c. 2008 Religion News Service
Poll: Southern evangelicals say torture is justified
WASHINGTON _ A new poll released Thursday (Sept. 11) finds that nearly six in 10 white Southern evangelicals believe torture is justified, but their views can shift when they consider the Christian principle of the golden rule.
The poll, commissioned by Faith in Public Life and Mercer University, found that 57 percent of respondents said torture can be often or sometimes justified to gain important information from suspected terrorists. Thirty-eight percent said it was never or rarely justified.
But when asked if they agree that “the U.S. government should not use methods against our enemies that we would not want used on American soldiers,” the percentage who said torture was rarely or never justified rose to 52 percent.
“Presenting people with this argument and identifying with the golden rule really does engage a different part of people’s psyche and a part of their heart, their soul, and really does shift their views on torture,” said Robert Jones, president of Public Religion Research, which was commissioned to conduct the poll.
The findings of this poll, which did not define torture, compared to a Pew Research Center poll from February that found that 48 percent of the general public think torture can be justified.
The new poll found that 44 percent of white Southern evangelicals rely on life experiences and common sense to determine their views about torture. A lower percentage, 28 percent, said they relied on Christian teachings or beliefs.
The poll was released on the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and comes after several religious groups have joined a public campaign to oppose the use of torture in interrogating suspected terrorists.
Results were unveiled during the National Summit on Torture at Mercer in Atlanta, which was co-sponsored by Evangelicals for Human Rights.
David Gushee, a Christian ethics professor at Mercer and the president of the evangelical group, said the poll numbers should tell leaders, including presidential nominees Barack Obama and John McCain, who oppose torture that people can change their minds about this issue if it is discussed from a moral standpoint.
“Opinion on this question is movable,” he said.
The telephone poll of 600 white evangelical Christian adults in 14 Southern states was conducted Aug. 14-22 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
_ Adelle M. Banks
Slaughterhouse charges spark debate over kosher labeling
NEW YORK (RNS) Criminal charges filed against the the nation’s largest kosher meatpacking plant have added fuel to the debate about kosher standards within the Jewish community.
The Iowa attorney general filed more than 9,000 charges Tuesday (Sept. 9) for child labor violations against the Agriprocessors slaughterhouse, owner Aaron Rubashkin, his son Sholom, and three managers.
In response, Rabbi Menachem Genack, head of kosher supervision for the Orthodox Union, the largest organization that certifies products as fit for traditional Jewish consumption, announced the organization will withdraw its seal of approval within two weeks unless the plant _ which produces more than half of America’s kosher meat _ hires new management.
But Rabbi Menachem Weissmandl, who also certifies meat at the plant, told Jewish news agencies he would only remove his seal if the plant were not meeting the religion’s food preparation restrictions, unrelated to legal or ethical work environment standards.
Kosher standards should include the ethical concerns, however, said Rabbi Morris J. Allen, a Conservative rabbi spearheading the Hekhsher Tzedek “ethical kosher” movement. He and other Jewish leaders had raised numerous concerns about worker age and safety after visiting the plant two years ago, he said, but no improvements were made.
“Had the Rubashkin family accepted our recommendations that we made on Sept. 11, 2006, the Jewish community would not be in this situation today,” Allen said.
Neither Aaron nor Sholom Rubashkin could be reached for comment. Plant spokesman Chaim Abrahams has denied the accusations and said the minors found working in the plant had lied about their age to company officials. The defendants are scheduled to appear in court Sept. 17.
In the meantime, Hekhsher Tzedek is testing out standards for its own seal of approval, which will certify that kosher products were also made in an ethical work environment, Allen said.
The movement has urged rabbis to address this issue in sermons during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the upcoming Jewish high holidays.
“As Jews, we have a responsibility to maintain high ethical standards in the production of food, and that transcends all Jewish denominational boundaries,” Allen said. “We have to be sure that the food that we know may be produced in a ritually kosher fashion is also produced in a fashion that speaks to who we are as human beings.”
_ Nicole Neroulias
Scottish couples choosing castles over churches for weddings
LONDON (RNS) Ancient castles, stately homes and even posh boats are getting the nod over churches in the eyes of brides and grooms looking to tie the knot in Scotland, according to new government data.
According to annual figures from the government’s Registrar General, fewer than half of all marriages in Scotland last year were religious rites; 52 percent of wedding couples opting for civil ceremonies.
A decade earlier, 55 percent decided on church weddings. But now increasing numbers of couples are opting for nonreligious rites at a local government registry office.
The tide toward religion-free rituals rose sharply when the marriage laws were changed in 2002 to widen venues for civil ceremonies. Castles, lordly manors, luxury hotels and even pleasure boats have increasingly come into favor.
Still, the Rev. Angus Morrison, convenor of the Church of Scotland’s Mission Council, did put a brave face on it. “Naturally,” he told journalists, “we would prefer it if more people married in the church, but to a certain extent the latest figures reflect the larger number of marriage options that are now available.”
