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Survey shows Catholic priests don’t like Mass changes | Religion News Service
(RNS) Nothing can upset the folks in the pews as much as changing the liturgy that they’re used to, and that seemed likely to be the case when the Vatican ordered revisions to the familiar prayers of the Catholic Mass. But now, more than a year after the changes took effect, a survey of American priests shows that they are more disturbed by the innovations than their flock.

We don't get India, they don't get us | News.com.au
AUSTRALIANS and Indians are caught in a time warp of outdated perceptions of each other, the nation's top diplomat has declared.

Seth's Blog: Really Bad Powerpoint
I wrote this about four years ago, originally as an ebook. I figured the idea might spread and then the problem would go away--we'd no longer see thousands of hours wasted, every single day, by boring PowerPoint presentations filled with...

Pat Robertson Tells Wife Of Cheating Husband To Be Grateful For Marriage, Make Home Enticing (VIDEO)
Pat Robertson has many opinions on subjects including homosexuality, politics and the coming of the Mark of the Beast, but it was the famous televangelist's opinion on marriage that took center stage during Wednesday's episode of his daily television program, "The 700 Club." Responding to a question from a viewer, Robertson said that married men "have a tendency to wander" and it is the spurned wife's job to focus on the positive and make sure the home is so enticing, he doesn't want to stray.

Is It OK for Christians to Have Tattoos? - Beliefnet.com
We’ve all seen the stern prohibitions in the Old Testament. But what are the thoughts of a tattoo artist and finalist on TV’s American Bible Challenge hosted by Jeff Foxworthy?

Catholic population surges across the Global South | Religion News Service
VATICAN CITY (RNS) While the number of Catholic priests in the Americas and in Europe is declining compared to the overall Catholic population, those losses were offset by increasing ranks of permanent deacons.

Reach America's High School Anti-Christian Bullying Video Calls For An 'Army' To Save America's Souls
From the dramatic soundtrack to the youthful protagonists' militant rhetoric, this new video on the "problem" of anti-Christian bullying is arguably intense. The clip, produced by Idaho-based group Reach America, features teens saying they will build "an army" commanded by Christ.

Homosexuality Is 'Responsible For The Collapse Of The Western Economy,' Bryan Fischer Claims
Bryan Fischer has previously stated that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people should face job discrimination and implied that members of the community should be "delivered" from homosexual behavior.

Scott Manley: Everything You Know Is Wrong (About the Pursuit of Happiness)
We are by nature pleasure-seeking entities: Everyone seeks happiness, but the problem is we don't know what real happiness is.

Eliel Cruz: Where Were You?
Where were you in my early teen years as I contemplated suicide for the very first time? After years of taunts and bullying in the name of the Lord, my psyche broke and I was left alone to the darkness of insanity.

15 countries cited for religious freedom violations | Religion News Service
WASHINGTON (RNS) Fifteen countries make the list of most egregious violators of religious liberty, compiled by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. But some of the most alarming oppression is committed by entities that can hardly be called countries.

Chris Broussard, ESPN Reporter, Calls Being Gay An 'Open Rebellion To God' (VIDEO)
Jason Collins' decision to come out, making him the first active openly gay athlete in any major U.S. team sport, sparked plenty of conversation on Monday, including a controversial exchange involving ESPN NBA reporter Chris Broussard during a one-hour episode of "Outside The Lines."

Female converts to Islam facing growing scrutiny | Religion News Service
BOSTON (RNS) Karen Hunt-Ahmed is part of a growing sorority of female American converts to Islam, especially those who are or were married to Muslim men, who must deal with the perception that they converted to Islam because of domineering boyfriends or husbands.

Carla Hale Update: Gay Catholic School Teacher In Ohio Fights Firing
A gay teacher who said she was fired by an Ohio Catholic school after her mother's published obituary included the name of her partner is fighting to get her job back. Carla Hale, 57, said she was told she was being let go because her relationship is against teachings of the church.

Usaama al-Azami: Is Richard Dawkins a Racist?
Dawkins and his fellows may remonstrate that what they object to is a belief system, freely adopted by its holders, but they are still participating in the unhealthy marginalization of a minority group.

Mormons say they're OK with change in Scouts' gay policy | Religion News Service
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) Mormon officials, who sponsor more Boy Scout troops than any other organization, say they are "satisfied" with the Scouts' latest compromise on allowing gay members.

Peter King, Keith Ellison Spar Over Muslim Community Views (VIDEO)
Reps. Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) clashed on Sunday over the idea of using surveillance in America's Muslim communities. One week after stressing the need to go after known threats from "a certain community," King reinforced that notion, specifically questioning the FBI's decision to not speak to Boston police about now deceased bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

What Happened When I Truly Disconnected | Lifehacker Australia
I woke up one morning about four weeks ago and realised in a flash that I’d hit a wall. Most days I can’t wait to get to work. On this day...

Church condemns condoms for Samoan uni students - Australia Network News - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporatio
Samoa's Catholic Church condemns a plan to give away free condoms to university students, saying it will encourage promiscuity.

Mining and CSG on church black list - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The Uniting Church says it will no longer invest in mining and coal seam gas companies.

Vlad Chituc: Even if It Was a Muslim, So What?
There have always been fringes in every group that will kill for their cause, but we rarely extrapolate beyond their group membership to make generalizations based on religion, ideology or color. But if we find out tomorrow that the bomber was a Muslim, then I don't think we can say the same. And that's a problem.

'Atheist Churches': Nonbelievers Find A Sunday-Morning Connection
By Kimberly Winston Religion News Service HOUSTON (RNS) Sunday mornings at Houston Oasis may have the look and feel of a church, but there's no cross, Bible, hymnal or stained glass depictions of Jesus.

Panic in the air after Boston bombings | News.com.au
ARABIC speakers escorted off a flight by police, planes searched on the tarmac and airports evacuated as US security goes on high alert after the Boston bombings.

