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Slain pastor's widow speaks at service on shooting anniversary | |
03/08/10 11:47:01

      MARYVILLE, Ill.   (AP) - The wife of an Illinois pastor who was fatally shot during a Sunday sermon one year ago says she looks forward to seeing him again in heaven.  
     
     Cindy Winters spoke at two Sunday services at the First Baptist Church of Maryville.  
     
     Her husband, the Rev.   Fred Winters, was gunned down on March 8, 2009.  
     
     Cindy Winters told the congregation that in her anguish that day, she felt God telling her, "Cindy, what happened here was sheer evil, and it was orchestrated by Satan.   "
     
     Winters says she responded aloud, "Then Satan will not win.   "
     
     Terry Sedlacek was charged with first-degree murder, but has been declared mentally unfit to stand trial.   He's in the custody of the Illinois Department of Human Services.  


Christian pilgrims killed in Philippine bus accident |
03/08/10 11:43:52

      SAN FERNANDO, Philippines (AP) - A bus carrying Christian pilgrims from a Philippine mountain resort has slammed into a tree after its brakes apparently failed, killing 12 people and injuring 14 others.  
     
      Police Senior Superintendent Noli Talino said Sunday that the driver rammed the bus into the tree to prevent the vehicle from falling into a deep ravine.  
     
      He says the impact pinned 10 passengers inside the bus, killing them, while two other passengers were thrown out of the bus by the impact and fell to their deaths in the ravine.  
     
      The accident happened Saturday in the northern Philippines as the group returned from a pilgrimage to Catholic churches and a visit to tourist spots.


US Muslim group rejects al-Qaida call to violence |
03/08/10 11:42:15

      WASHINGTON (AP) - American Muslim groups are rejecting a call by an Al-Qaida spokesman for Muslims in the U.  S.   armed forces to emulate an Army major charged with killing 13 people at Fort Hood.  
     
      The Muslim Public Affairs Council says the statement by American-born Adam Gadahn is a failed attempt to deliver Al-Qaida's bankrupt ideology to Western Muslims.  
     
      The Council on American Islamic Relations says American Muslims repudiate "all those who would promote or condone terrorism anywhere in the world.  "
     
      Pakistani officials said Sunday that Gadahn has been arrested but there's been no U.  S.   confirmation.  
     
      Gadahn described the man accused of the Fort Hood attacks, Maj.   Nidal Hasan, as a role model for other Muslims, especially those serving in Western militaries.


Hundreds dead in Nigerian religious violence |
03/08/10 11:41:20

      JOS, Nigeria (AP) - Security forces have imposed a curfew in central Nigeria after rioters armed with machetes slaughtered more than 200 people in renewed violence between Muslims and Christians.  
     
      Hundreds of people have fled their homes, fearing reprisal attacks.  
     
      Local journalists and a civil rights group say the bodies of the dead lined the streets of three mostly Christian villages south of the regional capital of Jos.  
     
      The city lies in a region separating Nigeria's Muslim north from the predominantly Christian south.  
     
      Witnesses who escaped the massacre said they believed the attackers were Muslims.  
     
      The Red Cross says Nigerian military units are surrounding the three affected villages.


School district settles lawsuit over religion |
03/03/10 11:43:45

      NASHVILLE, Tenn.   (AP) - A Tennessee school district has agreed to end the promotion of religion by teachers and officials during school hours.  
     
      The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee announced the settlement after the Cheatham County school board voted on Monday night to approve it.  
     
      The ACLU sued the school district in November after six months of negotiations failed.  
     
      The settlement prohibits the distribution of Bibles during the school day and bars school officials from citing "the Bible or other sacred texts as authority for historical or scientific fact.  "
     
      ACLU of Tennessee Executive Director Hedy Weinberg has said that for religion in school to be legal it must be student-led and cannot be compulsory.


Haitian judge not ready to release 2 US missionaries |
03/03/10 11:42:55

      PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Two Americans still jailed on kidnapping charges in Haiti will have to wait for their freedom.  
     
      A Haitian judge says he's not ready to release his decision after holding a final hearing.  
     
      Judge Bernard Saint-Vil says he's consulting with prosecutors on the charges against Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter.   Saint-Vil had said earlier he would probably order their release after Tuesday's hearing.   He declined to explain the delay.  
     
      The two missionaries seemed in good spirits before they were taken back to jail.   They were visited by U.  S.   Embassy personnel.  
     
      Saint-Vil previously freed eight other Americans detained with the pair for trying to take 33 children out of Haiti without proper papers.


DC churches schedule same-sex weddings |
03/03/10 11:42:17

      WASHINGTON (AP) - Some churches in Washington D.  C.   are scheduling weddings for gay and lesbian couples now that same-sex marriage has become legal in the nation's capital.  
     
      The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to block the law from taking effect, freeing the city to issue its first marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  
     
      Couples must then wait three full business days for their licenses before exchanging vows.  
     
      The senior minister of Washington's All Souls Unitarian Church, the Rev.   Robert Hardies, says his phone is "ringing off the hook" with gay and lesbian couples asking to schedule weddings.  
     
      Hardies says he'll perform a same-sex wedding next Tuesday and another on the following Sunday, with more sure to follow.   He's one of 200 local pastors who supported legalizing same-sex marriage.  
     
      Other pastors failed to convince city officials and the courts that voters should decide the issue.


Parents, teen convert agree to continue counseling |
03/03/10 11:41:22

      COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio teenager who ran away after converting to Christianity and her Muslim parents have agreed to continue counseling to work out their differences.  
     
      Attorneys for 17-year-old Rifqa Bary and her parents came to the understanding Tuesday after a juvenile court hearing in Columbus.  
     
      The arrangement requires the girl and her parents to continue working with individual counselors, but does not mandate joint meetings.   The agreement also clarifies how Bary can have contact with Christian pastors who allegedly helped her run away to Florida last July.  
     
      Judge Elizabeth Gill told Bary and her parents they need to work hard on their situation before she turns 18 in August.   For now, she remains in foster care.  
     
      Bary's parents have denied her claims that she could be harmed or killed for becoming a Christian.  


Pope praying for Chile quake victims |
03/01/10 11:26:52

      VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict says he's asking God to give survivors of Chile's massive earthquake "relief from suffering and courage in this adversity.  "
     
      The pontiff says the church would support relief efforts in the predominantly Roman Catholic country.  
     
      Benedict told pilgrims in St.   Peter's Square that he's "spiritually close to those so tried by such a grave calamity.  " And he assured the quake victims that "solidarity won't be lacking.  "
     
      Separately, the head of the Chilean bishops conference said the church is offering its help to both local authorities and volunteer workers.   The bishop said he's "full of sorrow" for the hundreds who died in the 8.  8 magnitude quake.


Christian radio host, musician, dead at 83 |
03/01/10 11:26:17

      XENIA, Ohio (AP) - Bill Pearce, the comforting voice of the Christian radio program "Nightsounds," has died of complications from Parkinsons disease.  
     
      Nightsounds' Web site says Pearce died last week at a nursing home in Xenia, Ohio, at the age of 83.  
     