Scotland also remains a favorite spot for so-called “destination weddings,” which accounted for just over a quarter of Scottish marriages in 2007.
_ Al Webb
Muslim cop argues for right to wear head scarf
PHILADELPHIA (RNS) Just weeks after joining the Philadelphia Police Department in 1995, Kimberlie Webb converted to Islam and sought permission to wear a head scarf on the job.
Her supervisors continually rejected her request over the years. Last year, a federal district court backed their decision. Webb appealed, and the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the case on Tuesday (Sept. 9).
The issue arises frequently in the nation’s courts: To what degree must employers accommodate a worker’s request to wear religious garb? And when is meeting such a request an “undue burden” that an employer can legally deny?
No police departments explicitly allow women to wear religious head scarves on the job, said Bahir Mustafa, director of member relations for the American Muslim Law Enforcement Association, although some corrections departments do.
Webb should be allowed to wear a head scarf, attorney Jeffrey Pollock told the appellate panel, because some Christian officers in the department have been seen wearing crosses, according to Webb.
Crosses are banned by the same department regulation _ known as Directive 78 _ that also bans head scarves and all religious garb.
“The department feels strongly that in order to effectively police, there has to be neutrality among police officer uniforms, and that anything that is differentiating _ expressing some point of view, religious or ethnic _ is detrimental to that mission,” said Eleanor Ewing, an attorney for the city of Philadelphia.
Webb first asked for permission to wear the head scarf _ called a khimar _ during her first year on the job. “In the beginning I didn’t push it,” she said.
Webb complied with the rules for eight years. After being denied permission, she wore her head scarf to work anyway in 2003 and was sent home three days in a row. After a department hearing, the police commissioner, also a Muslim, suspended her without pay for 13 days.
She filed suit in 2005. In 2007, a federal court judge dismissed her complaint. Tuesday’s oral hearing was an appeal of that decision. The judges are expected to rule in two or three months.
_ Jeff Diamant
Calif. Episcopal bishops oppose gay marriage ban
(RNS) Episcopal bishops from all six California dioceses are urging voters to defeat a state referendum that would outlaw gay marriage this November.
“We do not believe that marriage of heterosexuals is threatened by same-sex marriage,” nine bishops said in a joint statement Wednesday (Sept. 10). “Rather, the Christian values of monogamy, commitment, love, mutual respect … are enhanced for all by providing this right to gay and straight alike.”
Californians will vote Nov. 4 on Proposition 8, which would amend the state constitution to reserve marriage for heterosexual couples. In May, the state supreme court overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage.
Other religious groups, including Catholics, evangelicals, Hindus and Muslims, are advocating for the referendum.
The bishops acknowledged that there is no consensus in the 2.2-million member Episcopal Church on gay marriage. The diocese of San Joaquin, Calif., seceded from the Episcopal Church last year in protest of the church’s growing liberalism, particularly on sexuality.
Bishop Jerry Lamb, the provisional bishop who was installed by Episcopal Church leaders to lead the San Joaquin diocese, joined in signing the statement.
Even among the nine California bishops there is disagreement: some want authorize clergy to officiate and bless same-sex marriages, while others want to wait for churchwide approval. In 2006, the Episcopal Church voted to oppose federal or state amendments that would prohibit same-sex marriage or civil unions.
Anglicans worldwide _ the Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion _ generally oppose homosexuality on biblical grounds. At an international summit this summer, Anglican bishops asked churches to honor a moratorium on public rites for same-sex blessings.
Bishop J. Jon Bruno of Los Angeles, said the California bishops “believe that continued access to civil marriage for all, regardless of sexual orientation … promotes Jesus’ ethic of love, giving and hope.”
_ Daniel Burke
Family Research Council launches PAC, but no McCain endorsement
WASHINGTON (RNS) FRC Action, the legislative arm of the Family Research Council, on Friday (Sept. 12) launched a new political action committee to endorse candidates for congressional offices but, as of yet, not presidential candidates.
FRC Action President Tony Perkins said the group plans to spend $250,000 supporting about 80 candidates this election season. Most of the candidates are Republicans, but two are Democrats.
“At this point, we do not plan on endorsing a presidential candidate or ticket,” said Perkins at a news conference during his group’s annual Values Voter Summit. “We’re not a huge PAC yet and to make a dent, even, in that effort would take a lot of money.”
Asked if the lack of a presidential endorsement indicates soft support for Republican presidential nominee John McCain, Perkins said: “There are still lingering concerns over some of John McCain’s positions.”
David Nammo, executive director of FRC Action, said in an interview that McCain’s support of embryonic stem cell research remains a concern for members of his organization.
Both McCain and Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama were invited to speak at the summit but chose not to attend. Perkins said the lack of McCain’s presence did not discourage summit attendees.