U.S. Muslims mobilize to prevent Boston backlash | Religion News Service
(RNS) No sooner had the reality of the Boston marathon bombing sunk in than Muslim activists began sending out news releases and tweets condemning whoever was responsible. It's a familiar sprint for these groups as some were blaming Muslims for the bombings.

Harun Yahya: Islam Encourages Scientific Progress
Science is an important reality that enables us to know the universe we inhabit, the Earth and our own bodies and to be able to appreciate all the beauties around us. For a sincere Muslim, science is a blessing that God has bestowed on mankind.

Cohabitation is lasting longer, becoming more common | Religion News Service
(RNS) Unmarried couples who live together are staying together longer than in the past — and more of them are having children, according to new federal data that details just how cohabitation is transforming families across the U.S.

Hundreds protest against sorcery killing in PNG - Australia Network News - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporatio
About 1,000 people have marched on the streets of Buka in Papua New Guinea to protest against the murder of an elderly woman accused of sorcery.

How to Become a Masterful Note-Taker: 8 Lessons From Research - Anna Codrea-Rado - The Atlantic
Use a computer. Underline. Take a break. Read them later.

Greg Perreault: Killing God in Video Games
In the video game world, "God" is limited. G/god is weakened and gaining power, is unable to operate at a distance except through his or her agents, or has only recently attained godhood. Or perhaps he or she simply doesn't understand humanity. There is always some reason G/god can be defeated.

26 Time Management Hacks I Wish I Had Known When I Was 20 | Lifehacker Australia
Most people learn time management the hard way, by trial and error, working late nights to meet deadlines. ENTER NOW! Win A Trip To TechEd New Orlea...

Are Catholic Leaders Shifting Tone Or Substance On Gay Issues?
By David GibsonReligion News Service (RNS) When New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan told national news programs on Easter Sunday that Catholic leaders need to do a better job of showing that their opposition to gay marriage is not "an attack on gay people," the nation's top Catholic bishop seemed to be signaling an important shift in tone, if not policies, that acknowledges two new realities.

Resurrection not to be taken literally, La Trobe University
Literal readings of the resurrection do not strengthen Christian faith

Hammad Moses Khan: A Muslim Lent Story
I might not believe in the divinity of Christ or the Crucifixion of the four canonical gospels. But I do believe in charity, in prayer, and, of course, in fasting.

Candida Moss: The War on Easter
It is not difficult to extract O'Reilly's larger point. In this modern day passion story, O'Reilly stands with Jesus and the oppressed Jews of ancient Galilee. The current administration and secular progressives stand with the Christ-killer Romans.

Charged for window shopping | IR News | Inside Retail
Brisbane specialty grocery store charging customers to browse.

'She's a whore, but she's my mother': Reverend shares thoughts on the church - ABC Darwin - Australian Broadcasting Cor
It's not too common that you hear the words "progressive" and "religion" in the same sentence. But for one Darwin Reverend, progressive Christianity is a term that best describes his faith.

Traditional healers share their stories - ABC Alice Springs - Australian Broadcasting Corporation#.UVDl8ztjhNc.twitter#
They are called ngangkari and they are Aboriginal traditional healers whose work is becoming increasingly recognised the modern health arena

'Star Wars' Religion: Temple Of The Jedi Order Ordains Ministers, Performs Weddings (VIDEO)
The Temple of the Jedi Order can perform weddings anywhere in the United States and is a non-profit charitable religious organization. So is "Star Wars" a real religion?

Peter Rollins: You May Not Believe in Ghosts, But Are You Scared of Them?
The central scandal of Christianity is an invitation to give up such superstitious certainties at a material level and fully embrace the world without unconscious religious support.

Christian church pulled down in Indonesia - Australia Network News - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A Christian church near Jakarta has been demolished after protests from hardline Islamists.

Kosher Coke In California Looks Unlikely For A Second Year In A Row
NEW YORK — Coca-Cola may be missing from Passover feasts for the second year in a row in California. The Coca-Cola Co. said Thursday it once again won't be able to make "kosher for Passover" versions of its flagship cola this year because of manufacturing changes that were made in the state.

How the internet transformed the world (video) — Ganador

Pick The Right Colour For Design With This Colour Psychology Chart | Lifehacker Australia
As we’ve seen before, colour quickly conveys emotion and affects people’s moods. Whether you’re choosing paint for a room or designi...

Derek Penwell: What If the Kids Don't Want Our Church?
Churches with massive overhead invested in things like church buildings, denominational infrastructures, functional church organizational models are awakening to the fact that the generations that are supposed to be taking the institutional baton are showing very little interest.

'Ask an Atheist' event replaces participation in St. Patrick's Day parade | Religion News Service
The Kansas City Atheist Coalition held signs, fielded questions and handed out science-related toys to passing children in Kansas City, Mo. on Sunday (Mar

Hunter Valley coptic monastery set for approval - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A plan to build a multi million dollar cathedral and monastery building in the Hunter Valley will be determined by a regional planning panel today.

Britain's atheist church to go global - and it's coming to Australia | News.com.au
ECHOING with joyful song and with a congregation bent on leading better lives, this London church is like any other - except there's no mention of God.

New rules limit size of street preaching groups - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Adelaide City Council has passed new restrictions on street permits after winning a High Court fight against preachers.

Dr. R. Keith Sawyer: The Catholic Church Is the Most Un-Innovative Organization in the World: Discuss
Does the Catholic church need to worry about being innovative? I'd like to hear from both Catholics and from critics. The church's recent very-public crises certainly demonstrate a lack of adaptability and agility.

Mark Sandlin: 10 Things Church Can Learn From Geeks
I won't actually go as far as to say that there was a misquote in the Bible, and it should have read, "The geek shall inherit the Earth," but maybe it's something worth looking into?

