Religion News Selection 28 (July 19

Religion News Selection 28 (July 19 - 26)

(28 July 09)
by Greg Spearritt

Religion News Selection

July 19 - 26, 2009

A selection of religion news stories from Australia.

Inclusion here does not endorse the veracity or quality of any particular item – it just means I found it worth reading and reflecting on (even if badly conceived or poorly written).

If you’re after the unexpurgated (and reasonably unbiased) version, see Religion News Australia which appears weekly on our website.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Salman Rushdie tale deserves more exposure (The Courier-Mail, Brisbane)

July 25 – (Review) HANDS up who's read Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses?

HINDUISM

Mad cow swapped so Hindus can hold sacred ceremonies (The Courier-Mail, Brisbane)

July 26 - BRISBANE'S Hindu Society bought a Brahman heifer for worshippers to adorn with garlands for worship and prayer ceremonies at their Burbank temple.

INTERNATIONAL STORIES

Anglican Church

Church offers '2-in-1' wedding, baptism (Adelaide Now)

July 24 - HOPING to align religious tradition with modern life, the Church of England has introduced a new "two-in-one" marriage and baptism ceremony that allows couples who already have children to tie the knot.

Hinduism

Blind superstition and devotion eclipse science (The Age, Melbourne)

July 23 - Astronomers' logic carries little weight with millions across Asia.

Islam

Furore over model's whipping sentence (The Age, Melbourne)

July 25 - An Islamic court's decision to have a Muslim model whipped for drinking beer at a pub has triggered controversy in Malaysia, a multicultural country where such convictions are extremely rare.

Battle for Iran threatens theocracy (The Australian)

July 22 - IRAN'S election dispute has moved beyond mass street protests to a new phase: a fight for power within the ruling religious establishment itself, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard emerging as the driving force behind efforts to crush the opposition movement.

Indonesian Hotel Bombings

Jihad in the classroom (The Australian)

July 21 – (Opinion: Sally Neighbour) INDONESIA will continue to live with the threat of terror attacks unless its government cracks down on the militant Islamic schools and religious zealots who espouse worldwide jihad.

The war on Australia (The Australian)

July 25 – (Opinion: Sally Neighbour) THE evil mind behind last week's Jakarta bombings hates Australians and promises more attacks.

Other

Russia to teach religion in schools (Adelaide Now)

July 22 - PRESIDENT Dmitry Medvedev has unveiled a first national plan to teach religion in Russian schools, blunting opposition by offering a secular ethics course as an alternative.

Faith-healing parents not guilty of manslaughter (Adelaide Now)

July 24 - PARENTS who believed prayer, not medical help, would save their 15-month old daughter have been cleared of manslaughter charges.

POLITICS

Chaser boys' judgment goes missing again (The Age, Melbourne)

July 20 - The boys from The Chaser comedy team have again applied humour to an inappropriate moment - this time by scaling the walls of a Canberra church attended by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd just before he was expected to comment on Australian casualties in the Jakarta bombings.

Anti-terrorist crackdown on religious extremists (ABC News)

July 22 - Authorities could be given more powers to target radical extremists under proposed additions to Australia's anti-terrorism laws.

RELIGION & SOCIETY

Sacred sites ignored, say uranium opponents (ABC News)

July 22 - Some traditional owners of the new Four Mile uranium mine site in outback South Australia want an independent investigation into claims the company involved has silenced some of the group's women.

UNITING CHURCH

Aborigines acknowledged in new church constitution (ABC News)

July 21 - The Uniting Church has acknowledged it did not bring God to Australia's Indigenous people in a new preamble to its constitution.

Also: Questions over God's place in the Dreaming (The Australian)

July 25 – (Opinion: Christopher Pearson) CHRISTIANITY has always taught that its revelation was entire and whole and perfect.