      Pearce was an accomplished trombonist who produced instrumental and vocal albums.   But he was best known for the nightly broadcast he launched in the 1970s, blending soothing music with Christian counsel.  
     
      He was inducted into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1992.  
     
      The Web site says recordings of Bill Pearce's "Nightsounds" will continue to be broadcast on more than 300 radio stations.


Cardinal urges Mormons, Catholics to stand together |
03/01/10 11:24:53

      SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George, has urged Mormons to stand with Roman Catholics in defense of traditional marriage and a religious voice in the public square.  
     
      George, who is president of the U.  S.   Conference of Catholic Bishops, addressed thousands of students, faculty and Mormon church leaders at Brigham Young University.  
     
      The cardinal called for "interreligious coalitions" to stand against what he called "forces at work in our government and society to reduce religion to a purely private reality.  "
     
      George denounced as "thuggery" the anti-Mormon vandalism that followed California voters' repeal of gay marriage, and said the impending recognition of gay marriage in Washington D.  C.   is driving Catholic Charities out of tax-funded social services.


Franklin Graham: Haiti relief must be done properly |
02/26/10 11:31:08

      BOONE, N.  C.   (AP) - The Rev.   Franklin Graham says the weeks-long detention of U.  S.   missionaries who tried to take children out of Haiti shows the importance of doing good in the right way.  
     
      Graham says his Samaritans Purse ministry is preparing to build 7,500 temporary homes for Haitians still living outdoors after last month's earthquake.   But he says to avoid legal problems, his teams must first determine who owns the land where shelters are to be built.  
     
      Samaritans Purse also has been sending surgeons, chaplains, water purification and food distribution teams to Haiti for what Graham says will be a long-term relief and rebuilding effort.


Congressman: No perfect legislation since Mt. Sinai |
02/26/10 11:30:38

      WASHINGTON (AP) - Congressman John Dingell admits the health care reform bills that are being considered don't compare favorably with the Ten Commandments.  
     
      At Thursday's health care reform summit in Washington, the Michigan Democrat drew a chuckle from colleagues when he said the last perfect piece of legislation handed down was on Mt.   Sinai and was written on stone tablets by the hand of God.  
     
      Dingell observed, "Nothing like that has been presented to mankind since.  "


Ore. Legislature votes to lift ban on teacher religious garb |
02/25/10 12:27:07

      SALEM, Ore.   (AP) - Oregon's Legislature has passed a bill that would strike down a law barring teachers from wearing religious clothing in classrooms.  
     
      Gov.   Ted Kulongoski hasn't said whether he'll sign it.  
     
      The measure would overturn a law dating to the 1920s when the Ku Klux Klan dominated the Legislature.  
     
      Some lawmakers said they worried that the measure posed a constitutional clash between the religious freedom of teachers and the right of students in public schools to be free of proselytizing.  
     
      Proponents responded that it was a matter of consistency -- protecting the rights of teachers who wear head scarves as well as those who wear a Christian cross or a Star of David.  
     
      Oregon, Pennsylvania and Nebraska are the only states that restrict religious clothing in classrooms.


Prayer box attached to door of Jewish governor's mansion |
02/25/10 12:26:24

      DOVER, Del.   (AP) - Delaware's first Jewish governor, Jack Markell, has hung a mezuzah at his home: the governor's mansion in Dover.  
     
      The small ornamental boxes containing a prayer scroll are commonly affixed to entrances of Jewish homes, because the Bible's book of Deuteronomy instructs Jews to write the commandments "on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  "
     
      Rabbi Peter Grumbacher on Tuesday affixed the mezuzah to a door post.   Grumbacher is rabbi emeritus at Congregation Beth Emeth and has long been rabbi to the Markell family.


Clinton: US takes international religious freedom seriously |
02/25/10 12:24:07

      WASHINGTON (AP) - Senator Jim DeMint says religious intolerance appears to be on the rise in China, Egypt, India, Vietnam and other countries.  
     
      The South Carolina Republican addressed his concern to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  
     
      She responded that the U.  S.   speaks out "vigorously against human rights abuses and in particular religious freedom and discrimination complaints, and will continue to do so.  "
     
      Clinton said the U.  S.   also is working with Muslim nations to find an alternative to banning what they call defamation of religion.   She said that while some people feel threatened when their religion is criticized, freedom of speech must also be protected.  


Boston Archdiocese collects $2M for Haiti |
02/25/10 12:12:30

      BRAINTREE, Mass.   (AP) - The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is projecting its parishes will collect $2 million to support earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.  
     
      Cardinal Sean O'Malley plans to visit Haiti on Monday to see the recovery efforts and convey his parishioners' support.   He's a member of the U.  S.   church's advisory group on meeting the Haitian church's long-term needs.  
     
      The archdiocese said Wednesday that it's collected $1.  7 million so far and expects to break $2 million when money is counted from 50 parishes who haven't reported their donations.  
     
      Parishes held offerings for Haiti on two weekends in January.  
     
      O'Malley said he was "deeply moved by the outpouring of love and support," noting the donations come at a time when many parishioners are struggling financially.  


Books about demons, atheism, found at alleged church arsonist's home |
02/25/10 12:11:56

      TYLER, Texas (AP) - Court records say books on demons and atheism as well as rifles and knives were found in a home linked to one of the suspects in the burning of churches in Texas.  
     
      The items are listed in an affidavit filed in state district court in Tyler after a residence linked to 19-year-old Jason Robert Bourque was searched on Sunday.  
     
      The affidavit says Bourque left graffiti tying him to one of the blazes in the bathroom of a Tyler store.   The Dallas Morning News says investigators found an upside-down cross topped by flames carved into the wall of a store bathroom Bourque used, along with the words "Little Hope was Arson.  " Little Hope Baptist Church was the first of 11 churches that burned in what authorities believe was an arson spree.  
     
      Bourque and 21-year-old Daniel George McAllister were arrested and charged with felony arson.  


Christian doctors oppose Obama health overhaul |
02/23/10 12:12:49

      BRISTOL, Tenn.   (AP) - The head of the Christian Medical Association is concerned that President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, which many thought was dead, appears to have been resurrected.  
     
      Dr.   David Stevens fears that Obama's plan would provide inadequate conscience protection for medical professionals who oppose abortion.   He says a survey of 2,800 faith-based doctors, nurses and pharmacists found that 95 percent of them would quit medicine rather than violate their conscience.  
     
      Stevens also objects to dropping the tougher House language barring federal funding of abortions.  
     
      Stevens adds that the president's proposal is too expensive, and fails to rein in malpractice lawsuits that drive up the cost of medicine.


2nd teen suspect arrested in Calif church shooting |
02/23/10 12:11:53

      RICHMOND, Calif.   (AP) - Police say they've made a second arrest in connection with a shooting inside a California church that injured two teenage brothers.  
     
      Richmond Police Sgt.   Bisa French says police arrested a 16-year-old boy in the San Francisco Bay-area community on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime.  
     