Papal candidates will need to be good governors: de Groot - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Caritas CEO, Jack de Groot, offers his analysis on the front runners in the Papal election.

Pakistan Mob Torches Christian Man's Home For Alleged Blasphemy
LAHORE, Pakistan — Hundreds of people in eastern Pakistan rampaged through a Christian neighborhood Saturday, torching dozens of homes after hearing reports that a Christian man had committed blasphemy against Islam's prophet. Blasphemy is a serious crime in Pakistan that can carry the death penalty but sometimes outraged residents exact their own retribution for perceived insults of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

James Ishmael Ford: How to Be Spiritual But Not Religious in a Way That Actually Helps
People appear to have all the old needs for some sense of certainty, for some sense of direction, but increasingly find the old ways unhelpful, or even harmful. We are at a time of crisis. And, as people sometimes notice at such moments, we are also at a time of opportunity.

Islam and its origins - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
In this special discussion on Islam for The World on ABC News 24, Jane Hutcheon speaks with Tom Holland, the author of a controversial book about the religion, and Mehmet Ozalp, the President of the Islamic Sciences and Research Academy of Australia.

Cao Dai - Official homepage

Douglas Kmiec: The Qualities The Next Pope Should Have
The Holy Father should be an exemplar of service to the poor, a source of empathy with those excluded or treated with disrespect be they the migrant, the woman, the gay or lesbian person and an appropriate love for children.

One woman's journey out of faith, family and fear | Religion News Service
(RNS) A young woman stood outside a Greyhound bus with a ticket in her hand and a backpack over her shoulder. She was guilty of two offenses: rejecting her father's choice of husband and renouncing her family's Islamic faith. Deciding whether to boarding that bus, she said later, would be the hardest thing she had done in her 18 years.

Leonardo Sandri, Argentine Cardinal, Says Church Must Open Up To More Women In Leadership
(Reuters) - The Roman Catholic Church must open itself up to women in the next pontificate, giving them more leadership positions in the Vatican and beyond, according to a senior cardinal who will be influential in electing the next pope. In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 69, an Argentine, also said the next pope should not be chosen according to a geographic area but must be a "saintly man" qualified to lead the Church in a time of crisis.

Teri James, Pregnant Woman Allegedly Fired For Premarital Sex, Sues Christian School
A former employee at a Christian college has enlisted the help of high-profile attorney Gloria Allred to sue a California school that allegedly fired her for engaging in premarital sex, NBC's "Today" reports. In a bizarre twist, the school reportedly went on to offer the pregnant woman's job to her then-fiance.

Timeline: Final days of Benedict XVI's papacy and the conclave to elect a new pope | Religion News Service
Pope Benedict XVI's resignation will become official on Feb. 28, and the conclave of cardinals to elect a new pope will begin soon after. Here's a timeline

Pope Twitter Account Transforms As Benedict Resigns, Tweets Deleted
Pope Benedict XVI is pope no more. The Vatican wasted no time reflecting that on his official Twitter account.

Four men found guilty of whipping Muslim convert in Sydney's west | News.com.au
FOUR men who took part in the whipping of a Muslim convert as punishment for him drinking alcohol and taking drugs have been found guilty of assault in Sydney.

Pope Benedict says it sometimes felt like 'God was asleep' in final audience | News.com.au
POPE Benedict XVI admitted it sometimes felt as if 'God was asleep' during the troubled days of his papacy as he gave an emotional farewell in St Peter's Square before tens of thousands of pilgrims on the eve of his momentous resignation.

Texas Students Wear Burqas During Geography Lesson, Prompting Parental Backlash And State Investigation
A Texas public high school is under fire from parents and a state senator after a photo of five students wearing burqas in a classroom surfaced on Facebook. According to Fox News, Texas Sen. Dan Patrick (R), who serves as chairman of the state's Senate Committee on Education, plans to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the photograph.

Pat Robertson: Goodwill Sweaters Could Have Demons, No Harm In Praying Over Them (VIDEO)
Usually when one buys clothes second-hand at shops like Goodwill, one just wonders whether it's been laundered properly. But Pat Robertson brought an entirely new worry to the fore on Monday's episode of his "700 Club" program.

High Court rules against street preachers - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The High Court has overturned the right of two brothers to preach without a permit in central Adelaide.

Church of Scientology denies holding woman in isolation - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The Church of Scientology in Sydney has been accused of holding a young Taiwanese woman hostage after she suffered a mental breakdown.

UK cardinal quits amid inappropriate behaviour claims - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric steps down after rejecting allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

Venting and vetting: The brutal side of papal politics | Religion News Service
(RNS) If far less expensive and not quite as mind-numbing as a U.S. presidential campaign, the condensed version of papal campaign politics is not much gentler, or necessarily more effective. Instead it can be nasty, brutish and short.

How (And Why) To Intentionally Set Yourself Up For Failure | Lifehacker Australia
The old mantra is that you’re never supposed to set yourself up for failure. While that’s true in a lot of cases, it’s not always a ...

Kristen Marble: Guns According to Jesus
Discussions about guns and Jesus rarely fail to mention the Jesus-commanded purchasing and carrying of swords. But that command must be held in tension with his rebuke of the sword's use on the Mount of Olives and his admonition to pray for, rather than hate, our enemies.

ANALYSIS: White smoke, black pope? The odds against an 'Obama moment' | Religion News Service
(RNS) Will the conclave electing a successor to Pope Benedict XVI next month have an "Obama moment'' and pick a pope from outside Europe for the first time in modern history? Several factors are working against it.

John Dear: Buddhists and Christians Talking Nonviolence
We spent some time defining nonviolence, then I spoke about its three dimensions: being nonviolent toward ourselves; being nonviolent toward everyone we meet and know; and being part of the global grassroots movement of nonviolence.

Gay, transgender band breaks barriers in Christian music | Religion News Service
(RNS) The bios of the musicians who make up Micah's Rule read like many country/inspirational Christian artists. But what they don't mention is that the musicians are an openly gay man, transgender woman and a lesbian.

