant in the room in much of the formal discussion of the problem is the burden of repeated tours of combat duty on a soldier's battered psyche. ...
3 in 5 Unchurched Americans are Christian: Survey
About three out every five unchurched persons in America are self-described Christians, according to a new survey unveiled Monday. Notably, however, a majority of these self-identified unchurched Christians hold a biblical view of God, reports The Barna Group, which conducted the survey.
Husband Gives Bible to Wife's Killer in Court
(The New York Post) - A husband shocked a Manhattan, N.Y., court by giving his wife's murderer a Bible and encouraging him to save his soul, the New York Post reported Tuesday. "God is going to be with you," Noel Pumarejo sobbed, his hand on a boxed bible and his eyes on David Andrango, 32, who stabbed his wife to death over $10,000 in missing gold when they worked together at an Upper East Side boutique three years ago.
Doctors face religious conflicts at hospitals
New research reveals that one in five primary care physicians who practice in religiously affiliated hospitals say they have faced "clinical ethical conflicts" when treating their patients in those facilities, where end-of-life care, abortion and other practices may be restricted.
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010Study: Spanking Kids Leads to More Aggressive Behavior
Disciplining young children is one of the key jobs of any parent - most people would have no trouble agreeing with that. But whether or not that discipline should include spanking or other forms of corporal punishment is a far trickier issue.
Pope's #2: Pedophilia linked to homosexuality
On a visit to Chile, Bertone, dubbed the Deputy Pope, also said Pope Benedict would soon take more surprising initiatives regarding the sex abuse scandal but did not elaborate.
Vatican forgives The Beatles
Their enthusiastic pursuit of the sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyle also did little to convince the Vatican they were anything other than a thoroughly bad influence. But now in a move sanctioned by Pope Benedict XVI, the Catholic Church has offered the Fab Four its official seal of approval, forgiving them their various excesses and even lauding them as a “precious jewel”.
Pepsi continues to support homosexuals
PepsiCo is being challenged again to reveal details of financial contributions to non-profit groups. PFOX (Parents and Friends of Gays and Ex-Gays) has been trying to obtain the information for some time. "Particularly disturbing is...since we now know that Pepsi has given over a million dollars to the Human Rights Campaign and to another hate group called PFLAG, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays -- an organization that tells parents that their children are born homosexual," reports Greg Quinlan, PFOX spokesman. "Therefore they must accept them and that the only way to love them is to accept, embrace that homosexual lifestyle."
Scientology 'has branch in every English prison'
Thousands of prisoners are claimed to have links to the cult-style religion founded by sci-fi writer L Ron Hubbard, which counts Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and John Travolta among its converts.
Richard Dawkins: I will arrest Pope Benedict XVI
RICHARD DAWKINS, the atheist campaigner, is planning a legal ambush to have the Pope arrested during his state visit to Britain “for crimes against humanity”. Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, the atheist author, have asked human rights lawyers to produce a case for charging Pope Benedict XVI over his alleged cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic church.
Evangelical scholar forced out after endorsing evolution
When it comes to incriminating videos these days, the one of Bruce K. Waltke might seem pretty tame. It shows the noted evangelical scholar of the Old Testament talking about scholarship, faith and evolution. What was incriminating? He not only endorsed evolution, but said that evangelical Christianity could face a crisis for not coming to accept science.
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010Ritual Sacrifice of Children on Rise in Uganda
Caroline Aya was playing in front of her house in January when a neighbor put a cloth over her mouth and fled with her. A couple of days later, the 8-year-old's body was found a short walk away — with her tongue cut out. Police believe she was offered up as a human sacrifice in a ritual killing, thought to bring wealth or health.
Christians Commend Piper's Honesty, Courage
Evangelical pastor John Piper's decision to take a brief leave from ministry has drawn respect from other believers. Some indicated they were humbled by Piper's announcement to take time out over "ongoing character flaws" and pride.
United States offers Europe an interfaith model
In July, the foundation flew more than two dozen of these religious leaders from Europe — where religions rarely communicate with one another — to the United States, where interfaith cooperation has been part of the religious landscape for hundreds of years. The FFEU, which spent $150,000 on the project, was banking on America's interfaith experiment being attractive enough as a model for other cultures.
