NPR Topics: Religion http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1016&ft=1&f=1016 NPR's stories on U.S. and world religion, spirituality, ethics, and moral issues affecting society and culture. Subscribe to NPR Religion RSS feeds. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Religion http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1016&ft=1&f=1016 State Department Office Reaches Out To Muslims A new division opened in the State Department this year: the office of the Special Representative to Muslim Communities. Farah Pandith's mission is to reach out to the world's 1.2 billion Muslims. She tells Steve Inskeep the office will influence how Muslims perceive the United States. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120602661&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120602661&ft=1&f=1016 A new division opened in the State Department this year: the office of the Special Representative to Muslim Communities. Farah Pandith's mission is to reach out to the world's 1.2 billion Muslims. She tells Steve Inskeep the office will influence how Muslims perceive the United States.

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]]> Woman Says She Left $40K At Shrine For Safekeeping A groundskeeper at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes near Emmitsburg, Md., found two plastic freezer bags filled with gold and silver coins while he was raking leaves. A woman said she wanted the Virgin Mary to watch over the money while she was out of town. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:42:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120549464&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120549464&ft=1&f=1016 A groundskeeper at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes near Emmitsburg, Md., found two plastic freezer bags filled with gold and silver coins while he was raking leaves. A woman said she wanted the Virgin Mary to watch over the money while she was out of town.

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]]> Boxer Yuri Foreman: Training With The Torah Yuri Foreman enters the boxing ring Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to fight for the WBA welterweight championship. But boxing is only one of Foreman's passions. When he moved to New York, to train and fight, he discovered a spiritual path. Foreman talks with Guy Raz about how his encounter with an orthodox rabbi in Brooklyn, and how that led to his decision to become rabbi. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120422648&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120422648&ft=1&f=1016 Yuri Foreman enters the boxing ring Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to fight for the WBA welterweight championship. But boxing is only one of Foreman's passions. When he moved to New York, to train and fight, he discovered a spiritual path. Foreman talks with Guy Raz about how his encounter with an orthodox rabbi in Brooklyn, and how that led to his decision to become rabbi.

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]]> Catholic Bishops' Lobby A Force On The Hill Democrats recently came to terms with a lobbying force of unexpected influence in the health care debate: the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Though the group has nary a lobbyist on its payroll, it successfully pushed for an anti-abortion amendment to be added to the House health overhaul bill. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120399270&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120399270&ft=1&f=1016 Democrats recently came to terms with a lobbying force of unexpected influence in the health care debate: the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Though the group has nary a lobbyist on its payroll, it successfully pushed for an anti-abortion amendment to be added to the House health overhaul bill.

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]]> Catholic Church Wants Health Care Overhaul To Ban Abortions Bishops representing the Catholic Church are aggressively lobbying on Capitol Hill. They hope to persuade lawmakers to ban coverage for abortion procedures from any public insurance plan included resulting from legislation to overhaul the nation’s health care system. Blogger Michael Sean Winters, who writes for the Catholic Weekly magazin<em>e Ameri</em>ca, explains the church’s concern. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120381633&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120381633&ft=1&f=1016 Bishops representing the Catholic Church are aggressively lobbying on Capitol Hill. They hope to persuade lawmakers to ban coverage for abortion procedures from any public insurance plan included resulting from legislation to overhaul the nation’s health care system. Blogger Michael Sean Winters, who writes for the Catholic Weekly magazine America, explains the church’s concern.

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]]> Devout Muslims Sometimes Split On Beliefs Host Michel Martin talks with Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, director of outreach at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, Virginia, where Nidal Hassan sometimes attended prayer services. Abdul-Malik is joined by Asra Nomani, who recently talked to Muslim congregants at a Muslim Center in Silver Spring, Md., oanother center where Hassan often frequented. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120344756&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120344756&ft=1&f=1016 Host Michel Martin talks with Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, director of outreach at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, Virginia, where Nidal Hassan sometimes attended prayer services. Abdul-Malik is joined by Asra Nomani, who recently talked to Muslim congregants at a Muslim Center in Silver Spring, Md., oanother center where Hassan often frequented.

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]]> Army Muslim Chaplain: No Hostility Since Shooting Chaplain Maj. Dawud Agbere, one of the 10 Muslim chaplains employed by the U.S. military, flew to Fort Hood, Texas, to support members of the military in the wake of last week's killings. Agbere says he has not faced any hostile comments since the shooting. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120340608&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120340608&ft=1&f=1016 Chaplain Maj. Dawud Agbere, one of the 10 Muslim chaplains employed by the U.S. military, flew to Fort Hood, Texas, to support members of the military in the wake of last week's killings. Agbere says he has not faced any hostile comments since the shooting.

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]]> In Italy, An Automatic Holy-Water Dispenser An Italian inventor has come up with a way to avoid sacrificing your soul for your health: It's an automatic holy-water dispenser. Fear that reaching into a communal fount would spread swine flu has prompted the Milan cathedral and some churches to suspend the tradition. The new design, installed in one church, uses a motion sensor &mdash; just like a soap dispenser &mdash; to set the holy water flowing. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120340662&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120340662&ft=1&f=1016 An Italian inventor has come up with a way to avoid sacrificing your soul for your health: It's an automatic holy-water dispenser. Fear that reaching into a communal fount would spread swine flu has prompted the Milan cathedral and some churches to suspend the tradition. The new design, installed in one church, uses a motion sensor — just like a soap dispenser — to set the holy water flowing.