Joseph Ward III: How LGBT Families Are Expanding Christian Love
But what does it say about the conscience of church leadership when it does not support and uphold LGBT families?

S Korean 'Moonies' hold new mass wedding - Australia Network News - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Thousands of Unification Church members have been married at a mass wedding in South Korea.

Myriad Genetics wins bid to patent human genes

Catholic migration, and why the next pope should be Brazilian | Religion News Service
A new analysis of Catholic population shifts raises questions about the upcoming papal election.

Lawrence Krauss, Physicist, Claims Teaching Creationism Is Child Abuse And 'Like The Taliban' (VIDEO)
An outspoken theoretical physicist in Arizona has made a strongly worded claim about teaching children creationism instead of evolution. Lawrence Krauss, a professor at Arizona State University, said teaching creationism is akin to a mild form of child abuse and that it mirrors the tactics of the Taliban.

Secular Assembly: church services banned - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The ACT Government has banned the Legislative Assembly from holding religious services.

Cristina Traina: Why Catholics Should Support Marriage Equality
Gay and lesbian couples who seek the full rights (and responsibilities) of marriage are far from the enemies of the "common good of society." In an era of cohabitation and serial monogamy, they and their allies may be marriage's biggest champions.

Shurooq Amin's 'Popcornography' Exhibition Examines Religious Taboos In The Arab World (PHOTOS)
Artist Shurooq Amin isn't only trying to provoke. Through her work, the Muslim artist is attempting to present the taboos and paradoxes that exist for modern day Muslim women in Kuwait and beyond.

Richard Prosser, New Zealand MP, Sorry For Saying West Should Ban Muslim Men From Flying
A New Zealand politician has drawn criticism this week for stating that most terrorists are Muslims and suggesting young Muslims men should be banned from Western airlines. First MP Richard Prosser made the inflammatory remarks in a column written for Investigate Magazine, according to an article featured in the New Zealand Herald.

NZ MP Richard Prosser says Muslims should be banned from flights on Western airlines
A NEW Zealand politician has labelled young Muslim men a terrorist threat who should be banned from Western airlines, sparking condemnation from Prime Minister John Key.

Anti-Muslim Political Party Launches in Canberra

Struggling outback diocese to stay intact - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A recommendation from the state's Catholic bishops to dissolve the struggling Wilcannia-Forbes diocese has been rejected.

Top 10 Reasons our Kids Leave Church « Marc5Solas

16 sentenced in Amish beard-cutting attacks | Religion News Service
“From day one, this case has been about the rule of law and defending the right of people to worship in peace. This was never about ‘haircuts,'" said U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach.

Christian worker quits over 666 on tax form | Religion News Service
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Walter Slonopas said he quit his job last week in order to save his soul, resigning after his W-2 tax form was stamped with the number 666.

Catholic bishops reject new contraception proposals | Religion News Service
(RNS) The nation’s Catholic bishops on Thursday (Feb. 7) rejected the Obama administration’s latest proposals to broaden the religious exemptions and accommodations in regulations that will require insurance companies or employers to provide free birth control coverage.

Christian Fashion Week 2013 To Be Held In Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. -- The organizers of Christian Fashion Week have a message: modest does not equal frumpy. "A lot of the designers we talked with looked at the challenge as a creative challenge," said Jose Gomez, who, along with his wife and another couple, is organizing the event.

Fatwa on girl band rocks Kashmir - Australia Network News - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
An all-girl rock band in Jammu and Kashmir - a first for the region - has been forced to break up after a senior cleric called the musicians un-Islamic.

Rev. Dr. Martha R. Jacobs: You Might Be Surprised at How Helpful a Professional Chaplain Can Be, While Not Being 'Relig
Professional chaplains are among the few caregivers in the hospital who have the time to sit and listen to the patient and family members.

The Cambridge Union Society: This House Believes Religion Has No Place in the 21st Century

St. Boniface Church In San Francisco Lets Homeless People Sleep In Pews (PHOTOS)
For the city’s homeless, San Francisco’s St. Boniface Church is seen as a safe haven.

5 Ways to Stop Stress Before It Starts | Entrepreneur.com
What science tells us about stress and how entrepreneurs can nip it in the bud.

Afghan teen receives death threats over talent show - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A 17-year-old Afghan singer says she is receiving death threats for competing on a popular TV talent show.

Calgary Secular Church The First Atheist Church In Alberta
For Korey Peters, deconverting from Christianity to atheism opened a new set of doors - the doors to Calgary's first atheist church.

National Review Writer: 'God-Given Right' To Guns, Jesus Would Approve
One of the leading voices of the conservative political movement has published an editorial that argues that gun control legislation seeks to limit Americans' God-given rights to guns. In the National Review, David French cites various Bible passages to make his point.

Mike Ghouse: My Religion Is the Truth -- For Me
Pluralism is not a religion; it is an attitude of respecting the otherness of others and accepting the God given uniqueness of each one of us.

ABC Religion & Ethics (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
ABC stories, interviews and videos about religion and ethics.

Women shelved in Ikea's Saudi catalogue - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Swedish home furnishing retailer Ikea has landed itself in hot water in its home country after women and girls were airbrushed out of some of the pictures in its Saudi Arabian catalogue.

Murdoch University | Student Life and Learning | Recommended reading
The Student Learning Centre welcomes all students and provides assistance and advice to postgraduate and undergraduate students. We offer workshops, consultations, quick tips for studying successfully and advice to boost your academic skills.

Pakistan 'blasphemy girl' released on bail - Australia Network News - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A Christian girl accused of blasphemy was released on bail in Pakistan Saturday after spending more than three weeks in jail, in a case that has sparked an international outcry.

