Monday’s Religion News Roundup

Another wave of WikiLeaks-released diplomatic cables shows Vatican officials pressuring Ireland over its sex abuse investigation, worrying about violent repercussions to its welcoming of Anglican converts, and lamenting that PR woes have muted the pope’s “moral megaphone.” In particular, the Vatican pressured Ireland to grant church officials immunity from sex abuse charges resulting from the […]

Another wave of WikiLeaks-released diplomatic cables shows Vatican officials pressuring Ireland over its sex abuse investigation, worrying about violent repercussions to its welcoming of Anglican converts, and lamenting that PR woes have muted the pope’s “moral megaphone.”

In particular, the Vatican pressured Ireland to grant church officials immunity from sex abuse charges resulting from the government-led probe. The Irish minister in charge of protecting children dismissed the leaked cables as a “complete sideshow.”

A large majority of the Dutch public believes the Catholic Church covered up sexual abuse, Reuters reports.


Attorney General Holder answered criticism that the FBI has targeted Muslims in a series of undercover stings, telling a Muslim group that allegations of government entrapment are false.

Two people were wounded in central Stockholm on Saturday in what appeared to be Sweden’s first suicide bombing.

Iraqi Christians have fled to northern Iraq or abroad amid a campaign of violence and growing fears that the country’s security forces are unable or unwilling to protect them.

Pakistani authorities arrested a doctor on suspicion of violating the country’s contentious blasphemy law by throwing away the business card of a man who shared the name of Prophet Muhammad. Another blasphemy case, against Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death, shows Pakistan’s justice system for what it is, says WaPo: broken and corrupt, often rewarding vendettas and encouraging radicalism.

President Obama hung out with elves and music stars Sunday night at the annual “Christmas in Washington” concert. A large camel fell into a crowd of people during a rehearsal for a Christmas celebration in West Palm Beach, Fla. Richard Nixon said bigoted things about blacks, Jews, and the Irish during discussions with aids, according to a newly released batch of tapes. For example, “Virtually every Irish I’ve known gets mean when he drinks,” said Nixon. “It’s sort of a natural trait.” Hmph.

Six million pilgrims from Mexico and Central American countries celebrated the Virgin of Guadalupe’s birthday, an event that may be the largest Catholic celebration of its kind in the Americas. Suspected drug cartel gunmen attacked each other during the celebrations in a small Mexican town, killing 11 people and wounding 22 others.


The Conference of National Black Churches, which represents the nine largest traditionally black denominations, re-launched in Washington last week.

A federal jury convicted street preacher Brian David Mitchell of kidnapping and sexually abusing Elizabeth Smart. A Christian couple who relied on prayer to cure their dying toddler was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.

Health experts say eating disorders are a serious, underreported disease among Orthodox Jewish women. An Amish community in Ohio that was bilked out of millions has asked the courts to dismiss the case. Britain may bar the Florida pastor who threatened to burn a Quran on the anniversary of 9/11.

Blessings for same-sex couples in the Philippines have become increasingly common in the predominantly Roman Catholic country. Israel has launched a new effort to educate the country’s Arab minority about the Holocaust – many of whom either deny the horror or undermine its scope, according to the AP.

A French court annulled a fine given to a woman wearing an Islamic face veil, months before a ban on wearing the garments goes into effect. Someone cut down a sacred tree in England (That’s the Glastonbury Holy Thorn Tree at top left.) People are asking celebrities like Kevin Smith and Kathy Griffin to marry them.

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