US-EBOLA-AMERICANS
American battling Ebola steadily improving
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) β The Nebraska doctors treating an American missionary infected with Ebola say he has responded well to aggressive treatment in the past week.
Dr. Phil Smith says Dr. Rick Sacra (SAY’-krah) gained strength after receiving an experimental treatment and two blood transfusions from Ebola survivor Dr. Kent Brantly.
Smith says the blood from Brantly, who was recently released from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, “presumably had antibodies against the virus that Rick had not yet had time to develop.”
Sacra’s wife, Debbie Sacra, says the fact that her husband and Brantly have the same blood type felt like “something from the Lord.”
Doctors at Nebraska Medical Center say while they’re encouraged by Sacra’s progress, his full recovery isn’t assured and they’re taking it day to day.
Debbie Sacra says if her husband does recover, he’ll want to return to Liberia to resume treating patients.
Sound:
255-w-31-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Dr. Phil Smith of Nebraska Medical Center and Debbie Sacra (SAY’-krah), wife of Dr. Rick Sacra)–The Nebraska doctors treating an American missionary infected with Ebola say he has responded well to aggressive treatment in the past week. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (11 Sep 2014)
< 238-a-04-(Debbie Sacra (SAY’-krah), wife of Dr. Rick Sacra, at news conference)-“to go back”-Debbie Sacra, wife of Dr. Rick Sacra, says her husband would like to return to treating patients in Liberia. (11 Sep 2014) < 235-a-09-(Debbie Sacra (SAY’-krah), wife of Dr. Rick Sacra, at news conference)-“from the Lord”-Debbie Sacra, wife of Dr. Rick Sacra, says she spoke with Dr. Kent Brantly’s wife before Brantly provided two blood transfusions. (11 Sep 2014) < 234-a-07-(Dr. Phil Smith, infectious disease specialist at Nebraska Medical Center, at news conference)-“time to develop”-Dr. Phil Smith, infectious disease specialist at Nebraska Medical Center, says Dr. Rick Sacra received two transfusions from Dr. Kent Brantly, who previously recovered from Ebola. ((Sacra is pronounced SAY’-krah)) (11 Sep 2014) < 236-a-06-(Debbie Sacra (SAY’-krah), wife of Dr. Rick Sacra, at news conference)-“faith and science”-Debbie Sacra, wife of Dr. Rick Sacra, says it looks like her husband may recover like the two missionaries who were treated for Ebola in Atlanta. (11 Sep 2014) < 237-a-05-(Debbie Sacra (SAY’-krah), wife of Dr. Rick Sacra, at news conference)-“have sustained him”-Debbie Sacra, wife of Dr. Rick Sacra, thanks everyone who has prayed for her husband’s recovery. (11 Sep 2014) < OBAMA-MIDEAST-CHRISTIANS Obama addresses plight of Christians in Mideast WASHINGTON (AP) β President Barack Obama says it’s important to protect Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East as the U.S. and its partners fight the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Obama and his national security adviser, Susan Rice, met Thursday with Christian leaders from the Middle East. The White House says they discussed the challenges posed to Christians by the rise of extremism in the Middle East. Obama says the U.S. will work with the Lebanese Armed Forces and other regional partners to fight Islamic State militants and promote stability. Lebanon has a substantial Christian population. Thousands of Christians have been displaced from their homes in Syria during that country’s three-year civil war, while thousands more in Iraq have fled from extremists. CRUZ-SPEECH Cruz walks out after pro-Israel comments draw boos WASHINGTON (AP) β Sen. Ted Cruz says he “had no choice” but to walk out of a speech Wednesday night when some Middle Eastern Christians booed his comments in support of Israel and the Jewish people. At the “In Defense of Christians” gala dinner, the Texas Republican said those who hate Israel also hate the United States and those who hate the Jewish people also hate Christians. He said hatred of Israel and Jews runs counter to the teachings of Christ. That elicited boos from a small but vocal minority of the audience. When the disruption continued, Cruz cut short his speech and told the audience that if they would not stand with Israel, he would not stand with them. Afterward, Cruz said it’s unfortunate that what was meant to be a gathering of Christian unity “deteriorated into a shameful display of bigotry and hatred.” Sound: 266-a-04-(Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaking Wednesday at the “In Defense of Christians” gala)-“teachings of Christ”-Texas Senator Ted Cruz says anti-Semitism isn’t Christian. COURTESY: CBN News ((Mandatory on-air credit)) (11 Sep 2014) < 267-a-12-(Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaking Wednesday at the “In Defense of Christians” gala)-“Jews hate Christians (crowd noise fades)”-Texas Senator Ted Cruz says the U.S. and Israel have the same enemies. COURTESY: CBN News ((Mandatory on-air credit)) (11 Sep 2014) < 265-w-33-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas)–Senator Ted Cruz says he “had no choice” but to walk out of a speech Wednesday night when some Middle Eastern Christians booed his comments in support of Israel and the Jewish people. