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Michael Harrington
Religion in the News Editor
A new study examines pastors and counseling
A new study examines pastors and counseling
VERBATIM: The Life Way Research report can be boiled down to this: America’s Protestant clergymen have less training in how to counsel individuals, but at the same time are less willing to refer those people to professionals outside the church — all this at a time when more parishioners seem to want counseling. Life Way spokesman Scott McConnell says “We are seeing a decline in pastors developing their counseling skills and having lay counseling ministries.” MH SRN NE#WS
Listen DownloadNew religion poll compares U.S. to the rest of the world
A new poll compares the U.S. to the rest of the world on religion
VERBATIM: About 70% of Americans say they are religiously affiliated and that’s a lot more than most other rich industrialized nations, but far behind the mostly-Muslim countries. We are middle-of the pack when it comes to daily prayer — we do it more than our European neighbors but less than people in Africa, Asia and the MIddle East. The U.S. is near the top of the heap when it comes to believing in an afterlife, however. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadA lot of people of faith voted for President Trump
A lot of people of faith voted for President Trump
VERBATIM: The Pew Research Center has done a detailed breakdown of the people who went to the polls last fall and it reveals that White Evangelicals were not the only ones who supported Mr. Trump. In November he won 62% of ALL Protestants — up 3% from 2020. And the president got 55% of the Catholic vote — up 6% — and a real embarrassment to the Democratic Party which owned the Catholic vote for most of the 20th century. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadA new poll examines the influence of fathers
A new poll examines the influence of fathers
VERBATIM: It comes from the Barna Group and it finds that boys who have good relationships with their dads have better family life in adulthood. 65% of men who got along with their fathers say they are satisfied in their married, compared to 58% of men who had a negative relationship with dad. Men who got on well with their fathers are also more likely to be on good terms with their own children — 53% to 44%. mh srnn news
Listen DownloadDelaware goes all-in on transgenderism
Delaware goes all-in on transgenderism
VERBATIM: Democratic Governor Matt Meyer has issued an executive order designed to make his state a destination for people who want their children to have sex-change operations. The order establishes that Delaware is now a “shield state prohibiting state agencies from cooperating with investigations, subpoenas, or legal actions initiated in other states against individuals or providers involved in gender-affirming care.” MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadAnother victory for religious freedom in Colorado
Another victory for religious freedom in Colorado
VERBATIM: Lawmakers in the state spend a lot of time promoting the LGBT agenda, and then watching the court knock down their laws. The latest case features a Christian camp, which has won the right NOT to allow boys to use girls’ restrooms and locker rooms. Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit on behalf of the camp and now the state is backing down, agreeing to let the camp alone, and exempt all other religious facilities from its LGBT orders. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadA new report paints a picture of the LGBT community in the U.S.
A new report paints a picture of the LGBT community in the U.S.
VERBATIM: The Public Religion Research Institute poll finds that gay people are mostly young, liberal and religiously unaffiliated. 36% of all LGBT Americans are under 30 years old and another third are between 30 and 45. 51% of homosexuals identify as liberal and a plurality say they vote Democrat. The PRRI study also reports that 52% of homosexuals are atheists, agnostics or followers of no particular religion. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadMost churches are not big on discipline
Most churches are not big on discipline
VERBATIM: There’s a debate going on in Christian circles these days about such topics as church membership covenants and spiritual abuse. But a new poll from Life Way Research seems to suggest that a lot of congregations are adopting a light touch. 70% of Mainline Protestant pastors tell Life Way that no member of their church has EVER been formally disciplined — during their tenure or before. Nearly 50% of Evangelical clergymen say the same. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadA British clergyman issues a disturbing confession
A British clergyman issues a disturbing confession
VERBATIM: Philip North heads the Anglican Diocese of Blackburn and he has written a letter to his parishioners admitting that he never condemned the rise of so-called “rape gangs” in England because he didn’t want to appear racist. The gangs, which have become a national scandal in the United Kingdom, are being run by Muslim immigrants. North says he thought speaking up might impair the Church of England’s racial reconciliation efforts. He now supports a national inquiry. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadA new abortion facility in Chicago will do late-term abortions
A new abortion facility in Chicago will do late-term abortions
VERBATIM: The Hope Clinic has announced that it will perform the grisly procedures — the only stand-alone facility in the entire Midwest to do so. Under Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker, Illinois is trying to become the most liberal state in the region on abortion and therefore a destination for women from pro-life states who want to end their pregnancies. Hope Clinic will be aborting unborn babies who are long past the point of being able to survive outside the womb. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadNew York City Pride is running out of cash
New York City Pride is running out of cash
VERBATIM: The organization that runs the Big Apple’s notorious Gay Pride parade says it’s short about three-quarters of a million dollars for the June 29th event because sponsors have pulled out. About 25% of NYC Pride’s corporate benefactors have quit, including Pepsi, Nissan and Target. It’s all part of the sudden death of Woke Capitalism, which has seen big firms pull their support for the LGBT agenda amidst a surge of complaints from consumers. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadSatanists are praising the Governor of Minnesota
Satanists are praising the Governor of Minnesota
VERBATIM: A group called the Democratic Coalition of Satan Worshippers has placed a plaque in the state capitol building that thanks Tim Walz for allowing them to set up a display during last year’s Christmas season. The plaque reads “We thank the governor. Satan has a special place for you.” In fact, Walz issued a statement in 2024 saying he did not personally agree with the display, but he could not bar it on constitutional grounds. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadA new poll asks clergymen about their families
A new poll asks clergymen about their families
A battle over the 10 Commandments in Illinois
A battle over the 10 Commandments in Illinois
VERBATIM: The Freedom From Religion Foundation — the nation’s leading atheist organization — is leading a lawsuit against Jefferson County over a monument bearing the Decalogue on the grounds of the county courthouse. The Foundation claims it’s a violation of the Constitution but supporters point out that the Supreme Court has approved such displays in the past. The Foundation spends most of its time seeking to remove all traces of Christianity from the public square. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadA comparison of Christians and Muslims in the U.S.
