Posts in women
Al Hassan Convicted Of International Crimes, But Not For Ones Based On Gender

(ANALYSIS) On June 26, Trial Chamber X of the International Criminal Court (ICC), by a majority, convicted Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud (Al Hassan), a Malian Islamist militant, of some of the charges brought against him of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed between April 2, 2012, and Jan. 29, 2013.

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Pro-Life Voters And The New Trump Platform

(OPINION) There is a new challenge for pro-life voters as we approach the 2024 elections. On the one hand, it’s impossible for a truly pro-life voter to vote for a Democratic presidential candidate given the radical, pro-abortion stance of that party. That holds true as well for the positions of President Biden, which continue to lurch farther to the left. But now that the RNC has embraced the watered down platform crafted by the Trump team, do we acquiesce and vote GOP?

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Crossroads Podcast: Pride News Trends That May Continue Into The Future

Did everyone in the religious congregation of your choice have a good “Fidelity Month”? That’s a joke, of course. There were probably more churches in America that celebrated Pride Month than those that were aware that “Fidelity Month” even exists. And pride is where it’s at, when it comes to the principalities and powers of corporate America, Big Tech, Hollywood, mainstream newsrooms and the vast majority of our elected officials from sea to shining sea.

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On Religion: Should The Vatican Stop Displaying Art By A Priest Accused Of Abuse?

(ANALYSIS) When members of the Society of Jesus gather at Borgo Santo Spirito, their headquarters near the Vatican, they worship surrounded by the relics of Jesuit saints and works of sacred art. This includes the work of Father Marko Ivan Rupnik, who the Jesuits expelled last year after investigations into allegations he sexually and emotionally abused up to 30 women in religious orders. The Vatican had excommunicated the priest in 2020, but quickly withdrew that judgment.

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The Taliban’s Treatment Of Women Should Shock The Conscience Of Humanity

(ANALYSIS) In June 2024, in the build-up to the 56th session of the Human Rights Council, U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, published his report on “The phenomenon of an institutionalized system of discrimination, segregation, disrespect for human dignity and exclusion of women and girls.”

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What Churchgoers Say About Pregnancy Care Centers

Two years ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and the nationwide right to an abortion. In the aftermath, many churchgoers say they’ve seen their congregations involved in supporting local pregnancy resource centers. A Lifeway Research study finds three in 10 U.S. Protestant churchgoers have seen at least one type of congregational connection with those local centers.

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Crossroads Podcast: Are Southern Baptists ‘Normal Evangelicals’ These Days?

The big news was politics, of course, as in a convention speech by Vice President Mike Pence. The journalism establishment was not amused, as illustrated in this CNN headline: “Pence accused of ‘hijacking’ evangelical meeting.” Various types of Southern Baptist conservatives welcomed him.

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How ‘Gothix’ Challenges Our Cultural Narratives Around Cancel Culture And Faith

(REVIEW) The documentary “Gothix” tells the story of popular Twitch streamer Vanessa Rosa (known online as “Gothix”) who, having achieved her dream of being a full-time internet personality, loses it all when she states a controversial opinion that makes her the target of a concentrated harassment and boycott campaign by her friends and peers. “Gothix” is a timely documentary about the universality of cancel culture and how faith may hold the answer to navigating it. 

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Sexual Abuse Prevention Stronger In Southern Baptist Churches Than Stats Suggest

As a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP), First Baptist Naples at least annually conducts mandatory training for all church employees, requires background checks and screenings for all staff and volunteers – with periodic updates, provides sexual abuse prevention resources and conducts a counseling ministry.

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Claudia Sheinbaum Elected Mexico’s First Female Jewish President

Claudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, won a landslide victory on Sunday to become Mexico's first female president. Sheinbaum, won the presidency with nearly 60% of the vote, defeating opposition candidate Xochitl Galvez. She is also Jewish in a country that is majority Catholic.

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Muslim Women Who Are Registered To Vote More Likely To Donate Money

(ANALYSIS) Civic engagement — including volunteering and registering to vote — rather than religiosity was more correlated with giving by Muslim American women, according to research we conducted with our colleagues at the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative. Muslims are required to contribute zakat, a form of giving. To meet this obligation, Muslims are required to give 2.5 percent of their wealth to charities.

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Faith-Based Initiative Helping Nigerians Beat Unemployment

Nigeria’s population is well over 200 million. The African country’s median age is 18, but 13.8% of its young men and women are without formal education, employment or any form of job training. This has made unemployment a compelling and dire issue requiring concerted efforts from both state and charities.

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Crossroads Podcast: CBS Plays Papal Softball With Francis

I am old enough to remember when “60 Minutes” was must-watch television for journalists. In those days, this CBS News “magazine for television” had a crack research team that dug deep and found the documents and evidence needed to support tough questions for political, cultural and business leaders who granted interviews.

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Christian Leaders Across Africa Oppose Bill Seeking To Repeal Gambia’s FGM Ban

The African nation of Gambia was thrust into a national debate this spring after the country's parliament advanced a bill that would repeal its eight-year ban on female genital mutilation — a move that could make it the first country in the world to overturn a ban on the age-long practice. Christian leaders have been among the most outspoken against it.

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Crossroads Podcast: The Catholic Trads Are Coming!

The feature is framed with bad news — that progressive Catholics in the United States are experiencing pain because of the rising numbers of young priests and young adults (especially parents with, wink-wink, lots of children) seeking a more pro-Catholic Catechism approach to faith.

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Arizona Repeals 1864 Abortion Law, While Florida Enacts 6-Week Ban

The Arizona Legislature repealed on May 1 an 1864 abortion ban that would have protected life from conception, but the law could still take effect temporarily during a 90-day waiting period for the repeal to become law. In Florida, meanwhile, a six-week abortion ban became law.

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Despite Opposition From Bishops, EU Deems Abortion A ‘Fundamental Right’

Despite opposition from Catholic bishops across the continent, the European Union voted on Thursday to enshrine access to abortion as a “fundamental right” in its charter. The proposal — approved 336 votes for to 163 against — was passed in Brussels with support coming primarily from left-wing and centrist members.

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In Nigeria, A Clergy Rape Survivor Turns Pain Into A Source Of Support For Others

Statistics compiled by Amnesty International show that there is a culture of stigmatization and victim-blaming towards rape survivors in Nigeria. The result is a large percentage of rape and sexual assaults going unreported. One man is trying to change all that by helping others after experiencing abuse himself as a child.

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Why A California Artist Has Made It Her Mission To ‘Paint God’s World’

Maureen Gaffney Wolfson opened The Maureen Gaffney Wolfson Fine Art Gallery in December 2023. Though it may have originated from heartbreak, her paintings are full of color, light, and, perhaps most critically, the divine. “I started painting out of heartbreak,” said Wolfson. “It was therapy for me. Then it became a hobby. Then it became a career.”

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