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (11 Sep 2014) < 269-a-09-(Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaking Wednesday at the “In Defense of Christians” gala)-“God bless you (crowd noise fades)”-Texas Senator Ted Cruz says he’s cutting his speech short. COURTESY: CBN News ((Mandatory on-air credit)) (11 Sep 2014) < 268-a-09-(Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaking Wednesday at the “In Defense of Christians” gala)-“consumed with hate”-Texas Senator Ted Cruz says he’s surprised at the antagonism toward Israel and the Jewish people. COURTESY: CBN News ((Mandatory on-air credit)) (11 Sep 2014) < OKLAHOMA LAWMAKER-MUSLIMS Okla. lawmaker, GOP chair affirm anti-Muslim post OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) β A GOP state legislator and the chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party are standing behind anti-Muslim remarks the lawmaker posted to his Facebook page, and both say they have no plans to apologize. A Muslim advocacy group has called for state Rep. John Bennett to apologize after he posted a comment to his Facebook page urging people, especially Christians, to “be wary of the individuals who claim to be Muslim-American.” The Sallisaw Republican also said in his post that the Islamic holy book, the Quran, calls for the killing of non-Muslims. The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ director called the comments “inappropriate and offensive.” Bennett says he has no plans to apologize, while Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Dave Weston described Bennett’s comments as “accurate.” CONVERSION THERAPY-LAWSUIT Court rejects challenge to NJ gay conversion ban NEWARK, N.J. (AP) β New Jersey’s ban on so-called gay conversion therapy for patients under 18 has been upheld by a federal appeals court. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the ban filed by two associations and two licensed therapists who practice what are called “sexual orientation change efforts.” A federal judge in Trenton had dismissed the lawsuit last November, rejecting plaintiffs’ claims that the law violates their rights to free speech and free exercise of religion. This summer, U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson dismissed a similar lawsuit filed by a New Jersey couple who said their constitutional rights were violated because the law prevents them from seeking treatment for their 15-year-old son. ST PATRICK’S PARADE-CONTROVERSIES Catholic League bowing out of St. Patrick’s parade NEW YORK (AP) β The Catholic League says it will sit out next year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York because parade organizers won’t let an anti-abortion group march. Bill Donohue heads the Catholic League, a group that fights prejudice against the church. He said Thursday that his organization won’t participate in the March 2015 parade for the first time in 20 years. Parade organizers said last week that they would allow OUT@NBCUniversal to march. That’s an LGBT resource group at the company that broadcasts the parade. Donohue says parade organizers promised him that if a gay group could march under its own banner, an anti-abortion Catholic group would be included also. He says the organizers backed out of their pledge. Parade spokesman Bill O’Reilly called the Catholic League’s decision disappointing. POPE-EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Pope to visit European Parliament in November BRUSSELS (AP) β The president of the European Parliament says Pope Francis will make an official visit to the assembly in Strasbourg on Nov. 25. Martin Schulz said Thursday the pope will address the assembled legislators. The Vatican confirmed the date for the visit. Italian media say Francis is also considering a quick two-day trip to Turkey to mark an important Orthodox holiday on Nov. 30. The Vatican has declined to confirm those reports, given there hasn’t been an official invitation from the Turkish government. Going to Turkey would give Francis an opportunity to visit a Muslim country at a time when Islamic extremists are assaulting Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq. AMERICAN CONGREGATIONS-GAYS Survey: Congregations more accepting of gays NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) β A new survey finds that acceptance of gays and lesbians in American religious congregations rose significantly between 2006 and 2012, but declined in Catholic congregations. Duke University’s National Congregations Study found overall acceptance of gay and lesbian members increased from 37 percent to 48 percent over the six-year period. For Catholic churches, that number decreased from 74 percent to 53 percent. Acceptance of gays and lesbians as volunteer leaders increased from 18 percent to 26 percent overall but decreased in Catholic churches from 39 percent to 26 percent. Growth was especially strong among black Protestant churches, white liberal Protestant churches and non-Christian congregations. White conservative Protestant churches were more accepting of gay and lesbian members but not volunteer leaders.
