http://www.religionnewsblog.com Religion news about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:59:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26453/uk-muslims-convicted-in-gay-hatred-case http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26453/uk-muslims-convicted-in-gay-hatred-case#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:19:29 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26453 Three Muslim men in England have been found guilty of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation after distributing a leaflet that said Islam called for anyone caught committing homosexuality to be executed.

Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed handed out the pamphlet, called The Death Penalty?, which showed an image of a mannequin hanging from a noose and quoted Islamic texts that said capital punishment was the only way to rid society of homosexuality.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26453/uk-muslims-convicted-in-gay-hatred-case/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26451/%e2%80%98hate-group%e2%80%99-listing-triggers-protest-by-coalition-of-african-american-pastors http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26451/%e2%80%98hate-group%e2%80%99-listing-triggers-protest-by-coalition-of-african-american-pastors#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:58:42 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26451 A protest outside the headquarters of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala. last Tuesday put the spotlight on a clash of views between the center and a coalition of African-American pastors and their supporters.

The groups of pastors condemn the SPLC for using its “hate group” label to describe faith-based organizations that are against the LGBT lifestyle]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26451/%e2%80%98hate-group%e2%80%99-listing-triggers-protest-by-coalition-of-african-american-pastors/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26432/muslim-men-accused-of-hate-crime-over-anti-gay-leaflet http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26432/muslim-men-accused-of-hate-crime-over-anti-gay-leaflet#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:29:56 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26432 Five Muslim men from Derby, UK, have gone on trial for allegedly handing out leaflets calling for gay people to be killed in the first ever prosecution under new legislation making such actions a hate crime.

They are accused of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26432/muslim-men-accused-of-hate-crime-over-anti-gay-leaflet/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26313/dutch-christian-civil-servant-fired-for-opposing-gay-marriage http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26313/dutch-christian-civil-servant-fired-for-opposing-gay-marriage#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:45:25 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26313 A Christian civil servant has been fired by the Dutch city of The Hague for refusing to oversee same-sex marriages on Biblical grounds.

Wim Pijl, 67, said Tuesday, November 15, he would take legal action against the dismissal despite parliamentary support for gay weddings.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26313/dutch-christian-civil-servant-fired-for-opposing-gay-marriage/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26298/christian-hoteliers-appeal-against-ruling-on-gay-couple-sharing-a-room http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26298/christian-hoteliers-appeal-against-ruling-on-gay-couple-sharing-a-room#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:55:26 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26298 A Christian couple who did not let a gay couple have a double room in their hotel have appealed against a ruling that they acted unlawfully.

The couple says the hotel's policy is based on their beliefs about marriage, not hostility to any sexual orientation.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26298/christian-hoteliers-appeal-against-ruling-on-gay-couple-sharing-a-room/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26193/scotlands-gay-marriage-discussion-stirring-controversy-among-faith-groups http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26193/scotlands-gay-marriage-discussion-stirring-controversy-among-faith-groups#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:18:59 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26193 The Scottish government has begun a 14-week public consultation, running from 2 September to 9 December, on the question of legalizing marriage for gay couples, encouraging individuals and groups such as religious organizations to take part.

The government has said it would like to hear from religious groups and ordinary people, and has indicated religious organizations will have freedom of choice in deciding whether to officiate at gay weddings. ]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26193/scotlands-gay-marriage-discussion-stirring-controversy-among-faith-groups/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25643/christian-run-bb-to-appeal-double-room-case http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25643/christian-run-bb-to-appeal-double-room-case#comments Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:28:57 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25643 fined £3,600 for restricting double rooms to married couples are set to appeal the decision.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25643/christian-run-bb-to-appeal-double-room-case/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25639/osteen-comments-on-homosexuality-during-tv-interview http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25639/osteen-comments-on-homosexuality-during-tv-interview#comments Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:18:55 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25639 Joel Osteen spoke about homosexuality and said he believed it to be a sin in his eyes.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25639/osteen-comments-on-homosexuality-during-tv-interview/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25619/gay-couple-wins-discrimination-case-against-christian-hoteliers http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25619/gay-couple-wins-discrimination-case-against-christian-hoteliers#comments Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:55:55 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25619 gay couple to share a double room acted unlawfully, a judge at Bristol county court ruled today. The judge allowed for the possibility of an appeal.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25619/gay-couple-wins-discrimination-case-against-christian-hoteliers/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25302/megachurch-pastor-jim-swilley-announces-he-is-gay http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25302/megachurch-pastor-jim-swilley-announces-he-is-gay#comments Fri, 29 Oct 2010 07:19:43 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25302
Jim Swilley, bishop of Conyers' Church in the Now, said he hopes his coming out will change attitudes toward homosexuality.

"I know a lot of straight people think it is a choice. It is not," Swilley told Channel 2's Diana Davis.

Swilley, 52, founded the church 25 years ago. He seemed the stereotypical picture of a pastor, with four kids and a wife who doubled as his associate pastor.

But Swilley said he's known he was gay since he was little boy. He said his wife, Debye, also knew his secret from the start.

"I think some women marry gay men because they really think they can change them," Swilley said.

The now-divorced couple kept their secret for 21 years, but earlier this year, Swilley said Debye told him it was time to stop living a lie.

She said he should practice what he preaches and follow the church's motto, "Real people experiencing a real God in the real world."

So, Swilley came out to his kids and his congregation. He said he knew he might risk everything, but the recent rash of gay teen suicides pushed him over the edge.

"As a father, thinking about your 16, 17 year old killing themselves. I thought somebody needed to say something," Swilley said through tears.

He says he's received support from many in his congregation, but at least one conservative Christian blog has called him sick, twisted, unclean and an instrument of the devil.

"I know all the hateful stuff that's being written about me online, whatever," Swilley said. "To think about saving a teenager yeah, I'll risk my reputation for that."]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25302/megachurch-pastor-jim-swilley-announces-he-is-gay/feed 0