Missing link between man and apes found
The new species of hominid, the evolutionary branch of primates that includes humans, is to be revealed when the two-million-year-old skeleton of a child is unveiled this week. Scientists believe the almost-complete fossilised skeleton belonged to a previously-unknown type of early human ancestor that may have been a intermediate stage as ape-men evolved into the first species of advanced humans, Homo habilis.
Ex-Muslim teen seeks U.S. refuge
COLUMBUS, Ohio | A teenage girl who converted to Christianity and ran away from home is being blocked by her Muslim parents from fighting the possibility of deportation, her attorney told a judge Monday in an ongoing custody dispute.
Vatican tries to block attempt to make Pope face US court over abuse
The Vatican has moved to block an attempt to force the Pope to appear in court in the United States, after a lawyer filed a motion seeking his sworn testimony on what the Vatican knew about paedophile scandals. Giuseppe dalla Torre, head of the Vatican City Tribunal, said that Benedict XVI had diplomatic immunity as a head of state. The Vatican lawyers are also expected to argue that US bishops who oversaw priests who committed abuse were not Vatican employees.
Pope's immunity could be challenged in Britain
LONDON – Protests are growing against Pope Benedict XVI's planned trip to Britain, where some lawyers question whether the Vatican's implicit statehood status should shield the pope from prosecution over sex crimes by pedophile priests.
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010Resurrection real, according to some scientists
Frank Tipler, professor of mathematical physics at Tulane University in New Orleans and author of the book "The Physics of Christianity," maintains that belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a matter of faith founded on scientific fact.
Newsweek: A Woman’s Place Is In The Church
Here they are, the members of history's oldest and most elite all-male club, trying to manage what began as a domestic crisis. For decades, certain priests in America, Europe, Ireland, Brazil (and God knows where else) abused—raped or otherwise molested—children and teenagers not in the frescoed halls of the Vatican but in their own backyards: on camping trips and in cars, in dormitories and confessionals. Those few boys and girls confident enough to tell their secret whispered it to the women they trusted: mothers, aunts, grandmothers. Those few women brave enough to question authority or seek justice from the bishops were hushed up and shut down. In this case Jesus was wrong: the meek did not inherit the earth. They received pious and self-serving sermonizing. ...
No room for Jesus at Easter Show
The New South Wales Bible Society says its application to have a Jesus: All About Life stall at Sydney's Royal Easter Show has been knocked back for dubious reasons. The society's chief executive, Daniel Willis, says his staff were told in February there would be space available for the stall, and negotiations were under way about its size and location. But Mr Willis says the Royal Agricultural Society has now told him there is an unwritten policy to refuse exhibitions by religious or political groups at the show, which officially opens today. ...
Spreading the words: The King James Bible
Next year our country will celebrate 400 years of the King James Bible. The translators went about their task with a wonderful self-confidence that allowed them to use much of the pioneering translator William Tyndale’s wonderful text. Indeed, many of the phrases still in use in our language, explained below, are Tyndale’s.
Christian faith: Calvinism is back
Welcome to the austere – and increasingly embraced – message of Calvinism. Five centuries ago, John Calvin's teachings reconceived Christianity; midwifed Western ideas about capitalism, democracy, and religious liberty; and nursed the Puritan values that later cast the character of America. Today, his theology is making a surprising comeback, challenging the me-centered prosperity gospel of much of modern evangelicalism with a God-first immersion in Scripture. In an age of materialism and made-to-order religion, Calvinism's unmalleable doctrines and view of God as an all-powerful potentate who decides everything is winning over many Christians – especially the young.
Christian preacher fined for speaking on homosexuality
A street preacher has been fined £1,000 by a Scottish court after answering a question about homosexuality. Shawn Holes, who is American, was kept in a police cell overnight and then charged with a breach of the peace. The accusation was that he had used “homophobic remarks” that were “aggravated by religious prejudice”.
Monday, March 29th, 2010Biblical plagues really happened say scientists
Researchers believe they have found evidence of real natural disasters on which the ten plagues of Egypt, which led to Moses freeing the Israelites from slavery in the Book of Exodus in the Bible, were based.