One of those participants, Maureen Wiebe of Alexandria, Va., said she was not upset that McCain didn’t show.
“Of course, I’d love to hear him speak but, heavens, he’s running for president. His schedule’s a little busy,” said Wiebe, who works for a Christian school organization. “I’m pretty confident with where he stands.”
_ Adelle M. Banks
Evangelical publishers score big with Palin books
(RNS) In this high season for political books, two evangelical publishers are leading the race to capitalize on fascination with Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
Tyndale House Publishers of Carol Stream, Ill., has begun distributing a paperback edition of “Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned the Alaska Political Establishment Upside Down,” by Alaska freelance writer Kaylene Johnson. Best known as publishers of the bestselling “Left Behind” series, Tyndale is printing a whopping 250,000 copies of the book, which first came out in April from Epicenter Press.
Next month (Oct. 10), Zondervan of Grand Rapids, Mich., will release Joe Hilley’s “Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader.” According to a statement from Zondervan, the author makes a case for Palin’s leadership by touting her “maverick integrity, electrifying communication style, career agility, and perpetual education.”
Both biographies highlight Palin’s Christian faith as a formative force. “Sarah” examines her family life and the role religion played in her childhood. The Zondervan book explores how faith influences her leadership style.
Both books also mark a contrast from other political titles published by Tyndale and Zondervan earlier this year. In an effort to reach evangelicals weary of the religious right, Zondervan in March released “How to be Evangelical Without Being Conservative” by David E. Olson. Also in March, Tyndale released “We the Purple,” in which reporter Marcia Ford makes a case for politics unmediated by political parties.
“Tyndale House does not endorse political candidates or parties,” said Tyndale President Mark Taylor. “But as a distinctively Christian publisher, we believe it is vital to promote clear thinking and thoughtful conversation about the intersection of faith and the public square. In choosing to distribute this Epicenter Press book about Sarah Palin … we hope to stimulate both thought and discussion about the role of faith in politics.”
_ G. Jeffrey MacDonald
Methodist bishop rejects challenge to Bush library
(RNS) President Bush’s proposed library at Southern Methodist University cleared another hurdle after an Oklahoma bishop refused to reject the plan, according to the United Methodist Church.
Oklahoma Bishop Robert E. Hayes said it was a matter of secular, not church, law at this point, the United Methodist News Service reported.
“I do not believe I have before me a proper request for a ruling on church law,” Hayes wrote in a Aug. 12 decision, according to UMNS.
The denomination’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference, which owns the Dallas-based University, approved the lease of campus land in July.
The George W. Bush Presidential Center will house a presidential library, museum and policy institute. The 36-acre center is expected to cost $500 million.
Progressive Methodists, including faculty members at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology, have fought the plans at every step. They argue that some Bush administration policies, such as the war in Iraq, contradict Methodist beliefs.
Bush and first lady Laura Bush are both United Methodists; Laura Bush graduated from SMU in 1968.
Hayes’s decision will now be reviewed by the denomination’s high court, the United Methodist Judicial Council.
_ Daniel Burke
Church of England apologizes to Darwin
LONDON (RNS) Some 126 years after Charles Darwin’s death, the Church of England has gone into 21st-century cyberspace to issue an official apology to the naturalist for its own 19th-century “misunderstanding” over his theory of evolution.
Darwin’s thesis that all life evolved over millions of years was published in 1859 in his book, “On The Origin of Species,” and almost instantly triggered controversy that still continues.
His antagonists, including the Church of England, vilified him for questioning their own creationist convictions that the universe and all its parts were solely the work of God perhaps around 6,000 BC and certainly no earlier than 10,000 years ago.
But in a new section of the Church of England’s Web site, the Rev. Malcolm Brown, director of missions and public affairs, addressed Darwin and conceded that the church “owes you an apology for misunderstanding you, by getting our first reaction wrong.”
That reaction, Brown added, resulted in “encouraging others to misunderstand you still.”
Just last week in Britain, a leading biologist, the Rev. Professor Michael Reiss, called for creationism to be included in school science lessons alongside Darwin’s theory of evolution and the “Big Bang” theory of the birth of the universe.
In his online apology, Brown likened the Darwin controversy to the Vatican’s trial in 1633 of Galileo, the Italian astronomer who angered it by asserting that the Earth revolved around the sun.
“Some church people did it again in the 1860s with Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection,” Brown wrote.
_ Al Webb
Quote of the Week: Anglican Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria
(RNS) “Whenever this bashing comes, this kicking comes, I rejoice. Believe me, I rejoice. I turn it to body lotion and I rub my body with it and I shine for Christ.”
_ Anglican Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, a leading conservative who has been criticized for his outspoken condemnation of homosexuality and refusal to disavow violence against Muslims. He was quoted by recently by “Third Way,” an English Christian magazine.
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