1,865 Jharkhand religious structures face demolition

RANCHI – A staggering 1,865 religious structures in Jharkhand face the threat of demolition as they have been constructed illegally on government land, an official source said Sunday.

The state government has prepared a list of such religious structures, a majority of them temples. There are 40 religious structures, including 39 temples, in Ranchi. There are …. Original article  : 1,865 Jharkhand religious structures face demolition.

Influential Israeli rabbi says Palestinians and their leader should perish

Influential Israeli rabbi says Abbas should perish

JERUSALEM – An influential Israeli rabbi known for his vitriolic pronouncements against Arabs says Palestinians and their leader should “perish from this world.”
Israel Army Radio quoted Ovadia Yosef Sunday as saying the Palestinians were “evil, bitter enemies of Israel” and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas should be struck with a …. Original article  : Influential Israeli rabbi says Palestinians and their leader should perish.

St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols honored at Beck rally for off-field charitable works

Baseball star Albert Pujols honored at Beck rally

WASHINGTON – Tony La Russa doesn’t understand the minor backlash that’s been created by his participation in radio personality Glenn Beck’s rally in Washington on Saturday, an event the St. Louis Cardinals manager said was more religious in tone than political.
Before Saturday night’s game against the Washington Nationals, … Read more »»».

Imam behind proposed NYC Muslim center, mosque near ground zero struggles to bridge divisions

Imam behind NYC mosque faces divisions over center

NEW YORK – New York City Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has long worked to bridge divisions, whether they are marital fissures or political chasms.
Now the 61-year-old clergyman is in the midst of a divisive national debate over plans for an Islamic center that features a mosque about two … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Imam behind proposed NYC Muslim center, mosque near ground zero struggles to bridge divisions.

Italian mosques denied share in income tax revenue

Rome, Aug 28 (IANS/AKI) Mosques in Italy will not get a share of income tax revenue as per the annual allocation by the government, which has proposed a bill seeking funds for Hindu and Buddhist temples, Greek Orthodox churches and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

According to a bill approved by the cabinet in May but yet to be … Original source on Gaea Times at : Italian mosques denied share in income tax revenue.

Teresa’s peace prayer finds echo at centenary celebration

NEW DELHI – “Where there is hatred, let me sow love…”, the prayer Mother Teresa recited daily, found mention Saturday in the speeches of President Pratibha Patil and other dignitaries at a function here celebrating her birth centenary.

Patil and Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva quoted the prayer almost fully in their prepared texts.
Sister Prema, mother …. Read the original article  : Teresa’s peace prayer finds echo at centenary celebration.

Honour Mother Teresa by caring for the unloved: Patil

NEW DELHI – President Pratibha Patil led the nation Saturday to pay tributes to Mother Teresa on her birth centenary and said there was an urgent need to attend to those sections the Nobel Peace Prize winning nun served — the unloved and uncared in our families and societies.

Addressing a public meeting here to mark …. Read the original article  : Honour Mother Teresa by caring for the unloved: Patil.

BJP to back Ranchi shutdown against temples demolitions

RANCHI – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has extended moral support to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)-sponsored shutdown on Sunday to protest the Ranchi administration’s move to demolish 39 temples constructed on government land.

“Our party is against demolition of any temple in the state. We extend our moral support to the shutdown called by the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : BJP to back Ranchi shutdown against temples demolitions.

Vaishno Devi shrine board to help out Leh victims

JAMMU – The Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is to provide Rs.50 lakh for the relief of victims of the cloudburst and flashfloods in Leh, an official said.

“The money is being released by the shrine board on the directions of Governor N.N. Vohra,” an official of the board told IANS Saturday. At least 180 people … Original article on : Vaishno Devi shrine board to help out Leh victims.

Muslim group slams NY Gov. Paterson for describing mosque developers as ‘almost westernized’

NY gov slammed for ‘westernized’ Muslims comment

ALBANY, N.Y. – Muslim leaders in the United States are criticizing Gov. David Paterson for his description of the developers of an Islamic center and mosque planned near ground zero as peaceful, “almost westernized” Muslims.
The Muslim Public Affairs Council said Paterson mischaracterized the sect known as Sufi and his …. Original source  : Muslim group slams NY Gov. Paterson for describing mosque developers as ‘almost westernized’.

