Monthly Archives: October 2009
Teen convert caught in custody dispute returned to Ohio
By Tracy Gordon — October 26, 2009
(RNS) An Ohio teen who ran away to Florida because she feared her Muslim father after her Christian conversion was ordered by a judge to return to Ohio. Rifqa Bary, 17, was ordered back to the state on Friday (Oct. 23) by Judge Daniel P. Dawson of the 9th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, The […]
Swedish Lutheran decision on same-sex marriage draws flak
By Tracy Gordon — October 26, 2009
LONDON/NAIROBI (RNS/ENI) The Lutheran Church of Sweden’s decision to bless same-sex marriages in churches has been criticized by fellow Lutherans in Africa and by the Church of England, a full communion partner with the Swedish church. The Church of Sweden voted last Thursday (Oct. 22) to allow same-sex weddings in churches beginning Nov. 1, six […]
GUEST COMMENTARY: Barring abortion in health care reform
By Tracy Gordon — October 26, 2009
(RNS) It’s time to clear the air in the current debate over whether proposed health care legislation covers abortion. What’s the truth? Number one issue: Whether the Hyde Amendment applies now The Hyde Amendment has been federal policy since 1976. It states that money from the Labor/Health and Human Services appropriations bill cannot be used […]
GUEST COMMENTARY: The Subtle Signals Barbie Sends
By Tracy Gordon — October 26, 2009
(RNS) I never had a black Barbie. But I grew up surrounded by images of the inimitable white one — usually a bombshell being few women could compete with. She was the ultimate in “good-looking” in the annals of popular American dolls. So I was intrigued to read about Grace, Kara and Trichelle, Mattel’s three […]
Monday’s religion round-up
By Daniel Burke — October 26, 2009
A Muslim member of President Obama’s faith advisory council says she was misled into appearing on an anti-Semitic talk show, and the U.S. Army will make an exception to its rules and allow a Sikh doctor to serve without cutting his hair and removing his turban. The Catholic bishop of Rhode Island called for Rep. […]
Orthodox Union effective, but controversial
By Tracy Gordon — October 26, 2009
WASHINGTON (RNS) As Congress began writing legislation last spring to give businesses and homeowners tax incentives to make their homes more environmentally friendly, Nathan Diament looked at the legislation and saw a hole. Director of public policy for the Orthodox Union, Diament successfully pushed the sponsors of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which […]
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em?
By Mark Silk — October 26, 2009
That’s the headline on TPM’s story on Robert Gibbs’ news that Obama has congratulated Harry Reid on coming up with a plan that has a public option. And even said he was “pleased” about it. Somehow, because those oh-so-whispery off-the-record sources said the White House was pushing back against a public option, that had to […]
Putting the papal house in order
By Mark Silk — October 26, 2009
Ross Douthat, NYT’s thus far underperforming young conservative columnist, has the bright thought today that what’s really going on with the pope’s new Anglican Ordinariate is a marshaling of troops against the threat of global Islam. How many divisions does the pope have? Stalin once asked. To deal with le défi islamique, a new Anglican […]
The New National GOP
By Mark Silk — October 25, 2009
As anyone following the Virginia gubernatorial race is aware, Republican Robert F. McDonnell has been making hay by minimizing the social conservatism of his past and reaching out to moderates in the DC suburbs on economic issues. The current betting is that he will beat Democrat Creigh Deeds handily, leading to this sentiment, quoted in […]
Study: Buddhism leads to coolness
By Daniel Burke — October 24, 2009
Not really, but there are some cool people checking out the Dharma these days, if celebrity Web sites are to believed (and why not?). First, A-Rod, who has lately ditched his reputation as a choke artist by hitting home run after home run during the playoffs, is checking out Buddhism with his gal Kate Hudson […]
Faith leaders divided over passage of hate crimes bill
By Tracy Gordon — October 23, 2009
WASHINGTON (RNS) Progressive religious leaders hailed the passage Thursday (Oct. 22) of a hate crimes bill they say will better protect gay victims from violent acts. By a vote of 68-29, the Senate passed the provision, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, as part of a larger 2010 defense authorization […]
Catholic bishops tell African political leaders to come clean
By Tracy Gordon — October 23, 2009
VATICAN CITY (RNS) An international meeting of Catholic bishops called on Africa’s political leaders to be “saints” who “clean the continent of corruption.” The unusually strong language came in the official message of the Vatican’s Synod for Africa, which was released on Friday (Oct. 23), the day before the meeting’s concluding session. “We tried to […]
Hillel at Rutgers to counter Westboro Church protestors
By Tracy Gordon — October 23, 2009
(RNS) The Hillel at Rutgers University is planning a large rally to counterbalance a protest by Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-gay congregation mainly known for protesting at military funerals. The Jewish campus life center is organizing the rally for Wednesday (Oct. 28), the same day Westboro church members are planning to protest outside the Hillel […]
Religion keeps on trucking (without the institutions)
By Tracy Gordon — October 23, 2009
(RNS) Religious institutions may be waning in the U.S., but private religious practices like prayer are actually on the rise, a new University of Chicago report reveals. While weekly attendees of religious services dropped from 32 to 26 percent of the population between 1983 and 2006, people praying daily rose from 54 to 59 percent […]
Friday’s religion round-up
By Daniel Burke — October 23, 2009
The Senate added attacks based on sexual orientation to the list of federal hate crimes and President Obama is expected to sign the bill. Meanwhile, House Democrats remain divided about whether health care reform will include federal funding for abortion and Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., the late Ted Kennedy’s son, called Catholic bishops’ concerns about […]
