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Michael Harrington
Religion in the News Editor
The 10 Commandments are on hold in Louisiana
The 10 Commandments are on hold in Louisiana
VERBATIM: The state has a law that requires all public schools post the Decalogue in every classroom but a federal judge has suspended the legislation while a challenge plays out in court. The American Civil Liberties Union is representing a group of families who believe the 10 Commandments law is a violation of the so-called separation of church and state. The Commandments were to be displayed along with the Mayflower Compact and other documents. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadPro-lifers need cash
Pro-lifers need cash
The annual Christmas Wars begin in Britain
The annual Christmas Wars begin in Britain
VERBATIM: Debenhams department store has removed a holiday sweater bearing the words “A Gay In A Manger”, complete with a crib and a rainbow flag. British clergymen and Christian ministries threatened a boycott. It seems every year at this time, LGBT groups try to co-opt the holiday or atheist groups try to ban any presentation of the real meaning of Christmas or Satanists seek to set up pagan statues next to the manger. And so the Christmas Wars begin. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadA court battle over transgenderism will continue
A court battle over transgenderism will continue
Another church attack in Canada
Another church attack in Canada
VERBATIM: Vandals have launched a third assault on a Polish Catholic house of worship in Edmonton, smearing it with graffiti and twice trying to burn it down. No one knows why Holy Rosary Church has become the target of such repeated attacks, but Canadian churches all across the country are in the crosshairs. In the last three years, arsonists have tried to burn down at least 24 churches and others have been subject to different kinds of vandalism. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadWest Virginia rejects assisted suicide
West Virginia rejects assisted suicide
VERBATIM: The margin was razor-thin but a majority of voters approved an amendment that bars doctors from helping people take their own lives. The bill reads “No person, physician, or health care provider in the State of West Virginia shall participate in the practice of medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of a person.” So far, 10 states and the District of Columbia have made it legal for people to commit suicide with a doctor’s help. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadA disturbing report from a Muslim country
A disturbing report from a Muslim country
A satanic display in a French city
A satanic display in a French city
More trouble for the Church of England
More trouble for the Church of England
A Canadian province tackles transgenderism
A Canadian province tackles transgenderism
VERBATIM: Lawmakers in Alberta are considering a measure that would bar doctors from performing sex-change operations on children. The legislation mirrors a number of state laws in the U.S. that say anybody under the age of 18 simply cannot make an informed decision about having irreversible surgery designed to help them live as the opposite sex. Canada is generally more socially liberal than this country, but parents north of the border are beginning to express concerns about transgenderism. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadA major effort to spread the gospel is progressing
A major effort to spread the gospel is progressing
VERBATIM: The Global Church Network’s plan is to set up 800 training hubs for Christian leaders all around the world in hopes of providing the kind of guidance that will be needed to achieve the organization’s goal of fulfilling the Great Commission by the year 2030. GCN says it has so far managed to establish 200 of those training hubs on six of the seven continents. The latest hubs have opened in South Africa and in the Balkans. In all, an additional one million pastors will be trained. MH SRN News.
Listen DownloadA Catholic group has a problem with Kamala Harris
A Catholic group has a problem with Kamala Harris
Los Angeles has a special place for transgender people to vote
Los Angeles has a special place for transgender people to vote
Americans weigh-in on in vitro fertilization
Americans weigh-in on in vitro fertilization
VERBATIM: A new poll from the Public Religion Research Institute finds that 85% of adults do NOT want to see IVF outlawed in their state or in the nation. This is one issue where politics plays virtually no role: 88% of Decrats, 86% of Independents and 85% of Republicans all say they want IVF to remain legal and available. There are pro-life concerns about the fertility procedure because it involves the creation of multiple embryos, some of which are generally destroyed. MH SRN NEWs.
Listen DownloadWitches love Disney
Witches love Disney
VERBATIM: Actual practitioners of Wicca are praising the TV series “Agatha All Along”, which streams on Disney-Plus, for what they call its accurate portrayal of their occult practices. A Florida woman who describes herself as a witch tells Religion News Service “The people that wrote this have to have a background in paganism, witchcraft or something. The characters are not typical Halloween witches.” Some witches say they are incorporating aspects of the program into their rituals. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadWho’s that knocking on the door?
Who’s that knocking on the door?
VERBATIM: If you live in a presidential battleground state, it’s probably the Faith and Freedom Coalition. That Evangelical organization reports that its volunteers have knocked on EIGHT MILLION doors in seven key states, seeking to get Christians to vote. Polls indicate that millions of believers still don’t get to the polls on Election Day and mobilizing even a small percentage of them could decide who becomes president. FFC is predicting good turnout on Tuesday. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadLatinos are the fastest-growing group of American Evangelicals
Latinos are the fastest-growing group of American Evangelicals
VERBATIM: According to the Pew Research Center, 15 percent of them identify as Evangelical Protestants now. They are an influential voting bloc, particularly in swing states and both parties are vying for their votes in a year when margins are expected to be thin. Among all Evangelicals, Latinos are the fastest-growing group. About 50 percent of them identify as Republicans — 44 percent Democrat. MH SRN NEWS
Listen DownloadA famous church will be rebuilt
A famous church will be rebuilt
VERBATIM: Officials at First Baptist Dallas have unveiled plans for the reconstruction of their historic sanctuary, which was destroyed earlier this year by fire. The new building, which will be raised on the foundations of the old one, will feature a larger steeple and stained glass windows. Restoring the 1890’s red brick building will cost nearly 100 million dollars and will begin in January. At the time of the fire, the sanctuary was only used for ceremonial events — worship takes place in a much larger building. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadThings are getting worse
Things are getting worse
VERBATIM: That’s what a lot of Americans say about the state of this country compared to 70 years ago. A new poll from the Pew Research Center asks whether the U.S. culture and way of has gotten better or worse since the 1950’s and about half of the population says WORSE. Majorities of ALL major religious groups agree with that assessment, including White Evangelical Protestants, White Mainline Protestants, White Catholics and Hispanic Protestants. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadMen are displacing women in sports
Men are displacing women in sports
A major study on transgenderism is being squashed
A major study on transgenderism is being squashed
Persecution of Christians around the world is getting worse
Persecution of Christians around the world is getting worse
VERBATIM: It’s the same old story in a NEW survey released by Aid To The Church In Need. The report looks at 18 countries and it finds that attacks on Christians and general oppression is on the rise everywhere, though the worst persecution by radical Muslims is now to be found in Africa, not the Middle East. The report also indicates that violations of religious freedom by dictatorial regimes — such as the one in China — have also become more intense. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadThe battle over gay marriage comes to South Korea
The battle over gay marriage comes to South Korea
VERBATIM: Two million Evangelical Christians in the country are planning to pray together on Sunday as lawmakers consider a bill that would allow same-sex couples to share health care benefits. Clergymen and pro-family advocates in South Korea fear that if the measure passes, it will be the first step toward the eventual legalization of homosexual unions. Asia is socially conservative as a rule, but a growing number of countries there are beginning to legalize gay marriage. MH SRN NEWS.
Listen DownloadAbortion is a litmus test for a lot of Americans
Abortion is a litmus test for a lot of Americans