Civic

National Day Of Prayer Events Overshadowed By Politics

April 20, 2009

Author: Adelle M. Banks

Source: Religion News Service

http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=17939

Every year between 2001 and 2008, former President Bush's calendar was cleared on the first Thursday in May to mark the National Day of Prayer in the White House East Room with prominent evangelicals.

Now the Obama White House is facing questions of inside-the-Beltway etiquette: Should Obama maintain the open door to conservative critics...

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Some Influential Muslim Groups Question FBI's Actions

April 20, 2009

Author: Paloma Esquivel

Source: The Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-muslims-fbi20-2009apr20,0,7708003.story

As they sipped tea and nibbled on dates, more than 100 men and women listened to a litany of speakers sounding the same message: The FBI is not your friend.

"We're here today to say our mosques are off limits," Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic...

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Ukrainian Jewish, Muslim Leaders Meet

April 19, 2009

Author: Staff Writer

Source: JTA

http://jta.org/news/article/2009/04/19/1004462/ukrainian-jewish-muslim-leaders-meet

Jewish and Muslim leaders in Ukraine agreed to hold an interfaith conference later this year.

The leaders met Thursday to discuss having more interfaith contact and joint efforts to counteract religious extremism and hate crimes in Ukraine.

Ukrainian lawmaker Alexander Feldman,...

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Islam Awareness Week Addresses Common Misconceptions

April 14, 2009

Author: Shannon Montanez

Source: The Maneater Student Newspaper

http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2009/4/14/islam-awareness-week-addresses-common-misconceptio/

The Muslim Student Organization sponsored its annual Islam Awareness Week last week with events to create appreciation for the Muslim religion.

The group started the week off by setting up a "Taste of Islam" on Monday on Lowry Mall. The...

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Hindu Mantras In Sanskrit Opened City Council Meet In Nevada

April 14, 2009

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Web Newswire

http://www.webnewswire.com/node/451302

City Council of Sparks, one of the fastest growing city of Nevada (USA), reverberated with Sanskrit mantras from ancient Hindu scriptures for the first time today since its formation in 1905.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed delivered the invocation from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before Sparks City Council today after sprinkling holy water from river Ganga (in India)....

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Texas District to Let Native American Student Keep Long Hair

April 14, 2009

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=21480

A Native American Somerset High School senior — whose parents filed a federal lawsuit saying his right of religious expression was violated when he received an on-campus suspension — can return to class without having to cut his shoulder-length hair.

Jesus Figueroa’s long hair had been an issue since last school year...

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Faith Groups Increasingly Lose Gay Rights Fights

April 10, 2009

Author: Jacqueline L. Salmon

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/09/AR2009040904063.html?hpid=topnews

Faith organizations and individuals who view homosexuality as sinful and refuse to provide services to gay people are losing a growing number of legal battles that they say are costing them their religious freedom.

The lawsuits have resulted...

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Clergy Gather to Protest Iran's Persecution Of the Bahai Faith

April 9, 2009

Author: John Darling

Source: Mail Tribune

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090409/NEWS/904090321

Leaders of several faiths are gathering Saturday in Medford to protest the persecution of members of the Bahai Faith under the Iranian government and to show support for a resolution by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., calling for the release of prisoners being held in Iraq for their faith.

The...

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Hindu Woman Priest Named to Obama Faith Council

April 9, 2009

Author: Sunita Sohrabji

Source: India West

http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=1065&sid=1

Anju Bhargava, one of the handful of Hindu women priests in the U.S., has been appointed to the advisory council of President Barack Obama’s Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Obama announced the creation of the new office Feb. 5, and had named Eboo Patel, founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core, based...

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Obama's Faith-Based Office Gets Down to Work

April 9, 2009

Author: Amy Sullivan

Source: TIME Magazine

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1890257,00.html

At this rate, Barack Obama may need to start his own version of the old Stephen Colbert "This Week in God" segment. On Monday, the President held forth to the Turkish Parliament on the contributions of Muslim-Americans and noted that he had Muslims in his family. Later that same day, Obama prompted cheers from secularists when he...

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"The Continued Blockade of Tariq Ramadan" a Commentary by Diana Eck

April 9, 2009

Author: Diana L. Eck

Source: Politico

http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Diana_Eck_EEEAFDCB-79DD-4DD3-BBE8-D1D5781FFA85.html

It is deeply disappointing that this week a U.S. District Attorney, David Jones, arguing now on behalf of the Obama administration, repeated the frightening logic of the Bush administration in continuing to deny a visa to Tariq Ramadan, one of Europe's deepest and most articulate Muslim...

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