How Philip Pullman’s book split Jesus and Christ

NEW DELHI – The messiah descends on earth as a classic “split personality” – good Jesus and his twin, the scoundrel Christ – in the new novel by Philip Pullman who believes he must have been “a genius and one of the greatest storytellers”.

Published in April, it is a contemporary and radical retelling of the … Read more >>>.

US panel names Saudi Arabia, China, 11 others as serious religious rights violators

US panel names 13 countries as religious violators
WASHINGTON – Saudi Arabia and China are among 13 countries a U.S. government panel named on Thursday as serious violators of religious freedom.
The panel’s report also criticized the current and former administrations in Washington for doing far too little to make basic religious rights universal.
That is …. Read the original article  : here.

Catholic population rises by 11.5 percent

Vatican City, April 29 (IANS/AKI) The number of Catholics in the world rose by 11.5 percent to 1.166 billion between 2000 and 2008 that includes a “dramatic increase” in Africa and Asia, the Vatican has said.

The biggest increases were recorded in the Third World – with a 33 percent rise in Africa and a 15.6 … Read : Catholic population rises by 11.5 percent.

Catholic bishop in RI withdraws 2 hospitals from group that supported health care reform

Bishop bans RI hosps from pro-health reform group
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Roman Catholic bishop of Providence has withdrawn two hospitals sponsored by his diocese from membership in a Catholic hospital group that supports health care reform.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opposed reform legislation because of fears it would allow for public funding …. Read the original article  : Catholic bishop in RI withdraws 2 hospitals from group that supported health care reform.

Top Vatican official left Calif. priest in pastor role after learning of abuse decade earlier

Vatican official left abusive priest in pastor job

The cardinal who oversees priest abuse cases at the Vatican didn’t restrict a California priest after learning in 1995 that he had molested a 13-year-old boy a decade earlier.
Cardinal William Levada (luh-VAY’-duh) talked about the case in a 2005 deposition obtained by The Associated Press. He was archbishop …. Source  : Top Vatican official left Calif. priest in pastor role after learning of abuse decade earlier.

Mojave cross ruling: High court suggests greater lenience for religious symbols on public land

Mojave cross case: a signal on religious symbols

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court’s conservative majority signaled a greater willingness to allow religious symbols on public land Wednesday, a stance that could have important implications for future church-state disputes.
By a 5-4 vote, the court refused to order the removal of a congressionally endorsed war memorial cross from …. Original article  : Mojave cross ruling: High court suggests greater lenience for religious symbols on public land.

Vatican official: ‘Wouldn’t be surprised’ if pope apologizes for cleric sex abuse in June

Vatican: Pope may apologize for abuse by priests

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI may issue a mea culpa for the church’s handling of clerical sexual abuse cases when he attends a meeting of the world’s clergy in June, the Vatican official in charge of handling abuse cases said.
Cardinal William Levada also said he intended to …. Source  : Vatican official: ‘Wouldn’t be surprised’ if pope apologizes for cleric sex abuse in June.

In church-state case, Supreme Court endorses war memorial cross in Mojave preserve in Calif.

High court supports Mojave cross in Calif.

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court said Wednesday that a lower court went too far in ordering the removal of a congressionally endorsed war memorial cross from its longtime home atop a remote outcropping in California.
Signaling support for keeping the cross, the justices ordered the federal court in California to … Read this article on Gaea Times at : In church-state case, Supreme Court endorses war memorial cross in Mojave preserve in Calif..

Haridwar overflows with pilgrims on last day of Maha Kumbh

HARIDWAR – A sea of pilgrims converged here Wednesday to take a holy dip in the revered Ganga on the occasion of Vaisakh Aadhimaas that marks the end of one of the largest religious gatherings in the world – the Maha Kumbh.

On Vaisakh Aadhimaas, which is the last full moon of the Maha Kumbh Mela …. Original source  : Haridwar overflows with pilgrims on last day of Maha Kumbh.

Prahlad Jani- The Mystery Saint

AHMADABAD, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- Gujarat’s miracle saint Prahlad Jani is kept under strict observation by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) where a panel of medical examiners are scratching their brains to figure out how the 83 year old man survived all this while as he claims that he has not consumed a single drop … Read : Prahlad Jani- The Mystery Saint.