Monday’s Religion News Roundup: Ramadan Risks * Sex Offender Village * Imaginative Prayer

Today is the one-year anniversary of the shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin that left six dead. The attack formed one unlikely alliance between a victim's son and a former skinhead.

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia via http://1.usa.gov/1c2SPPX

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The United States will keep many embassies in the Muslim world closed until Saturday due to a possible militant threat. The State Department’s global travel alert will remain in force until the end of August.

Today is the one-year anniversary of the shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin that left six dead. The attack formed one unlikely alliance between a victim’s son and a former skinhead.


The trial for Nidal Malik Hasan, who allegedly shouted Arabic for “God is great” before killing 13 and wounding 30 at Fort Hood in 2009, starts Tuesday.

The Supreme Court will soon decide if CEOs can impose their religious convictions on the people who work for them. Leaders of Christian companies like Hobby Lobby complement business practices with religious principles.

The company that bought Newsweek may have ties to controversial religious leader David Jang, Buzzfeed and Christianity Today report.

For some Muslims, Ramadan–which ends this week–poses risks. Some 300 Algerians held a weekend protest lunch during fasting hours to protest persecution of people who refuse to observe Ramadan. The month is an important one for some businesses.

A Muslim woman was told to remove her “headware” during the Massachusetts bar exam.

T. M. Luhrmann looks at the impact of prayer, comparing it to video games and our imagination.

A pastry chef in the UK who was fired after he used non-kosher jam at a kosher bakery won a payout after  judges ruled he had been victimized and unfairly dismissed.

In feature-land CBS’s 60 Minutes re-aired a report on Mercy Ships, the world’s largest civilian hospital ship. The BBC has a fascinating piece on a Florida Christian community dedicated to helping sex offenders rebuild their lives.


Circumcision has become a popular tool for fighting HIV infection rates, and one chief has turned evangelistic for the practice.

An American scholar who has spoken widely on women’s role in Islam said that lectures scheduled in India were canceled amid security concerns.

The Senate has confirmed the former head of Catholic Relief Services to be the next ambassador to the Vatican.

Zimbabwe’s religious leaders called for peace Sunday after the country’s disputed election gave Robert Mugabe the victory.

Punk rockers in Myanmar are getting double-takes–not for their looks–for their willingness to speak out against Buddhist monks instigating violence against Muslims.

In sports, Tim Tebow has a special way with his fans. And Major League Baseball plans to announce today the fate of players who used performance enhancing drugs.


Tweets from the weekend:

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!