Source: Poughkeepsie Journal

[poughkeepsiejournal.com/sunday/localnews/stories/lo061503s2_p.shtml]

On June 15, 2003 the Poughkeepsie Journal reported that "peek into almost any house of worship and the population growth in Dutchess County is obvious... Along with the swelling population comes a growing number of religious followers -- in just about every faith... Many local congregations say their membership is growing and they need to expand facilities to accommodate new members... The Hindu Samaj, also on All Angels, has...

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.detnews.com/2003/religion/0306/23/d07n-192139.htm

On June 13, 2003 The Associated Press reported that "members of the Bharatiya Temple of Lansing are celebrating the consecration of the gods, a ceremony they believe gave their temple life and divine power... About 900 mid-Michigan families attend the temple to practice Hinduism or Jainism, two related religions that began in India... It is the fifth anniversary of the...

Source: Casco Bay Weekly

http://www.cascobayweekly.com/cbw2003/cover/cover05.08.03-2.stm

On May 8, 2003 the Casco Bay Weekly published an editorial by Abraham J. Peck stating that "Professor Diana Eck of Harvard University argues in her recent book, A New Religious America: How a 'Christian Country' Has Become the World’s Most Religiously Diverse Nation, that 'the presupposition that America is foundationally Christian' is being challenged by a new...

Source: Toledo Blade

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20030426&Category=NEWS10&ArtNo=104260136&Ref=AR

On April 26, 2003 the Toledo Blade reported that "historical markers will be dedicated at three sites in northwest Ohio tomorrow as part of the Ohio Bicentennial Commission’s recognition of the state’s religious heritage... The area markers, which are among 12 in the state, are being...

Source: Icdus.com

http://icdus.com/stories/story.asp?ID=1425

On November 20, 2002 Icdus.com reported that "next Monday, Nov. 25, the Monroeville Interfaith Ministerium [PA] will host its annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. This year’s service is at 7:30 p.m. in the Hindu-Jain Temple. This year’s service will be focused on reflecting America’s greatest strengths, love of freedom and mutual respect for all people."

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

On October 4, 2002 The Columbus Dispatch reported that " Mosaic, [a] 500-member congregation, is a mix of community residents and college students, many international, said the Rev. Darryl Phillips, pastor. The church, which previously met in elementary schools and buildings at Ohio State University, has held services at the movie house the past three years. [On the other hand], some worship places aren't visible to a high volume of traffic, such as that of the Jain Center of Central Ohio, which is nestled in an office...

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

On September 27, 2002 The Columbus Dispatch reported that "the [Glenmary] study estimates that Ohio has 142,255 Jews, 41,281 Muslims and 2,004 Bahais. It found 34 Buddhist, 19 Hindu, nine Sikh and seven Jain groups in the state but gave no membership estimates... This year's study included groups such as Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs for the first time. For Muslims, the 1.6 million national figure included only those who regularly attend mosques that reported figures; for Eastern religions, it included only the...

Source: The Boston Herald

On September 25, 2002 The Boston Herald reported that "the number of hate crimes in Massachusetts rose dramatically in the year of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, largely as a result of a backlash against Muslims and Arabs, according to a new state report. A total of 576 incidents were reported in 2001, up 24 percent from the 463 reported in 2000, according to the Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes. Among them were 133 crimes motivated by religious bias, a 43 percent increase over the previous year's...

Source: Chicago Daily Herald

On September 23, 2002 the Chicago Daily Herald reported that "the growing diversity in the Streamwood, Bartlett and Hanover Park area is reflected in the variety of places of worship. Swami Narayan Temple - the largest Hindu temple in the Northwest suburbs - is in Bartlett. So is the only Jain temple in Illinois... and a Lutheran Christian Church that caters primarily to Chinese and Taiwanese members opened in Streamwood about five years ago... True Light Lutheran Christian Church draws from the greater Chicago area, where...

Source: The Associated Press

On September 22, 2002 The Associated Press reported that "Minnesota's religious landscape became more diverse in the 1990s, although the state remains mostly Lutheran and Catholic, according to a survey of U.S. religious institutions. From 1990 to 2000, the state has seen double digit percentage increases for Jews and the Latter-day Saints. Muslims were also counted in significant numbers for the first time. The research also found that Minnesota has more evangelical Christians and fewer mainline Protestants... Minnesota is...

Source: Jain Spirit

On September 1, 2002 Jain Spirit reported that "Harish Bharti, a Seattle-based Indian American lawyer who fought and won a $10 million settlement from McDonald's for deceiving vegetarian customers, is now taking on the world's largest pizza chain, Pizza Hut. McDonald's had said that the oil used to cook its popular French fries contained no beef extracts, a claim Bharti proved wrong. Now Bharti is confronting Pizza Hut... with the claim that 'the chain intentionally failed to publicly disclose its continued use of beef product in its...

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

On August 30, 2002 The Columbus Dispatch reported that "as Americans celebrate Labor Day weekend, two of India's major religions will observe significant holidays. On Saturday, Hindus will celebrate Krishna Janmashtami, honoring the birth of Lord Krishna. Celebrants listen to sacred stories and worship Krishna, the avatar, or incarnation, of the god Vishnu. From Tuesday through Sept. 10, Jains in the Shvetambaras (white clad) sect will observe the Paryshuna Festival, a time of fasting, meditation and prayer."

Source: India Abroad

On August 9, 2002 India Abroad featured an article on a new book by Mahalingum Kolapen documenting Hindu temples across the United States. The book, co-published by the Hindu University of America and the Hindu Temple Council of North America, "contains 320 full color pages of photographs and line drawings of 28 temples in the U.S. and two in Canada, and includes not only temples from the Hindu tradition, but also representative samples of Jain, Sikh and Buddhist temples.... 'In publishing this book, we are celebrating the need for...

Source: Dayton Daily News

On July 14, 2002 Dayton Daily News reported that "prayers from... a variety of Christian denominations routinely open governmental meetings in the Miami Valley [in Ohio]... [But] a Xenia councilwoman is inviting Muslims, Hindus and representatives from other faiths to do the same... 'This is America' Patricia Felton said. 'We need to make that opportunity available to anyone who wants to speak'... Likewise in Columbus, the majority of those who lead the prayers for state legislators are Christians, but in recent years several...

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

On July 12, 2002 The Columbus Dispatch reported that "the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio... and the Religious Experience Advisory Council of the Ohio Bicentennial Commission are planning [a new] book, Religion in Ohio: Over 200 Years of Experiences... As the state approaches 200, Christian and Jewish bodies remain prominent, but now they have plenty of company. [The] book for Ohio's bicentennial in 2003 also will discuss the beliefs of American Indians, Baha'is, Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, Muslims, Sikhs and...