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NEWS OF
RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE
AND CONFLICT
DURING 2001-NOV
Sponsored link.
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2001-NOV-2: USA: Source say Wiccan may be
responsible for Anthrax attacks: According to NYPost.com, one theory
being circulated at the FBI and Justice Department is that "the anthrax
scare is the work of a twisted home-grown menace rather than a terrorist
linked to state-sponsored action or Osama bin Laden. Source say
investigators are eyeing a number of groups, including radical members of
a pagan cult. The Wiccan group fashions itself as modern-day witches
seeking religious freedom, but they are not known to be violent.
Investigators are probing whether a disturbed member of the group may have
taken a bizarre turn and is targeting the media and the government in
particular." 12 A Wiccan group has contacted
the FBI since NOV-2. They FBI is saying that they have no Pagan groups as
suspects and that the the NY Post report is bogus. | |
2001-NOV-2: VA: Virginia Supreme Court allows cross-burning: A
divided court voted 4 to 3 to declare a Virginian law unconstitutional. It
prohibits cross burning. Actually, the Ku Klux Klan and similar groups
refer to this as "cross lighting." The Court decided that the U.S.
Constitution protects free speech, no matter how offensive it might be.
The majority opinion said: "Under our system of government, people have
the right to use symbols to communicate. They may patriotically wave the
flag or burn it in protest; they may reverently worship the cross or burn
it as an expression of bigotry." Attorney General, Randolph A. Beales,
said that they would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. He
said: "Cross burning with the intent to intimidate is a form of
domestic terrorism, which is intolerable in a free society." The New
York Times reported: "Although courts in Maryland and South Carolina
struck down similar laws in the 1990's, 16 states and the District of
Columbia currently have such laws, according to the National Conference of
State Legislatures." The Virginia law may be ultimately judged to be
constitutional, because it forbids cross burning only when it is used to
intimidate someone. 13 | |
2001-NOV-5: UK: Conservative leader refuses to sign tolerance
pledge: The Daily Telegraph reported on NOV-6 that Ian Duncan Smith,
the leader of the British Conservative party refused to sign a pledge
committing his party to religious tolerance of Muslims
as part of Islamic Awareness Week. Smith said that he did not want to sign
something that might prove divisive and encourage a witch-hunt. The
Islamic Society is a cultural body, not officially recognized as being
representative of all Muslims in Britain. | |
2001-NOV-5: CA: A division of The Salvation Army offers Domestic Partner
Benefits, then is overruled: The Salvation Army's Western Corporation
is one of four divisions of the Army in the U.S. It has
decided to extend health-care benefits to domestic partners of its
employees. The Army will now comply with a San Francisco ordinance that
prohibits companies from doing business with the city if it
discriminates against the homosexual and common-law heterosexual
partners of its employees. At first, the Army had severed economic
ties with the city; they have since
reversed that decision. Col.
Phillip Needham, chief secretary of the Western Corporation
said: "This decision reflects our concern for the health of our
employees and those closest to them, and is made on the basis of
strong ethical and moral reasoning that reflects the dramatic
changes in family structure in recent years." Dr. Dobson,
president of the Fundamentalist Christian group Focus on the
Family responded: "Needham's statement reveals that the
decision to accommodate homosexual employees is based on cultural
considerations, rather than on what is right and ethical — and of
course, on the impact of federal money. We are not talking about
hatred for individuals; we are talking about policies that will
affect generations to come. What is at stake here is an agenda that
involves the welfare of children, the definition of marriage, the
constitution of the family, and credentials for pastors and priests."
Some responses to their decision:
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The gay-positive Human Rights Campaign called it a "prudent
decision" and a "welcome development."
