OBAMA-ISLAMIC STATE-CHRISTIANS
Christian leaders urge Obama to address plight of religious minorities
WASHINGTON (AP) β U.S. and Middle East Christian leaders hope President Obama won’t overlook the plight of religious minorities when he tells Americans how he’ll respond to the Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
On the eve of Obama’s address to the nation, Cardinal Donald Wuerl welcomed the Middle East’s Christian patriarchs to a Washington summit.
Nina Shea (NEE’-nah SHAY), director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom, said it’s not enough for the U.S. and allied forces to degrade and destroy the Islamic State group. She said President Obama also should address the plight of religious minorities who are being killed, kidnapped or exiled from their historic homelands.
Robert George, vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, said Americans “should demand action” so that the Middle East’s persecuted Christians know they haven’t been abandoned or forgotten.
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258-a-14-(Robert George, vice chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, at news conference)-“stand with them”-Robert George, vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, says Americans must not remain silent while Christians are being exiled and killed in Iraq and Syria. ((cut used in wrap)) (9 Sep 2014)
< 259-a-07-(Representative. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., at news conference)-“this historic summit”-Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry welcomes the Middle East’s Christian patriarchs to Washington. (9 Sep 2014) < 257-a-05-(Nina Shea (NEE’-nah SHAY), director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom, at news conference)-“and other communities”-Nina Shea, director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom, says the president should call for more than destruction of the Islamic State group. (9 Sep 2014) < 256-w-35-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Robert George, vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb.)–U.S. and Middle East Christian leaders hope President Obama won’t overlook the plight of religious minorities when he tells Americans how he’ll respond to Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (9 Sep 2014) < OBAMA-ISLAMIC STATE-MUSLIMS Catholic scholar: Obama can’t ignore militants’ Islamic appeal WASHINGTON (AP) β A Catholic University of America scholar says President Barack Obama’s strategy to combat the Islamic State group must take into account the militants’ religious appeal. CUA Law Prof. Robert Destro says the Obama administration was blindsided by the Islamic militants’ sweep through much of northern Iraq and Syria because CIA analysts “don’t pay attention to religion.” Destro says the Islamic State group is engaged in “a fight for the soul of Islam” as well as for territory in which to establish a caliphate. He says Christians and Jews should support moderate Muslims who proclaim that the militants are not Islamic, but only criminals. Sound: 266-w-32-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Catholic University of America law professor Robert Destro)–A Catholic University of America scholar says President Barack Obama’s strategy to combat the Islamic State group must take into account the militants’ religious appeal. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (9 Sep 2014) < 269-a-12-(Robert Destro, law professor, Catholic University of America, at news conference)-“that they are”-Catholic University of America law professor Robert Destro says there should be a united religious front against the Islamic State group. (9 Sep 2014) < 268-a-05-(Robert Destro, law professor, Catholic University of America, at news conference)-“soul of Islam”-Catholic University of America law professor Robert Destro says the Islamic State group is fighting for more than territory. (9 Sep 2014) < FRANCE-MUSLIMS French imams to use pulpit against Islamic State PARIS (AP) β French Muslim leaders are urging imams to preach against the Islamic State group and offer a message of support for Christians in the Middle East. Christians there are fleeing the militant organization by the thousands as they face a choice between conversion to Islam or death. On Tuesday, moderate Muslim leaders called on French mosques nationwide to offer prayers for endangered Christians and send a message to young people that the Islamic State group is neither Muslim nor a state. The rector of Paris’ principal mosque said it was crucial to support Christians against barbarity. French young people make up the largest number of European jihadis heading to fight in Syria and Iraq. IMMIGRANT SANCTUARY Immigrant sanctuary gains popularity in Arizona TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) β A church in Tucson, Arizona, is offering sanctuary to Rosa Robles (ROH’-blays) Loreto, a 41-year-old immigrant who lacks legal status and is facing deportation after getting pulled over for a traffic infraction four years ago. Robles has spent the last four weeks at Southside Presbyterian Church, hoping that immigration officials