Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On May 18, 2003 The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "last year, Abu-Akel gave the invocation at the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday observance at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church. Despite his introduction as a local Presbyterian minister, despite a prayer that invoked God and Jesus, his name seemed to cause some confusion... For the past year, Abu-Akel has been preaching his message of tolerance and understanding from one of the loftier pulpits in American religion. Last June, he became...

Source: The Express-Times

http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1053248694229780.xml

On May 18, 2003 The Express-Times reported that "in the past few weeks, news from Iraq brought images of mass graves containing the bones of Shiite Muslims who opposed Saddam Hussein... This weekend, local [PA] residents learned more about the oppression that led to those graves, and about Islam in general... The education was part...

Source: The Washington Post

On May 18, 2003 The Washington Post reported that "the dozen or so deities at the Rajdhani Mandir, a Hindu temple in Chantilly, draw hundreds of devotees each week who stand or kneel before the various incarnations of God to seek blessings. But this weekend, Hindus found themselves praying alongside newcomers of a different faith... In a three-day ceremony where smoky tendrils of incense swirled and wafted as monks chanted, the temple inaugurated Lord Buddha into the ranks of its deities. In doing so, the Hindu temple became the...

Source: Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/138/metro/Dalai_Lama_plans_visit_to_promote_Buddhism+.shtml

On May 18, 2003 the Boston Globe reported that "Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, more commonly known as the Dalai Lama, is planning a four-day visit to Greater Boston in September as part of his first trip to Massachusetts in five years... The Dalai Lama, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning spiritual...

Source: Palm Beach Post

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On May 17, 2003 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that "a group of St. Louis regional religious and community leaders is taking to heart a line from the song 'Let There Be Peace on Earth.' The line that grabs them is 'And, let it begin with me...' This month, they are seeking like-minded people to form a corps of volunteer peacemakers... The volunteers will work in the front lines of peacemaking, helping forge truces between neighbors... In September, her church and another Mennonite congregation, Bethesda Fellowship...

Source: Ames Tribune

Source: Los Angeles Times

On May 17, 2003 the Los Angeles Times reported that "hundreds of religious leaders joined politicians at the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast this week and heard messages from President Bush and congressional leaders congratulating Latino clergy on their commitments to faith, community and family life."

Source: Journal Sentinel

http://www.jsonline.com/lifestyle/religion/may03/141223.asp

On May 16, 2003 the Journal Sentinel reported that "the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, Ill., a nine-sided temple with a gleaming white dome that is a national historic site and one of the region's top tourist attractions, will celebrate its 50th anniversary at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 17, with a special service in the sanctuary. People of all faiths are invited."

Source: Beliefnet

Source: The Becket Fund

http://www.becketfund.org/litigate/Aroniakeha.html

On May 16, 2003 The Becket Fund reported that "halfway into his junior year at Salmon River Central School near Plattsburgh in upstate New York, Aroniakeha (Iroquois for 'In the Sky') Elijah donned a red headband signifying a rite of passage within his traditional Iroquois religion. Elijah, whose grandfather is a tribal chief, regarded wearing the headband as a religious duty... School officials...

Source: NCM Civil Liberties Watch

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=9a3dd93e53c1ca0a9e9aecb068ad8cbc

On May 16, 2003 NCM Civil Liberties Watch reported that "Abdul Hatifie hosts a weekly radio show broadcast to the Afghan community in the Bay Area and Los Angeles [CA]. Along with announcements of community events and discussions of Afghan culture, the Alameda doctor tries to talk about discrimination and...

Source: The Associated Press

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

On May 16, 2003 The Columbus Dispatch reported that "as in other Christian churches on Sunday morning, the nearly 200 people who have gathered at Savior of the World Ethiopian Orthodox Church praise God in a way that evokes images of their native land... The church provides a focal point for the Ethiopians, many of whom fled the political turmoil in their country in recent years and were granted asylum in the United States... Much of the Sunday service is conducted in the ancient Ge'ez language, although the homily is given in...

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On May 15, 2003 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that "the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge will be the center of transformation and meditation during the upcoming 'St. Louis Change Your Mind Day...' Being Buddhist is not required to transform your thinking and learn how to live a happier life, says Dr. Kongsak Tanphaichitr, chairman of the Buddhist Council of Greater St. Louis and a participant of the event. 'Anybody is free to join in,' says Tanphaichitr, an internist and specialist in rheumatology and allergies. 'It's a more...