Mike Ghouse: Muslims Condemn Blasphemy Charges Against Christian Girl in Pakistan
We ask the people of Pakistan to seriously debatethe blasphemy laws. Islam is about free will and we need to stand against any oppression towards any human being following in the footsteps of the prophet.

Religion News Service | Faith | Clergy & Congregations | Does megachurch ‘high’ explain their success?
(RNS) A new study suggests that megachurch services produce a spiritual and biological “high” that keeps congregants coming back for more.

Religion News Service | Faith | Clergy & Congregations | Does megachurch ‘high’ explain their success?
(RNS) A new study suggests that megachurch services produce a spiritual and biological “high” that keeps congregants coming back for more.

Religion News Service | Faith | Clergy & Congregations | Does megachurch ‘high’ explain their success?
(RNS) A new study suggests that megachurch services produce a spiritual and biological “high” that keeps congregants coming back for more.

Religion News Service | Faith | Clergy & Congregations | Does megachurch ‘high’ explain their success?
(RNS) A new study suggests that megachurch services produce a spiritual and biological “high” that keeps congregants coming back for more.

National & World news, sport, entertainment, business, property, travel | Northern Territory News | Darwin, Northern Te
News from Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia and the world, featuring the latest local, national, world, business, sport, entertainment and technology news. Drawing on News Limited's worldwide resources and newspapers.

Religion News Service | Faith | Doctrine & Practice | Report highlights Islam’s global diversity
A new report finds that Muslims differ sharply over questions of faith like who counts as a Muslim and what spiritual practices are acceptable.

Pastor Todd Bentley sticks the boot in to heal sick | News.com.au
A CANADIAN pastor who believes he can heal people by kicking them in the face has ignited controversy in the United Kingdom where a local politician has called for him to be banned from entering the country.

Anti-mosque flyer 'unlikely' to be in breach of discrimination laws - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The ACT Human Rights Commissioner has found a flyer opposing a mosque in Canberra's north is unlikely to have breached the Discrimination Act.

Chaplains on 'covert' mission to spread God's word - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A group which is against religion being taught in schools has stepped up the fight against the Federal Government's school chaplaincy program.

Emily Timbol: What Does God Say About Homosexuality?
As someone who grew up in the church, "What God says" is something I don't take lightly. So I asked God if I had to choose between being supportive of my best friend, or being a "good" Christian and encouraging him to "flee his lifestyle."

Rev. Emily C. Heath: The Unexpected Pastor
It sounds cliche to say that being a pastor is the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's true. And yet, I can't imagine doing anything else.

Religion News Service | Blogs | Jana Riess - Flunking Sainthood | Mormons and Homophobia; Mormons and Gay Pride
Despite a palpable shift in overall Mormon attitudes toward homosexuality, we still have a significant way to go.

John Shore: Biola President Uses Bully Pulpit to Threaten LGBTQ Group
Right there, up in the pulpit, pretending to care about nothing so much as extending the love of Christ, is every encouragement any bully could ever need to viciously hound, beat to a pulp or push to suicide a desperately forlorn gay person.

Intisar Sharif Abdalla, Sudanese Woman, Sentenced To Stoning In Sudan
By Alexander Dziadosz KHARTOUM, May 31 (Reuters) - A Sudanese woman, believed to be around 20, has been sentenced to be stoned to death for adultery, and is being held near Khartoum, shackled in prison with her baby son, rights groups and lawyers said on Thursday. Campaigners condemned the ruling, saying it violated international standards and raised concerns that Sudan might start applying sharia, or Islamic law, more strictly following the secession of mostly non-Muslim South Sudan last year. The woman, Intisar Sharif Abdalla, was sentenced by the Ombada criminal court on April 22, court documents seen by Reuters showed. Two lawyers assigned to her case, who declined to be named, said they were launching an appeal adding Abdalla appeared to be under severe psychological strain. "She's in dire need of a psychiatrist because she appears to be in a state of shock from the social and family pressures

Jacob D. Myers: Holy Ink: The Spirituality of Tattoos (PHOTOS)
Tattoos often signify one's relationships, one's movement beyond her daily existence to another plane of reality, and a new awareness of a person's being-in-the-world. Tattooing presents the bearer with several experiences that are rarely matched in the world.

Inquiry endorses NSW school ethics classes - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A New South Wales parliamentary inquiry has recommended that ethics classes continue in the state's public schools.

Esther J. Hamori: Biblical Standards for Marriage
Opponents of marriage equality often appeal to the Bible to support their views. So what is this "biblical standard for marriage" we keep hearing about? Marriage in the Bible is not restricted to one man and one woman, or in fact to any one model.

Why I perform abortions: A Christian obstetrician explains his choice | NJ.com
Willie J. Parker used to refuse to perform abortions. Then, after learning the individual realities of the women who sought them, he changed his mind.

Christopher Lane: Biblical Homophobia and Christian Pastors
To see a Republican lawmaker and a prominent Christian pastor try to outdo each other in their bigotry and murderous hate puts in unpleasant but clear relief the moral health of the organizations they represent.

Ramadan Fast During London Olympics A Dilemma For Muslim Athletes
LONDON (Reuters)- When Malaysian cyclist Azizulhasni Awang opted to postpone his Ramadan fast until after the London Games, the decision was all about going for Olympic gold. Anything that might jeopardise the chance of a medal for the 24-year-old at his second Olympics had to be dealt with sensibly, he says.

Scott Atran: Religion Is a Potent Force for Ingroup Cooperation and Intergroup Conflict, Science Article Maintains
In an age where religious and sacred causes are resurgent, there is urgent need for joint scientific effort to understand them, to help identify and isolate the moral imperatives for decisions on war or peace.

Religion News Service | Faith | Clergy & Congregations | Church that stood up for gay rights faces closure
(RNS) Grace Community United Church of Christ in St. Paul, Minn., took a stand on gay rights, lost most of its congregants and on June 1 may lose its church, too.