Newsweek: The Bad Shepherd
Two years ago Pope Benedict XVI—once known as "God's Rottweiler"—displayed his gentler side on a pilgrimage to America. Television pundits spoke of his soft white hair, his smile, "his great warmth and his sense of humor," says Thomas Noble, head of the history department at Notre Dame. On the trip Benedict confronted head-on the American church's sexual-abuse crisis, a catastrophe that first came to light in Boston in the 1990s and unfolded over the years, involving more than 10,000 children and 4,400 priests. The pope even met firsthand with a small group of abuse victims in Washington. ...
Dutch prisons use psychics to help prisoners contact the dead
Paul van Bree, a self-styled "paragnost" or clairvoyant, has been hired by the Dutch prison service to teach prisoners how to "love themselves". "I tell them that dead relatives are doing well and that they love them. That brings them peace. Big strong men burst into tears," he said.
Can a pope resign from office?
In theory, there is nothing to stop Pope Benedict taking a piece of paper out of his writing desk and drafting a letter of resignation to hand to the College of Cardinals, the supreme electoral body of the Catholic Church.
Call for end to persecution of Christians in Britain
Six prominent bishops and Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, describe the "discrimination" against churchgoers as "unacceptable in a civilised society".
Monday, March 22nd, 2010Father H's Story: Germany's Pedophile Priest Scandal
In an interview with TIME, Dr. Huth paints a portrait of the priest known as Father H., accused of sexually abusing boys in the archdiocese of Munich and Freising, then run by Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI. Father H., says the psychiatrist, "was narcissistic, like other pedophiles, and I repeatedly warned church officials in the 1980s that he shouldn't be allowed to work with children or young people." Dr. Huth says the priest came to him in 1980 after he was transferred to Munich to undergo therapy.
Calif. college: Teacher wrongly cited Bible
A California college says one of its teachers ran afoul of campus regulations prohibiting religious indoctrination "by assigning readings from the Bible, reading the Bible in class, and otherwise relying on the Bible as an authority in the assigned subject matter."
Prosperity Gospel Is Hindering Church Revival
Revival is not about a large crowd but it is about broken people who want to get right with God, said the Baptist pastor whose church made the hit films “Facing the Giants” and “Fireproof.” The prosperity gospel movement and its teachings, however, present a problem to revival because it confuses people, he noted. Prosperity gospel, as defined by the Lausanne Theology Working Group, is the teaching that "believers have a right to the blessings of health and wealth and that they can obtain these blessings through positive confessions of faith and the 'sowing of seeds' through the faithful payments of tithes and offerings."
'No question' health care bill would increase abortion rate
Some of the nation's top pro-life leaders warned Friday that the nation's abortion rate could go up if the House passes the health care bill during an expected Sunday vote.
Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal goes global
As the Vatican announced Friday that Pope Benedict XVI has signed a pastoral letter about Ireland's abusive priests, it became increasingly clear that the church abuse crisis has entered a new international phase, with allegations spreading across a half dozen countries -- including the pope's native Germany.
Is The Bible More Violent Than The Quran?
"Much to my surprise, the Islamic scriptures in the Quran were actually far less bloody and less violent than those in the Bible," Jenkins says. Jenkins is a professor at Penn State University and author of two books dealing with the issue: the recently published Jesus Wars, and Dark Passages , which has not been published but is already drawing controversy.
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010New Life Pastor Asks Christians to Embrace Speaking in Tongues
New Life Church is "one of those tongue-talking churches," the senior pastor said unashamedly on Sunday. His statement was met with applause from the Colorado Springs mega-congregation.
Meet Obama's new controversial pastor
Rev. Jim Wallis, a member of President Obama's "faith council" who is described as a spiritual adviser to the president, is a socialist activist who has championed communist causes and previously labeled the U.S. "the great captor and destroyer of human life." Wallis was in the news last week urging Christians to stop watching Fox News host Glenn Beck's program for Beck's remarks against churches that preach "social justice."
