RELIGION HEADLINES – SUN 3-22-26

(SRN NEWS)  A new poll asks moms about church.  It comes from Motherhood Today and it reveals that about half of them say the number one reason they attend worship services regularly is to grow in their faith.  The second most commonly cited reason is to learn about God.  When asked what’s good and not so good at their church, a strong majority of moms say they like the small group ministries but wish there was more mental health support and more outreach specifically to mothers.  Previous studies indicate that when moms feel comfortable at church they are more likely to make their children attend as well.

(  )  The Pew Research Center has released a new study of religious diversity around the globe and it finds that for sheer number of different religions within one country, nobody beats Singapore.  Suriname and Taiwan come in second and third respectively.  The U.S. places 32nd on the overall religious diversity list, but amongst the largest nations on earth it is number one, followed by Nigeria and Russia.  The least diversity is found in mostly-Muslim countries in the Middle-East and Africa.  Religious diversity is also a measure of religious freedom in a country.  More repressive nations generally have less diversity.

(  )  An Arkansas law requiring that the 10 Commandments be prominently displayed in public school classrooms has been struck down by a federal judge.  Last year, seven Arkansas families of various religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s new law, naming six school districts as defendants.  While the judgment blocks the 10 Commandments requirement, it’s unclear how broadly it can be applied — if it is limited to the specific school districts named in the lawsuit or if it covers the entire state.  Texas and Louisiana also have statutes requiring the posting of the Commandments.

(  )  China is rolling out a new law designed to promote “ethnic unity”.  Religious freedom advocates inside and outside the country warn that the measure will be used to increase the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities.  According to International Christian Concern “The ethnic unity law consolidates an ideology that places loyalty to the Communist Party and to President Xi Jinping at the apex of national identity. This approach merges ideological conformity with political power, minimizing autonomy, and perceiving independent religious expression as inherently threatening.”  China is ranked as one of the top persecutors of Christians.