Posts in Politics
Exclusive: Author Eric Metaxas Admits Punching D.C. Protester And Offers Context

Best-selling author Eric Metaxas acknowledged to ReligionUnplugged.com that he hit a protester on Aug. 27 who was verbally harassing Trump supporters as they left President Donald Trump’s speech during the Republican National Convention at the White House.

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Evangelical leaders talk COVID restrictions and religious freedom

Prominent evangelicals Francis Chan, John MacArthur, Sam Rodriguez, Andy Stanley and religious freedom experts weighed in on how churches should navigate changing COVID-19 guidelines that some say unfairly target houses of worship.

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Should Churches Like John MacArthur's Resist COVID-19 Restrictions?

(OPINION) Governments have often overstepped their bounds in restricting religious gatherings more than other types of gatherings in restaurants, protests or casinos. Media has unfairly blamed churches for spreading COVID-19 cases when they make up a tiny portion of the overall case spread. But should churches defy orders and worship in-person?

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Freethought Caucus in U.S. House reflects the political potential of the non-religious

(OPINION) The House’s Freethought Caucus attracts more members from the rising number of religious ‘nones’ in U.S. politics. With the growth of groups like these that promote the representation of the ‘nones,’ what is the future of the U.S. House’s religious standpoints?

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India opens pellet fire on Muslim procession for first time

Over the weekend Indian security forces fired iron pellets into a peaceful Muslim procession in Kashmir that included children, citing the pandemic restrictions on large gatherings even though several Hindu pilgrimages have been allowed to continue. Although pellet fire has been used to quell political protests, this is the first time the government has used the condemned use of pellet fire on the Shia Muslim Muharram procession.

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Is it news when a U.S. senator claims Catholics are under attack?

(OPINION) This post isn’t some esoteric exercise in press freedom or news judgement. It’s about something real that is plaguing the national press in this country at this very critical moment in time.

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RNC Recap: On Second Night, Prayers for Jacob Blake, Focus on Religious Freedom

The second night of the Republican National Convention featured Billy Graham’s granddaughter Cissie Graham Lynch, a prisoner turned criminal justice reformer Jon Ponder, Pastor Norma Urrabazo of Las Vegas, former Covington Catholic high school student Nick Sandmann and First Lady Melania Trump.

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How Pence’s Faith Gave Trump Credibility Among Conservative Christians

(OPINION) Vice President Mike Pence has the role of firming up Trump’s base over the coming weeks, making sure evangelicals and traditional Catholics pull the lever for the president.

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DNC to include Catholics James Martin, Simone Campbell

The Democratic National Convention kicked off the week with a Sunday interfaith service featuring many different religious leaders but no Catholics, though Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden identifies with Catholicism. On Thursday, Father James Martin, a Catholic priest known for his work to advance LGBTQ acceptance in the church, is expected to speak and include pro-life views. Sister Simone Campbell, a progressive nun and friend of Biden’s, is also expected to speak.

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New thriller 'The Order' makes fiction from Catholicism's doctrinal friction

(REVIEW) Traditionalists versus progressives is the major plot of a new novel called The Order by writer Daniel Silva, who puts these sinister inner workings that highlight this modern-day Vatican political power struggle — albeit a fictional account in this case — into greater focus.

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Zimbabwean churches lead Zimbabwean Lives Matter protest against abuse, corruption

Zimbabwean human rights, democracy and Christian groups are rallying behind Catholic bishops in the southern African country after leaders were attacked over the weekend by the government. Government authorities labelled the bishops “evil” after they voiced their concerns over the country’s worsening economic and human rights crisis in a pastoral letter that has given new life to the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter online protest.

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Kamala Harris leans on faith traditions to reach voters for Democrats

This week Kamala Harris, presidential candidate Joe Biden’s running mate, will take the main stage at the virtual Democratic National Convention in events streamed online, kicked off Aug. 16 by an interfaith service featuring Christian, Native American, Hindu and Jewish religious leaders.

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Downtown Beirut church hit by blast is a symbol of hope, unity and grit

In the heart of Beirut’s downtown, the recent explosion is not the first blast Saint Elias Cathedral has survived. The cathedral has witnessed several wars in Lebanon and has a special symbolism as a sanctuary not only for Christians, but also Muslims who gather annually for a Ramadan feast hosted by the cathedral’s community. Father Agapios, priest of the church, spoke to Religion Unplugged about surviving the blast and his hope for Lebanon.

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