Catholic hospitals support Obamacare
A group representing Catholic hospitals Saturday rallied behind President Barack Obama's health care bill ahead of a House vote in which anti-abortion lawmakers could play a decisive role.
Poll: Abortion Support Falling among Young Adults
In 2009, only 24 percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 said abortion should be legal under any circumstances, a drop from 28 percent in the year 2000 and 36 percent in 1990. Even compared to 30- to 64-year-olds, the young cohort is now less likely to support abortion, the Gallup survey on Friday revealed.
Muslim child brides on rise
Federal immigration officials say there’s little they can do to stop “child brides” from being sponsored into Canada by much older husbands who wed them in arranged marriages abroad. Top immigration officials in Canada and Pakistan say all they can do is reject the sponsorships of husbands trying to bring their child-brides to Canada. The men have to reapply when the bride turns 16. The marriages are permitted under Sharia Law.
Monday, March 15th, 2010City forbids Bible studies in homes
With only seven members, Oasis of Truth Church was ordered to stop holding all activities, including Bible studies, leadership meetings and fellowship activities, in Pastor Joe Sutherland's home in Gilbert, Ariz.
NYT reports on the “Camel Method” of evangelizing Muslims
You don’t normally expect to open the front section of the New York Times in order to read about Christian missiology (the study of missions and evangelism). But that is what we find in today’s issue, as a recent conversation (some might say controversy) among Southern Baptists has now moved to a much-wider audience:
Indiana student sues to stop prayer
The top-ranked senior at a suburban Indianapolis high school is asking a federal judge to stop a graduation prayer that the class voted to approve. The lawsuit by 18-year-old Eric Workman claims the prayer and the vote at Greenwood High School unconstitutionally subject religious practice to majority rule.
Barack Obama's abortion drama
IT COULD all come down to abortion. Health-care reform hangs in the balance. Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives, is desperately trying to round up the last few votes. If the House passes a bill the Senate passed in December, it can then be tweaked through the “reconciliation” process and sent to President Barack Obama for signature. But every single House Republican is likely to vote no, so Ms Pelosi needs 216 Democratic votes (out of 253) for a majority. This is proving surprisingly hard. Among the holdouts are a dozen or so pro-life Democrats, several of them Midwestern Catholics, who object to the abortion provisions in the Senate bill.
Pope knew priest was paedophile
The Pope was drawn directly into the Roman Catholic sex abuse scandal last night as news emerged of his part in a decision to send a paedophile priest for therapy. The cleric went on to reoffend and was convicted of child abuse but continues to work as a priest in Upper Bavaria.
Anti-Semitism rising worldwide, US report finds
"Traditional and new forms of anti-Semitism continued to arise, and a spike in such activity followed the Gaza conflict in the winter of 2008-2009," the State Department said in an annual report.
God Watches You Google
In 2006, AOL made an epic misjudgment. As part of a research project headed by Dr. Abdur Chowdhury, AOL made available to the public a massive amount of search data, releasing the search history of 650,000 users over a 3-month period. That totaled some twenty one million searches. Before releasing the data they anonymized it, stripping away user names and replacing them with numbers. Yet because of the nature of the data, people very quickly linked real people to abstract numbers--a massive violation of privacy and confidentiality. Within days AOL realized its mistake and withdrew the data. But already it had been copied and posted elsewhere on the internet where today it lives on in infamy.
Tuesday, March 9th, 20106.0 earthquake hits eastern Turkey, kills 57
OKCULAR VILLAGE, Turkey – A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6 struck eastern Turkey on Monday, killing 57 people as it knocked down stone or mud-brick houses and minarets in at least six villages, the government said.
MacArthur Tells Christians: Don't Fornicate with the World
"The church, if it is to be anything, it is to be absolutely distinct from the culture, absolutely distinct from the world, absolutely distinct from unbelievers," said prominent author and evangelical pastor John MacArthur. Speaking from the pulpit to thousands of fellow pastors at the Shepherds' Conference, MacArthur underscored the biblical command not to be yoked with nonbelievers and to be a separated people.
Gays in military ruling creates dilemma for brass
A pressing legal reality for the "don't ask, don't tell" standard for gays serving in the military is that the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has already struck down the way it's practiced in much of the Western United States.
