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Showing posts from February, 2014

Uganda Penalized Over anti-gay law

 After enacting into law the anti-gay legislation, Uganda is being purnished for that. Aids and loans were severely cut down by World bank and Europian Countries to Uganda.The question is,will Uganda have a change of mind over Homosexual? Lets wait and see the reaction of Uganda President,Yoweri Museveni,his advisers and supporters of the anti-gay law But it is not the only country to pass such measures recently; Nigeria and Russia have passed similar laws.  So, why is Uganda being singled out? And what is the reason for the increasing number of anti-gay laws in many parts of the world reports Al Jazeera

Pope Francis Sick With Fever: Pontiff Cancels Seminary Visit In Order To Rest, Following Doctor's Orders

Pope Francis canceled a visit to Rome's main seminary Friday after coming down with a fever.The 77-year-old Francis, who lost part of a lung to an infection in his youth, was due to leave the Vatican and visit with seminarians Friday evening. But 30 minutes before he was due to arrive, Vatican guards told journalists at the seminary that he was ill and the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, later confirmed he had come down with a slight fever and wouldn't attend.Doctors said he should rest, Lombardi said. It was the second known time Francis has canceled an appearance due to illness in the year since he's been pope. On Nov. 15, he scrapped his morning audiences because he came down with a cold.. more brief

Christian missionary arrested in NorthKorea

He 75-year-old Australian is the second foreign  Christian missionary to be held by North Korea. The above image is John Short,75, who is being arrested in Pyongyang, North Korea. 'This is his second trip to North Korea and has not been back since 3 days(48 hours). I'm not upset,we'r christian missionaries and we have tremendous support for what we do', Karen Short, John's wife told Reuters news agency on Wednesday Records show he is the second christian missionary being held captive by  North Korea,seconded ,is Karen Bae ,a South Korean with U.S citizenship. T he family's press release also reported the tour company as saying that North Korean officials had refused to take their calls. Pyongyang has not confirmed Short's detention. The Australian government, which does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea, is using its consulate in Seoul and the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang to handle the case.  “We are in close contact with Swedish officials in Py

Satanists deny Membership of Craiglist killer Miranda Barbour

After Pennsylvania woman Miranda Barbour,19, revealed that she and her newlywed husband murdered Troy LeFerrara in November after meeting him on Craiglist, Satanists are trying to distance themselves from the murderer.  "According to our records, we have never had any contact from this woman, nor her accomplice," Magus Peter Gilmore, head priest of the Church of Satan, told CNN. "It seems to me that she is calling herself a member of a 'satanic cult,' not a legally incorporated above-ground form of satanism."   ... more brief She is currently been interviewed in Jail house 

Aged town of about 2,300 years is discovered in Isreal

image||Huffpost This town is said to have been discovered on a remote part in Jerusalem. The announcement was made by  Israel Antiquities Authorities, IAA. Over 8,000 square feet,a few single-family stone houses,each containing several room rooms and an open courtyard. Also dozen of coins, cooking pots, milling tools and  jars for storing oil and wine, among others. Megan Gannon  for Huffpost.. more brief

Indonesia new CSW report warns of growing religious intolerance

CSW’s new report on Indonesia, which will be launched on 25 February in the UK Parliament, warns that ‘Religious intolerance is no longer confined to areas such as West Java and Aceh, known to be particularly conservative, nor is it confined to Christians and Ahmadis. Shi’a Muslims, Sufi Muslims, Confucians, Buddhists, Hindus, Baha’is, Jews, traditional indigenous believers and atheists are all under attack.’ The report, Indonesia: Pluralism in Peril – The rise of religious intolerance across the archipelago, draws on more than 15 years of work in Indonesia by CSW and contains first-hand testimonies and comprehensive analysis of trends such as impunity in crimes against religious minorities and the criminalisation of the victims of persecution. The launch event at the House of Commons is co-hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on International Freedom of Religion or Belief, the APPG for Indonesia and the APPG for Ahmadiyya. It will be presented in the European Parliament

Bobby Jindal: Anti-Discrimination Laws,cause of ''Silent War On Religious Liberty''

