RELIGION HEADLINES

(SRN NEWS) – Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine has signed legislation that boosts the rights of parents to know if their child is living as the opposite sex in school.  It also requires moms and dads to be notified if the teacher is going to present lessons involving sexuality or gender.  Parents can also opt their kids out of such lessons under the new law, which has been named the “Parents’ Bill of Rights.”  It comes as conservatives increasingly criticize public schools as too liberal and express concern with how teachers are often overriding the will of parents. 

The search for the next Archbishop of Canterbury has begun following the resignation of Dr. Justin Welby.  The selection process starts with the Crown Nominations Commission.  It will forward the name of its preferred candidate to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will confirm that the individual is willing to serve before submitting the nominee’s name to King Charles for approval.  The whole process may take until the fall. The Archbishop is the symbolic head of the Anglican Communion, which has more than 85 million members in 165 countries.  

Anti-Semitism rears its head in Poland.  Authorities are trying to track down the person who painted graffiti on a memorial for those who were deported to concentration camps from the Warsaw Ghetto during World War Two.  Writing on social media, Israel’s ambassador to Poland — Jacob Levine — says “Shameful vandalism.  Poland has a special responsibility to protect Jewish and Holocaust sites; hold vandals accountable.”  Anti-Semitism has surged around the globe ever since the Hamas attack on Israel in October of 2023. 

Facebook is making some changes.  It is scrapping its fact-checking department and relaxing its draconian rules around hate speech and abuse — rules that targeted Christians, conservatives, pro-lifers and anyone who opposed the LGBT agenda.  Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg says the social media giant will “remove restrictions on topics like gender and immigration that are out of touch with mainstream discourse,” citing the 2024 elections as a catalyst.  Other social media platforms are following suit, if they haven’t already.