Darwin Foes Add Warming to Targets
Critics of the teaching of evolution in the nation’s classrooms are gaining ground in some states by linking the issue to global warming, arguing that dissenting views on both scientific subjects should be taught in public schools.
Al-Qaida calls on US Muslims to attack America
CAIRO (AP) - Al-Qaida's American-born spokesman on Sunday called on Muslims serving in the U.S. armed forces to emulate the Army major charged with killing 13 people in Fort Hood. In a 25-minute video posted on militant Web sites, Adam Gadahn described Maj. Nidal Hasan as a pioneer who should serve as a role model for other Muslims, especially those serving Western militaries.
5 ways your TV is slowly killing you
You’ve accepted the idea that TV makes you dumber. You know there are lots of more edifying things you could be doing with your time than cheering on the contestants on "Survivor." And unless you’re working out to an exercise video, you know those hours sprawled out in front of the screen are going to make you fatter — not to mention the impact of all that junk food you’ve been tempted to scarf down during the commercial breaks.
Egyptian Court Acquits Muslim Who Beheaded a Christian
An Egyptian court in the southern city of Assuit acquitted this week four Muslims accused of killing 61-year-old Farouk Attallah on October 19, 2009. In broad daylight and in full view of witnesses, the killers fired 31 bullets to his head before beheading him, in the busy village market place of Attaleen, near Dairout, 313 kilometers south of Cairo. The dead body was then dragged in the street, accompanied by shouts of victory. Free Copts website published a video of the disfigured body (warning, violent graphic content.)
Iran's Ahmadinejad: Sept. 11 attacks a 'big lie'
TEHRAN, Iran – Iran's hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday called the official version of the Sept. 11 attacks a "big lie" used by the U.S. as an excuse for the war on terror, state media reported.
The 'Son of Hamas' author on his conversion to Christianity, spying for Israel, and shaming his family
'I absolutely know that in anybody's eyes I was a traitor," says Mosab Hassan Yousef. "To my family, to my nation, to my God. I crossed all the red lines in my society. I didn't leave one that I didn't cross." Now 32, Mosab is the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a founder and leader of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. Throughout the last decade, from the second Intifada to the current stalemate, he worked alongside his father in the West Bank. During that time the younger Mr. Yousef also secretly embraced Christianity. And as he reveals in his book "Son of Hamas," out this week, he became one of the top spies for Israel's internal security arm, the Shin Bet.
Thursday, March 4th, 2010Nail from Christ's crucifixion found?
The four-inch long nail is thought to be one of thousands used in crucifixions across the Roman empire. Archaeologists believe it dates from either the first or second century AD. The nail was found last summer in a decorated box in a fort on the tiny isle of Ilheu de Pontinha, just off the coast of Madeira.
Texas College Campus Divided Over Bible for Porn Campaign
A Texas college campus is locked in a fierce debate after a group of students launched the "smut for smut" campaign, trading bibles and other religious texts for porn, MyFoxSanAntonio.com reported. A university spokesman says that this controversial cause is completely legal, though he admits a majority of the students on campus do not agree with it, according to MyFoxSanAntonio.com.
High court declines Commandments case
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to get involved in a new dispute over a Ten Commandments display on public property. The justices on Monday left in place a lower-court decision that a Ten Commandments marker in Haskell County, Okla., must go.
13-Year-Old Pro-Life Superstar Tackles Euthanasia
13-year-old Lia Mills, who wowed judges and garnered widespread international attention last year for her bold speech on abortion (a video of that speech has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times), has taken on euthanasia this year.
Homeschooling: German Family Gets Political Asylum in U.S.
The Romeikes are not your typical asylum seekers. They did not come to the U.S. to flee war or despotism in their native land. No, these music teachers left Germany because they didn't like what their children were learning in public school - and because homeschooling is illegal there.
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010Christianity's Modern-Day Martyrs
The rise of Islamic extremism is putting increasing pressure on Christians in Muslim countries, who are the victims of murder, violence and discrimination. Christians are now considered the most persecuted religious group around the world. Paradoxically, their greatest hope could come from moderate political Islam. By SPIEGEL staff.