“These days we think this diversity of belief is  tolerated under our law and Constitution,"  Jindal said || youtube Video below Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) delivered a scathing  attack  on the Obama administration at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library Thursday night, saying an “onslaught of lawsuits based on anti-discrimination” laws amount to a “silent war on religious liberty.” “These days we think this diversity of belief is tolerated under our law and Constitution," Jindal said. "But that’s wrong. This diversity of belief is the foundation of our law and Constitution. America does not sustain and create faith. Faith created and sustains America.”Jindal, a practicing Catholic raised by Hindu parents, accused President Barack Obama and "a group of like-minded elites" of eroding the rights of religious Americans by burdening devout businesses with anti-discriminatory same-sex marriage laws and federally mandated health insurance coverag

Valentines Day a "Threat to muslim values" Authorities said

The marriage rites took place at the Thean Hon Temple in capital Kuala  Lumpur || AJE Malaysian authorities have said Valentine's Day is a threat to Muslim values in their annual swipe at the February 14 occasion, which was marked with a mass wedding involving 138 couples. In its official Friday sermon text distributed to mosques in the Muslim-majority country, the Malaysian Islamic Development Department blamed Valentine's Day for everything from alcoholism to abortion. "Social ceremonies such as this are a stepping-stone towards greater social ills such as fraud, mental disorder caused by alcohol, abortion and baby-dumping, and other negative ills that can invite disaster and moral decay among youths," it said.Known by its Malay-language acronym JAKIM, the department is an official watchdog of Muslim values. It regularly denounces Valentine's Day as encouraging vice and promiscuity. More than 60 percent of Malaysia's 28 million people are Muslim ethnic Malay

Severe killings of Bystanders, reportedly buddist monks

Four gunmen opened fire at a group of villagers paying respect to a Buddhist monk in Mae Lan district in Pattani province on Thursday, police Colonel Sathit Polpinit told the Associated Press news agency.A 68-year-old monk, a woman and her 13-year-old son and another woman were killed in the Thursday morning attack, Polpinit said, adding that six others, including a police officer, were wounded.It is the second time in three weeks that a Buddhist monk has been shot dead.Police said the recent killings could be revenge attacks for the deaths of three young Muslim brothers. Also On Wednesday evening in Pattani's Yaring district, a 29-year-old Buddhist woman riding a motorcycle was shot dead and her body was set on fire, according to police.A note left at the scene said: "To the army chief: this is not the last body for the three brothers." The brothers, aged three, five and nine, were gunned down last week in front of their home in neighbouring Narathiwat province after ret

Namibian Pastor Calls for Suspension of Okahao Parish

A WESTERN Diocese Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) pastor has called for the suspension of Okahao Parish activities pending the resolution of the problems that have besieged the church. Pastor Ferdinand Nashidengo's calls come after Okahao parishioners boycotted a service that was supposed to have been conducted by Bishop Josephat Shanghala at the weekend.The parishioners also booed at the bishop as their way of protesting the transfer of Pastor Hulda Shau-Aitana from the church. The decision to transfer Shau-Aitana was made in 2012, and no reasons were given reports   Allafrica news agency. Church members even presented a petition to the Presiding ELCIN Bishop Shakutamba Nambala, and the church council in Oniipa over the issue.In the petition, the members accused Bishop Shanghala of failing to lead the diocese, especially regarding the transfer of Shau-Aitana, which they described as unreasonable. Shanghala, who retires this month, had visited the parish with the ho

Weeping Virgin Mary Statue In Tarshiha, Israel, Draws Hundreds To See 'Miracle'

Hundreds of people have flocked to a small town in northern Israel to view a statue of the Virgin Mary that residents say "weeps" oil. Members of a Christian family from Tarshiha, near the Lebanon border, say they have witnessed a miracle in their living room. Osama Khoury said Tuesday that his wife Amira found the statue "covered with oil" recently. Amira said the statue "spoke to her" and told her not to be afraid. After a neighbor witnessed the oil, word soon spread.Parts of the statue appear to be slick with moisture, even after it is wiped off.The family says it is most striking when a "tear" seems to roll down the statue's cheek.. more brief more image below: courtesy: huffpost

Pakistani-born Imam arrested in Sydney over child Marriage

Muslim cleric was charged in Australia with conducting illegal marriage  between 26-year-old man and 12-year-old girl || tribune A Muslim cleric was Tuesday charged in Australia with conducting an illegal marriage between a 26-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl. It follows the arrest of a Lebanese national – the “husband” – last week on child sex offences.Police said the imam, reportedly Pakistan-born, was arrested in Sydney on Monday afternoon by the Child Abuse Squad and charged with solemnization of a marriage by an unauthorized person.He was granted strict conditional bail to appear in court on April 2. Last week police revealed that the Lebanese man, in Australia on a student visa, met a 12-year-old girl in the Hunter region north of Sydney in 2013 and allegedly became involved in a sexual relationship with her.The pair then allegedly moved to Sydney where they continued the relationship, with police claiming the man and child were married in an Islamic ceremony earlier this year