      Witnesses told investigators that three young men wearing hoods walked into New Gethsemane Church of God in Christ and paced the aisle before opening fire during a Feb.   14 service.   Two brothers, ages 14 and 19, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.  
     
      Last week, police arrested a 15-year-old boy in the case, but later released him due to insufficient evidence.   French won't say what role the 16-year-old may have played in the shooting.


Judge is asked to remove courtroom pews |
02/23/10 12:11:17

      SOUTHAVEN, Miss.   (AP) - A Mississippi man says the seating in Southaven Municipal Court -- church pews with engraved crosses -- violates his constitutional rights.  
     
      Carroll Roberson tells The Commercial Appeal that he noticed the church pews, and the 62 crosses engraved on them, when he went to court for a trial date on disorderly conduct charges.  
     
      Roberson says the crosses endorse a religion he does not believe in.  
     
      Southaven Mayor Greg Davis says that when the court reopened last year after a renovation, the city used old church pews it already owned as courtroom seating.   He described it as a cost-saving measure.  
     
      Roberson wants Southaven officials to remove the pews.


In ancient wall, scholar sees proof for Bible |
02/23/10 12:10:34

      JERUSALEM (AP) - An Israeli archaeologist says newly excavated ancient fortifications in Jerusalem date back 3,000 years to the time of the Bible's King Solomon.  
     
      Archaeologist Eilat Mazar says pottery shards date the walls to the 10th century B.  C.   If she's right, the findings would indicate a strong central government in Jerusalem at that time because building city walls demanded great resources and organization.  
     
      Some archaeologists argue that David and Solomon's monarchy was mythical.  
     
      Others, including Mazar, believe they actually ruled 3,000 years ago as the Bible declares.  
     
      Based on the wall's age and location, she theorizes that it was built by King Solomon.


Muslim women protest separation at DC mosque |
02/23/10 12:08:28

      WASHINGTON (AP) - About 20 women have risked arrest by praying in the main hall at the Islamic Center of Washington.  
     
      Mosque officials called D.  C.   police over the weekend to stop the protest.   Police told the women to leave or they would be arrested.  
     
      Jannah B'int Hannah says she feels like a second-class citizen when she's asked to pray in a separate room where she can't see the imam.   She was among the women who protested the policy.  
     
      Syed Burmi, the imam of the Islamic Society of Western Maryland, says the separation of men and women helps maintain a focus on prayer.   He says it also protects women's privacy and modesty.  
     
      Asra Nomani, an Islamic feminist, says Muslim women don't want to be second class in the mosque.  


Families thankful for missionaries release from Haiti |
02/18/10 11:49:13

     MERIDIAN, Idaho (AP) — The husband of one of the eight Americans released yesterday from a Haitian prison says God has helped the families get through a difficult couple of weeks.  
     
     Eric Thompson spoke with reporters in Meridian, Idaho, as Carla Thompson and her fellow Baptist missionaries were preparing to fly back to the United States.   They arrived in Miami early today.  
     
     The Thompsons' pastor, the Rev.   Clint Henry, said his congregation at Central Valley Baptist Church will continue to pray for the release of Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter, who await further questioning by the Haitian judge who freed the others.  
     
     The missionaries were accused of child kidnapping for trying to take 33 Haitian children to the Dominican Republic without proper documents after last month's earthquake.


Creation Museum founder: U.S. should take Genesis literally |
02/17/10 11:36:52

     PETERSBURG, Ky.   (AP) — The founder of the Creation Museum says American Christians are losing the culture war because many of them now believe what he calls the "pagan religion" of evolution.  
     
     In what he characterized as a "State of the Union" speech from his museum in Kentucky, Ken Ham rebuked churches and Christian scholars who don't believe in a young Earth and creation in six days.  
     
     Ham argued that the opening chapters of Genesis are Christianity's foundation, so attempts to reconcile the Bible's teaching with evolution undermine faith in Jesus' divinity and resurrection.  
     
     Ham called for "a new Reformation to call the church back to the authority of the word of God.  "


167 Iowa faith leaders back gay marriage |
02/17/10 11:36:16

      DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — More than 160 faith leaders in Iowa have voiced their support for same-sex marriage and are criticizing opponents who cite the Bible in raising objections.  
     
      Members of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa held a Statehouse news conference Tuesday to present a letter they sent to all 150 legislators outlining their position.  
     
     It says many faith traditions affirm that "where there is love, the sacred is in our midst.  " It goes on to say, "This belief is the same for couples comprised of a man and a woman, two women or two men.  "
     
     Speakers said they wanted to counter arguments by people who rely on the Bible to back up their views.  
     
     The Iowa Supreme Court last spring struck down a state law banning gay marriage.   The Legislature has been pushed to begin the lengthy process of putting a constitutional amendment before voters that would overturn that ruling.   But most Democrats, who dominate both chambers, have declined to act.


Teacher suspended over classroom religious conflict |
02/17/10 11:34:56

     APEX, N.  C.   (AP) — A North Carolina middle-school teacher has been suspended after declaring on her Facebook page that she was subjected to a "hate crime" by Christian students.  
     
     The News & Observer of Raleigh reports that eighth-grade science teacher Melissa Hussain was suspended with pay while investigators review her case.  
     
     Wake County schools spokesman Greg Thomas says parents objected to comments on Hussain's social-networking site about her conflict with Christian students.  
     
     Hussain wrote that she would punish students who anonymously left a Bible on her desk.   Parents say a student earlier put a postcard of Jesus on Hussain's desk that she threw in the trash.  
     
     Hussain's Facebook page does not mention her religious affiliation.


British bishops urge 'carbon fast' for Lent |
02/17/10 11:34:06

     LONDON (AP) — Several prominent Anglican British bishops are urging Christians to keep their carbon consumption in check during Lent, which starts on this Ash Wednesday.  
     
     The 40-day period of penitence before Easter typically sees observant Catholics, Anglicans, and Orthodox Christians give up meat, alcohol or chocolates.  
     
     This initiative aims to convince those observing Lent to try a day without an iPod or mobile phone to reduce their use of electricity, and thus trim the amount of carbon dioxide spewed into the atmosphere.  
     
     London Bishop Richard Chartres says the poorest people in developing countries are the hardest hit by man-made climate change.   He says the "Carbon Fast" is "an opportunity to demonstrate the love of God in a practical way.  "


Vatican putting wartime archives on Internet |
02/17/10 11:31:02

     VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican plans to make some of its World War II archives available on the Internet soon to calm the controversy over Pope Pius XII's actions during the Holocaust.  
     
     The Vatican's newspaper announced the plan, saying it will "render service to the historic truth," and officials said Tuesday the material will be accessible soon.  
     
     However a panel of Jewish and Catholic scholars who examined the 11 volumes of material a decade ago concluded that more information was required to decide whether Pius did everything he could to head off the Nazis' efforts to exterminate European Jews.  
     
     Some Jews and others contend Pius should have done more, and are angered by Pope Benedict's recent decision to move Pius closer to sainthood.


Power outage may delay release of Americans |
02/16/10 12:05:16

      PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Haiti's creaky, quake-damaged electrical system has delayed a ruling on whether 10 Americans charged with child kidnapping can be released.  
     
