Religion News, December 20, 2010

Religion News
• Dutch bishops shredded sex abuse evidence
• Scientology starts collecting bed tax when county questions why it wasn’t
• Iraqi Christians flee to Kurdish areas or abroad – U.N.: Iraq’s Christians once numbered 1.5 million out of a total Iraqi population of about 30 million and there are now estimated to be about 850,000, or about 3 percent of the population. They have frequently been targeted by Muslim militants, with churches bombed and priests assassinated.
• Texas megachurch premieres 3-D Christmas services: Some might call it wholesome innovation, others shameless gimmickry, but Fellowship Church is offering Christmas in 3-D this year. “It’s a little cheesy, but cheese works,” said Ed Young, pastor of the Grapevine-based megachurch with campuses in Dallas, Plano, Fort Worth and Miami. [Yes, the same Ed Young who wants your bank account routing number]
• Caned woman dies, cleric arrested: A Muslim cleric has been arrested in northwest Bangladesh following the death of a woman who was publicly caned as punishment by an Islamic court for an extra-martial affair. In conservative, rural parts of Muslim-majority Bangladesh, rights groups say it is common for women to be publicly whipped for “crimes” such as adultery despite a High Court ban on such religious punishments.

Hate Groups
• Stockholm bomber: banned extremists recruit near Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly’s Luton home: The outlawed Islamist group al-Muhajiroun is openly recruiting near the home of the suicide bomber who blew himself up on a Stockholm street last week
• Stockholm bomber’s mosque website carries links to extremist preacher: Luton Islamic Centre site’s links to speeches by Bilal Philips, who was barred from Britain by home secretary in July for his views

Analysis, Commentary, Opinion
• Academia’s Religious Turn
• A Tough Season for Believers: In a sense there’s no better time to be a Christian than the first 25 days of December. But this is also the season when American Christians can feel most embattled. Their piety is overshadowed by materialist ticky-tack.

Also Noted
• New Study: Americans Divided and Tolerant on Religion: The country is becoming increasingly divided between those who are fervently religious on the one hand, and those who are not so religious or even hostile to religion on the other. But at the same time, the study’s authors say Americans have never been more tolerant of one another.
• 2010: What Did We Believe In?: Forget the most popular stories… what do Americans hold sacred?

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