Dr Tasmia Mesbahuddin: Is the 'Hijab' Discriminatory to Women?
Let's not fool ourselves, we only have to open the news these days to see horrific articles about women being raped, date raped, molested and faced with a deluge of sexual abuses for their appearances (I mean we have to be a certain shape, size or else we lose our appeal to the opposite sex!). So on that note I find my hijab a very liberating experience.

Michele Somerville: United States Catholics: A Church Divided
So rogue are most Roman Catholics when it comes to papal teaching, that Catholic dissidence often seems the norm.

Police stop Lady Gaga Jakarta concert - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Lady Gaga has been refused a permit to perform in the Indonesian capital next month over security concerns after Islamic groups voiced strong objections to her vulgar style.

Why was Lady Gaga's Jakarta show cancelled?

Beaverton church sues family after they criticize it online | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Traf
A church pastor is suing a mother and daughter for $500,000 because they gave the church bad reviews online.

Jim Wallis: My Neighbor's Faith: A Test of Character
This conflict is really about the role that faith will play in America. It is about whether or not we will accept Muslim Americans as true Americans or as second-class citizens. It is a test of our character, and we dare not fail it.

Monks busted playing high-stakes poker, smoking - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The leaders of South Korea's biggest Buddhist order have quit after secret video footage showed them playing high-stakes poker, drinking and smoking.

Joint Forces Staff College Class Suspended After Teaching America's Enemy Is Islam
WASHINGTON -- A course for U.S. military officers has been teaching that America's enemy is Islam in general, not just terrorists, and suggesting that the country might ultimately have to obliterate the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina without regard for civilian deaths, following World War II precedents of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima or the allied firebombing of Dresden. The Pentagon suspended the course in late April when a student objected to the material.

Religion News Service | Culture | Gender & Sexuality | President Obama endorses same-sex marriage, religious leaders re
President Obama's announcement that he supports same-sex marriage lit Twitter up like a Christmas tree, with liberals rejoicing and social conservatives grumbling. Here's a sample of what leaders on both sides of the issue had to say.

Jay Michaelson: Obama's Same-Sex Marriage Announcement: A Victory for Religion
Angry voices on the so-called "Christian right" are already screaming about President Obama's "war on religion," but today's announcement regarding same-sex marriage was actually an inspiring religious pronouncement.

Having A Purpose In Life Could Protect Brain From Mental Decline, Study Suggests
What's your purpose in life? Knowing the answer to that question could help to protect your brain, according to a new study.

Underwater Mosque In Saudi Arabia Ready For Prayers
The First underwater mosque is ready for prayers in the Saudi Arabian town of Tabuk, according to Emirates24/7.com.

Religion News Service | Blogs | Omid Safi - What Would Muhammad Do? | Beastie Boys Co-Founder, Buddhism, and Islam
Inspired by his Buddhist faith, Adam Yauch made a deeply passionate and political statement about American attitudes towards Islam and Middle East.

Father Kevin Lee, Catholic Priest, Admits To Being Secretly Married (VIDEO)
Father Kevin Lee, a Catholic Priest who presided over Padre Pio parish in Sydney, Australia, admitted to being secretly married for a year, and says many other members of the priesthood are as well, 7 News reports. "I've fallen in love and I've got married and it's outside of most people's awareness," Lee told 7News.

Five Creativity Exercises to Find Your Passion | Entrepreneur.com
Want to start a business, but not sure what to pursue? Here's how to discover what you love.

5 Ways to Boost Your Creative Power | Entrepreneur.com
These simple strategies for tapping the creative process can help keep you on track toward breakthrough success.

Andrew Z. Cohen: Globalization Isn't Just for Economists
If 50 years ago you were to tell somebody that Americans would teach Enlightenment in India and that Asian seekers would come to California to learn about what the Buddha taught from an American Jew, they would never have believed you.

Religion News Service | Faith | Clergy & Congregations | Study shows Mormonism is fastest-growing faith in half of U.S.
CHICAGO (RNS) In the first decade of the 21st century, America's religious landscape shifted dramatically, with minority groups making sizable gains as established Catholics and Protestants lost ground -- literally, according to a new study.

BJ Gallagher: Buddha CEO: Five Mantras for Your Workday
If you really want to be a good student of the Buddha and you're willing to take on a difficult learning assignment, here's a radical suggestion: love your problem people. They can teach you lessons that wonderful people never can.

Archbishop Antonio Mennini, Pope's Representative, Calls For Christians, Jews, Muslims To Unite Against Gay Marriage
Archbishop Antonio Mennini, a Vatican representative, has called onto other religious leaders to take a stand against allowing gay marriage in the United Kingdom.

Taco Bell Pays $27,000 To Settle Religious Discrimination Lawsuit
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has announced that Family Foods, Inc., a company that operates a number of Taco Bell restaurants in North Carolina, has agreed to pay $27,000 to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit they filed last year on behalf of an employee that was fired after refusing to cut his hair for religious reasons. Christopher Abbey, 27, worked at a Taco Bell in Fayetteville, N.C., from 2004 until 2010, when managers asked him to cut his long hair in accordance with the restaurant's grooming policy, Occupational Health and Safety magazine reports.

Peter Worthington: I Thought Atheists Believed in Reason
An Athiest was so offended at a Christian prayer uttered before a Saskatoon volunteer appreciation dinner that he wants an apology from the mayor. He called the dinner prayer "religious bigotry." One hopes mayor Don Atchison politely tells him to stuff it.This sort of fuss is happening all over the place these days. Unfortunately (for some), human rights commissions are an invitation for extremist accusations and create alienation by abandoning common sense.

Slipper a complex man of faith, says church head - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The head of the Australian Anglican Catholic Church says Speaker Peter Slipper is a complex man who has taken a strong stand on conservative moral issues but has another side to his character.

Religion News Service | Blogs | Omid Safi - What Would Muhammad Do? | First words since…..burying a 16-year old angel
Maybe faith tells us not the “why”, but the how to move through pain and death.