      A Haitian prosecutor says he's written his recommendation, but a power outage Monday kept him from printing it out and giving it to the judge.   He also says that because Tuesday is a national holiday, he doesn't expect the judge to issue a decision until Wednesday.  
     
      Meanwhile, a man who served as the missionaries' legal adviser has acknowledged he's wanted in El Salvador on human smuggling accusations.  


Legislator proposes religious bill of rights for schools |
02/16/10 12:04:14

      DENVER (AP) - A Colorado lawmaker wants to make sure that students and teachers can express their religious beliefs in public schools.  
     
      State Sen.   Dave Schultheis is proposing that the state education board draft two religious bills of rights -- one for students and parents and one for teachers and school employees -- and that schools post them prominently.  
     
      The students' bill of rights would state that students can express religious beliefs in homework assignments, exchange greeting cards with religious themes and sing religious songs in school-sponsored programs.   Teachers would have the right to refuse to teach a topic that violates their beliefs.


Gunman wounds 2 teens at SF Bay Area church |
02/15/10 11:52:21

      RICHMOND, Calif.   (AP) - Authorities say two teenagers were shot and wounded when a man opened fire at a church service in the San Francisco Bay area.  
     
      Richmond police Sgt.   Bisa French says three men in hooded sweat shirts walked into the church at about 12:30 p.  m.   Sunday and one of them fired a gun, hitting a 14-year-old boy in the shoulder and a 19-year-old man in the leg.   Both were hospitalized and are expected to survive.   The three men fled and no suspects were immediately arrested.  
     
      French says there were about 100 people inside the New Gethsemane Church in Christ at the time.   There were no other injuries.  
     
      French says investigators believe the gunmen were targeting someone in the church but don't know if the two that were hit were the intended targets.


Yearbook tracks churches' growth or decline |
02/15/10 11:51:14

      NEW YORK (AP) - There are more Roman Catholics, Mormons and Assemblies of God worshippers than there were a year ago, according to the 2010 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches.  
     
      But the annual survey by the National Council of Churches reports declining membership in mainline denominations, and a slight decline in the number of Southern Baptists.  
     
      The yearbook says the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America lost almost two percent of its members last year, and membership in the Presbyterian Church (USA) fell more than three percent.  
     
      The Roman Catholic church remains by far the nation's largest, with 68 million members.  
     
      The second-largest church, and the largest Protestant denomination in the U.  S.  , is the Southern Baptist Convention, with more than 16 million members.


Detained Americans seek distance from adviser |
02/15/10 11:50:30

      PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - A relative of the 10 U.  S.   missionaries jailed in Haiti says church members didn't know that a man who offered legal help may be wanted for human trafficking in El Salvador.  
     
      Sean Lankford, whose wife and daughter are among the detainees, says Jorge Puello contacted the missionaries' Idaho church after they were arrested for trying to take a busload of Haitian children to the Dominican Republic.  
     
      Lawyers for the missionaries say Puello deceived their clients, and his legal predicament should have no bearing on whether the missionaries are released provisionally, as a judge has recommended.  
     
      The New York Times has quoted Puello as denying any connection to trafficking and saying he's never been to El Salvador.


Obama names special envoy to global Islamic group |
02/15/10 11:47:57

      WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama has named a White House lawyer as his special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which represents 57 Muslim countries.  
     
      Obama announced the appointment of Rashad Hussain during a video address to the 7th U.  S.  -Islamic World Forum meeting in Qatar.   He said Hussain is a "hafiz of the Quran" -- one who has memorized Islam's holy book.  
     
      The president said Hussain will continue working to repair U.  S.  -Islamic relations and develop the types of partnerships Obama called for last year in his address to the Muslim world in Cairo.  
     
      Obama said he looks forward to continuing the dialogue next month when he visits Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country.   Obama spent several of his childhood years living in Indonesia with his mother and stepfather.


Dalai Lama: No celebration of Lunar New Year while Tibetans suffer |
02/15/10 11:47:14

      DHARMSALA, India (AP) - The Dalai Lama says Tibetans have decided against celebrating the Lunar New Year for a second year in remembrance of the suffering of people inside Tibet.  
     
      The Tibetan Buddhist leader asked his followers not to lose hope, saying Sunday that people in Tibet have shown great courage in facing China's crackdown after uprisings in March 2008.  
     
      The Lunar New Year holiday that began Saturday is the most important of the year in China.  
     
      This Thursday, the Dalai Lama will meet with President Barack Obama at the White House, despite Chinese warnings that doing so will damage U.  S.   relations with Beijing.  
     
      In India Sunday, the Dalai Lama addressed more than a thousand Tibetans in exile and led a prayer session attended by senior Buddhist monks.


2 Ala. ministers get slain 14-year-old's kidneys |
02/11/10 11:55:15

      HUNTSVILLE, Ala.   (AP) - Two preachers at Oakwood University have received kidneys from a 14-year-old who was killed at school in Madison, Ala.  
     
      Discovery Middle School freshman Todd Brown was fatally shot Friday during a class change.   A 14-year-old classmate who's accused of the crime is being held in a juvenile facility.  
     
      The kidney recipients were James Doggette, on the faculty of Oakwood's religion and theology department, and James Caldwell, assistant dean in a male residence hall.  
     
      The Seventh-day Adventist Church at Oakwood will be the site of Todd's funeral on Friday.


SC high school allows prayer for students |
02/11/10 11:53:58

      GEORGETOWN, S.  C.   (AP) - A South Carolina high school says students will be able to pray on campus, if they follow some new rules.  
     
      Multiple media outlets reported the Georgetown County School District announced procedures Tuesday that will allow for a prayer club.  
     
      Georgetown High School last week had stopped a longtime practice where a woman was handing out religious literature to students on campus and inviting students to pray before classes.  
     
      Americans United for Separation of Church and State had complained about the practice.  
     
      School superintendent Randy Dozier says prayer will be allowed if the club allows any student to participate, obtains a faculty sponsor and has all club activities led by students.   The club can meet for prayer before school but must not distribute unapproved materials.


Va. House OKs ban on implanted tracking devices |
02/11/10 11:53:01

      RICHMOND, Va.   (AP) - The Virginia House of Delegates has passed a bill that would ban the forced implantation of tracking devices in people, with supporters citing both privacy concerns and religious prophecy.  
     
      Del.   Mark Cole says the bill means no one could be required to wear a tracking implant as a condition of employment or by insurers.   Most people objected chiefly on privacy reasons -- the fear of their whereabouts being electronically pinpointed at all times -- and long-term health concerns.  
     
      But Cole said some had religious objections, including those rooted in Christian teachings of an Antichrist who would compel followers to wear "the mark of the beast.  "
     
      Del.   David Englin, who's Jewish, also noted that some Orthodox Jews would consider the implants a defiling of the body.


Many Presbyterians believe Jesus isn't only way to heaven |
02/11/10 11:52:08

     Many Presbyterians believe Jesus isn't only way to heaven LOUISVILLE, Ky.   (AP) - The Presbyterian Church USA's statement of faith says God through Jesus Christ delivers followers "from death to life eternal.  "
     
      But a recent poll suggests more than a third of the nation's largest Presbyterian denomination finds some wiggle room for non-Christians to get into heaven.  
     
