Concern grows at Catholic church’s silence over Zika virus crisis
Source: The Guardian The Catholic church has remained silent in the face of the mounting crisis caused by the Zika virus in Latin America, which has led at least four […]
In supposed no-go zone, British Muslims, Christians say no to fanatics
Source: The Washington Post LUTON, England —When Donald Trump raised the specter of Muslim-dominated no-go zones in London, Britons from the prime minister on down responded with indignation. But Stephen Lennon […]
The head scarf, modern Turkey, and me.
Source: The New Yorker BY ELIF BATUMAN In 1924, a year after founding the Turkish Republic on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the country’s new leader, […]
Who Are the True Heirs of Zionism?
Source: The New York Times JERUSALEM — ZIONISM was never the gentlest of ideologies. The return of the Jewish people to their biblical homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty […]
A Paris butcher offers a lesson in interfaith ties
Source:RNS PARIS (RNS) On Fridays, the Boucherie de l’Argonne closes early. Its Muslim workers head to afternoon prayers. The Jews prepare for Shabbat — a practical accommodation for staff sharing similar […]
Phoenix opts for silence over prayers at public meetings
By Kimberly Winston, who is a freelance religion reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She covers atheism and freethought for RNS. (RNS) The city of Phoenix has decided […]
Ash Wednesday 2016: History, Dates, Traditions Of Lent’s First Day Of Fasting
Source: Huffington Post The Christian holy day marks the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday is observed on February 10, 2016. The Christian holy day marks the beginning of Lent, a […]
Marco Rubio’s comments about Muslims actually make a lot of sense
theguardian: by The Republican candidate was not pleased that Obama visited a mosque this week. Neither were many of the Americans that Rubio wants to vote for him Barack Obama greets children from Al-Rahmah school and other guests during his visit to the Islamic Society of Baltimore on Wednesday. Photograph: […]
Back to Council of Islamic Ideology (CII)
Source: Dawn By Asad Jamal Asking the CII to review the blasphemy laws is pointless. THE chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology, Mohammad Khan Sherani, has indicated the CCI […]
Canada: Brampton man Brar charged with murder of his wife in a truck fire
theobserver.ca Sarnia: Fire and police officials on the scene of a fatal transport fire on westbound Highway 402, south of Sarnia, on Jan. 31, 2016. (BARBARA SIMPSON, Sarnia Observer) A Brampton truck driver charged with the first-degree murder of his wife following a Jan. 31 truck fire on Highway 402 […]
Religion ban for China Communist Party ex-officials
Source: BBC China has banned retired Communist Party members from believing in a religion or practising religious activities, state media report. China is officially atheist but says it guarantees religious […]
TRACKING ISLAMOPHOBIA IN THE U.S.
Source: Huffington Post Islamophobia is real. And it’s not going anywhere. After last year’s terror attacks in Paris and mass shooting in San Bernardino, California — and amidst a surge in […]
Can you really get fit in 60 seconds?
Source: BBC It’s called ‘High Intensity Interval Training’, and it can supposedly do wonders for your health – all with just a few minutes per week. BBC presenter and doctor Michael Mosley was sceptical, but as he discovered when he tried the exercise for himself, there’s scientific evidence that supports […]
Pope Francis set for historic Orthodox Patriarch meeting
Source: BBC Pope Francis will hold a historic first meeting with Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russian Orthodox Church, in Cuba next week. The Russian Orthodox Church said the “persecution […]
Obama at National Prayer Breakfast: ‘Faith is the great cure for fear’
Source: CNN Washington (CNN)President Barack Obama addressed the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, speaking about the need to overcome fear through faith, just one day after making a historic visit […]
Americans’ views on Islam, Muslims divide by party lines
Source: RNS (RNS) Republicans and Democrats divide sharply over views on Islam, Muslims and how a U.S. president should label violent extremists. But Americans overall agree there’s “a lot” of […]
Republicans Prefer Blunt Talk About Islamic Extremism, Democrats Favor Caution
Source: Pew Research Center Most Americans say religion doesn’t cause violence, but rather that violent people use religion to justify their actions Half of Americans say the next president should be careful not to criticize Islam as a whole when speaking about Islamic extremists, while four-in-ten want the next president […]
The US is one of the Most Fundamentalist Countries in the World: Chomsky
By Meera Srinivasan The United States is a very fundamentalist, religious country – one of the most extreme in the world, says Noam Chomsky, arguably that country’s best-known political dissident of our times. “And that’s been true since its origins,” he says, explaining this apparently ultra-religious facet of the US […]
Pope Francis to meet Russian Orthodox Church head Patriarch Kirill in historic coming together
By Umberto Bacchi February 5, 2016 11:23 GMT , Updated 5 hr ago ibtimes.co.uk Pope Francis and Russian Patriarch Kirill will meet in Cuba on February 12th, the Vatican has announced. It will be the first time that the heads of the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church have come together […]
Bernie Sanders Made Jewish History, Yet No One Seems To Be Kvelling
New Hampshire’s Jews — yes, they exist — aren’t even talking about it. 02/04/2016 07:02 pm ET Sam SteinSenior Politics Editor, The Huffington Post EVAN VUCCI/ASSOCIATED PRESS Sen. Bernie Sanders is the first Jewish candidate to win delegates in a presidential primary or caucus. CONCORD, New Hampshire — At a […]