RELIGION
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Church of England Leader Criticizes Migration Plan, Expresses Concerns Over Britain’s International Reputation
As British politicians debate a bill aimed at deporting illegal migrants to Africa, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has warned that the action would diminish the international standing of Britain as it seeks to “outsource our legal and moral responsibilities for refugees and asylum seekers when other countries far poorer are already supporting multitudes more than we are now.” …
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Adam and Eve, Barbie and Ken?
Barbie” director Greta Gerwig was raised in the Unitarian Universalist faith, a liberal religion that describes itself as a “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” It is a wide-tent movement, subscribing to no one scripture as the path to spiritual growth, instead drawing wisdom from all world religions, including Judaism and Christianity, and one’s own experiences. Gerwig brought that faith and what…
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Two Lawmakers Who Backed Same-Sex Marriage Banned From Rites By Greek Church Higher-Ups
The Orthodox Church of Greece reacted strongly to this February’s passage of a historic bill allowing same-sex civil marriage, banning two lawmakers who voted in favor of the measure. The bishopric of Greece’s northwestern island of Corfu condemned the two for committing “the deepest spiritual and moral error,” saying in a statement, “For us, these two (local) lawmakers cannot consider themselves active…
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“We Are No Longer Invisible—Greece Is the First Orthodox Christian Country To Say Yes to Same-Sex Marriage
Fourteen countries have Orthodox Christian majorities. On February 15, Greece became the first of them to legalize same-sex civil marriage. A bipartisan majority of 176 members of parliament approved the bill versus 76 nays, 46 absentees and two abstentions. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose government drafted the measure, called its passage “a milestone for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece—a progressive, and democratic…
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“Operation Do Something About It” – Scientology Documentary Chronicles Church’s Largest Humanitarian Response In Its History
We all have our Covid stories. If you’re old enough to read this, chances are that you remember—along with the other 8 billion witnesses—the single event that affected more people in less time than any other in the history of the world. This decade opened with a humanitarian crisis that brought life as we knew it to a standstill. An…
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Pope Stresses Christian-Jewish Unity Amid Antisemitism Surge and Gaza Conflict
Reiterating the Catholic Church’s denunciation of all manifestations of antisemitism while reaffirming the historic ties among Christians and Jews, Pope Francis has expressed his sorrow to “my Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel” for the violence stemming from the October 7 attack in the country by the Palestinian group Hamas. “The path that the Church has walked with you, the…
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“Our Best Days Are Ahead of Us” – National Prayer Breakfast Brings Legislative Rivals Together for an Hour
At this year’s National Prayer Breakfast, the theme was what brings us together, rather than what tears us apart. Speaking to lawmakers and guests at the February 1 gathering in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol, President Joe Biden said, “My prayer, my hope, is we continue to believe our best days are ahead of us, that as a nation…
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Catholic Meditation App Makes Big Game Debut, Promoting Prayer and Peace
For the first time in Super Bowl history, an ad for a Catholic prayer app has created history by generating a record spike in downloads. Called “Hallow,” the app aired during the February 11 Super Bowl LVIII, which the Kansas City Chiefs won in the team’s second consecutive championship. Super Bowl commercials are a significant draw during the event, commanding…
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Stolen Hindu Artifacts Return Home as Nepal Celebrates Repatriation Efforts
Call it the return of the deities. After being stolen and smuggled overseas for years, dozens of statues depicting Nepal’s revered gods and goddesses are being returned to their Hindu-majority Himalayan abode, marking a notable contribution to a global initiative aimed at repatriating such cultural artifacts to their countries of origin in Asia, Africa, and beyond. In January, museums and…
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Latest Scientology Super Bowl Ad—“Take A Look”
The long-awaited Scientology ad for Super Bowl LVIII appeared before a worldwide audience of billions. The church has made a name for itself with its life-affirming yearly messages of hope, potential and freedom. Last year’s commercial asserted—through images of a dead forest coming alive, a city rising from ruins, and colors leaping up from a debris-strewn sidewalk—all at a single…
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