Weekend Religion and Atheist Digest

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anti-jewish, ark, arrest, christian, christians, church, constitution, displacement, france, fundamentalist, gay, gaza, germany, happiness, immigrant, in god we trust, interfaith, islamic, israel, John Nienstedt, ken ham, military, mississippi, mistreatment, mosque, muslim, pope francis, religious, RFRA, roe vs wade, SCOTUS, sinners, VBS, violence, women

What Happened When an Extremist, Christian Fundamentalist Got to Run a Whole State

Liberals throughout the land breathed a sigh of relief when Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas stepped down in 2008 and later decided to run for governor. [Read more]

Anti-Jewish Slogans Return to the Streets in Germany as Mideast Protests Sweep Europe

Before the start of a pro-Palestinian rally — one of the scores being staged almost daily here since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza — an organizer on a bullhorn yelled out the do’s and don’ts as ordered last week by the Berlin police. [Read more]

France Offers Asylum to Thousands of Christians Driven from Homes by Islamic State

Offer of asylum made by French ministers after thousands of Iraqi Christians fled into neighbouring Kurdistan after being told by Islamic State they convert, pay a special tax or face the sword. [Read more]

US Says in 2013 World Had Worst Religious Displacement in Recent Memory

The United States has reported that in 2013, millions of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and others were forced from their homes because of their religious orientations with the world experiencing the largest displacement of religious communities in recent memory. [Read more]

There Should Be No Embarrassment Over Challenging Muslim Treatment of Women, Says Justice Minister

Justice Minister Simon Hughes has said Britain should not be “culturally embarrassed” about challenging Muslims over the wearing of the veil or the segregation of women. [Read more]

US Religious Leaders Arrested in Washington Illegal Immigrants’ Protest

More than 100 religious leaders and activists who participated in a protest against U.S. immigration policies were arrested in Washington D.C. on July 31. [Read more]

Mommy, Minister and Unmarried: Single Mothers in the Pulpit

When Philadelphia’s St. Paul Baptist Church hired the Rev. Leslie Callahan as its first female pastor, in 2009, she was nearing her 40th birthday and the tick-tock of her biological clock was getting hard to ignore. [Read more]

US Military Vetoes Vacation Bible School Invite, Disappoints Children

Active and non-active U.S. military personnel participate for the first time in San Diego’s Gay Pride Parade in San Diego, July 16, 2011. The group is reported to be the first openly gay enlisted service members to march in a pride event in the United States following Congress repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. [Read more]

Judge Rules Seriously Ill Teenager Should Receive Treatment Involving “Blood Products” Against Mother’s Religious Objections

A High Court Judge has ruled that doctors can administer “plasma exchange treatment” to a seriously ill teenager after the boy’s mother – a Jehovah’s Witness – objected on religious grounds. [Read more]

Archbishop John Nienstedt Declares He Won’t Step Down

In interview, archbishop says local Catholic Church has turned the corner on clergy sex abuse scandal. [Read more]

Israel-Gaza Conflict Puts Interfaith Relations to the Test

When a group of Arab college students visiting New York met last week for a Ramadan iftar, they were greeted with an unexpected keynote speech. [Read more]

Pope Francis May Be ‘Too Liberal’ for House Republicans to Honor

A bipartisan resolution written to honor Pope Francis for his work towards social justice appears to be mired in Congress, reportedly due to his reputation among Republicans as being “too liberal,” according to The Hill. [Read more]

Americans Divided on How the Supreme Court Should Interpret the Constitution

Democrats and Republicans remain deeply divided about how the U.S. Supreme Court should interpret the Constitution, according to a new analysis by the Pew Research Center. [Read more]

Chief Imam at Kashgar Mosque Stabbed to Death as Violence Surges in Xinjiang

Death of Jume Tahir, deputy president of the Xinjiang Islamic Association, described by some as an assassination. [Read more]

Joy to the World — The Ark Is Approved

At the website of NBC television station WLWT in Cincinnati, Ohio, not far from ol’ Hambo’s operations across the Ohio River in Northern Kentucky. Their ungrammatical headline is: Grant [County] ark park get preliminary approval for tax rebates. [Read more]

Why It’s Time to Repeal the Religious Freedom Restoration Act

The law, passed in 1993 with near-unanimous support, has become an excuse for bigotry, superstition and sectarianism. [Read more]

Gay Church Music Director Says Wedding News Led to Dismissal

A longtime music director at Holy Family Catholic Church in Inverness said he was fired from his job this week after he announced that he was engaged to his male partner. [Read more]

Labour Party Equality Statement Excludes Non-Religious People

Labour’s policy making body – the National Policy Forum – has come under fire for adopting an equality statement that appears not to cover non-religious people. [Read more]

“My Heart Goes Out to You, Please Try My Church”

I tend to distrust people who tell me upfront how loving they are, similar to a car dealer who tells me how honest he is or a doctor who tells me how proficient he is. Why do they NEED to tell me this? [Read more]

Mississippi Officially Adds “In God We Trust” To State Seal

Mississippi officially added the phrase “In God We Trust” to the state seal with the passage of a Senate bill that came into effect on July 1st. Senate Bill 2681, also known as Mississippi Religious Freedom Restoration Act. [Read more]

How Living Things Capture Energy from the Sun

In a new research report published in the August 2014 issue of the FASEB Journal, scientists may have uncovered a new method of exploiting the power of sunlight by focusing on a naturally occurring combination of lipids that have been strikingly conserved throughout evolution. [Read more]

The Sinner’s Top 10 Guide to Happiness

It’s probably quite good being pope. You get to wear some pretty cool robes and always have a good view out of your car. Indeed, Pope Francis has decided to share his bliss with Argentinian weekly Viva, issuing a handy top 10 tips for happiness. [Read more]

Krista Tippett’s ‘On Being’ Honored by White House for Engaging Listeners on What it Means to be Human

On Sept. 11, 2001, Krista Tippett was in Washington on her way to meet with potential funders to create a radio show focused on faith. As the day unfolded with attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the meeting was canceled. [Read more]

Doe takes Roe from Bad to Worse

When I first heard, in the 1990’s, that abortion was legal through all nine months of pregnancy, I couldn’t believe it. If that were true, why would it not be common knowledge? Why would there be debate over where life began? [Read more]

You Can Learn The Exact Day Of Christ’s Return If You Give $5 To WorldNetDaily

When you sign up for WorldNetDaily’s email list, you commit yourself to a lifetime of receiving several emails a day offering great deals on prepper equipment, bogus medical treatments, presidential impeachment paraphernalia, instructional knife-throwing DVDs, and information on the impending End Times. [Read more]