Author: Kimi Yoshino

Source: The Los Angeles Times

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/12/iraq-draft-from.html

Trying to prove just how much safer Baghdad is these days, Iraqi officials threw a party for Christians on Saturday, complete with huge event posters featuring pictures of Jesus Christ.

A skinny Santa Claus draped in an Iraqi flag also made an appearance, waving and posing for photos.
...

Author: Brian C. Mooney

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/12/20/congress_has_grown_more_religiously_diverse/

Protestants still constitute a majority of the Congress of the United States, but in terms of religious beliefs, the House and Senate, just like the constituencies they represent, are more diverse than they were nearly a half-century ago,...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Bahá’í World News Service

http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story/681

The United Nations General Assembly today adopted a resolution expressing “deep concern at serious human rights violations” in Iran.

The resolution, which passed by a vote of 69 to 54, specifically criticized Iran’s use of torture, the high incidence of executions, the “violent repression” of women, and “increasing...

Author: Mirko Petricevic

Source: The Record

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/460448

The prayers recited at most banquets where politicians and dignitaries are gathered -- if any prayers are recited at all -- are usually said quickly before food arrives.

Not yesterday during an annual gathering at the Islamic Humanitarian Service office in Kitchener.

As local mayors and MPPs listened, one speaker after another offered...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Asian News

http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/news/s/1086119_housing_tenents_get_festive

Residents of Space New Living and Ashiana Housing Association, part of Great Places Housing Group, have been celebrating Christmas, Eid and Diwali together at multi-faith festive parties.

Tenants and staff have been joining together at Café Lahore in Union Street, Oldham, at four lunchtime get-togethers....

Author: Bob Allen

Source: Associated Baptist Press

Author: Adelle M. Banks

Source: Religion News Service

http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=17182

Iraq should be designated as a "country of particular concern" because its government tolerates the abuse of religious communities, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

The federal commission said many Iraqi religious minorities, including Christians, Yazidis and Sabean Mandaeans have fled, threatening their...

Author: Michael Winerip

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/nyregion/long-island/21Rparenting.html?scp=2&sq=religion&st=nyt

Pam Gawley is Jewish, her husband, Steven, is Catholic, and from the time they started dating, they celebrated each other’s holidays together. Christmas and Easter, they went to his parents’ home; Rosh Hashana, Hanukkah and Passover, to her parents...

Author: Sally Quinn

Source: The Washington Post/Newsweek

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/sally_quinn/2008/12/introducing_crossing_faiths.html

No force has more power than religion to reconcile or divide us. And yet most of us know little about our own faith traditions and much less or nothing at all about others. So how do we learn?

Here at On Faith, we believe one way to learn more is...

Author: Mahmud Lalo

Source: All Africa

http://allafrica.com/stories/200812170410.html

Abbas Jimoh & Ahmed Mohammed — Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar and Most Reverend John Onaiyekan, both co-chairmen of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), yesterday kicked off peace and reconci-liatory process between Mus-lim and Christian communi-ties in Plateau State following the recent crisis in Jos over local government council elections...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Independent Catholic News

http://www.indcatholicnews.com/muscthl321.html

Yesterday, the XI talks between the Pontifical Council for Interfaith Dialogue and the World Islamic Call Society, based in Tripoli, Libya began at the Vatican.

A spokesman said these are the latest in a long series of meetings that have taken place in various venues and regular intervals since 1989 to now.

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7786495.stm

Hundreds of members of Pakistan's Hindu community have turned out to protest on behalf of a Muslim charity accused by India over the deadly Mumbai attacks.

The protesters in the city of Hyderabad in Sindh province complained that Jamaat-ud-Dawa was not a terrorist organisation and should not be banned.

They said it was a "saviour" in providing...

Author: Eboo Patel

Source: Middle East Times

http://www.metimes.com/Opinion/2008/12/15/god_and_man_at_yale/6027/

The commons at Yale University looked like a cross between Hogwarts and Medina. Over 500 students, staff and faculty had gathered for a university-wide iftar, the meal where Muslims break their dawn-to-dusk fast during the month of Ramadan. Linda Lorimer, Yale's vice president, gave an opening talk, expressing the university...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Bahá’í World News Service

http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/

Groups and individuals around the world this month have been commemorating the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which occurred on 10 December 1948. The United Nations has designated the anniversary each year as Human Rights Day.

Last week the Baha’i International Community was one of 11 faith groups whose...

Author: Ethan Cole

Source: The Christian Post

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20081215/anglicans-add-hindu-snowmen-chinese-dragon-to-christmas-displays.htm

Some Anglican clergy have added a multicultural twist to Christmas decorations, adding Hindu snowmen, a Chinese dragon and a Jewish temple to the lawn where the traditional scene of a baby Jesus, angels, and the three wise men used...