Frankenstein and the Bible

Mary Shelley's  Frankenstein  was published in London in the early 1800's well after the Jewish legend of the Golem-creature who protected 16th century Jews in Prague Although there are some differences between the story lines, the similarities between Frankenstein and the Golem are striking: For starters, they were both big and scary with superhuman strength. Plus, they both had to be Jewish. I mean, most of my Jewish relatives have names that end in "-stein"... Goldstein, Silverstein, Frankenstein... you name it. And my own Grandma swore that my Grandpa looked like a Golem. And just to drive home my logical deductions even more, the Talmud talks about a Golem being created who couldn't communicate verbally (Sanhedrin 65B) and it seems pretty clear that Frankenstein doesn't utter any intelligible language known to man. Either that or Frankie works as a NYC subway operator. Although the Talmud may have spoke about Golems, Isaiah spoke about "wearying"

Osun gov, Omisore worship together at Catholic pilgrimage centre

Nigeria Osun State  governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola and his main challenger in the August governorship election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, weekend, despite  their political differences worshiped together at the annual Oke-Maria Pilgrimage, at Otan-Ayegbaju, Boluwaduro Local Government Area of the state. The Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan and Apostolic Administrator of Osogbo Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin had  announced the likely attendance of the duo around 10.00pm on Saturday , urging devotees at the 'Maria Shrine' (prayer mountain), to shelve their political differences.. more brief

8 people killed in attack on sufi gathering

Gunmen threw grenades at a Sufi Islamic religious gathering on Sunday in the port city of Karachi and then opened fire on the people assembled to offer prayers, killing eight, officials said. Eight others were wounded in the attack, said Aftab Chanur, an official at a hospital where the injured were taken. The four gunmen, who were on motorcycles, first lobbed grenades at a building where a Sufi cleric was receiving his followers, then raked it with automatic fire, said Javed Odho, a police official. He said women and children were among the dead and wounded. Pakistan is 95 percent Muslim, and the majority practice Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam. But Sufi shrines and followers have come under attack from Sunni Muslim militants who do not consider them to be true Muslims. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. But suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban or their affiliated sectarian groups, which follow a strict interpretation of Islam that considers many other M

An Arab-Iranian poet has been sentenced to death for ''waging war on God''

An Arab-Iranian poet and human rights activist, Hashem Shaabani, has been executed for being an "enemy of God" and threatening national security, according to local human rights groups. Shaabani and a man named Hadi Rashedi were hanged in unidentified prison on January 27,  rights groups   have said.Shaabani, who spoke out against the treatment of ethnic Arabs in the province of Khuzestan, had been in prison since February or March 2011 after being arrested for being a Mohareb, or "enemy of God". Last July, the Islamic Revolutionary Tribunal found Shaabani and 13 other people guilty of "waging war on God" and spreading "corruption on earth".The 32-year-old was the founder of Dialogue Institute and was popular for his Arabic and Persian poems. In 2012, he appeared on Iran's state-owned Press TV, where human rights groups say he was forced to confess to "separatist terrorism".According to BBC Persian, officials from the Ministry of In

Tony and Lauren Dungy Reveal Keys to Their Successful Yet 'Uncommon Marriage;' to Host Simulcast Event to Encourage Christian Couples

photopraisecleverland.com Tony Dungy, history-making NFL coach and bestselling author, has penned with wife Lauren Dungy a new book titled '' Uncommon Marriage: Learning about Lasting Love and Overcoming Life's Obstacles Togethe''r  that gives an intimate look at how the evangelical Christian couple has managed to keep their relationship thriving for 31 years. "We've learned there's no secret formula to a happy marriage," says Mr. Dungy in a preview video  of the book. "We've walked together hand-in-hand to meet life's challenges head-on." "We don't feel like experts, but we do have a story to share and principles we've learned that we hope can connect with issues you're experiencing in your marriage," says Mrs. Dungy. Calling the book-writing experience a walk down memory lane, she adds, "It has given Tony and me the chance to reflect on the many experiences we've shared, and to be reminded of wha

