Posts tagged politics and religion
Most Americans Don’t Believe God Played A Role In The Presidential Election

A majority of Americans do not believe God plays a role in presidential elections — a view that has remained consistent across several cycles, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. The survey found that 49% said God does not get involved in presidential elections, while another 14% say they don’t believe in God at all. About a third said election results are part of God’s overall plan.

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These 3 States Are Pushing To Put The Ten Commandments In School

(ANALYSIS) As disputes rage on over religion’s place in public schools, the Ten Commandments have become a focal point. At least a dozen states have considered proposals that would require classrooms to post the biblical laws, while three recently passed laws mandating their display starting this year.

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Is The Jerusalem Terror Attack The Start Of A Third Intifada?

(ANALYSIS) For now, it would be premature to declare that that moment has arrived. Yet it would be incautious, too, to ignore the warning signs. The latest terrorism in Jerusalem may not be the turning point. But unless the trajectory changes — unless there is a serious Israeli effort to address Palestinian grievances, rather than inflame them — the explosion everyone fears may soon become impossible to prevent.

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Trump Vows To Defend Religious Liberty Ahead Of Nation’s 250th Birthday

In remarks at the Museum of the Bible during a meeting of his Religious Liberty Commission, President Donald Trump touted his administration’s religious liberty victories, vowed to protect prayer in public schools and announced the donation of his personal Bible to the museum.

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Faith, Family And The Law: Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett Opens Up In New Memoir

The Catholic justice said what motivated her to write a book is to shed a light on the Supreme Court’s inner workings and give a behind-the-scenes look at what the justices do. She added that while the Supreme Court may not always “get it right” in every case, she does “think Americans should trust that the court is trying to get it right.”

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Contradictory Citizenship Policies Exposes Bias in India’s Immigration Practices

(ANALYSIS) If this administrative pattern continues, it risks institutionalizing practices that allow for both arbitrary denial of citizenship rights and arbitrary exemptions from legal violations. The consequences are especially grave in a country with diverse migrant histories and weak birth registration infrastructure. For many Indians without birth certificates, this could mean being subjected to unpredictable and discriminatory scrutiny.

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‘We Want Our Parents Back’: Rohingya Children Struggle Alone in India’s Detention Shadow

In the cramped lanes of Indian Administered Kashmir’s Jammu's Narwal slum, Kiryani Talab Camp, 8-year-old Noora awakens each morning to the same devastating reality: Her parents are not there to greet her. It is just one of the many stories of children who were separated from their parents a few years ago. “Things have only gotten worse,” one woman said.

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Crossroads Podcast: School Shootings And The Death Of Honest Questions

After each and every school shooting, the usual suspects in public life produce their familiar soundbites that draw cheers from the faithful in their various choirs in blue America and red America.

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Focus On The Family Founder James Dobson Dead At 89

James Dobson, a politically influential conservative and anti-abortion activist who founded the Christian ministry Focus on the Family, died on Thursday at the age of 89. Dobson started Focus on the Family in 1977, which had more than 1,000 employees at its peak in the mid-90s, giving him the chance to influence legislation and White House policy for decades.

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How Ronaldo’s Engagement Put A Spotlight On Saudi Arabia’s Shifting Social Boundaries

Cristiano Ronaldo’s engagement in Riyadh highlights Saudi Arabia’s evolving — but still inconsistent— social norms. Once governed by strict Islamic law, the kingdom has relaxed restrictions under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reforms. Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodríguez live openly as an unmarried couple — something that remains risky for ordinary Saudis, especially women.

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On Religion: How The Trump Era Transformed Colbert’s Satire Into Sermon

(ANALYSIS) While Stephen Colbert retains a faithful congregation, some fans who loved his sly blend of satire and progressive Catholicism mourn his decision to preach to only half of America, said media scholar Terry Lindvall, author of "God Mocks: A History of Religious Satire from the Hebrew Prophets to Stephen Colbert,” published in 2015.

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From Roman Holiday To Religious Feast, A History Of An Italian Summer Tradition

The roots of Ferragosto date back over 2,000 years to ancient Rome. The name itself is derived from the Latin phrase Feriae Augusti, meaning “Festivals of Augustus” — a holiday instituted in 18 BCE by Emperor Augustus. It later became a Christian holiday and is celebrated throughout Italy to this day.

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Study Says Americans’ Trust In The Church Rebounds Slightly

Most U.S. adults (52 percent) said they had a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the church as an institution in 2019, the last year a majority held that belief. In 2018, confidence levels fell below 40 percent for the first time. They edged above that mark in 2020 — only to drop back below in 2021 and even further in 2022.

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Tribunal Launched To Confront Taliban’s War On Afghan Women

(ANALYSIS) A coalition of civil society organizations announced the launch of the People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan, an initiative to address the impunity for the dire situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. 

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Another 2024 Election Surprise: US Muslims (Also) Shifted Republican

(ANALYSIS) Among the little-noticed aspects of the 2024 U.S. election is Muslims’ substantial 33% vote for Donald Trump — with a remarkable 42% backing from those who attend mosque weekly. That’s an increase from past elections.

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Special Report: Syria’s Christian Community Faces Extinction

A June terrori attack, the deadliest in recent memory, sent shockwaves through Syria's dwindling Christian population, communities that have endured in this ancient land for almost two millennia. Now, many fear they are witnessing the final chapter of one of Christianity's oldest continuous presences anywhere in the world.

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How Churches Help Local Public Schools in Various Ways

As students head back to the classroom, they’re likely to see the impact of local churches in their schools this year. A Lifeway Research study found that four in five U.S. Protestant pastors identify at least one way their congregations have engaged with local public schools in the last year. Only 18% of churches say they weren’t involved with area schools.

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2024 Election Post-Mortem: Atheists And Agnostics

(ANALYSIS) My first book was entitled “The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going.” It was published — what feels like a lifetime ago — in 2021. I’m pretty proud of that little volume because it established my approach to thinking about non-religion in the United States.

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