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Dr. James Dobson also said: "The Salvation Army is the
first evangelical church, that I am aware of, to cave in on this
contentious issue. This decision will have enormous influence on
other Christian organizations and entities that have tried to hold
the line on moral and family policies. The Salvation Army has
(also) confirmed that this policy will apply, not only to the 13
Western states as the media has reported, but also to the entire
organization." |
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Ed Vitagliano is a spokesman for the American Family
Association, a Fundamentalist Christian group. He said: "I
think that all evangelical Christians who love God's Word and who
have trusted The Salvation Army to be faithful to the clear
indications ... and clear principles of God's Word about same-sex
relationships [are] very, very sad that this has happened." |
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Scott Lively, spokesperson for the American Family
Association of California, said: "This is driven by the
gay-activist movement. It has no other purpose but to legitimize
homosexuality in American society." |
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Karen Holgate, legislative director for the Capitol
Resource Institute in Sacramento, CA, said: "Every time
another Christian organization falls or bows to this kind of
pressure, it just applies that much more to others." |
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Peter LaBarbera, associate director of the Culture and
Family Institute in Washington, D.C. said: "Homosexual
activists are keen on seeing everybody embrace homosexuality. If
they see that a major Christian organization with a Bible-based
mission is willing to swallow the gay agenda, then they will be
more encouraged to go after every other Christian organization in
this nation." 15,16,17 |
On NOV-12, The Salvation Army's Commissioners' Conference, the ruling
national body, overruled the Western Division's decision. Their national policy "...will
not allow for any type of medical benefits for anyone who is not a
'husband, wife or dependent' of an employee." The Salvation
Army's national chief secretary, Col. Thomas Lewis, said that the
change was motivated as a result of "comment and opinion" from
members of The Salvation Army and others.
"We really believe that a lot of people (thought) that we
were not acknowledging the husband-wife-child as a
family, and (our position is) anything but that, because
the Army's moral and religious principles have always been that that
is the only family that we recognize. But it certainly was not perceived that way."
The Army's Commissioner, Lawrence Moretz, sent a memo to Army
officers saying, in part: "In rescinding this policy and in the
establishment of a national policy on health-care benefit access to spouse
and dependent children, we must stand united in the battle that will
undoubtedly follow from those who would now challenge our biblical and
traditional position. We will not sign any government contract or any
other funding contracts that contain domestic partner benefit requirements."
It is not known how many children are going to be placed at risk this decision as a
result of the decisions and sexual orientation of their parent(s). | |
2001-NOV-9: UK: Request to lift curse placed on a stone:
According to telegraph.co.uk, the Archbishop of Glasgow placed a
curse against English and Scottish sheep rustlers and robbers in the
Cumbria region some 500 years ago. The curse was inscribed on a giant
stone. Some local Roman Catholics believe that the curse exerts a
malevolent influence and is responsible for the severe foot-and-mouth
disease outbreak in the area. The Rt. Rev. Kevin Davis, Roman Catholic
Bishop of Carlisle, has invited whoever succeeds the late Cardinal Thomas
Winning as the next Roman Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow to bless the
stone and lift the curse. Davis is concerned about the "spiritual power"
possessed by the stone. He said: "if it has to stay, I would prefer a
blessing to offset it." | |
2001-NOV-9: USA: Conservative Christian Web sites having financial
problems:
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Ibelieve.com failed in 2000-OCT after 268 days of existence,
during which time its average loss was more than $111,000 a day. |
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Pat Robertson's web site Christianity.com is the home of
Prison Fellowship, The Salvation Army, Jews for Jesus and other
Fundamentalist and other Evangelical ministries. The site will close
down and will lay off all but a few of their approximately 36 employees
on NOV-15. A few employees will continue for a few months so that the
ministries can make arrangements to continue elsewhere. |
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Crosswalk.com allegedly announced: "At September 30, 2001
the Company had cash and invested funds of $801,298 and working capital
of $627,840." But it is losing about $255,000 a month. It may go the
way of Christianity.com eventuallyy. 14 |
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Beliefnet.com, which appeals to both liberal and conservative
Christians as well as followers of other religions, appeared to be in
good shape during 2001-NOV. However, it declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy
in early 2002. |
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2001-NOV-15: Egypt: People jailed on religious and homosexual
charges: Twenty-nine persons accused of engaging in homosexual
behavior were acquitted; twenty-two were found guilty and given sentences
ranging from two to five years in prison. Only a few observers were
allowed into the courtroom. Police had to drive back a crowd of about 200
relatives, lawyers, journalists and passersby who wanted to observe the
sentencing. |
Sherif Farahat and Mahmoud Ahmed Allam were found to be ringleaders of
the group. Farahat received five years for debauchery, contempt of
religion, falsely interpreting the Koran and exploiting Islam to promote
deviant ideas. Allam received three years in prison on the religious
charges, but was acquitted of debauchery. Amnesty International
condemned the trial; they accused Egypt of persecuting people because of
their sexual orientation. They also criticized the court itself for not
being independent of the state. Scott Long, spokesperson for the
U.S.-based "International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission"
condemned the verdicts as "a travesty" of justice. Most traditions
within Islam consider homosexual behavior to be
a serious sin. 18
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2001-NOV-16: USA: Religious hate-speech by Franklin Graham: MSNBC
reported that Franklin Graham, the son of arguably the best know
Evangelical Christian preacher Billy Graham, called the entire Islamic
religion "wicked, violent and not of the same God." [He presumably
meant that the God of Christianity is different from the God if Islam.] He
continued: "I don’t believe this is a wonderful, peaceful religion.
