GAY RIGHTS-RELIGION
Obama to sign orders protecting gay employees
WASHINGTON (AP) β President Barack Obama plans to sign executive orders today prohibiting discrimination against gay and transgender workers in the federal government and its contracting agencies, but a pre-existing exemption will reportedly remain in place.
White House officials say Obama will amend a 1965 executive order that prohibits federal contractors from discriminating based on race, religion, gender or nationality in hiring. Obama plans to add sexual orientation and gender identity to that list.
But senior administration officials say Obama will not change exemptions added by President George W. Bush that allow religious contractors to employ only fellow believers.
It’s unclear if those employees could be required to obey church precepts prohibiting sex outside of heterosexual marriage.
Sound:
210-v-35-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor)–President Barack Obama plans to sign executive orders Monday prohibiting discrimination against gay and transgender workers in the federal government and its contracting agencies, but a pre-existing exemption will reportedly remain in place. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (20 Jul 2014)
< RELIGION-POLITICS LAWSUIT Freedom from Religion group, IRS settle lawsuit MADISON, Wis. (AP) β A group representing atheists and agnostics has agreed to drop a federal lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over tax-exempt churches and religious organizations that get involved in political campaigns. The Freedom from Religion Foundation and the IRS submitted a motion in federal court last week asking the judge to dismiss the case filed in 2012. The Foundation says in the filing that it agreed to drop the case after the IRS proved to the group it is not ignoring political activity by churches. Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor says the IRS is not currently investigating any tax-exempt entities, including churches, because of the Congressional moratorium placed on it while Congress looks into the agency’s operations. Gaylor said her group could refile the lawsuit later if the IRS does not investigate what she called “rogue political churches.” IMMIGRANTS-SAINT Mexican immigrants adopt patron saint LOS ANGELES (AP) β Immigrants are flocking to churches in Southern California to see a wooden statue of a saint who is cherished by border-crossers who make the perilous journey to the United States. The Los Angeles Times reports that the 4-foot-tall statue of Saint Toribio Romo Gonzalez was flown from the Mexican state of Jalisco, and is making stops in churches in three California counties. Many immigrants say Romo Gonzalez has appeared to them during difficult moments on their journeys north, with some carrying a photo of the saint in their wallets. Romo Gonzalez was a priest killed during a 1928 religious uprising and was canonized 14 years ago. Sound: 215-a-10-(Maria Rosa Rivera, Catholic parishioner, in AP interview)-“made me cry”-Catholic parishioner Maria Rosa Rivera says she felt blessed to see the statue of Saint Toribio Romo Gonzalez. ((Toribio is pronounced toh-REE’-bee-oh)) (20 Jul 2014) < 213-a-12-(Father Ed Benioff, director of the Office of New Evangelization for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, in AP interview)-“the United Saints”-Father Ed Benioff, director of the Office of New Evangelization for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, says many Catholic immigrants are devoted to a Mexican saint. (20 Jul 2014) < 214-a-12-(Father Ed Benioff, director of the Office of New Evangelization for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, in AP interview)-“can help them”-Father Ed Benioff, director of the Office of New Evangelization for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, says many immigrants from Mexico are devoted to Saint Toribio Romo Gonzalez. ((Toribio is pronounced toh-REE’-bee-oh)) (20 Jul 2014) < CHURCH EMBEZZLEMENT Woman accused of embezzling $70K from church ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) β An Albuquerque woman is accused of siphoning more than $70,000 from her church. KOAT-TV reports that 39-year-old Misty White was free on bond Thursday following her arrest on an embezzlement charge. According to a criminal complaint, White used her volunteer position at Indian Nation Baptist Church to access church bank accounts. White, who has been treasurer since 2011, allegedly used cash withdrawals and checks at grocery stores and restaurants. She also depleted another account reserved for buying the church a new building. Pastor Scott Tafoya says the embezzlement came to light after the bank called about a check bouncing. The check was made out to a day care center attended by one of White’s children. Police say the amount of stolen funds will likely rise as the investigation continues. UKRAINE-PLANE-VICTIMS Prayers across Netherlands for Ukraine crash dead THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) β Worshippers at church services across the Netherlands have been praying for the victims of the Ukraine air disaster and their next of kin, as anger builds over the separatist rebels’ hindering of the investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. The chairman of the Dutch Bishops Conference, Cardinal Wim Eijk (vim IKE), called on church-goers to “pray for strength and courage for the relatives” at services Sunday. Amid the grieving, Prime Minister Mark Rutte (RIH’-tay) is pushing for Russian President Vladimir Putin to use his influence over the rebels in eastern Ukraine to ensure a full investigation into the tragedy that killed 298 passengers and crew, including 193 Dutch citizens. In Australia, the intended destination of some of the deceased, Sydney’s Catholic Bishop Peter Comensoli said, “The downing of MH17 was not an innocent accident. It was the outcome of a trail of human evil.” Sound: 170-a-18-(Silene (sih-LAY’-neh) Fredriksz, mother of victim of downed plane, in interview (note her husband is talking quietly in background) as she holds photo of her son with his partner)-“send them home”-Silene Fredriksz, the mother of a downed plane victim who died with his partner, says it’s time for Russian separatists in Ukraine, as well as Russian President Putin, to help her gain closure. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) (20 Jul 2014) < 171-a-13-(Silene (sih-LAY’-neh) Fredriksz, mother of victim of downed plane, in interview (note her husband is talking quietly in background) as she holds photo of her son with his partner)-“funeral, I can’t”-Silene Fredriksz, the mother of a victim of the downed plane who died with his partner, says the families of victims want to bury their loved ones. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) (20 Jul 2014) < 033-a-10-(Peter Comensoli, Bishop of Sydney, in remarks to congregation)-“to the Lord”-Bishop of Sydney Peter Comensoli says the memorial mass is a chance for all Australians to grieve for the victims of the crash of Flight MH17. (20 Jul 2014) < IRAQ Iraqi PM condemns jihadis’ targeting of Christians BAGHDAD (AP) β Iraq’s prime minister is condemning the Islamic State extremist group’s targeting of Christians in territory it controls, saying they reveal the threat the jihadists pose to the minority Christian community’s “centuries-old heritage.” The comments from Nouri al-Maliki come a day after the expiration of a deadline imposed by the Islamic State group calling on Christians in the militant-held city of Mosul to convert to Islam, pay a tax or face death. Most Christians opted to flee to the nearby self-rule Kurdish region or other areas protected by Kurdish security forces. Residents in Mosul also say the Islamic State group’s fighters recently have begun to occupy churches and seize the homes of Christians who have fled the city. Iraq’s Christian communities date back to the first centuries of the religion. Before the 2003 U.S-led invasion, around 1 million Christians called Iraq home. But since then, the community has been a frequent target for militants, and attacks prompted many Christians to leave the country. Church officials now estimate the community at around 450,000. VATICAN-POPE Pope expresses concern for Iraqi Christians VATICAN CITY (AP) β Pope Francis has expressed concern for Christians forced to flee Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, where Christians have resided for centuries. The pontiff in his traditional Angelus blessing on Sunday offered prayers for Iraqi Christians who “are persecuted, chased away, forced to leave their houses without out the possibility of taking anything” with them. Christians departed Mosul this week for the largely autonomous Kurdish region after they were issued an ultimatum to convert to Islam, pay a tax or face death. It’s the latest exodus of Christians from the city where their communities date from the first centuries of Christianity. Francis also called for dialogue to resolve armed conflicts around the world, especially in the Middle East and Ukraine, emphasizing “violence is not overcome with violence. Violence is overcome with peace.” Sound: 156-r-31-(Sound of Pope Francis addressing the public, in Italian, at St. Peter’s Square)–Sound of Pope Francis asking in Italian the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square to keep praying for dialogue and reconciliation where tensions are high, especially in Ukraine and the Middle East. COURTESY: Vatican TV ((credit)) (20 Jul 2014) < EU-BOSNIA-MASS FUNERAL Bosnians bury kin found in wartime mass grave KOZARAC, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) β Bosnian families have buried the remains of 283 Muslims and one Roman Catholic Croat who were killed at the start of the Bosnian war of 1992-95. The bodies were laid out in green coffins in a sports field in Kozarac, where thousands prayed for them before burial in graveyards in the area. A Bosnian woman who buried her parents and eight other family members, said she hoped what happened to her and her family “never happens to anyone ever.” She said she prays that God will “punish the perpetrators if they evade justice on Earth.” The victims were killed in the summer of 1992, when Serb troops went from house to house in northwest Bosnia and killed any non-Serbs they found. They hid the bodies in mass graves, some of which have only been discovered recently. About 10,000 Bosnians remain missing from the war.