Christian association of Nigeria task Government over Killings in Plateau State

The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State Thursday called on the federal government to address the frequent attacks on communities in the Southern part of Kaduna state and Plateau state before the situation degenerates into genocide. The CAN warning came following the recent killings of over 30 persons in Riyom Local government of Plateau State which shares border with Kaura Local Government of Kaduna state. Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday, the state Chairman of the of the association, Bishop George Dodo, also condemned the weekend killing of Zaria-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Mohammed Awwal-Albani, along with his son and wife.Dodo said the attacks being unleashed on communities in Southern Kaduna and Plateau state were unacceptable

A Califonia pastor has been arrested for having sex with one of the teenage girls he took into custody, injuring his dog too

BCCN1 A California pastor was arrested for allegedly injuring his dog and having sex with one of the two teenage girls he had taken under his wing.33-year-old Hyo Bin Im, known in San Ramon as Pastor John, was charged with child concealment, unlawful sexual intercourse and animal cruelty on Tuesday. The bizarre list of charges were a shock for members of Im’s Contra Costa Korean Presbyterian Church. The youth pastor announced his resignation on Sunday, but didn’t explain why he was leaving. He told the police that he was the founder of The Living Well Ministries, a Christian non-profit that allegedly helped widows, homeless, and orphans.But he apparently never brought these high-minded goals home. The  Police also found two 17-year-old runaways living in the youth pastor’s house, BBCN1 reports. 

Big Love: A Mormon Lesbian's Quest For Marriage Equality

A supporter of gay marriage waves a flag during a rally at the Utah State Capitol,  Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014, in Salt Lake City || Huffpost On a cold Saturday last month, hundreds of couples swirled around a 6-foot-high cake at a mass wedding reception at a Salt Lake City concert hall, celebrating the recent court ruling that had unexpectedly allowed them to marry their partners. A pair of gray-haired women in tuxedo vests held each other close, laughing at a private joke. A smooth-faced man pressed his cheek against his partner's three-day scruff. A Beyoncé cover of the classic Etta James song summed up the mood: "At last."Sally Farrar didn't join in. She and her partner of 27 years, and wife of 19 days, Brenda, stood off to the side, like wallflowers at the junior prom. "I'm so uncomfortable right now," Sally said, a frown on her face and a bottle of water in her hand. "I'm freaking out." Mormons have never been big partiers. The religion b

President Barrack Obamas remark at National Prayer breakfast-'The United States leads the world in promoting religious freedom'

associated press President Barack Obama spoke Thursday about religious freedom as a key component of United States foreign policy at the National Prayer Breakfast, noting that freedom of religion is central to human dignity. "Today we profess the principles we know to be true," he said. "We know that each of us is wonderfully made in the image of God. We therefore believe in the inherent dignity of every  human being – dignity that no earthly power can take away. And central to that dignity is freedom of religion – the right of every person to practice their faith how they choose , to change their faith if they choose, or to practice no faith at all, and to do this free from persecution and fear." The United States leads the world in promoting religious freedom, which is one of the main foreign policy goals of the United States, Obama declared."Promoting religious freedom is a key objective of U.S. foreign policy, and I'm proud that no nation on Earth does

Member of Isreali legislative government being attacked for saying ''Reform is not Jewish''

A member of the Israeli legislative government was slammed for his alleged comments about Reform Judaism on Wednesday, after   media outlets reported David Rotem stating , "The Reform movement is not Jewish … they are another religion." The statement shocked members of the Jewish community worldwide, especially as characterizing the Reform movement as another religion has political implications relating to Israel's Law of Return, which prevents non-Jews from making aliyah, or immigrating to Israel.   The Jewish Telegraphic Agency   reported that a statement released by Israel's Reform movement explained that by using the term "another religion," Rotem effectively stated that "Reform Jews have no place in Israel." Gilad Kariv, executive director of the Reform movement in Israel, called on the Knesset speaker to reprimand Rotem, who is the   Knesset Law, Constitution, and Justice Committee chairman . He said, "An assertion such as this makes it

After Retiring from Ministry in 2010, Pastor Dennis Leonard Is Back and Will Open Heritage Christian Center Church in Colorado