When you read the Koran and you read the verses from the Koran, it
instructs the killing of the infidel, for those that are non-Muslim."
When asked by NBC News to clarify his statement, Graham repeated his
charge that Islam, as a whole, is an evil. "It wasn’t Methodists flying
into those buildings, it wasn’t Lutherans. It was an attack on this
country by people of the Islamic faith."
NBC news contacted Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and other Christian
leaders. None would would comment on Graham’s attacks. Ken Woodward,
Newsweek religion editor, said: "Obviously, Mr. Graham is tone deaf in
this respect. He’s certainly not his father’s son in
terms of discretion." 19
During October, at the dedication of a chapel near Wilkesboro,
NC in his parents' name, Graham is quoted as saying: "We're
not attacking Islam but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam is not the
same God. He's not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian
faith. It's a different God and I believe it is a very evil and wicked
religion." He later issued a statement to the Charlotte Observer
saying "It is not my calling to analyze Islam or any other religions,
though I recognize that all religions have differences. In the past, I
have expressed my concerns about the teachings of Islam regarding the
treatment of women and the killing of non-Muslims or infidels." 20 |
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2001-NOV-19: USA: Muslim group asks Franklin Graham for interview: Nihad Awad, executive director of the
Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), sent Franklin Graham a letter stating, in part,
"I would therefore respectfully request a meeting during which
recognized Muslim scholars may offer you information about Islam,
particularly Islam's stance on the rights of women and minorities, that is
free of bias and distortions. At this time of national and international
crisis, it is imperative that we come together as people of faith to
promote inter-religious understanding and mutual respect." As of
NOV-22, there is no indication that he has responded to the request. 21 |
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2001-NOV-22: Fundamentalist pastor erects offensive sign:
Pastor Jeff Cole of the Crossroads Assembly of God Church in
Wilder, ID put up a sign in front of his church which said: "The spirit
of Islam is the spirit of the antichrist." Cole said that the message
reflects the Gospel, not religious hatred. He based the sign on 1 John,
4:2-3: "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every Spirit
that acknowledges that Jesus Christ is coming in the flesh is from God,
but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is
the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now
is already in the world." Pastor Cole said: "It is not a hate crime
against Islam. I have received three complaints, but I have also received
calls from pastors of churches from all of the Treasure Valley who support
the message." Mayor Steve Rhodes has received many complaints. He
found the sign offensive, but has no power to censor it. Rhodes said: "It
is inappropriate. It doesn't reflect the community, and it sure doesn't
reflect myself or my council." 24 |
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2001-NOV-28: KS: County commissioners close religious camp: Six
years ago, the owners of the Gaea Retreat Center obtained a county permit
to convert an abandoned church camp into a alternative religious center.
The center is on a 168-acre (68-hectare) area west of Kansas City, KS. It
has sponsored the well-known annual Gaea Goddess Gathering and a
Heartland Pagan Spiritual event. The Leavenworth County
commissioners denied their license renewal, thus putting it out of
business. A petition from the community accused the center of permitting
public nudity, pedophilia, illegal drug usage, and devil worship.
Caretaker Wanda Roths said: "They say they're afraid of us, what we do
here, the sound of drums...They don't know how lucky they are to have us
as their neighbors...We're very quiet, very peaceful. There has never been
any trouble out here."
The owners of the center filed a lawsuit suit on NOV-26, claiming that the
commissioners' action is illegal, unconstitutional and in violation of
laws protecting freedom of religious expression and practice. According to
Reuters: "The retreat denies any illegal activity, and county officials
say there is no evidence of any." 22 |
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2001-NOV-26: USA: Southern Baptists call for Muslim conversion to
Christianity: Rev. James G.
Merritt, head of the Southern Baptist Convention called on
fellow Baptists to pray for Muslim conversions on DEC-16, at the end of
Ramadan. Merritt called Christianity "the only true religion." He
said that "every other religion gives a false hope of having a
relationship with God...That's not what I say; that's what Jesus says."
