Christianity

Religious Leaders Mobilize to Support Middle East Peace

December 2, 2003

Source: Presbyterian News Service

http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/oldnews/2003/03521.htm

On December 2, 2003 the Presbyterian News Service reported, "On the day after a new Middle East peace accord was signed in Geneva, 31 U.S. Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders today announced in Washington a new collaborative effort — 'Walk the Road to Peace'— to mobilize public and Bush Administration support for the plan. In a Dec. 2 press conference and letter to President...

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Pope Calls for Religions to Unite Against Terrorism

December 2, 2003

Source: Agenzia Giornalistica Italia

http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200312021437-1088-RT1-CRO-0-NF82

On December 2, 2003 Agenzia Giornalistica Italia reported, "The 'name of God' must not be used to incite violence and terrorism, to promote hatred and exclusion. The Pope asked this, on receiving various Muslim leaders who came for a meeting organised by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. According to the Pontiff, the dialogue...

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Federal Census Bureau Releases Reports on Arab-Americans

December 2, 2003

Source: USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20031121/5700950s.htm

On December 2, 2003 USA Today reported that the first of two reports on Arabs in the USA is to be released next month by the Census Bureau. According to the article, the Census report shows that "Arabs numbered 1.2 million in 2000, up 38% since 1990 and double the number in 1980, when the Census began tracking ancestry. The overall U.S. population grew 13% in the 1990s to 281.4 million....

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Update: A Month Later, Still no Action on the Boykin Front

November 30, 2003

Source: Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/features/religion/la-na-boykin23nov23,1,1984750.s

On November 30, 2003 the Los Angeles Times reported that despite the fact that over a month has passed since General William G. "Jerry" Boykin's comments on Islam, the Bush administration has done little to support or condemn him. According to the Times, "While the Pentagon investigates Boykin's remarks, the passage of time is turning the episode into...

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Update: Zurich Refuses to Recognize Non-Christian Faiths

November 30, 2003

Source: swissinfo

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=4503862

On November 30, 2003 swissinfo reported, "Proposed new laws that would have led to the official recognition of non-Christian faiths, including Islam, have been turned down in canton Zurich. Some 64 per cent of voters said no to recognising faiths other than the three official religions in the canton. Markus Notter from the Zurich cantonal government – which only...

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Bush Faces Criticism Over Statement that Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God

November 30, 2003

Source: Beliefnet

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/136/story_13644_1.html

On November 30, 2003 Beliefnet published an editorial by Richard Land responding to recent statements by President Bush that Muslims and Christians worship the "same god." Land writes, "When reporters called to ask for my response to the President's statement, I told them that like many other Americans, I applaud the President as a man of deep religious faith who attempts to bring those...

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2001 Census Shows Growing Religious Diversity

November 28, 2003

Source: The West Australian

[thewest.com.au/20031128/news/general/tw-news-general-home-sto116339.html]

On November 28, 2003 The West Australian reported, "The most comprehensive profile of WA's religion, language and birthplace - launched this week - reveals there are five main religions and more than 30 minor ones flourishing in WA. The profile is based on results from the 2001 census.More than 63 per cent of the population identified themselves as Christians...Buddhism is the next most practised religion, with 1.6 per...

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Pompano Beach Commissioners to Allow Religious Invocations

November 27, 2003

Source: Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcgod27nov27,0,6606803.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

On November 27, 2003 Sun-Sentinel reported that "a majority of commissioners say they will accept references to specific religions and deities in invocations before commission meetings. 'We are going steadfast on the issue of them allowing us to pray in the name of Jesus,' O'Neal Dozier, pastor of...

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To Neighbors' Disdain, Michigan Couple Writes their Religion in Stone

November 27, 2003

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=12271

On November 27, 2003 The Associated Press reported that "an Oakland County couple didn’t need divine intervention to retain the religious message written with stone on their house — just judicial intervention. The state Court of Appeals reversed a lower court decision to have the couple remove the message 'Jesus is King' from the three-story turret on their Heather Lake Estates...

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Government Leaders Urge Nigerians to Avoid Violence During Ramadan/Eid

November 24, 2003

Source: AllAfrica Global Media

[allafrica.com/stories/200311240968.html]

On November 24, 2003 AllAfrica Global Media reported, "As Moslems in Nigeria join millions of others worldwide to celebrate this year's Eid-el-Fitri from today, Senate President, Chief Adolphous Wabara; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari; Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other leaders have urged Nigerians to eschew violence particularly during this festive season. In his sallah message in Abuja yesterday,...

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Proposed Laws Would Recognize Non-Christian Faiths

November 24, 2003

Source: Neue Z�rcher Zeitung

[nzz.ch/2003/11/24/english/page-synd4481570.html]

On November 24, 2003 Neue Z�rcher Zeitung reported, "Voters in Zurich are set to decide on controversial new laws that would lead to the official recognition of non-Christian faiths, including Islam...One of the most controversial parts of the new legislation, which is due to be voted on in a referendum on November 30, is a move towards recognising faiths other than the three official religions in the canton. At the moment, canton Zurich...

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Bush Faces Criticism Over Statement that Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God

November 22, 2003

Source: The Washington Post

[washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A4697-2003Nov21?language=printer]

On November 22, 2003 The Washington Post reported on the backlash among evangelical Christian leaders over President Bush's statement that Christians and Muslims worship the same god. "At a news conference with Prime Minister Tony Blair in England on Thursday, a reporter noted that Bush has often said that freedom is a gift from 'the Almighty' but questioned whether Bush believes that 'Muslims worship the same Almighty' that he...

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