Bishop Dennis Leonard preaches the prosperity gospel during a Sunday morning worship service at the Heritage Christian Center in Denver in 2006|| BCCN1 Dennis Leonard built Heritage Christian Center into a flourishing multiracial church by connecting with hurting people.From the pulpit, the preacher mined his past life frequenting nightclubs and recovering from divorce. Members volunteered at a church food bank and fed the homeless. The choir was top-notch. Leonard also preached a gospel of prosperity suggesting a bountiful return for those who gave generously to the church — that has been criticized for preying on the vulnerable.Then he walked away, retiring in 2010 and moving to California. Leonard is about to embark on a second act in Colorado, announcing plans to open a Heritage Christian Center in Aurora with a 1,500-seat sanctuary in a former sporting goods store the church bought.“I want you to know we are coming back for you,” Leonard said during a Friday night guest appearance

Faith Leaders Debate Morality Of Marijuana Legalization

NEW YORK (RNS) Sunday’s Super Bowl was dubbed by some as the “pot bowl,” as the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks hail from the two states where fans can soon get marijuana as easily as they can get pizza. As public opinion has shifted in support of legalized marijuana, religious leaders are wrestling over competing interests, including high prison rates and legislating morality. huffpost According to a 2013 survey from the Public Religion Research Institute, 58 percent of white mainline Protestants and 54 percent of black Protestants favor legalizing the use of marijuana. On the other side, nearly seven-in-10 (69 percent) white evangelical Protestants oppose it.Catholics appear to be the most divided Christian group, with 48 percent favoring legalization and 50 percent opposing it. Opinions on how states should handle those who possess or sell marijuana varies among Christian leaders. Caught in the middle of the debate are pastors, theologians and other religious leaders, torn over

Pope Francis Says Unemployment Can Lead To 'Slavery To Sin'

photo: Huffpost VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis says that ‘‘unjust’’ social conditions like unemployment can lead to sin, financial ruin and even suicide.Francis discussed three types of destitution — material, moral and spiritual — in his first message for Lent, the solemn period leading up to Holy Week and Easter, that was released Tuesday. Moral destitution, he said, ‘‘consists of slavery to vice and sin’’ such as alcohol, drugs, gambling and pornography.He noted that sometimes ‘‘unjust social conditions’’ like unemployment lead to this type of destitution by depriving people of the dignity of work and access to education and health care.‘‘In such cases, moral destitution can be considered impending suicide.’’.. more brief

Queen Elizabeth II To Visit Pope Francis In Rome

Add caption LONDON (AP) — Buckingham Palace says that Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip will visit Pope Francis in Rome.The palace said Tuesday the royals would have an audience with the pope at the Vatican in April. The palace said Monday the couple also plans to attend the 70th anniversary of D-Day ceremonies during a state visit to France in June.The high profile trips to continental Europe come as the 87-year-old queen is greatly reducing her overseas travel.  more brief  || Huff post

Theda Good, Lesbian Mennonite Minister, Licensed In Denver, A First Step Towards Gay Ordination

Elizabeth Evans|| Huff post (RNS) On Sunday (Feb. 2), a Denver congregation of Mennonites licensed the first lesbian in a committed same-sex relationship, the first step toward ordination.Theda Good’s licensure was celebrated by some Mennonite Church USA clergy and greeted with dismay by others.Good was licensed for ministry as pastor of nurture and fellowship at First Mennonite Church of Denver, where she is currently on the staff. Originally from Lancaster, Pa., Good is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, Va. Whether the Colorado-based conference, or region, of Mennonites will approve Good’s ordination isn’t clear. Good declined to be interviewed.The Mennonite Church USA’s articles of faith include a provision that states: “We believe that God intends marriage to be a covenant between one man and one woman for life. .more brief

Is Russel Wilson Christian? Seatle Seahawks Quarterback testifies,'Jesus is always there, he will never leave, forsake you

Russell Wilson will have the huge challenge of going up against record-breaking quarterback Peyton Manning in Super Bowl 2014 as the Seattle Seahawks face the Denver Broncos on Sunday night. Who does the Seahawks' quarterback turn to as he faces such an important day in his life? Only Jesus Christ! Russell Wilson is a Seattle Seahawks quarterback.|| CP Entertainment Wilson and several of his Seahawks teammates recently met with Seattle's Mars Hill Church Pastor Mark Driscoll to discuss their faith. In the interview Wilson revealed that he is a devout Christian, who looks to Jesus at all times for give him strength and comfort in his life MORE: Is Peyton Manning Christian? Denver Broncos Quarterback Prays Every Night & Before Each Game, Testifies Faith in Jesus Comes First Wilson testified in the interview: "Jesus is love! At the end of the day, we are all looking for someone to comfort us, somebody to be there for us at all times. When we are at the worst times of our