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Need to know: Friday, April 21, 2017
Why did Aaron Hernandez write ‘John 3:16’ on his forehead before killing himself?
The verse is popular among football players. Before his conviction for murder, Hernandez had several other Christian symbols tattooed on his body.
Arkansas puts Ledell Lee to death, in its first execution since 2005
Lee, who requested holy communion as his last meal, had been the focus of intense efforts by death penalty opponents to halt his execution and several more planned by the state before its supply of chemicals used to kill convicted murderers expires.
How Bill O’Reilly used religion to fuel fear — and his show
He acted as an aggressive right-wing prophet decrying the elitist secular left, writes Christopher Hale.
A Bronx church’s O’Reilly factor
What do you say when the deposed Fox News host turns out to have given a lot of money to help a struggling parish run by his friend, a Catholic priest?
After Columbine, martyrdom became a powerful fantasy for Christian teenagers
Cassie Bernall and Rachel Scott weren’t just victims — they became part of a bigger narrative, with far-reaching effects.
This Islamic school helps students build their American and Muslim identity
The Al Fatih Academy in Virginia is one of about 270 Islamic schools in the U.S. The staff aim to give their students a well-rounded education and promote civic awareness.
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Latest news from RNS
No other artist mixed religion and sex like Prince
(RNS) For Prince, who died a year ago this Friday, 'every song was either a prayer or foreplay.'
In lyrics, Prince philosophized, theologized and just plain preached
(RNS) A sampling of Prince's more religious songs.
Hashtag about Christian women unleashes torrent of emotions
Maybe it was a publicity stunt to drive up sales of a book, or garner more Twitter followers. Certainly, it released a flood of pent-up frustrations from women.
More views from RNS
Mormon leaders have trust issues
The impulse behind this circling of the wagons is well-intentioned, but problems come when people later find out the truth, writes Jana Riess.
Peace in the Holy Land can be realized only if we work together
(RNS) Our Christian principles and teachings compel us to insist on an equal measure of justice and dignity for all people, for Israelis and Palestinians alike, writes the general secretary of the World Council of Churches.
Religious assessments of Trump v. Obama
It's not all about white evangelicals.
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Bonus tracks
- Remembering the world’s oldest person, in the objects she left behind
- At Denver’s International Church Of Cannabis, prophets aren’t the point
- Russian court bans ‘extremist’ Jehovah’s Witnesses
- To avoid government meddling, the state should not fund churches
- Scientific inquiry should be an American value, too
- Holocaust, climate change — when did we know, what did we do?