      The Presbyterian Panel's "Religious and Demographic Profile of Presbyterians" found that 36 percent of members disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement: "Only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved.  "
     
      Another 39 percent, or about two-fifths, agreed or strongly agreed with the statement.  
     
      Experts say the result could be rooted in a belief that God's work can be carried out even in those who don't believe in Jesus Christ.


Stranded church group finds food, comfort in Md. |
02/09/10 12:48:57

      HANCOCK, Md.   (AP) - A Chicago church group stranded on a western Maryland highway after a ferocious weekend snowstorm has enjoyed food and football courtesy of a small-town volunteer fire department.  
     
      Hancock Fire Company Chief Greg Yost said Monday that 40 members of the Deliverance Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith joined local firefighters at their annual Super Bowl party Sunday night.  
     
      Yost says the group's bus broke down on Interstate 70 near Hancock as they were returning from a trip to Baltimore.   So rescue workers brought the travelers to the fire hall for a feast of steak, shrimp, hamburgers, hot dogs, baked potatoes, spaghetti and chili.  
     
      He says they watched most of the Super Bowl before hitting the road in their repaired vehicle.


Kentucky lawmaker seeks prayers for Toyota |
02/09/10 12:48:15

      FRANKFORT, Ky.   (AP) - A Kentucky lawmaker whose district includes a Toyota plant is urging people to pray for the automaker and its employees amid massive recalls that have tarnished the company's image.  
     
      State Rep.   Charlie Hoffman says, "we definitely need to be pulling for them and praying for them to get through this situation.  "
     
      Hoffman notes that many families depend on jobs provided by Toyota in "these perilous economic times.  " The automaker's production plant in Georgetown, Ky.  , employs about 6,600 full-time workers.  
     
      But last week, work shut down on one of two production lines at the Georgetown plant as Toyota dealt with fallout from a recall over a sticky accelerator.  
     
      Kim Menke, manager of community and government relations at the Georgetown plant, said Hoffman's prayer request was well received when he made it at a recent legislative breakfast.


US Baptists' attorney in Haiti: Clients innocent |
02/09/10 12:46:02

      PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - The new lawyer for 10 U.  S.   Baptists charged with child kidnapping says he believes they had paperwork to take 33 children out of the country after Haiti's devastating earthquake.  
     
      Attorney Aviol Fleurant's remarks came as investigators questioned the Baptist group's leader, Laura Silsby.   As she left a courthouse in Port-au-Prince, Silsby told reporters, "I am trusting in God to reveal all truths and that we will be released and exonerated of charges.  "
     
      The rest of the group's members will be questioned this week over allegations they tried to take the children to the neighboring Dominican Republic without proper documents.  
     
      The Baptists' Dominican lawyer, Jorge Puello, told a news conference that the Haitian court would drop all charges against his clients on Wednesday.   Puello would not say where that information came from.   Last week, he claimed nine of the 10 were about to be released.


After weeks of furor, public sees Tebow ad |
02/08/10 12:29:17

      UNDATED (AP) - Viewers primed for controversy over a Christian ministry's Super Bowl ad featuring football star Tim Tebow might be asking, "Is that all there is?"
     
      Focus on the Family revealed beforehand that the ad would feature Tebow and his mother, Pam, who gave birth to him in 1987 after rejecting a doctor's advice to have an abortion for medical reasons.  
     
      But if abortion rights groups hadn't protested, you might never have known what the ad was about.  
     
      The closest it comes to mentioning abortion is when Pam Tebow says, "I call him my miracle baby.   He almost didn't make it into this world.   I can remember so many times when I almost lost him.  "
     
      Tim Tebow then bursts in and tackles his mom, who responds that she's tougher than he is.  
     
      The ad ends by saying viewers should go to Focus on the Family's Web site for the full Tebow story.  


Pa. Senate votes to exempt charitable food events from health inspections |
02/02/10 12:26:04

      HARRISBURG, Pa.   (AP) - Bake sales, chicken barbecues, fish fries and other charitable food sales would be exempt from state health inspections under a bill passed unanimously by Pennsylvania's state Senate.  
     
      The bill, which now goes to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, is in response to a cease-and-desist order delivered last spring at St.   Cecilia's Church in Rochester, near Pittsburgh.  
     
      Church officials say volunteers were cutting slices of homemade pies to sell at a fundraiser when a state food safety inspector warned them that selling baked goods made in an unlicensed kitchen is illegal.  
     
      The Agriculture Department says the inspector was just doing his job to protect public health.


Crystal Cathedral ending some 'Hour of Power' broadcasts after revenue drop |
02/02/10 12:25:07

      GARDEN GROVE, Calif.   (AP) - The California megachurch founded by the Rev.   Robert H.   Schuller is pulling its weekly "Hour of Power" broadcast off some TV stations and taking other measures to offset a nearly $8 million drop in revenue.  
     
      Officials at the Crystal Cathedral declined to name the cities where the program will be cut because station managers have not yet been notified.  
     
      The 10,000-member church will also cancel this year's "Glory of Easter" pageant, which attracts thousands of visitors and is a regional holiday staple along with the church's "Glory of Christmas" show.  
     
      Spokesman Mike Nason says the Crystal Cathedral's revenue dropped 27 percent from roughly $30 million in 2008 to $22 million in 2009.   Church leaders blame the decline on the struggling U.  S.   economy.


LA megachurch hopes to win Super Bowl ad contest |
02/02/10 12:24:29

      LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Los Angeles church called Mosaic is among the top six finalists in the Doritos' "Crash the Super Bowl" commercial contest, but the pastor insists there's no hidden religious message.   If the church's entry makes the top three in online voting, it will be aired during the Super Bowl.  
     
      The tongue-in-cheek ad opens on a funeral scene and then cuts to a young man alive in a closed casket.   His body is covered in Doritos and he's watching the Super Bowl on a tiny TV while chomping on chips as mourners sob outside.   Two friends, who are in on the prank, snicker that by faking his death, their friend will get a week off work and an endless supply of his favorite snack.  
     
      But the man gets excited when his team makes a big play and jostles the casket, which tips over to reveal him inside with a pile of crushed chips.   After an awkward pause, his buddy jumps up and nervously exclaims to the shocked assemblage: "It's a miracle!"
     
      The Rev.   Erwin McManus says the ad isn't about resurrection, but just creative Christians having fun.


Gospel Grammys handed out in Los Angeles |
02/01/10 12:10:33

      LOS ANGELES (AP) - Donnie McClurkin and Karen Clark Sheard are the winners of the 'Best Gospel Performance Grammy' for their "Wait on the Lord.  "
     
      'The Best Gospel Song' Grammy, a songwriters award, went to "God in Me" writers Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell and Warryn Campbell.   The hit was recorded by Mary Mary, and featured Kierra "KiKi" Sheard.  
     