won’t arrest her. There is no rule under federal law that prohibits agents from arresting immigrants in church, but it’s a practice the government generally avoids. Elvira Arellano (el-VEE’-ruh ah-ray-AH’-noh) made headlines when she took sanctuary in 2006 in a Methodist church in Chicago and remained there for a year. But her order of deportation was never removed, and she was arrested in Los Angeles during a publicity tour in 2007. Arellano, whose son is a U.S. citizen, was deported to Mexico, but she made her way back to the U.S. this year. In March, she was paroled by U.S. immigration authorities, and an immigration judge will determine the outcome of her case. STREET PREACHER-DEAL Street preacher strikes deal with Springfield SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) β A Baptist preacher who has been ticketed repeatedly for disturbing the peace in downtown Springfield, Missouri, has reached an agreement with city leaders that could lead to the charges being dropped. The Springfield News-Leader says Aaron Brummitt of Lighthouse Anabaptist Church has agreed to a deferred prosecution deal. Wampler says the agreement defers prosecution for one year, after which the tickets would be dismissed. As long as Brummitt abides by the restrictions on his street sermons, he will no longer face up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine for each ticket. Those restrictions include Brummitt’s staying at least 125 feet away from Park Central Square while preaching when a city-permitted event is occurring, and not using sound equipment with a volume greater than 75 decibels. The agreement also says Brummitt generally cannot preach more than once a week for more than 90 minutes at a time. But for four weeks in a year, he will be permitted to preach twice in the same week. CHURCH BURGLARY 2 arrested in church burglary, arrested on roof WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) β Police in Wilmington, Delaware, have arrested two men after catching them on the roof of a church they were allegedly trying to break into. Police were called to Mother Union AME Church about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. Officers say they saw one person on the roof and a large ladder. Police say the Wilmington Fire Department was called and helped officers get on the roof. Officers say two men were found hiding in heating and air conditioning duct work, and burglary tools were found. Thirty-three-year-old Carl Henderson and 22-year-old Avery Maxwell are charged with burglary and other offenses. CHICAGO CARDINAL Cardinal George hopes to go to Rome in November CHICAGO (AP) β Cardinal Francis George says a new clinical trial of an experimental drug to treat cancer has left him feeling good, but not great. The head of the Archdiocese of Chicago spoke to reporters Monday after blessing a newly expanded religious retirement center. George, who is 77, started the trial to treat a recurrence of cancer near his right kidney. George, the spiritual leader of the Chicago area’s more than 2 million Roman Catholics since 1997, said he would travel to Europe in November to meet with archbishops in Barcelona, Spain, and then go to the Vatican. George canceled a trip to Rome in October because of medical treatment. The archdiocese said earlier this year that a successor to George should be chosen this fall. RELIGIOUS SCHOOL SHOOTING California school slaying suspect indicted OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) β Prosecutors say a grand jury has indicted a man accused of killing seven people at a small California Christian college. The Alameda County district attorney’s office says the grand jury indicted One Goh (wahn goh) on seven counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder in the 2012 shooting rampage at Oikos University in Oakland. A judge ruled last year that the 45-year-old Goh is not mentally fit to stand trial after doctors diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia. The indictment means Goh can go straight to trial if he’s later found competent. The former Oikos student has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed. A status hearing is set for April. Authorities say Goh planned the attacks at the school after a tuition dispute. PHILLY SCHOOLS-BEARDED OFFICER Philadelphia schools settle lawsuit over beards PHILADELPHIA (AP) β The Philadelphia School District has settled a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit that accused school administrators of discriminating against an employee who said he couldn’t trim his beard for religious reasons. The Philadelphia Daily News says the lawsuit was prompted by a policy preventing school police and security officers from having beards more than a quarter of an inch long. The Justice Department says the policy discriminated against a Muslim officer and others by failing to accommodate their religious beliefs. An attorney for the district says it can keep the beard-trimming requirement, but must come up with a more detailed policy for how officers can request a religious accommodation. The district had previously settled a complaint by the guard confidentially.