Russians pray for 'correction' of anti-Putin punks - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Thousands of Orthodox faithful gather to pray for the correction of feminist punks who face jail for singing at a Russian cathedral.

Vatican Crackdown On Nuns Over Social Justice Issues, Women Ordination
April 20 (Reuters) - When Pope John Paul II arrived in the United States in 1979, the president of the nation's most powerful organization of nuns met him with a challenge. In a bold welcoming address, Sister Theresa Kane called on the pope to include women "in all ministries of our church," including the priesthood. The pope sat silent, his expression stony. That moment did not change Vatican policy. But it unveiled growing tensions between the Vatican and American nuns.

Robert J. Asher: Agreeing With Someone Who Is Wrong
The hope is that we don't become so wedded to a given belief that we insulate ourselves from introspection and a willingness to say "I was wrong" when warranted by the facts.

Religion News Service | Blogs | Mark Silk - Spiritual Politics | Millennials Abandoning Christianity
Dude, that's the headline I'd put on the new survey of millennials from the Public Religion Research Institution and Georgetown's Berkley Center. Like, 80.2 percent of them were raised as some kind of Christian and now just 64.2 percent consider themselve

Osmania University Beef Festival Leads To Violence
A beef festival organized by Dalit students at Osmania University in Hyderabad, India on April 15th erupted into violence, the BBC reports. About 100 members of the Hindu right wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad (ABVP) protested the festival, leading to five injuries according to The Hindu report.

Christine Schanes: Homelessness - A Test of True Compassion
I believe that we are all, with the possible exception of a very few, born with compassion. Thus, for most of us, the quality of compassion is already within ourselves from birth -- we need only to find and awaken our compassion.

Rev. Susan Russell: Why Our Missing Voices Matter
GLAAD released "Missing Voices," a study finding that LGBT faith voices were underrepresented in the mainstream media. Yes, another study confirming what we have long suspected, known, and experienced -- and also an opportunity to blog about why it matters.

Preetam Kaushik: The Islamic Hijab: Is it Really as Oppressive as We Think?
Over the last few decades, the steady immigration of Muslims from around the world to America and across Europe, has thrown the spotlight on the hijab. Many Americans and Europeans are surprised to find that contrary to what they believe, a large number of Muslim women do not wear the hijab out of compulsion but out of choice.

Rev. Earl E. Johnson: Getting It
Chaplains working with our warriors can be vital to mission readiness including their spiritual preparation. All wars are religious. All conflicts are spiritual.

Religion News Service | Blogs | Omid Safi - What Would Muhammad Do? |
Today is the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's historic speech at the Riverside Church, and the radical recognition of the connection between racism, materialism, and militarism.

Richard Stearns: A Dark Easter For Palestinian Christians
I pray for another miracle this Holy Fire Saturday, one that would remove all restrictions on the freedom to worship for the Christians of the Holy Land.

AMA warning after Christian group Set Right performs exorcisms on two-year-old | News.com.au
EXORCISTS who say depression and schizophrenia are demons that can be cast out, are treating children as young as two for possession, a claim the Australian Medical Association has dismissed as unscientific and potentially harmful.

Carol Smaldino: Occupying Passover
The idea of Passover is that the issues of slavery and freedom are for all of us. If that is so, we need to confront slavery not only in the most obviously brutalized parts of the world, but in ourselves as well.

Churches damaging their images | Adelaide Now
CHURCHES' hardline stance against same-sex marriage is damaging their image, their opponents claim.

Student sent home for wearing 'too-long' skirt | News.com.au
PLENTY of girls have been hauled into the principal's office for wearing skirts that barely cover their thighs, but a high school student in France was recently sent home for donning a skirt that was too long.

Hani Almadhoun: Cats in Gaza and Cats in Islam
As the government put a value on cats, and as more people realized the key role played by those cuddly creatures, Gazans started to breed cats, and started to treat cats with more respect.

Progressive Muslims Launch Gay-Friendly, Women-Led Mosques In Attempt To Reform American Islam
At first, the devout Muslims who gathered in a Washington, D.C., conference center seemed like they could have come from any mosque. There were women in headscarves and bearded men who quoted the Quran.

New York Jewish school tells students to get off Facebook ... or get kicked out | News.com.au
FOR Facebook users at a Hasidic all-girls high school in New York it's either Exodus - or expulsion.

Chinese Police Raid Underground Christian Newspapers In Latest 'House Church' Crackdown
Chinese police raided the offices of two underground Christian newspapers on Monday and seized four prominent staff members who are still missing, the Texas-based Christian rights group ChinaAid reports. "Four of the magazines' most important personnel were taken into police custody," ChinaAid said of the raids in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.

Indonesia bans mini skirt because men 'won't be able to control themselves' | News.com.au
INDONESIA will ban the mini skirt in a bid to deflect growing dissent over rising prices and government corruption.

Mustafa Akyol: Yet Another Not-So-Pious Al Qaeda Terrorist
Merah seems to be motivated by his reaction to the political traumas of the religious community that he subscribed to. His zeal seems to be against occupation and humiliation, not godlessness or impiety.

Catholics look to Asian priests to ease shortage - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The Catholic Church is keen to recruit priests from Asia to help overcome a shortage in regional Australia.

Going To Church Linked With Better Mood, Study Finds
Who are the happiest people? According to a new report from Gallup, it's those who regularly go to a place of worship, whether it be a church, mosque or synagogue.

Religion News Service | Faith | Clergy & Congregations | Churches lost $1.2 billion in recession
Religion News Service (RNS), a non-profit wire service delivering current, unbiased coverage of religion, ethics and spirituality from around the globe.

Howard Fishman: Live Music as a Spiritual Experience
So many of the things that make our lives faster, easier, more convenient, also distance us from ourselves and from one another. At my concerts, I make a point of calling everyone's attention -- mine too -- to the present moment.

