RELIGIOUS NEWS and RELATED ISSUES

Atheists file suit to block inaugural prayer http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=17277 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Preaching Moderate Islam and Becoming a TV Star http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/world/middleeast/03preacher.html?em ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lawmaker in Kentucky Mixes Piety and Politics http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/us/04louisville.html?em ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 decline in U.S. executions has states reflecting on capital punishment http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/964501.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Barack Obama's former church sees better days ahead in wake of election storms http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-trinity-04bd-jan04,0,5099227.story ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Obama likely to retool Bush’s faith-based initiative http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/01/04/obama-likely-to-retool-bush’s-faith-based-initiative/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Burris: 'I am now the junior senator' http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1361962,CST-NWS-burris05.article ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spain Is a Battleground for Church’s Future http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/world/europe/06church.html?_r=1&hp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ California Supreme Court says breakaway parish can't take national church's property http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-episcopal6-2009jan06,0,1820285.story ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spain Battle Ground for Catholic Church’s Future http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/world/europe/06church.html?_r=2&hp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Best-selling Atheist Author Claims that Christianity Falsely Takes Credit for Good in the World http://christianpost.com/article/20081228/anti-theist-christianity-is-bad-for-the-world.htm-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jailed UK Missionaries for 12 Years Seeks Presidential Pardon in Gambia over E-Mails Sent http://christianpost.com/article/20090105/jailed-u-k-missionaries-seek-presidential-pardon-in-gambia.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Atheist Ads Appear on Sides of 800 London Buses http://christianpost.com/article/20090106/atheist-ads-hit-london-buses.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Group Lists Top Ten Christian Bashing Events in US This Year http://christianpost.com/article/20090106/group-lists-top-ten-christian-bashing-moments-in-america.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amish File Religious Discrimination Lawsuit over Building Codes in New York http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-amish-building-codes,0,1461847.story -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chinese Soothsayers Say there will Be Peace and Calm in 2009 but the Economy will take a Long Time to Recover http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=081231111701.bbz7nhhj&show_article=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catholics Rule in Congress but Others Catching Up http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/religion_capitol_hill/2008/12/31/166676.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iran and Hamas make Crucifixion Legal http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230111707087&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Witnesses Report Massacre in Church in Congo http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7802804.stm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq Christians Face Bleak Future http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/24/iraq.christians/index.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rick Warren loves gays, and more http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles_of_faith/2008/12/rick_warren_lov.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- President’s Interview about His Christian Faith http://www.worldmag.com/articles/14788 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amsterdam Put the Virgin Mary in Drag calling it “Pink Christmas” http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/21/international/i085703S98.DTL&tsp=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India: 50 Women Labeled “Witches” were beaten and had their Head Shaven by a Mob lpos=World_News_Second_Home_Page_Article_Teaser_Region_9&lid=ARTICLE_15191094_India:_Witches_beaten_With_Sticks_By_Mob_In_Ch -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Openly Gay Congressman Barney Frank Says Obama Made a Mistake Choosing Rick Warren for Invocation http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,471086,00.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most Britons Do Not Believe in the Nativity of Jesus Christ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/christmas/3868265/Most-Britons-do-not-believe-in-the-nativity-survey-shows.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Europe’s Mega-church Leader Linked with Investment Business Scandal http://www.christianpost.com/article/20081222/europe-s-megachurch-pastor-linked-to-business-scandal.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- German Catholic Priest Wants Santa “Out of the Picture” http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,471086,00.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Russia Faith Healers are Tested and Licensed by the Government http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-eu-russia-licensing-faith-healers,0,668398.story -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More than One Quarter of all US Teen See Violence as Acceptable Behavior http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20081219/sc_livescience/usteensportrayedasviolentunethical -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Expert on the Bible and the Change from Sabbath to Sunday Dies at Age 70 http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=84204 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archeologists Unearth Largest Church in Syria – 8th Century http://www.christianpost.com/article/20081121/archaeologists-unearth-largest-church-in-syria.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Remains of the City Where David fought Goliath have been Found http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/11/081121-biblical-city.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Herod’s Family Tomb Found by Archeologist http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Herod-family-tombs-possibly-found/ss/events/sc/112008kingherodtomb/im:/081119/481/64ef2b3a164c4178b08ebc62f5b1a9d7/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Family’s Home Destroyed Third Time (2 Earthquakes and Now a Fire) But Still Keep their Faith in God http://www.standeyo.com/NEWS/08_USA/081123.Sylmar.3.diz.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- eHarmony to Provide Same Sex Dating Service http://www.christianpost.com/article/20081120/eharmony-agrees-to-provide-same-sex-dating-service.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vatican Claims Pope had “Prophecy” of Financial Collapse in 1985 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aGSJzqaJm_b0&refer=europe -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- California Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on Gay Marriage http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94ICHMG0&show_article=1&cat=0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hindu Groups offer Rewards for Killing Christians http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,455066,00.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Be Gods” License Plate approved in Indiana http://www.theindychannel.com/news/18022485/detail.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Supreme Court Case involves Two Religious Groups and a Monument http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/11/supreme.court/index.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mormons Called Upon to Support Gay Rights in Utah http://ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=2707&MediaType=1&Category=26 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gay Couples get the Okay to Marry in Connecticut http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=6235098 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- World Leaders meet at UN for Religious Tolerance Talks http://www.christianpost.com/article/20081113/world-leaders-meet-for-u-n-religious-tolerance-talk.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catholic Bishops Plan to Pressure People in Political Office regarding Abortion http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081112/ap_on_re_us/rel_catholic_bishops -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Teen Believed to be “Reincarnation of Buddha” Comes out of Jungle and Reveals Self http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,450564,00.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Why Believe in a God? Just be Good for Goodness Sake” Christmas Ad Appearing on Washington DC Buses http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,450445,00.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thousands in Los Angeles Protest Gay Ban on Marriage http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081107/D94A2EA80.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Billy Graham’s Role as Pastor to the Presidents is Ending http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94A7HNG1&show_article=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At Least 500 Christians Murdered in Orissa, India http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13658&size=A Three Winning Marriage Amendments declare Marriage = 1 Man and 1 Woman http://citizenlinkelectioncentral.com/category/ballot-issues/ At 90 Billy Graham Remains America’s Pastor http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/11/06/billy.graham.turns.90/index.html