http://www.religionnewsblog.com Religion news about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:33:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23801/churches-denounce-african-children-as-witches http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23801/churches-denounce-african-children-as-witches#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:58:38 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23801 An increasing number of children in Africa accused of witchcraft by pastors and then tortured or killed, often by family members. Pastors were involved in half of 200 cases of "witch children" reviewed by the AP, and 13 churches were named in the case files.

Some of the churches involved are renegade local branches of international franchises. Their parishioners take literally the Biblical exhortation, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

"It is an outrage what they are allowing to take place in the name of Christianity," said Gary Foxcroft, head of nonprofit Stepping Stones Nigeria. [video]]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23801/churches-denounce-african-children-as-witches/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23800/america-christian-right http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23800/america-christian-right#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:07:46 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23800 The 'Christian Right' has been a major power broker in U.S. politics for 30 years, having played especially important roles in the 1980, 1994 and 2004 presidential elections, and in Republican administrations since the tenure of former President Ronald Reagan.

It appeared at its apex after the 2004 'values vote' election, but now seems on the decline under President Barack Obama. The Christian Right has no clear leader or central movement organization to guide it, and many younger evangelicals are turning away from their parents' emphasis on a narrow set of contentious social issues.

Nevertheless, it remains a powerful political force capable of resurgence, Forbes writes.

Christian Right organizations are experiencing increased contributions and activism, as Obama and a Democratic Congress push socially progressive legislation.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23800/america-christian-right/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23788/questioning-sports-evangelism http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23788/questioning-sports-evangelism#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:31:40 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23788 In big-time sports, God often gets a prominent place on the field of play. A shout-out here, a prayer there. But this faith surge is being powered by a brand of conservative Christianity that is — like two teams competing on the field — very ‘us’ vs. ‘them,’ USA Today religion columnist Tom Krattenmaker writes.

should we be pleased that the civic resource known as "our team" — a resource supported by the diverse whole through our ticket-buying, game-watching and tax-paying — is being leveraged by a one-truth evangelical campaign that has little appreciation for the beliefs of the rest of us?]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23788/questioning-sports-evangelism/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23573/10-things-i-hate-about-christianity http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23573/10-things-i-hate-about-christianity#comments Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:59:10 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23573 "Is it me, or does it seem like a lot of 'Christians' are on a one-way commuter train to Crazy Town?" Jason Berggen wonders.

"Nothing has discouraged me more in my desire to follow Jesus and know God than my observations of those who call themselves 'Christians.' They make it so easy to hate them. They can be crazy, annoying, judgmental and hypocritical.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23573/10-things-i-hate-about-christianity/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23452/religion-trends-8 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23452/religion-trends-8#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 08:58:25 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23452 Virtually everywhere in the developing world fiery preachers are preaching a faith that would appeal to Ned Flanders: live your life according to God's law, read the Bible as the literal word of Truth, treat your neighbour as yourself. And everywhere they are thriving.

In 1900, 80 per cent of the world's Christians lived in Europe and the United States; today, 60 per cent of them live in the developing world.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23452/religion-trends-8/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23441/india-christians http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23441/india-christians#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 09:30:55 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23441 With elections underway in India, its 2.3 percent Christian minority – which faced a deadly spate of attacks in the eastern state of Orissa last year – is praying for a secular party to come to power.

Along with the Muslim community, Christians fear that if the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies form the next government or an ideologically loose coalition comes to the helm, their already compromised welfare may further deteriorate.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23441/india-christians/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23425/persecution-north-korea-christians http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23425/persecution-north-korea-christians#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:59:26 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23425 Even as the North Korean government this month allowed two high-profile, U.S. Christian bands to perform at a music festival in Pyongyang, the fear of punishment authorities have instilled in North Korean Christians keeps most of them from publicly revealing their faith.

As many as 400,000 Christians are estimated to worship secretly in the country, and Suzanne Scholte, head of an association of some 60 groups campaigning for change in the country called the North Korean Freedom Coalition (NKFC), estimates that more than 200,000 North Koreans are held in political prison camps for various perceived "disloyalties" to the regime, including adherence to Christianity. [video]]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23425/persecution-north-korea-christians/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22995/john-j-hunter http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22995/john-j-hunter#comments Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:35:24 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=22995 The pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the oldest and most prominent black congregations in Los Angeles, used church credit cards to pay for at least $122,000 in personal expenses over a three-year period, including jewelry, family vacations, clothing and auto supplies, according to documents and church sources.

Hunter also told The Los Angeles Times that he is working with federal tax officials to repay back taxes, penalties and interest amassed over 17 years.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22995/john-j-hunter/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22913/church-of-the-holy-sepulcher http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22913/church-of-the-holy-sepulcher#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:35:40 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=22913 An unusual sight greeted Jerusalem police as they entered one of Christianity's holiest sites Sunday morning: dozens of monks punching and kicking each other in a massive brawl.

After the brawl, the church was crowded with Israeli police holding assault rifles and equipped with riot gear, standing beside Golgotha, where Jesus is believed to have been crucified, and the long smooth stone marking the place where tradition holds his body was laid out. [video]]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22913/church-of-the-holy-sepulcher/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21942/son-of-top-hamas-leader-converts-to-christianity http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21942/son-of-top-hamas-leader-converts-to-christianity#comments Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:15:51 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=21942 The son of a Hamas MP who is also the most popular figure in that extremist Islamic organization in the West Bank, a young man who assisted his father for years in his political activities, has become a rank-and-file Christian.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21942/son-of-top-hamas-leader-converts-to-christianity/feed 0