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/26474/knesset-panel-strengthen-ties-with-s-american-evangelical-christians http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26474/knesset-panel-strengthen-ties-with-s-american-evangelical-christians#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:07:11 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26474 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26474/knesset-panel-strengthen-ties-with-s-american-evangelical-christians/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26400/in-israel-thousands-protest-extremism-by-ultra-orthodox-jews http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26400/in-israel-thousands-protest-extremism-by-ultra-orthodox-jews#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:30:28 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26400 Tensions ran high in Beit Shemesh, Israel, Tuesday night as thousands of people gathered to protest against the rise of ultra- Orthodox extremism.

They spoke out against a growing frequency in attacks against a local religious-Zionist girls’ elementary school and the broader trend of haredi exclusion of women from the public domain.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26400/in-israel-thousands-protest-extremism-by-ultra-orthodox-jews/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26305/israel-symposium-to-explore-legislation-aimed-at-curbing-cults http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26305/israel-symposium-to-explore-legislation-aimed-at-curbing-cults#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:29:53 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26305 A panel of academics and professionals from Israel's Ministry of Welfare and Social Services will meet Thursday to discuss the possibility of creating legislation to legally outlaw sects and cultish practices in Israel.

The one-day symposium will explore the ethical dilemma of curbing such groups and attempt to sharpen the definition of what constitutes a cult.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26305/israel-symposium-to-explore-legislation-aimed-at-curbing-cults/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26169/israel-court-orders-foreclosure-of-jaffas-scientology-building http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26169/israel-court-orders-foreclosure-of-jaffas-scientology-building#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:33:04 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26169 The historic Alhambra cinema building belongs to the international Scientology movement through trustee Gur Finkelstein, who is suspected of attempted murder.

The foreclosure followed a petition by N.N. Salati Engineering and Projects Management, which last week filed a NIS 7.6 million suit against Finkelstein and the Scientology movement.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26169/israel-court-orders-foreclosure-of-jaffas-scientology-building/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26103/israel-police-busts-ultra-orthodox-cult-suspected-of-abusing-women-and-children http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26103/israel-police-busts-ultra-orthodox-cult-suspected-of-abusing-women-and-children#comments Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:17:13 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=26103 Israel Police, in cooperation with Jerusalem district officers and social services, arrested nine members of a cult living in Jerusalem and in the Tiberias area over the past few weeks, on suspicion of carrying out emotional and physical abuse of women and children over a two year period.

Police and social workers familiar with the case described severe physical, emotional, and sexual violence, that landed several of the children in the hospital, some multiple times.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/26103/israel-police-busts-ultra-orthodox-cult-suspected-of-abusing-women-and-children/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25986/israel-welfare-ministry-calls-for-legislation-to-fight-cults http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25986/israel-welfare-ministry-calls-for-legislation-to-fight-cults#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 06:53:46 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25986 The Israeli government must create comprehensive legislation to combat the phenomenon of cults in Israel and provide a clearer definition of what constitutes cult activity, a report published Monday by a special Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs task force has recommended.

Authored by the team of professionals that dealt with the fallout of Israel’s largest cult to date – that headed by Tel Aviv polygamist Goel Ratzon – the 48-page report focuses on four main areas: preventive action, therapeutic intervention, legislation and government involvement.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25986/israel-welfare-ministry-calls-for-legislation-to-fight-cults/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25969/pilgrims-return-to-jesus-baptismal-site-as-israel-removes-landmines http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25969/pilgrims-return-to-jesus-baptismal-site-as-israel-removes-landmines#comments Sat, 21 May 2011 12:28:33 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25969 Pilgrims are flowing back to the traditional site of Jesus' baptism on the Jordan River as Israel removes 40-year-old land mines and improves the area, but barbed wire and armed soldiers testify to the area's tense past.

Located in a closed military area on the West Bank a few kilometers from Jericho, the site -- Qasr el Yahud -- has been revered since the fourth or fifth century as the place where John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25969/pilgrims-return-to-jesus-baptismal-site-as-israel-removes-landmines/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25846/israels-messianic-jews-face-orthodox-persecution http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25846/israels-messianic-jews-face-orthodox-persecution#comments Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:04:40 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25846 Representatives of a Messianic Jewish community in the southern Israeli town of Arad said Monday, March 21, they face "increased persecution" by ultra-Orthodox Jews who accuse the believers of missionary activities and want them to leave Israel.

In 2008, the Supreme Court of Israel ruled that Messianic Jews have the same rights regarding automatic citizenship as Jews who do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25846/israels-messianic-jews-face-orthodox-persecution/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25606/in-rise-of-ultra-orthodox-challenges-for-israel http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25606/in-rise-of-ultra-orthodox-challenges-for-israel#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 11:52:41 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25606 ultra-Orthodox community, an insular and devout minority that has long been at loggerheads with the rest of the increasingly modern and prosperous country.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25606/in-rise-of-ultra-orthodox-challenges-for-israel/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25586/authorities-handling-fallout-of-breaking-up-goel-ratzons-polygamist-cult http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25586/authorities-handling-fallout-of-breaking-up-goel-ratzons-polygamist-cult#comments Wed, 12 Jan 2011 06:58:24 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25586 One year after Israeli police raided the Tel Aviv headquarters of a suspected polygamist cult that involved some 40 children and 20 women, welfare authorities say they are still dealing intensely with the fallout and rehabilitation process of the cult members.

The 20 wives and 40 children of the yet-to-be convicted cult leader Goel Ratzon continue to receive a wide range of welfare services, including constant psychological monitoring.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25586/authorities-handling-fallout-of-breaking-up-goel-ratzons-polygamist-cult/feed 0