http://www.religionnewsblog.com Religion news about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:15:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23670/islam-and-homophobia http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23670/islam-and-homophobia#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:48:30 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23670 In most Islamic countries, gay men and women are ostracized, persecuted and in some cases even murdered. Repressive regimes are often fanning the flames of hatred in a bid to outdo Islamists when it comes to spreading "moral panic."

More than 30 Islamic countries have laws on the books that prohibit homosexuality and make it a criminal offense. ]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23670/islam-and-homophobia/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23359/homosexual-couple-sues-christian-hotel-owners http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23359/homosexual-couple-sues-christian-hotel-owners#comments Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:53:59 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23359 A gay couple is suing the Christian owners of a Cornish hotel for discrimination after being denied access to a double bed.

The owners of the hotel state clearly on their website that double rooms are not available to unmarried couples, gay or straight.

The Christian Institute is funding the hotel owners’ defence costs.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23359/homosexual-couple-sues-christian-hotel-owners/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23222/lesbian-student-expelled http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23222/lesbian-student-expelled#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2009 04:28:53 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23222 After a Lutheran school expelled two 16-year-old girls for having "a bond of intimacy" that was "characteristic of a lesbian relationship," the girls sued, contending the school had violated a state anti-discrimination law.

In response to that suit, an appeals court decided this week that the private religious school was not a business and therefore did not have to comply with a state law that prohibits businesses from discriminating.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23222/lesbian-student-expelled/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23083/amsterdam-gay-nativity http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23083/amsterdam-gay-nativity#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:18:03 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23083 Amsterdam played host Sunday to a Christmas celebration for its gay community that featured a Nativity tableau with a man in drag playing the part of Mary.

Frank van Dalen, chairman of the advocacy group Pro Gay that organized the event, known as Pink Christmas, said that it sought to raise Amsterdam's profile as a capital for gays.

In news forums, countless homosexuals condemned the display.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23083/amsterdam-gay-nativity/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23068/muslim-lesbianism http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23068/muslim-lesbianism#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:51:00 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23068 Aliyah Bacchus is a Muslim who left an arranged marriage in Queens, N.Y., before coming to understand her sexuality as a lesbian. Before heading off to a new life with her lover, she made a visit to family members in Rockaway Beach, N.Y., to give them the choice of accepting her as she is, or losing her forever.

Aliyah Bacchus returns home to offer a choice: Accept her sexuality -- as she has -- or lose her forever.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23068/muslim-lesbianism/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23040/richard-cizik-gay-unions http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23040/richard-cizik-gay-unions#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:15:23 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23040 An outspoken and polarizing voice in conservative Christian politics resigned effective Thursday from the National Association of Evangelicals after a radio interview in which he voiced support for same-sex civil unions and said he is "shifting" on gay marriage.

The Rev. Richard Cizik's comments — made on a Dec. 2 "Fresh Air" broadcast on National Public Radio — triggered an uproar that led to his stepping down as NAE vice president of governmental affairs.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23040/richard-cizik-gay-unions/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22914/mormon-church-homosexuality http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22914/mormon-church-homosexuality#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:50:43 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=22914 A couple thousand people gathered outside the Capitol in Sacramento this afternoon to rally for the legalization of same-sex marriages just days after voters imposed a constitutional ban.

The gathering follows several similar events around the Bay Area and California. Earlier today, more than 400 people gathered outside the distinctive Mormon Temple in Oakland to protest the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' support of Proposition 8. ]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22914/mormon-church-homosexuality/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22876/scientology-hypocrisy http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22876/scientology-hypocrisy#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:32:39 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=22876 The Church of Scientology consistently claims to promote human rights, however those rights do not apply to all.

The San Diego branch of Scientology has recently joined forces with other conservative fundamentalist groups to oppose same-sex marriage in California.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22876/scientology-hypocrisy/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22743/homosexuality-5 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22743/homosexuality-5#comments Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:18:53 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=22743 Two Sundays ago, the Rev. Geoffrey Farrow stood before his Roman Catholic parishioners in Fresno and delivered a sermon that placed him squarely at odds with his church over gay marriage.

With California Proposition 8 on the state's November ballot, and his own bishop urging priests to support its definition of traditional marriage, Farrow told congregants he felt obligated to break "a numbing silence" about church prejudice against homosexuals.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22743/homosexuality-5/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22658/exodus-homosexuality http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22658/exodus-homosexuality#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:10:49 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=22658 Exodus is one of the ministries of the so-called “ex-gay” movement, a controversial fundamentalist Christian campaign that encourages gay people to renounce their sexuality.

This, its annual conference, promises “an amazing week of breakthroughs, transformations and healings”.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22658/exodus-homosexuality/feed 0