Interfaith

Blessings Aplenty As World's Religions Gather

December 4, 2009

Author: Barney Zwartz

Source: The Age

http://www.theage.com.au/national/blessings-aplenty-as-worlds-religions-gather-20091204-k93h.html

Counting their blessings was an important part of the opening of the Parliament of the World's Religions in Melbourne last night: a round dozen of them, each in its respective religion's fullest ceremonial richness and colour.

About 4000 delegates had their week-...

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Chambersburg Borough Council Decides Nativity Scene Must Be Removed From Memorial Square Fountain Area

December 3, 2009

Author: Rob Luff

Source: Public Opinion

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/ci_13854798?source=most_viewed

An atheistic and agnostic group plans to seek legal action against the Borough of Chambersburg following a decision Monday night that bans anything other than flags and flowers from adorning the Memorial Square fountain war memorial.

The unanimous decision from Chambersburg Borough Council came after Carl Silverman,...

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ADL, AJC Join Brief On Wiccan Clergyman

December 1, 2009

Author: Eric Fingerhut

Source: JTA

http://blogs.jta.org/politics/article/2009/12/01/1009477/adl-ajc-join-brief-on-wiccan-clergyman

The Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee have signed on to an Americans United for Church and State amicus brief arguing that a Wiccan clergyman should be able to challenge a state prison policy that limits paid chaplaincy positions to people who are...

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Happy Holidays: Board Overturns Committee Decision

December 1, 2009

Author: Erika Jacobson Moore

Source: Leesburg Today

http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2009/12/03/news/9970display120109.txt

Taking the Grinch out of Loudoun's holiday season, the Board of Supervisors today voted to overturn the decision of the Courthouse Grounds and Facility Task Force to prohibit displays of all kinds on the grounds of the historic courthouse in Leesburg.

The decision to allow all religious...

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Caseworker: Runaway, Parents Must Talk Religion

December 1, 2009

Author: Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Source: The Fresno Bee

http://www.fresnobee.com/641/story/1731279.html

A runaway Christian convert and her Muslim family must listen to each other's views about religion if they are to reunite, a possibility that appears in jeopardy since the girl continues to refuse any contact with her parents or siblings, a caseworker says.

A case-management plan filed Monday said Rifqa Bary and her parents should hear what each...

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Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs Live In Complete Harmony In Malerkotla

November 30, 2009

Author: Staff Writer

Source: ANI/Sify.com

http://videos.sify.com/watch/ANI-Hindus--Muslims--Sikhs-live-in-complete-harmony-in-Malerkotla-jl4uObjgeaf.html-jl4uObjgeaf.html

It[']s dawn and silence prevails in Malerkotla town. And so does harmony .People in this Muslim dominated town have been living in peace since ages and the region has never seen or heard of any conflict...

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His Name: Jihad. His Message: Peace

November 29, 2009

Author: Duke Helfand

Source: The Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-jihad29-2009nov29,0,6075196.story

Jihad Turk -- clean-shaven and youthful -- is telling an interfaith audience that the prophet Muhammad traces his lineage to Abraham, the biblical patriarch. 

Turk explains to the crowd of mostly Christians and Jews that Muslims also revere Jesus and Moses as prophets, and that Islam...

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Winter Solstice Is a Time Of Renewal, Reconnection With the Earth

November 29, 2009

Author: Lauren Yanks

Source: The Poughkeepsie Journal

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20091129/LIFE/911290310/1005/LIFE

Throughout the ages, a variety of cultures have viewed the winter solstice as a time for celebration and renewal. The tilt of the earth’s axis makes the winter solstice the shortest day — and longest night — of the year. According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, the word...

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For Jews, Roiling Yemen No Longer Place to Call Home

November 25, 2009

Author: Sudarsan Raghavan

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/24/AR2009112403898.html

The last remaining Jews in Yemen are vanishing, driven out by politics, war and hatred. Once numbering 60,000, one of the oldest Jewish populations in the Arab world now has fewer than 350 members.

In recent months, persecution by Islamist extremists has intensified,...

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Greek Orthodox Church Sues Turkey Over Access to Religious Sites In Cyprus

November 24, 2009

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Guardian

Wire Service: AP

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/24/greek-orthodox-church-sues-turkey

The Greek Orthodox church of Cyprus has taken Turkey to the European court of human rights over allegedly preventing the 500 Greek Cypriots living in the Turkish north worshipping at religious sites there, a church lawyer said...

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Majorities Reject Banning Defamation Of Religion: 20 Nation Poll

November 23, 2009

Source: Yahoo News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20091123/pl_usnw/DC15602

As the UN General Assembly prepares to debate a proposal calling for nations to take action against the defamation of religion, majorities in 13 of 20 nations polled around the world support the right to criticize a religion.

On average, across all countries polled, 57% of respondents agree that "people should be allowed to publicly criticize a religion because people should have freedom...

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