A comparison of Christians and Muslims in the U.S.
VERBATIM: It comes from the Pew Research Center and it reveals that followers of the two faiths are roughly equal in their commitments. 86% of self-identified Christians say religion is important in their life and 86% of American Muslims say the same. 37% of Christians attend worship services once a week compared to 39% of Muslims. However, the Christians are a much larger group — about 70% of the total population versus just 1% for Muslilms. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadFranklin Graham is off to the United Kingdom
Franklin Graham is off to the United Kingdom
VERBATIM: The popular evangelist is scheduled to preach the gospel Saturday at Royal Victoria Dock in London. It’s one of several international gospel festivals he will host and is a familiar place for him to preach. Graham has stopped in the U.K. several times in recent years, following in the footsteps of his famous father whose first overseas crusade took place in London in the 1950’s. Graham will also travel to Belgium and Argentina this year. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadA Texas man is charged with killing an unborn baby
A Texas man is charged with killing an unborn baby
VERBATIM: Justin Banta is accused of slipping abortion pills into his girlfriend’s drink after asking her to have an abortion and she refused. The child later died when the woman suffered a miscarriage. Banta is charged with capital murder. Pro-life activists have been warning of the danger presented when abortion pills become widely available — as they are now thanks to efforts by former President Biden and other Democrats. Women won’t be the only ones using them. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadThe number of households headed by same-sex couples is going up
The number of households headed by same-sex couples is going up
VERBATIM: It’s still a tiny percentage over the overall U.S. population, but in the last 10 years, the number of gay couples heading households has gone from about 850,000 to 1.3 million. Those figures come from the Pew Research Center which also reports that homosexual households are more likely to be found in the Northeast or the Far West. Gay partners are also more likely than straight couples to have a college degree and be wealthy. MH SRNN NEWS
Listen DownloadMore bad news from Nigeria
More bad news from Nigeria
VERBATIM: Muslim extremists have massacred nearly 200 Christians in the restive northern part of the country. It’s just the latest outrage in a couple of decades of persecution brought by multiple Islamic extremist groups operating in the country. Nigeria’s government has tried to bring the terrorists to heel but many observers say it has been a half-hearted effort. Despite the large Christian population of Nigeria, most of its governing officials are Muslims. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadAfrica is hosting an anti-persecution gathering
Africa is hosting an anti-persecution gathering
VERBATIM: With Muslim terrorism spreading across the continent and Christian suffering as a result, the International Religious Freedom Summit is taking action. This week it is hosting the first ever IRF Summit Africa in partnership with the Global Peace Foundation and Pepperdine University. The event, which is being held in Kenya, hopes to encourage greater religious freedom throughout Africa which in the past saw Muslims and Christian live together in peace. MH SRN NE
Listen DownloadYour pastor might have another job
Your pastor might have another job
VERBATIM: According to numbers from the National Survey of Religious Leaders, 35% of all clergy in the U.S. are bivocational — meaning they hold down a second job to make ends meet. Amongst Evangelical Protestants, nearly HALF of all pastors have a second job, compared to just 14% of Catholic and 11% of Mainline Protestant clergy. Overall, the percentage of preachers who are bivocational is going up over time. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadAnother athlete runs afoul of the LGBT agenda
Another athlete runs afoul of the LGBT agenda
VERBATIM: The French soccer league is suspending Nemanja Matic of the Olympique Lyon club for covering up a rainbow badge on his official jersey during a recent match. The league was celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. But Matic, who is from Serbia, is a Christian and says his faith forbids him from promoting Gay Pride. League officials are unmoved — suspending him for four matches. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadThe Satanic Temple is opening another abortion center
The Satanic Temple is opening another abortion center
Lawmakers in England might expand abortion this month
Lawmakers in England might expand abortion this month
VERBATIM: Currently, British women can terminate their pregnancies up to 24 weeks — that’s six months into a pregnancy. But several MP’s have introduced a measure that would legalize abortion right up to the moment of birth. Polls in the United Kingdom show only one percent of the general public supports late term abortion, but about 70% of lawmakers do and they are planning to do something about it. The vote could come next week. MH SRN NEWS
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