Religion In Prison: Pew Forum Releases 50-State Survey Of Prison Chaplains
Pew Forum Releases New 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains: Study Provides Rare Window into Religion Behind Bars Washington, D.C. -- From the perspective of the nation’s professional prison chaplains, America’s state penitentiaries are a bustle of religious activity.

Carole Bennett, MA: A Father (and Rabbi) Loses His Son to a Drunk Driver
Redemption and forgiveness are not freely given or passively obtained -- they are earned and require actions beyond jail times, beyond any financial settlement.

Samuel Mullett Must Pay For Attorney In Amish Beard Cutting Trial
CLEVELAND -- The alleged ringleader in beard-cutting attacks on fellow Amish in Ohio cannot rely on taxpayers to pay his legal bills, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. U.S. District Court Judge Dan Polster ruled that Samuel Mullet Sr., 66, who has a nearly 800-acre farm near Steubenville with oil and gas leases, can afford to pay his defense attorney.

Religion News Service | Culture | Social Issues | French Jews and Muslims grapple for answers to school shootings
Religion News Service (RNS), a non-profit wire service delivering current, unbiased coverage of religion, ethics and spirituality from around the globe.

Jedis and Juggalos (2011) - ClownVid
WARNING: Some areas of this website are not politically correct or family-friendly. The video on this page is very informative, however.

triplej's Sunday Night Safran | Podcast
Sundays at 9pm on triple j. Religion, Politics and all things ethnic - with John Safran and Father Bob

Religion News Service | Blogs | Jana Riess - Flunking Sainthood | The Mormon Modesty Police
Religion News Service (RNS), a non-profit wire service delivering current, unbiased coverage of religion, ethics and spirituality from around the globe.

John Shore: Why a Queer, Polyamorous Person Shouldn't Give up on Christianity
To be alive is to actively and constantly choose a belief system. No one, no matter how "free" they may think their mind is, exists outside of such a system.

Amy Julia Becker: Spirituality With Religion Is To Be Still and to Know
In the words of the Psalm, knowing God is the fence, the protective barrier, that allows us to be still.

Vatican Bank Account Closed At JP Morgan, Image May Be Hurt
* Latest in series of image problems for Vatican bank

Muslims under the spotlight after 9/11 | Al Jazeera Blogs

Ex-Ku Klux Klan Imperial Wizard lectures Geelong kids | News.com.au
A KU Klux Klan Imperial Wizard turned born-again-Christian has visited Geelong to lecture local school children on the importance of stopping hatred and accepting difference.

Mira Sucharov: Can Judaism Survive With Atheism in Its Midst?
Particularly in an age where debate around Godlessness is coming squarely into the mainstream of Western thought, I don't think the question of belief is going to be settled anytime soon.

Evangelicals Voting In Record Numbers In GOP Primaries
By David GibsonReligion News Service (RNS) Making up half of Republican primary voters, evangelicals appear to be turning out to support Rick Santorum's resurgent campaign in record numbers and are increasingly influencing the shape of the party.

Rick Santorum Not Getting Catholic Vote
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — At El Sendero De La Cruz evangelical church, Rick Santorum sought prayers along with votes. He told the San Juan congregation that he felt "very blessed" to be with people of faith and said he can withstand the demands of campaigning because of the many people like them he meets while running for president.

Shenouda III; Coptic Christians Bid Farewell To Pope, Burial To Be At Wadi El Natrun (PHOTOS)
By Yasmine Saleh

Hillsong Church defeats Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore's site ban to redevelop warehouse in Alexandria | News.com.au
THE Hillsong Church has scored a win over Lord Mayor Clover Moore with a court ruling it can start a $1 million development of a warehouse to hold more than 1000 weekend worshippers.

Vatican Pulls Support For Clericus Cup, Seminarians' Soccer League
By Alessandro SpecialeReligion News Service VATICAN CITY (RNS) A Vatican department has withdrawn its support from a soccer tournament that pits teams from Rome's seminaries against each other because it has lost its "educational" value.

Marcel Guarnizo, Catholic Priest, In Letter Defends Denying Communion To Lesbian Woman
By David GibsonReligion News Service (RNS) A Catholic priest who was pulled from ministry after a furor over denying Communion to a lesbian at her mother's funeral insists he did the right thing and criticized the Washington archdiocese for disciplining him.

Youcef Nadarkhani, Imprisoned Pastor, Won't Be Executed, Iran Claims
An official from Iran has refuted claims of plans to execute imprisoned pastor

Religion News Service | Politics | Government & Politics | So does God need our help or not?
Religion News Service (RNS), a non-profit wire service delivering current, unbiased coverage of religion, ethics and spirituality from around the globe.

Amish Buggy Drag Racing, Drinking: Youth Charged After Crash Into Police Car
March 12 (Reuters) - Four Amish youths were charged with underage drinking after they crashed their horse-drawn buggy into a police cruiser in upstate New York

Morality police stone 'emos' to death in Iraq | News.com.au
IRAQI teenagers widely perceived to be gay are being brutally killed in Baghdad with Shi'ite militias distributing lists of targets warning of further assaults.

Religious education 'discriminatory' tribunal told - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has been told the State Education Department is discriminating against children whose parents do not want them taught religious education.

Objection! Religion In Video Games | Kotaku Australia
Earlier this week this story was posted, a story which claimed that video games have a 'problematised' view of religion. But what does 'promblematised... (NB: Might not be accessible on NTSchools)

Teach kids all faiths - parents fight 'Sunday school' monopoly in primary schools
PARENTS have launched a landmark legal bid to end #Christianity 's ruling role over #religious studies in government schools.

Punk Rock in Rehab
#islam #music #indonesia

Santa wanted for murder
#middle #east

ABC News - Islamic Council Claims Harrassment
#islam #Australia #tolerance