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]]> For Muslims, Fort Hood Case Sparks Fresh Fears Thousands of Muslims are in the U.S. military, and many more work for the federal government. After the shootings at Fort Hood, many of these individuals fear they're in for some unpleasant scrutiny. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:10:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120314051&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120314051&ft=1&f=1016 Thousands of Muslims are in the U.S. military, and many more work for the federal government. After the shootings at Fort Hood, many of these individuals fear they're in for some unpleasant scrutiny.

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]]> Mormon Church Backs Salt Lake City's Gay Rights Law The move marked the first time the Utah-based church has supported gay rights legislation, and helped secure passage for Salt Lake City laws banning discrimination against gays in housing and employment. The church drew strong reactions last year after backing Proposition 8 in California. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:31:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120302337&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120302337&ft=1&f=1016 The move marked the first time the Utah-based church has supported gay rights legislation, and helped secure passage for Salt Lake City laws banning discrimination against gays in housing and employment. The church drew strong reactions last year after backing Proposition 8 in California.

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]]> Vatican Scientists Seek Evidence Of Alien Life Four hundred years after it locked up Galileo for challenging the view that the Earth was the center of the universe, the Vatican has called in experts to study the possibility of extraterrestrial life and its implication for the Catholic Church. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:24:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120291244&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120291244&ft=1&f=1016 Four hundred years after it locked up Galileo for challenging the view that the Earth was the center of the universe, the Vatican has called in experts to study the possibility of extraterrestrial life and its implication for the Catholic Church.

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]]> For Muslims, Military Service Sometimes Met With Hostility There are still unanswered questions following the recent shooting spree at the Ft. Hood Army post in Texas, where Maj. Nidal Hasan allegedly opened fire. The tragedy left 12 dead and dozens injured. Hasan's Muslim faith and personal accounts from those who interacted with him place on a spotlight on Muslims serving in the U.S. Military &mdash; both their experiences and how they are perceived. Bashir Ahmad, a former a medic in the National Guard, and Haytham Faraj, a criminal defense attorney and former Marinek, discuss instances of openness and hostility for Muslims in Military. sometimes a retired senior defense counsel at Camp Pendelton in California and is currently a criminal defense attorney who focuses on military law. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120238951&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120238951&ft=1&f=1016 There are still unanswered questions following the recent shooting spree at the Ft. Hood Army post in Texas, where Maj. Nidal Hasan allegedly opened fire. The tragedy left 12 dead and dozens injured. Hasan's Muslim faith and personal accounts from those who interacted with him place on a spotlight on Muslims serving in the U.S. Military — both their experiences and how they are perceived. Bashir Ahmad, a former a medic in the National Guard, and Haytham Faraj, a criminal defense attorney and former Marinek, discuss instances of openness and hostility for Muslims in Military. sometimes a retired senior defense counsel at Camp Pendelton in California and is currently a criminal defense attorney who focuses on military law.

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]]> For Muslims, Military Service Sometimes Met With Hostility - Part II As the days go by, investigators are forming a clearer picture of Army Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, the 39-year-old psychiatrist stationed at Ft. Hood in Texas, who allegedly went on shooting spree last Thursday, killing 12 and injury dozens. Reports so far tell of an alienated man who, according to at least one source, was mocked by some associates for his religious devotion to Islam. James Yee, a former Army captain and former Muslim chaplain at Guantanamo Bay prison, shares his observations on Muslim-Americans in the U.S. Military. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120238956&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120238956&ft=1&f=1016 As the days go by, investigators are forming a clearer picture of Army Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, the 39-year-old psychiatrist stationed at Ft. Hood in Texas, who allegedly went on shooting spree last Thursday, killing 12 and injury dozens. Reports so far tell of an alienated man who, according to at least one source, was mocked by some associates for his religious devotion to Islam. James Yee, a former Army captain and former Muslim chaplain at Guantanamo Bay prison, shares his observations on Muslim-Americans in the U.S. Military.

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]]> Shooting Spotlights Muslims In Military The shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, has raised questions about the experience of Muslims who serve in the military. Rafael LanTigua, a lieutenant in the Army National Guard and a Muslim chaplain candidate, says Muslims have served in the armed forces since the Revolutionary War. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120183484&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120183484&ft=1&f=1016 The shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, has raised questions about the experience of Muslims who serve in the military. Rafael LanTigua, a lieutenant in the Army National Guard and a Muslim chaplain candidate, says Muslims have served in the armed forces since the Revolutionary War.

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]]> Muslims Worry About Backlash From Post Shooting Muslims say what the alleged shooter did at Fort Hood was a brutal, personal act that could not have been committed in the name of Islam. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120159279&ft=1&f=1016 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120159279&ft=1&f=1016 Muslims say what the alleged shooter did at Fort Hood was a brutal, personal act that could not have been committed in the name of Islam.

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