      Third Day won in the Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album for 'Live Revelations.  '
     
      The Grammy for Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel Album was won by Jason Crabb for his self-titled project.  
     
      Israel Houghton's "The Power of One" won Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.  
     
      The Grammy for Best Traditional Gospel Album was "Oh Happy Day," recorded by various artists.  
     
      And Heathy Headley's "Audience of One" took the Best Contemporary R&B Album.  


Teen fast to benefit Haitian recovery |
02/01/10 12:09:35

      SEATTLE, Wash.   (AP) - Thousands of American teens will go hungry on a weekend this month in an effort to help Haiti quake survivors and fight global hunger through World Vision's 30-Hour Famine.  
     
      This year, a portion of funds raised by 30-Hour Famine groups will go toward Haiti's long-term recovery.  
     
      World Vision's Pat Rhoads says the program is an opportunity for teens to have a direct impact on teens and children in Haiti.  
     
      World Vision has been working in Haiti for more than thirty years.   It say the funds raised for Haiti will be spent on long-term needs such as food rations, treating the HIV-positive, agriculture, irrigation, and immunization.


Christian Artists gather in Nashville to record song to benefit Haitian relief |
01/28/10 11:33:42

      NASHVILLE (AP) - Award-winning Christian artist Michael W.   Smith has gathered a big group of artists to record the song "Come Together Now" to benefit relief efforts in Haiti.  
     
      The song was written by Smith, David Mullen and Cindy Morgan.  
     
      Dozens of artists joined Smith yesterday at Ocean Way Studio to record the song.   It's purpose is to remind Americans to support earthquake survivors.   Smith says all the artists, technicians and others involved are donating their time.   He says he hasn't seen a bill yet.  
     
      In addition to the artists participating, a large children's choir will also be featured.   Smith says Haitian children who live in the Nashville area also participated.  
     
      He says it's hard to believe the session came together less than two weeks after the idea came to him.   He expects the final mix will be completed by the weekend and that the song will be available for download shortly after.


Catholic bishops call for passage of health care reform that grants access, prot |
01/28/10 11:29:40

      WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.  S.   Conference of Catholic Bishops is urging Congress not to abandon health care reform just because there has been a shift in the political climate.  
     
      They've made the call in an open letter signed by key church leaders.   The letter cites a "moral and policy failure that leaves tens of millions" without access to health care.  
     
      The church leaders have also encouraged lawmakers to begin acting in "a bipartisan manner providing political courage, vision and leadership.  "
     
      They also criticized the Senate bill saying it doesn't meet the church's criteria for restrictions on abortion.  
     
      The bishops urged that undocumented persons be able to purchase insurance in the new health care exchange with their own money.   They also called for removal of the five-year ban on legal immigrants accessing health care plans such as Medicaid.


Bible ministry doing its part for haitian spiritual needs |
01/27/10 11:37:14

      ALBUQUERQUE, N.  M.   (AP) - All manner of groups are funneling aid to Haiti, including spiritual needs of earthquake survivors.  
     
      When Audio Bibles were requested by organizations with a presence in Haiti, Faith Comes By Hearing heard the call.  
     
      They are sending 600 Haitian Creole Proclaimers -- rugged, dedicated, solar-powered Audio Bible players that do not require any external power source.  
     
      These Audio Bibles will be carried by other groups involved in relief work and will arrive along with food, water, and medical supplies.  
     
      Jon Wilke, the charity's spokesperson, says the bibles are not being mass-distributed.   He says they'll go to Haitian pastors, medical teams and into refugee camps where people can gather together and listen.  
     
      Faith Comes By Hearing is a non-profit Bible ministry.  


German homeschoolers granted US political asylum |
01/27/10 11:36:25

      PURCELLVILLE, Va.   (AP) - A German couple who fled to Tennessee so they could homeschool their children have been granted political asylum by an immigration judge in Memphis
     
      The decision clears the way for Uwe Romeike, his wife and five children to stay in Morristown, Tenn.  , where they have been living since 2008.  
     
      German law requires children to attend public or private schools, and parents can face fines or prison time if they don't comply.   Romeike, an evangelical Christian, said he believes Germany's curriculum is "against Christian values.  "
     
      The family was represented by the Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association.   HSLDA staff attorney Mike Donnelly says the family is delighted.   Donnelly says an appeal is possible but not likely.   He hopes the ruling will influence public opinion in Germany.


Focus on the Family Superbowl Ad |
01/27/10 11:35:26

      NEW YORK (AP) - CBS continues to draw heat for its decision to allow a Super Bowl ad funded by the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family.  
     
      CBS says it has received numerous e-mails -- critical and supportive -- since a coalition of women's groups began a protest campaign Monday against the ad.   It says it will accept other advocacy ads if they are "responsibly produced.  "
     
      The 30-second ad will recount the story of Pam Tebow's pregnancy in 1987.   Tebow says she was encouraged to get an abortion after getting sick during a mission trip.   She later gave birth to Tim Tebow, a college football standout who won the 2007 Heisman Trophy.  
     
      In 2004, CBS was criticized by many liberal organizations for rejecting an ad by the United Church of Christ highlighting the UCC's welcoming stance toward gays and others who might feel shunned by more conservative churches.  
     
      A Focus on the Family spokesman calls the ad "inspirational" and says it will run during the pre-game coverage and during the game.


Proposed Christian music fest strikes sour chord with some residents |
01/26/10 11:27:21

      LONGMONT, Colo.   (AP) - Not everyone is happy that a large Christian music festival is moving to Longmont, Colo.   this summer.  
     
      Heaven Fest is expected to bring 30,000 people to hear some 70 Christian music acts on July 31.   The Longmont City Council has given preliminary approval to the event, which is moving from Brighton.  
     
      Heaven Fest promoters told The Denver Post that the music festival could pump $700,000 into the local economy.   But some residents oppose the plan to hold the concerts at a reservoir.   They say staging, parking and a large crowd could cause environmental damage.  
     
      Organizers have pledged to make any restorations needed.


New evangelical group calls for forgiveness of Haiti's foreign debt |
01/26/10 11:23:17

      KNOXVILLE, Tenn (AP) - A new evangelical group is calling for the forgiveness of Haiti's foreign debt.  
     
      The New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good (NEP) says it exists to "advance human well-being as expression of love for Jesus Christ.  "
     
      NEP executive director Rev.   Steven Martin says the group's call is Bible-based, and the right thing to do is to help Haiti recover from the devastating earthquake.  
     
      Martin says Christian leaders don't often discuss the issue of debt, but that it was a concern of Jesus and is mentioned in the Scripture.   Martin says freeing the Haitian government from the debt will allow it to invest in the long-term needs of the people.  
     
      NEP has also launched an online petition calling for Haitian debt relief.   The petition will be presented to the White House.  
     
      NEP was founded by the Rev.   Richard Cizik, former National Association of Evangelicals vice president and the Rev.   David Gushee, a Christian ethics professor at Mercer University.   Gushee also founded Evangelicals for Human Rights, which has merged into NEP.   The Rev.   Martin is a pastor and documentary filmmaker.  


