Author: Staff Writer

Source: Sikh Press

http://www.sikhpress.com/story/1096

A Sikh wearing a visible kirpan was asked to leave Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Bakersfield, Calif., July 1, by a manager who told him children were becoming intimidated by his sword.

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Associated Press

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hKGgzL2v7BjS70ALL_GckqynPPsAD91PODI01

Switzerland will hold a nationwide referendum on whether to ban the construction of minarets where Muslims traditionally issue the call to prayer, officials said Tuesday.

Swiss nationalists have collected enough signatures to force a vote on the ban, the Interior Ministry said. Organizers backed...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: UNITED SIKHS Press Release

http://www.unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-07-07-2008-00.htm

The prosecution dropped charges against 47 year old truck driver, Sachdev Singh, for wearing a kirpan (a blade that is carried by Sikhs as an article of faith), after meeting him with UNITED SIKHS attorney, Jaspreet Singh, at the State of Connecticut Superior Court earlier today.

Jaspreet Singh said, "...

Author: Richard Vara

Source: The Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/religion/5873419.html

Despite the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, acceptance of Islam politically and socially is on the increase in the U.S., [n]ational Muslim leaders gathered in Houston said Saturday.

"American Muslims have become an important global force," said Sayyid M. Syeed, director of the Islamic Society of North America's...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: IHT/The Associated Press

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/03/arts/NA-US-Breaking-the-Veils.php

In the months following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Princess Wijdan Al Hashemi and her friend Aliki Moschis-Gauguet noticed that the only depictions they saw of Muslim women showed figures behind veils, oppressed by their cultures.

Moschis-Gauget said, "'Do you see what's going...

Author: Molly Rossiter

Source: The Gazette

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080703/NEWS/359586786/1006/news

Eleven-year-old Brittany Gatewood helped her school raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina and the tornado that leveled part of Parkersburg.

On Thursday, she said, volunteers at the Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation told her that "what goes around comes around."...

Author: Jane Lampman

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0702/p25s10-uspo.html

In a campaign already strongly emphasizing faith, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama Tuesday announced his intent to make federal funding of religiously based organizations a key part of his push to help the needy.

His plan would overhaul and expand the controversial faith-based initiative that was an early cornerstone...

Author: Matt Stiles and Rosanna Ruiz

Source: The Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5864319.html

Reacting to the latest controversy about his office in recent months, Sheriff Tommy Thomas on Monday apologized in person to a local Muslim group for insensitive e-mails sent by members of his staff.

Monday's appearance before the Islamic Society of Greater Houston was Thomas' second apology in...

Author: Richard Dymond

Source: The Bradenton Herald

http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/708194.html

Bradenton's Habeebah Wahb, 12, nibbled on chicken and meatballs and mingled with fellow members of the Manatee-Sarasota Women's Interfaith Group on Sunday.

Habeebah, who attends Lee Middle School, is the youngest member of this relatively new and intriguing local group made up of about 70 women who celebrate their differences and similarities,...

Author: Ronald D. White

Source: The Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fi-gas17-2008jun17,0,3727715,full.story

Record gasoline prices have been painful, but now they have begun to test the limits of faith.

In houses of worship nationwide, preachers are railing against the forces of energy evil, and congregations are praying for lower fuel prices.

So far, no...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.kansas.com/news/nation_world/story/445796.html

A foundation that has sued the military alleging widespread violations of religious freedom is asking the Pentagon to block a Christian cable TV broadcast featuring officers in uniform.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation has raised objections to 20 minutes of the two-hour broadcast of "Carman's Red, White and Blue...

Author: Jim Meyers

Source: Newsmax.com

http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/ACLU__Midshipmen_Prayer/2008/06/26/107582.html

The American Civil Liberties Union is threatening to file suit against the U.S. Naval Academy over the school’s daily lunchtime prayer.

Nine midshipmen at the academy asked the ACLU to petition the school to do away with the prayers, saying that some midshipmen have felt pressured to...

Author: Erika Niedowski

Source: The National

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080625/PAGETHREE/913497177/1119

Imran Hafiz was in Grade 4 when the World Trade Center came crashing down on September 11 at the hands of al Qa’eda. Soon afterwards, some children at his Arizona school shunned him on the playground, and he asked why.

“Because you’re a Taliban,” they said.

“No, I’m...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: WFTV

http://www.wftv.com/news/16688136/detail.html

From the outside it looks like any other house, but it's what's going on inside that's causing a huge controversy in Waterford Lakes. People inside have been holding religious animal rituals and neighbors say it's gone too far.

Because it's considered a religious act, sheriff deputies say they can't do anything about the issue. Now the homeowner's association is...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: PRNewswire/AFS-USA

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-24-2008/0004838363&EDATE=

Thanaporn "Jar" Panitchanok arrived from Thailand last August with certain notions of what America would be like. After ten months her views have changed; plus, she's shown St. Paul that "Muslim" does not equate to the negative stereotypes so common in the...