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• Beyond belief | When will secularism be allowed in the public square? (Cathy Young, Reason)

Religious freedom:

• UK govt to introduce new laws against religious discrimination | The new laws to combat discrimination on the grounds of religion, which are to be introduced shortly, have been welcomed by all minority communities (Hindustan Times, India)
• Also: Call to extend hate crime offence | Tough new laws are needed to tackle "hate crimes" towards gay, transgender or disabled people, Scottish experts have said (BBC)
• Zimbabwe 'to curb' rights groups | Zimbabwe's government is tightening restrictions on human rights groups operating in the country, reports say (BBC)
• Pontiff urges 'display of faith' | Pope John Paul II has invited believers to display signs and symbols of their faith with pride (BBC)
• Exodus of Iraqi Christians in full flood as targeted killings grow | So far, 110 have been killed (The Independent, London)

Church & state in Africa:

• Remove Christian nation nonsense | While no one would oppose the protection of our people's right to a religious faith or belief, a right to profess a religion of their choice, we feel it was madness to legislate faith and religion into the Republican Constitution (Editorial, The Post of Zambia)
• Museveni showers scriptures | Quoting from the parable of the 10 lepers, whom Jesus healed, but only one returned to say thank you, and the Parable of talents, Museveni flanked by wife Janet, shocked worshipers by a display of his meticulous knowledge of the holy scriptures (New Vision, Uganda)
• Also: Museveni excites 'born agains' | Museveni challenged the born-again Christians to be an example to the rest of the people through good deeds (The Monitor, Uganda)

Religion & law:

• Officer cleared of detaining minister | Milton police said an officer was justified when he handcuffed a black clergyman during an attempted car theft investigation this summer and have cleared the officer of wrongdoing (The Boston Globe)
• Who has the right to make life? | The Ohio Supreme Court recently ruled in the case of a man who has fathered seven children with five different women, but is $38,000 behind in child support payments (Daily Pilot, Newport Beach, Ca.)
• Pastor in court on stun gun charge | John Miskelly, 37, is accused of possessing a prohibited weapon (The Belfast Telegraph)

Religion & politics:

• On a mission to unite politics with faith | Former San Diego pastor works to mobilize evangelical Christians to believe in ballot (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Voters often look to faith | Devout people tend to let religion guide their vote -- often to Republican Party (Times Union, Albany, N.Y.)
• Vatican buries the hatchet with Blair and Bush over Iraq | Senior Vatican officials have decided to put aside their differences with Tony Blair over the war in Iraq, calling for multinational troop reinforcements to secure the country's fledgling democracy (The Telegraph, London)
• Muslims could prove crucial in election | With more than 1,200 Muslims and Arab-Americans taken into custody after the Sept. 11 attacks, and a U.S.-led war raging in Iraq, many Muslims oppose George Bush in the November presidential election. But their voting for John Kerry is not a slam-dunk, either (Associated Press)
• Religion and political attitudes | Ever wonder where Bible-believing, church-attending evangelical Protestants stand on taxing the rich to help the poor? Or whether Latino Catholics have grown more or less favorable toward legal abortion over the last 12 years? Or what single religious group has grown more negative toward gay rights during that period? (Peter Steinfels, The New York Times)

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October (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48