Monthly Archives: October 2013

Myanmar: Will anyone speak up for the world’s most persecuted minority?

CHICAGO — Myanmar may be the newest poster-child for democracy, but the country continues its campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has dubbed the violence by Myanmar, otherwise known as Burma, “crimes against humanity.” … Continue reading

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Heavens Above, Apocalypse Below

A middle-aged man, I was decidedly in the minority at an 11am weekday screening of “Gravity” at the Grove, one of the open-air consumerist Potemkin villages that began sprouting in Los Angeles and other Sunbelt cities just before the economic … Continue reading

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What’s in a Name?

Today’s LATimes reports that American “officials” fear that “radical Islamists could take root in Syria.” Their concern has been piqued by the Al Nusra Front, a militant Islamic group allied with al-Qaida that seeks to replace the Assad government with … Continue reading

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Mormon Women Knock at the Door, Are Turned Away

“On October 5, 2013, almost 200 Mormon women gathered in downtown Salt Lake City on a sunny but crisp Saturday afternoon in order to seek admission to the priesthood session of the semi-annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. … Continue reading

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God and Government

Every government on earth has its own approach to religion. Some see it as a partner, others see it as a threat. Some declare official faiths, others scorn that idea. We’ll go to 14 nations around the world, meeting real … Continue reading

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WP: Religion is missing element in Kenya coverage

In its coverage of Somalis in Nairobi facing a backlash in the wake of the Westgate Mall attack that left 67 dead and more than 200 wounded last month, the Washington Post inexplicably leaves out the potent subject of religion from … Continue reading

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Poll: Catholics agree with Pope Francis that church is ‘obsessed’ with moral issues

“Pope Francis rocked the Catholic world last month when he gave a wide-ranging interview in which he declared that the church had become “obsessed” with a few moral issues and needed to find a ‘new balance.’ “Now a new poll indicates that … Continue reading

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Taking Exception to “Exceptionalism”

In his speech at the U.N. this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chose to bury the lede (the Palestinian issue remains by far the largest obstacle to peace in Israel-Palestine) and rant instead about the new Iranian president’s efforts at … Continue reading

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Panama: The Priest in the Protest

“In February 2012, the Panamanian police used a military-style crackdown on a road blockade organized by Ngäbe-Buglé activists who opposed mining and hydroelectric projects. According to American missionary priest Joe Fitzgerald, police used tear gas, pellets and live rounds on … Continue reading

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