Church court convicts California minister of misconduct for performing same-sex weddings

Church: Calif. minister guilty for marrying gays

SAN FRANCISCO – A retired Presbyterian minister was found guilty of misconduct Friday by a church court for officiating the weddings of 16 gay couples when same-sex marriage was legal in California.
A regional commission of the Presbyterian Church (USA) ruled 4-2 that the Rev. Jane Spahr of San Francisco … Read : Church court convicts California minister of misconduct for performing same-sex weddings.

Tut-tut: Security gaps seen in Egypt’s museums after theft of van Gogh painting in Cairo

Tut-tut: Security problems seen in Egypt’s museums

CAIRO – The Egyptian Museum houses some of the world’s prized antiquities, including the gold mask of King Tut that draws millions of tourists a year. But it also has an outdated video surveillance system that doesn’t work around the clock and guards who snooze, read the Quran or … Original source on Gaea Times at : Tut-tut: Security gaps seen in Egypt’s museums after theft of van Gogh painting in Cairo.

Fundraising effort begins for Islamic center near ground zero as congregation donates $10,000

Fundraising effort begins for NYC Islamic center

NEW YORK – The developer behind plans to build an Islamic community center and mosque two blocks from ground zero kicked off fundraising for the project Friday by raising $10,000 in just a few minutes from a congregation of Muslim worshippers.
Sharif El-Gamal announced the start of the funding drive …. Source  : Fundraising effort begins for Islamic center near ground zero as congregation donates $10,000.

Critics of Lutheran church’s scripture shift, acceptance of gay pastors form new denomination

Lutherans split over gay pastors, Bible beliefs

GROVE CITY, Ohio – Critics of the country’s largest Lutheran denomination and its more open stance toward gay clergy formed a new Lutheran church Friday at a meeting of a conservative activist group.
The overwhelming voice vote by members of the Lutheran Coalition of Renewal created the North American Lutheran … Original article on : Critics of Lutheran church’s scripture shift, acceptance of gay pastors form new denomination.

Obama bikes and golfs on Martha’s Vineyard, but can’t escape economy

Vacationing Obama can’t escape economy
EDGARTOWN, Mass. – President Barack Obama biked and golfed under a brilliant New England sun Friday, yet he couldn’t escape the cascade of dour news on the economy as his vacation neared its end.
The Commerce Department reported the economy grew at a much slower pace this spring … Read more : Obama bikes and golfs on Martha’s Vineyard, but can’t escape economy.

Suit: Pennsylvania couple secretly records priest having sex with daughter; she got pregnant

Suit: Priest impregnates Pennsylvania teenager

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A Pennsylvania couple secretly videotaped a Roman Catholic priest having sex with their 18-year-old daughter in the basement of their home and are now suing, saying he got her pregnant.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Berks County Court, alleges that the Rev. Luis A. Bonilla Margarito carried on a [..] Read the original article: here.

Obama, wife, daughters go on vacation bike outing under brilliant skies on Martha’s Vineyard

First family goes on island vacation bike outing
EDGARTOWN, Mass. – President Barack Obama took full advantage of brilliant New England weather on Friday, completing a short bike ride with his family before heading out for a much longer round of golf as his Martha’s Vineyard vacation wound down.
It wasn’t all games though. Before … Read more >>>.

Utah Supreme Court rejects appeal from polygamous sect seeking reversal of land trust changes

Utah court rejects appeal from polygamous sect

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah’s Supreme Court has rejected a petition from members of a southern Utah-based polygamous sect seeking a reversal of changes made to its communal land trust.
In a ruling issued Friday, justices say members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints waited …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Utah Supreme Court rejects appeal from polygamous sect seeking reversal of land trust changes.

Lawyer: More than 1,000 documents from early days of Nation of Islam found in Detroit home

Early Nation of Islam documents found in Detroit

DETROIT – More than 1,000 documents, including some dating back to the beginning of the Nation of Islam, were found in the attic of a home in Detroit, the city where the secretive movement started 80 years ago, a lawyer said.
Attorney Gregory Reed unveiled some documents, letters and … Read more >>>.

Two Mother Teresa coins to be released

NEW DELHI – Two coins will be released Saturday to mark the birth centenary of Mother Teresa.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will release the coins – of Rs.100 and Rs.5 denominations – at a function here to be attended by President Pratibha Patil, spokesperson of the centenary celebration committee Father Babu Joseph told IANS.
A special …. Source  : Two Mother Teresa coins to be released.