Runaway teen convert to remain free of Muslim parents |
01/21/10 11:36:38

      COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A runaway teenage girl from Ohio who converted from Islam to Christianity has reached a court settlement that allows her to remain free of her Muslim parents.  
     
      The agreement says that 17-year-old Rifqa Bary will stay in a foster home under state custody in Columbus until she turns 18 in August.   After that, she'll be an adult and free to live where she chooses.  
     
      Bary's attorney read a statement in Franklin County Juvenile Court, saying that the girl and her parents love and respect each other and will try to resolve their differences through counseling.  
     
      Bary ran away to Florida last summer, saying she feared her father would harm or kill her for leaving Islam.   Her father denied that, and a law enforcement investigation found no credible threats to the girl.  
     
      But her Florida attorney says Bary would still appreciate prayers for her safety, and for wisdom.


Airline clerk appeals UK rulings banning crucifix |
01/21/10 11:34:50

      LONDON (AP) - A Christian woman is asking London's High Court to force British Airways to admit it was wrong in demanding she stop wearing a crucifix at work.  
     
      Airport check-in clerk Nadia Eweida became the center of a national debate over religious symbols in public life when she was sent home in November 2006 for refusing to comply with rules banning employees from wearing visible religious symbols.  
     
      British Airways eventually relented, changing its policy to allow Eweida to return to work.   But she wants the airline to acknowledge the old policy amounted to religious discrimination, and she's seeking nearly $200,000 in damages and lost wages for the roughly three months she was kept off the job.  
     
      British Airways has denied the allegation of religious discrimination.  
     
      A High Court judgment is expected in the coming weeks.


Rescue efforts, aid distribution continue in Haiti |
01/21/10 11:33:23

      PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Rescue teams are still looking for survivors more than a week after Haiti's magnitude-7 earthquake, although the rubble was compressed by Wednesday's 5.  9 aftershock.  
     
      Hours earlier, a 26-year-old woman sang praise to Jesus as she was removed from a collapsed store.  
     
      A 23-year-old man who was rescued Saturday says that during his five days buried in debris, he asked God to free him and promised that he wouldn't waste a second chance at life.  
     
      World Vision USA President Rich Stearns says relief workers need security, because so many Haitians are hungry that food distribution can start a riot.  
     
      Stearns compares the damage in Haiti's capital to what Washington D.  C.   would look like if the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court, National Cathedral and most other buildings had collapsed.  


County celebrates return of Ten Commandments to courthouse walls |
01/19/10 11:43:33

     LEITCHFIELD, Ky.   (AP) - Amid talk of God and country, officials in a Kentucky county have restored the Ten Commandments to their courthouse walls, days after an appellate court allowed the display.  
     
      Grayson County Judge-Executive Gary Logsdon thanked God for the return of the commandments as part of a display of historical documents.   An overflow crowd of hundreds of people at the county courthouse sang "Amazing Grace" and "God Bless America" to celebrate their victory in an eight-year legal battle.  
     
      Monday's ceremony came less than a week after the 6th U.  S.   Circuit Court of Appeals struck down an injunction barring the Ten Commandments from public property.  
     
      Two citizens and the American Civil Liberties Union sued over the display.   The ACLU has not decided whether to appeal the decision.


Miami archdiocese wants to welcome Haitian orphans |
01/19/10 11:42:49

      MIAMI (AP) - The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami is working on a plan to let Haitian children whose parents died in last week's earthquake move to the United States.  
     
      Mary Ross Agosta, spokeswoman for the archdiocese, says the plan would allow thousands of orphans to first be placed in group homes and then paired with foster parents.  
     
      Officials say many details would have to be worked out and the Obama administration would have to grant Haitian orphans humanitarian parole to enter the U.  S.  
     
      But Agosta says, "We have children who are homeless and possibly without parents and it is the moral and humane thing to do.  "


US group says 3 Haiti missionaries presumed dead |
01/19/10 11:42:08

     INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A church organization says a minister from Indianapolis and two other missionaries are presumed dead from the earthquake in Haiti.  
     
      Free Methodist World Missions says a bishop held a funeral service over the weekend at the collapsed building for the three missing workers -- the Rev.   Jeanne Acheson-Munos of Indianapolis, Merle West and Gene Dufour.   The hometowns for West and Dufour weren't immediately announced.  
     
      The group says the minister's husband, Jack Munos, and fellow missionary Katie Zook of Arlington, Wash.  , are improving in intensive care at a Miami hospital.  
     
      The Munoses moved from Indianapolis to Haiti in 2004.   Group spokesman John Hay Jr.   says Acheson-Munos' desire was for Haiti to be transformed by God's love and grace.


Torching of Nigerian church sets off deadly riot |
01/19/10 11:41:20

      JOS, Nigeria (AP) - Officials in northern Nigeria say Muslim youths set a church filled with worshippers ablaze, starting a riot between Muslims and Christians that killed at least 27 people and wounded more than 300 others.  
     
      A local Red Cross official says about 5,000 people lost their homes as rioters also burned mosques and homes in Jos, a city that saw more than 300 residents killed during a similar uprising in 2008.  
     
      Musa Pam, secretary of a local Christian elders forum, issued a statement Monday claiming the Muslim youths picked Sunday to launch their attack because they knew Christians would be worshipping at church.   He asked the police to bring the killers to justice, because Christians were being attacked without cause.


MLK celebrated for ministry of love to the weak |
01/19/10 11:40:22

      ATLANTA (AP) - The Reverend Martin Luther King Junior has been remembered as a leader whose ministry was characterized by love for the weak and downtrodden.  
     
      Princeton University scholar Cornel West gave the keynote speech at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King was once pastor, on the federal holiday marking the civil rights leader's birthday.  
     
      West said King learned to love in church, and it's up to churches today to carry on his ministry.  
     
      West added that political leaders should be held to the Bible's standard to "do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with thy God; Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.  "
     
      He said, "The voice of God is always found in the witness for the weak.  "


Man jailed for shooting Pope released from Turkish prison |
01/19/10 11:39:23

     ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - The Turkish man who shot Pope John Paul nearly 30 years ago is out of prison, and warning of the end of the world.  
     
      In a written statement distributed by one of his attorneys, Mehmet Ali Agca calls himself a messenger of God and predicts that the world will end in this century.  
     
      Agca has spent more than 29 years behind bars for shooting the pope in May 1981 as he rode through St.   Peter's Square in an open car.   The pontiff forgave Agca two years later as they met in an Italian prison.   The motive for his attack has never been made clear.  
     
      In his statement Monday, Agca repeated his earlier claims of being the Messiah.  
     
      Turkish authorities say they plan to monitor Agca because of questions about his mental health.  
     
      Agca has said he wants to travel to the Vatican, although he lacks a passport.


Jewish newspaper attacked by hackers |
01/19/10 11:38:32

      LONDON (AP) - The editor of Britain's flagship Jewish newspaper says its Web site was attacked by Turkish hackers who replaced the main page with a Palestinian flag and anti-Semitic writings.  
     
      Editor Stephen Pollard says the Web site for the Jewish Chronicle -- the world's oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper -- was defaced for a "couple of hours" on Sunday.  
     
