Source: Star Tribune

On November 4, 2002 the Star Tribune reported that "Gethsemane had become the first Catholic cemetery in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to devote a special section to a nationality... an overflow crowd of 250 Vietnamese parishioners celebrated mass and walked along a wind-whipped path to a four-acre parcel of land set aside for Vietnamese Catholics. 'Before we had this land, our people [in the Twin Cities] were buried in whatever land they could get their hands on,' said Binh Nguyencong, a trustee of St. Joseph Hien,...

Source: The Commercial Appeal

On November 2, 2002 The Commercial Appeal reported that "gubernatorial candidate Phil Bredesen blasted a recent Republican mailing as 'a blatant appeal to religious bigotry and hatred' because it questions teaching about world religions in Nashville schools. Bredesen, speaking to the Nashville Downtown Kiwanis Club Friday, said he was 'disgusted' by the mailer... A spokesman for Bredesen's Republican opponent, Van Hilleary, denied a role in sending the mailing. The direct-mail ad pictures a statue of Buddha and says that '...

Source: St. Petersburg Times

On November 2, 2002 the St. Petersburg Times reported that "as general secretary for the National Council of Churches, [Robert] Edgar is a leader in the increasingly broad religious opposition to war on Iraq. Some are calling the movement the biggest show of solidarity against war since Vietnam. Some faiths have been silent on the war. Jewish organizations have remained mostly mum on the issue. Some of them fear that support for the war would be interpreted as pro-Israeli or anti-Palestinian. Imam Muhammad Musri, president...

Source: The Idaho Statesman

http://www.idahostatesman.com/News/story.asp?ID=24468

On November 2, 2002 The Idaho Statesman reported that "an interfaith service will be held at 6 p.m. today... in Boise. The service includes prayers for peace from leaders of several churches in the Treasure Valley. Rev. Jon Brown of the First United Methodist Church said the gathering was motivated by the U.S.�s threat of war against Iraq. Representatives from the following faiths and...

Source: The Times-Picayune

On November 2, 2002 The Times-Picayune reported that "when the New Orleans Hornets brought professional basketball back to town Wednesday with an opening-night win over the Utah Jazz in the New Orleans Arena, buried in the package was an unusual practice in modern professional sport: a public, pre-game prayer offered on behalf of thousands of diverse fans. Jews, Muslims and Buddhists are likely to be part of the mix, along with Christians of many denominations, said the Rev. David Arceneaux, the Hornets' unpaid team chaplain...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On November 2, 2002 The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, members of each religious community have worried over what they see as increasing intolerance around Georgia and the United States, especially for Muslims. [A] 10-day trip to Turkey, a secular Middle Eastern country with a rich tradition in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, was meant to highlight common ground instead of conflict, according to the organizer, the Rev. Wayne Smith. This summer, they...

Source: The Herald

http://www.sharonherald.com/localnews/recentnews/0211/ln110202f.html

On November 2, 2002 The Herald reported that "women of various faiths united in Sharon [PA] Friday in the hopes of promoting peace in the world. Local members of Church Women United, a national ecumenical interfaith organization, hosted a service for about 60 Christian, Jewish and Muslim women at Oakland Avenue United Methodist Church. The program, 'Daughters of...

Source: Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0211010219nov01.story

On November 1, 2002 the Chicago Tribune reported that "the first Wiccan to serve as a prison chaplain in Wisconsin and a Muslim chaplain were both ousted from the Waupun Clergy Association, which now allows only Christians as members. Muslim Imam Ronald Beyah said last week's action included him so it wouldn't appear the group was targeting the...

Source: Times of India

Source: Star Tribune

On October 31, 2002 the Star Tribune reported that "Halloween is having a tough time hanging on in some Twin Cities schools as parents contend that the scary holiday conflicts with their families' religious beliefs. In religious traditions ranging from conservative Christian to Jewish to Muslim, Halloween is looked down upon among some adherents as a pagan observance or a celebration of evil spirits. Other parents say the real point of Halloween is the candy and the chance for children to pretend they are someone else. Some of the...

Source: Tulsa World

On October 31, 2002 Tulsa World reported that "an interfaith service written by three Tulsa women will be presented Friday in hundreds of cities nationwide. 'It's very unusual to have Tulsa people write the national service,' said Harriet Larsen, the leader of a Tulsa Church Women United group. The 'Daughters of Abraham' service on World Community Day, sponsored by Church Women United, was written by Mickey Simpson, who is on the CWU national board; Sheryl Siddiqui, representing the Tulsa Muslim community; and Jeanne Jacobs,...

Source: Metro West Daily News

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/local_regional/wicca10292002.htm

On October 29, 2002 the Metro West Daily News reported that "the religion of Wicca, or paganism, now draws thousands of teenagers who say it is a healthy, individualistic faith that brings them closer to nature. Sarah Bernardi, a junior at Marlborough High School, was always intrigued by astrology and psychic powers. Bernardi is one of many local...

Source: The Oregonian

On October 28, 2002 The Oregonian reported that "faith leaders and followers gather at a Portland church to oppose an attack on Iraq and pray that others will join them. This demonstration -- for peace with Iraq -- came in the form of a worship service, beginning with a procession of about 20 faith leaders that included Christian clergy, a Jewish rabbi, a Zen Buddhist monk, a Sikh and others. About 50 people behind them in the honey-colored pews included Roman Catholics from Southeast Portland, Methodists from Oregon City, Muslims...

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.fac.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=17169

On October 28, 2002 The Associated Press reported that "a federal judge says a Maui church’s zoning dispute won’t be decided based on a federal religious land-use law but will instead be decided on First Amendment grounds. On Oct. 24, U.S. District Judge Samuel P. King also dismissed members of the Maui County planning commission and the county planning director...

Source: Los Angeles Times

http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=1688

On October 28, 2002 the Los Angeles Times reported that "led by the Rev. George Regas of the Progressive Religious Partnership, religious spokesmen in Los Angeles this week denounced the prospect of a preemptive war against Iraq as 'immoral, illegal and unwise.' The religious opponents of Bush's policy list a host of secular reasons for their position: Iraq has not declared war on the U.S.; there is...