As President Obama prepares to speak tonight about withdrawing some troops from Afghanistan, a group of mostly liberal faith leaders are calling on him to bring them all home and end the Afghan war.
“The past ten years have shown that we cannot broker peace in Afghanistan by military force,” the leaders say.
On the home front, 52 national groups sent a letter to Obama urging him to lift an executive order issued in 2002 that allows faith organizations that receive government funds to use religious criteria in hiring staff.
Religious charities received nearly $100 billion in donations last year, according to Reuters.
Some conservatives wonder if Tim Pawlenty’s pastor may be too moderate for the red-meat Republicans who typically turn out for primaries. CNN explores Jon Huntsman’s idiosyncratic take on Mormonism. LDS-raised, he says he draws on “many different types of religions and philosophies,” and is raising his adopted Indian daughter in her native Hinduism.
The Muslim Brotherhood expelled a senior member for saying he would run for president in September, despite the group’s pledge not to seek the post. A court in Argentina has ruled that a political candidate cannot use his rabbinical title on the ballot because it has a positive connotation.
If Anthony Weiner resigned over his sexually charged tweets, then Sen. David Vitter, who confessed to consorting with prostitutes, has no business remaining in office, a conservative Christian group says.
Pope Benedict XVI is getting a hybrid popemobile, and the Vatican is giving iPods to pilgrims.
A Connecticut court dismissed a lawsuit brought against a Catholic priest, his church and the Hartford Diocese seeking damages for injuries a woman received during a Charismatic Renewal healing service, at which the plaintiff was prayed over, fell backward, and hit her head. No word on whether the Holy Spirit was called to testify.
A uniquely intact Crusader city has been unearthed in Israel, according to the AP. A 13th century French bishop said the city of Acre was once “utterly devoted to pleasures of the flesh.” Now it’s a sleepy fishing village. So much for progress.
Atheists are complaining about the renaming of a Brooklyn street to “Seven in Heaven Way” to honor seven firefighters killed on 9-11. Most Americans would not vote for an atheist president, according to a new Gallup poll. Does it take a leap of faith to see the trace of a connection there?
First United Methodist, Tampa’s oldest downtown church, will close a week from Sunday.
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Daniel Burke