Missionary recounts story of captivity by Muslim extremists in Philippines
Held hostage for 376 days by the Islamic terrorist group Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines, Gracia Burnham doesn't seem to tire of recounting the time she and her husband spent in the jungle with their kidnappers.
College students urged: Trade Bible for Playboy
In the lobby of the University of Texas at San Antonio's humanities building, a hand-drawn poster announces, "Free porn: Just trade in your holy books (Bible, Koran, Vedas) for porn."
Nontheists Hold 'Historic' Meeting with White House Officials
Obama administration officials met with a group of nontheists Friday morning. The Secular Coalition for America is an advocacy organization whose purpose is "to amplify the diverse and growing voice of the nontheistic community in the United States." The group represents atheists, agnostics, humanists and freethinkers.
Richard Dawkins in bitter web censorship row with fellow atheists
The prominent atheist faced a torrent of abuse from outraged fans after he announced that all further postings to the discussion forum on his website would be tightly moderated to ward off what he called “something rotten” in internet culture.
Christians less satisfied with Obama
Christians, who constituted a large percentage of candidate Obama's supporters, today make up a significant percentage of those who are not pleased with President Obama's performance, according to a new survey by the Barna Group, a Christian research firm.
Pakistani Christian Beaten for Refusing to Convert to Islam
Compass Direct News (CDN) is reporting that the four older Muslim brothers of a 26-year-old Christian beat him unconscious in Kallur Kot town, Pakistan, earlier this month because he refused their enticements to convert to Islam.
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Army: ‘Serious concerns’ about lifting homosexual ban
The Army's top uniformed officer said Tuesday that he has "serious concerns" about overturning a 17-year policy that bans gays from serving openly in the military and supports a yearlong study into the matter before any changes are made. The carefully crafted comments by Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey to the Senate Armed Services Committee indicate reluctance by some within the military's senior ranks to President Barack Obama's plan to repeal "don't ask, don't tell."
So. Baptists Called to Repent, Grip Reality of 'Lostness'
Southern Baptists need to repent of their pride, boasting and disunity and return to God and His vision. That was the sobering call Dr. Ronnie Floyd made Monday as he presented a highly anticipated report charting out a new course for the nation's largest Protestant denomination.
Dig Supports Biblical Account of King Solomon's Construction
Even as Muslim spokesmen try to deny Jewish claims to the Holy Land, archaeological discoveries have recently been coming in fast and furious proving the veracity of the Biblical account of history. Hebrew University archaeologists have revealed an ancient path in Jerusalem believed to date back to the time of King Solomon, along with structures including a gateway and the foundation of a building. Dr. Eilat Mazar, the leader of the archaeological dig, said the findings match finds from the time of the First Temple.
Christian school teaches how to lead a mosque
Muslims who want to become an imam in the U.S. can now train at an institution founded in the 18th century by members of the Congregationalist denomination to prepare pastors and other Christian ministers for service.
Obama Health Bill Proposal Even More Pro-Abortion
A new health care bill proposed by President Obama Monday threatens to expand abortion even more drastically than the health care bills stymied in Congress over the past several months, says the National Right to Life Committee.
Obama’s spiritual life takes more private turn
He named a best-selling book after a pastor’s sermon and was outspoken as a candidate about the value of faith in public life. He infused stump speeches with phrases like “I am my brother’s keeper,’’ and made his journey to Christianity a central theme of the life story he shared with voters.
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010Report: Taxes prop up 'dying' abortion industry
A new report asserts the U.S. abortion industry is in significant decline, held together largely through the $300 million-plus that federal taxpayers deliver annually to its major player, Planned Parenthood.
Atheist sign = hate speech
A candidate for Illinois comptroller has sued the state over a decision related to the State Capitol building's holiday display. It dates back to the most recent Christmas holiday period when William Kelly walked over to a nativity scene. He explains: "I saw a sign standing next to the nativity scene, a free-standing sign that said, I'm paraphrasing...but essentially, there's no God, there's no heaven, there's no hell, there's no angels, no devils. Religion is good for only war, poverty, and disease."
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Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.