      The hijacked version of the site cached by Google shows a large Palestinian flag against a black background.   In a message posted in English and Turkish, a group calling itself the "Palestinian Mujaheeds" quotes from the Quran and attacks Jews in anti-Semitic terms.  
     
      The site was back online by midday Monday, and Pollard says there appears to have been no damage.


Obama to parishioners: Keep faith in hard times |
01/18/10 12:35:21

     WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior was a man of faith who "trusted that God would make a way -- a way for prayers to be answered.  "
     
      Obama says that same faith helps him handle the pressures of the presidency, and enables Haitians to praise God amid the ruins of last week's earthquake.  
     
      The president spoke from the pulpit of Washington's Vermont Avenue Baptist Church on Sunday -- the eve of the federal holiday marking King's birthday.  
     
      Calling King and those who fought for civil rights the "Moses generation," Obama said the congregation was part of a "Joshua generation" who must "get back to basics" amid the challenges of a new age.


Methodist relief leaders killed by Haiti quake |
01/18/10 12:34:37

     NEW YORK (AP) — The director of the United Methodist Church's humanitarian relief agency and a mission executive are among those killed as a result of last week's earthquake in Haiti.  
     
      The church announced in a statement that the Rev.   Sam Dixon died before he could be rescued from the rubble of the Hotel Montana, which was destroyed by the earthquake.  
     
      The 60-year-old Dixon was director of the United Methodist Committee on Relief.  
     
      When the quake struck, Dixon was meeting with another Methodist mission executive, the Reverend Clinton Rabb, who was rescued from the hotel rubble.   But the church says Rabb died later from his injuries at a hospital in Florida.


Tebow to appear in Focus on the Family Super Bowl ad |
01/18/10 12:32:58

     GAINESVILLE, Fla.   (AP) — Former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother will appear in a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl next month.   The Christian group Focus on the Family says the Tebows will share a personal story on the theme "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life.  "
     
      The group isn't releasing details, but the commercial is likely to be an anti-abortion message chronicling Pam Tebow's 1987 pregnancy.   After getting sick during a mission trip to the Philippines, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim.  
     
      The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner has remained active in his family's Christian ministry.  
     
      Thirty-second commercials during the Super Bowl sell for more than $2.  5 million.   But Focus on the Family President Jim Daly says all the funds for the ad came from a handful of "very generous and committed friends," and that no money from the group's general fund was used.


Pope defends Pius against Jewish critics |
01/18/10 12:32:21

     ROME (AP) — Pope Benedict has defended his predecessor Pius XII, telling Jews at a synagogue in Rome on Sunday that the Vatican worked quietly to save Jews from the Nazis during World War II.  
     
      Many Jews object to Benedict moving Pius toward sainthood, contending the wartime pope didn't do enough to protect Jews from the Holocaust.   The Vatican has maintained that Pius used behind-the-scenes diplomacy in a bid to save Jewish lives.  
     
      Benedict spoke shortly after the president of Rome's Jewish community said that while some Italian Catholics worked to save Jews, the "silence" of Pius "still hurts.  "
     
      The synagogue sits in the Old Jewish Ghetto, the Rome neighborhood near the Tiber where for hundreds of years Jews were confined under the orders of a 16th century pope.


Sarkozy party chief: France must ban full veil |
01/18/10 12:31:15

     PARIS (AP) — The head of President Nicolas Sarkozy's party says he wants a law to ensure that Muslim women who wear face-covering veils do not acquire French nationality.  
     
      Xavier Bertrand says the full veil "is simply a prison for women who wear it.  "
     
      France is moving closer to banning such veils, even though only a tiny minority of Muslim women wear them.   France's Muslim leaders have warned that the entire community of Muslims -- the largest in western Europe -- would feel stigmatized.  
     
      Sarkozy opened debate on the topic in June, telling a special gathering of both houses of parliament that veils that cover the face "are not welcome" in France.   He reiterated his position Wednesday, saying the full veil "is contrary to our values and contrary to the ideals we have of a woman's dignity.  "


Missionary hospital in Haiti open but overwhelmed |
01/15/10 11:45:20

      ROCKFORD, Mich.   (AP) - Michigan-based Baptist Haiti Mission says its hospital near the epicenter of Tuesday's earthquake is open and doing the best it can to treat a flood of casualties.  
     
      Mission board member Ron Sparks says the medical team there reports some patients have been too badly injured to save and others have died on the way to the hospital.  
     
      Sparks says Baptist Haiti Mission has more than 350 churches and schools throughout the country, and at least two of its churches were destroyed in the quake.   But the hospital and surrounding missionary compound a few miles west of Port-au-Prince were relatively undamaged.  
     
      Right now, he says the mission -- like many other relief agencies -- needs cash donations, and its medical team in Haiti needs prayer.


Some missing since Haiti earthquake are US missionaries |
01/15/10 11:44:39

      MIAMI (AP) - Haiti's poverty and hardship have long drawn aid groups and charities from around the world, but especially from the United States.   Now, with communications down after Tuesday's devastating earthquake, many organizations do not know how their representatives in Haiti have fared.  
     
      Relatives of church group members from several New Jersey churches struggled Thursday to get in touch with loved ones who arrived in Port-au-Prince just hours before the quake.  
     
      A couple from Wisconsin who helped set up a dental clinic in Haiti's capital hasn't been able to reach the dentist who runs it.  
     
      Members of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas have finally accounted for their 12 missionaries in Haiti.   Two of them were being flown to Martinique -- one with serious internal injuries and the other with broken ribs -- and three others suffered hand or back injuries.


Appeals court reverses Ten Commandments decision |
01/15/10 11:43:42

      LOUISVILLE, Ky.   (AP) - A Kentucky county can restore a display that included the Ten Commandments along with other historical documents after a federal appeals court ruled Thursday that there's no evidence the county intended to mount a religious display on public grounds.  
     
      The 6th U.  S.   Circuit Court of Appeals, by a 2-1 vote, vacated an injunction barring Grayson County from using the commandments as part of a "Foundations of American Law and Government" display that included the full text of the Mayflower Compact, the full Declaration of Independence and other historical documents with an explanation of their significance.  
     
      Appellate Judge David McKeague wrote that minutes of the Grayson County Fiscal Court show that county officials were interested mainly in having a historical display at the courthouse.  


Rights activists applaud Google threat to leave China |
01/15/10 11:42:35

      WASHINGTON (AP) - Religious and human rights advocates are applauding Google's threat to pull out of China unless Beijing allows the search engine to show uncensored results.  
     
      Google also complains that computer-hacking attacks have pried into the e-mail accounts of dissidents protesting the Chinese government's policies.  
     
      At a news conference, New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith said many of those activists are now jailed "for the crime of peacefully expressing their religious beliefs or political opinions on the Internet.  "
     
      Amnesty International's T.   Kumar said, "Thank you Google for taking a principled stand as opposed to only counting profits.  " He urged other companies to follow Google's example.  
     
      Smith has introduced legislation to help Internet firms fight censorship by repressive regimes.


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