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on Islamic-American
Relations, responded: "It's a free country. If he wants to
have Christians fast and pray, we're hardly in a position to tell people
not to." He said that Muslims had objected to Christian actions such
as appearing at a mosque to lay hands on it or "going into refugee
camps and troubled areas where people are poor and oppressed and using
power relationships to push these kinds of beliefs." 23
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References:
-
DayWatch is a daily service of Maranatha Christian
Journal. It provides "a daily summary of news headlines
with a Christian perspective..." The newsletter is free on
request. Their web site is at: http://www.mcjonline.com
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Newsroom: This service is no longer available
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ReligionToday™ provides free newsletters to which you can
subscribe at: http://www.ReligionToday.com.
These summaries are part of GOSHEN.net, which also includes LiveIt.net,
Devotionals.net, ChristianShareware.net, ChristianClassifieds.net,
ChristianMessageBoards.net, BibleStudyTools.net, MediaManagement.net,
WorldNewsToday.net, WebCastGuide.net, and
ChristianCollegeGuide.net
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Reuters is "the world's leading financial information
and news group. Their web page is at: http://www.reuters.com/
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Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR): E-mail: cair1@ix.netcom.com
URL: http://www.cair-net.org To
join CAIR-NET, CAIR's read-only mailing list: Send subscribe
cair-net in the body of a message to majordomo@cair-net.org
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EWTN News carries Roman Catholic news from Catholic World
News, Vatican Information Service, ZENIT, CWNews.com. See: http://www.ewtn.com/news/
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Ecumenical News International (ENI) in Geneva Switzerland
distributes news free religious news highlights to subscribers. They
can be contacted at PO Box 2100, CH - 1211, Geneva 2, Switzerland.
Telephone: (41-22) 791 6087/6515. Fax: (41-22) 788 7244 Email: eni@eni.ch.
Their web site is at http://www.eni.ch
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ZENIT.org is "an International News Agency based in
Rome. Our mission is to provide objective and professional coverage of
events, documents and issues emanating from or concerning the Catholic
Church for a worldwide audience, especially the media." Their
web site is at: http://www.zenit.org/english/
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Anglican Communion News Service provides information from an
Anglican perspective. See: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/index.html
A companion Episcopal News Service is at: http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/ens/
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AANEWS is distributed by American Atheists.
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CNSNews.com -- Cybercast News Service -- is a conservative
news source. Their home page is at:
http://www.cnsnews.com
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Murray Weiss, "Pre-9/11 'Terrorist' mail came from Indy,"
NYPost.com, 2001-NOV-1, at:
http://www.nypost.com/news/
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William Glaberson, "Court Voids Law Banning Cross Burning,"
2001-NOV-3, New York Times, at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/03/
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Ted Olsen, "Weblog: Christianity.com
Falls. Is Crosswalk.com Next?," at:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/
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Fred Jackson and Jody Brown, "Salvation Army to Offer 'Domestic
Partner' Benefits: Decision Hailed by Pro-Homosexual HRC, Condemned by
Pro-Family Groups," Agape Press at:
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/
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Stuart Shepard, "Dobson Laments Salvation Army's Decision," Focus on the Family, at:
http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/
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Allie Martin and Jody Brown, "Salvation Army Overrides Policy
Change," AgapePress, 2001-NOV-12, at:
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/
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"Court convicts 23 defendants in trial of alleged homosexuals,"
Jordan Times, at:
http://www.jordantimes.com
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"Christian leader condemns Islam: Preacher
Franklin Graham calls Islam 'wicked, violent,' " MSNBC Nightly News,
at:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/659057.asp
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Ken Garfield, "Graham stands by comments
on Islam: But 'evil and wicked' quote doesn't cancel Christian love, he
says," The Charlotte Observer, at:
http://www.charlotte.com/observer/
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"Muslims ask for meeting with evangelist over remarks on Islam,"
CAIR, news release 2001-NOV-14.
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"Kansas camp for nude witches fights closing,"
Reuters, 2001-NOV-27.
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"Baptist Head Urges Prayers for Muslim Conversion,"
Associated Press, at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/27/
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Eryn Curfman, "Anti-Muslim church sign sparks ire; Wilder
pastor's message links Islam, antichrist," Idaho Statesman, at:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/daily/
Copyright © 2001 by Ontario Consultants on Religious
Tolerance
Originally written: 2001-NOV-2
Latest update: 2001-DEC-8
Author: B.A. Robinson 
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