AMERICAN-ISLAMIC STATE
Woman held by Islamic State militants wrote to parents while in captivity
PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) — Friends and family of Kayla Jean Mueller (MYOO’-lur) are remembering her faith and devoted service to Syrian refugees.
Mueller’s parents said Tuesday they had received confirmation that she died while being held by the Islamic State group.
Mueller’s parents also released a letter they said she had written last year. In it, the 26-year-old aid worker said, “in the end the only one you really have is God.” She added that she prayed every day that “by God’s will we will be together soon.”
Mueller traveled to the Turkish-Syrian border in 2012 to work with humanitarian groups. She was taken into captivity in 2013 while leaving a hospital in Syria.
In Prescott, Arizona, Mueller’s college ministry leader, the Rev. Kathleen Day, said, “It’s not that she was so angelic. It’s just that she saw things and did whatever she could.”
Day added, “Now she’s free,” and “her light shines.”
Sound:
266-a-14-(Lori Lyon, Kayla Mueller’s aunt, at news conference)-“trying to do”-Lori Lyon, Kayla Mueller’s aunt, recalls a letter that Mueller wrote her parents from prison. (10 Feb 2015)
< 264-w-32-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with the Reverend Kathleen Day, college ministry advisor to Kayla Mueller)–Friends and family of Kayla Jean Mueller are remembering her faith and devoted service to Syrian refugees. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (10 Feb 2015) < 267-a-08-(Eryn Street, a close friend of Kayla Mueller, at news conference)-“because of her”-Eryn Street, a close friend of Kayla Mueller, says Mueller will be deeply missed. (10 Feb 2015) < 265-a-13-(The Reverend Kathleen Day, college ministry advisor to Kayla Mueller, at news conference)-“pen, her computer”-The Reverend Kathleen Day, college ministry adviser to Kayla Mueller, says Mueller was devoted to helping Syrian refugees. ((longer version of cut used in wrap)) (10 Feb 2015) < OBAMA-GAY MARRIAGE Longtime aide: Obama misled on early gay marriage opposition WASHINGTON (AP) — One of President Barack Obama’s longtime advisers says Obama misled the public for years by claiming he opposed same-sex marriage when he actually supported it. Former Obama strategist David Axelrod writes in a new book that Obama feigned opposition to gay marriage because his political advisers told him that he would face strong opposition from African American religious leaders and others if he let his true position be known. At a presidential candidate forum at the Rev. Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in 2008, Obama said, “I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman.” But Obama said he opposed a constitutional amendment defining marriage in those terms because “it’s been a matter of state law.” The revelation in Axelrod’s book comes as the Supreme Court prepares to decide if states can continue to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman, or if gay marriage must be allowed nationwide. Sound: 292-a-10-(Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in 2008 presidential candidate forum at California’s Saddleback Church)-“been our tradition”-In 2008, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama told the Rev. Rick Warren that he didn’t believe a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of a man and woman was necessary. (10 Feb 2015) < 290-w-36-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with file tape of then-Sen. Barack Obama)–One of President Barack Obama’s longtime advisers says Obama misled the public for years by claiming he opposed same-sex marriage when he actually supported it. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (10 Feb 2015) < 291-a-04-(Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in 2008 presidential candidate forum at California’s Saddleback Church)-“and a woman”-In 2008, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama told the Rev. Rick Warren that he believed in traditional marriage. (10 Feb 2015) < 212-w-34-(Mark Smith, AP White House correspondent, with Josh Earnest, White House press secretary)–One of President Obama’s longtime advisers says Obama misled the public for years by claiming he opposed same-sex marriage when he actually supported it. AP White House Correspondent Mark Smith reports. (10 Feb 2015) < ALABAMA GAY MARRIAGE-ARREST Woman arrested as gay couple gets Alabama marriage license PRATTVILLE, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama woman is facing a disorderly conduct charge after offering to perform a same-sex wedding inside a courthouse. Autauga County Sheriff Joe Sedinger says the woman was arrested Tuesday in the probate office. Sedinger says a dispute occurred between Probate Judge Alfred Booth and Anne Susan Diprizio, of Prattville, after two women obtained a marriage license. The sheriff says Diprizio identified herself as a minister and offered to marry the women. But Booth hasn’t been allowing marriage ceremonies in his office since gay marriage became legal in Alabama. Sedinger says the judge called deputies, who found the woman kneeling and refusing to leave in an apparent protest. Sedinger says Diprizio is free on $1,000 bail. BICYCLIST KILLED-BISHOP Maryland would fine drunken drivers to provide restitution BALTIMORE (AP) — Maryland legislators and Episcopal Church leaders are taking action in response to a manslaughter case involving a bishop accused of killing a cyclist while driving drunk and texting. State lawmakers would provide restitution to victims by fining drunken drivers, while Episcopal Church leaders are considering tougher scrutiny in church elections. A bill outlined Tuesday could fine people who cause injury or death while driving with a blood-alcohol content of twice the legal limit, or driving on a suspended or revoked license. The fines also could apply if injury or death is caused by someone with a prior arrest resulting in a conviction, plea, or sentence of probation before judgment within the last five years. Bishop Suffragan Heather Cook, now on leave, faces 13 counts in the death of bicyclist Thomas Palermo in Baltimore in December. PASTOR SLAYING West Virginia woman charged with killing pastor in his home BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) — Police in West Virginia have charged a woman with killing a pastor in his home. Nineteen-year-old Camille Brown of Beckley is being held without bond at the Southern Regional Jail. She was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree murder. Brown is accused of killing 68-year-old pastor Ronald Browning on Saturday. Beckley police Detective Morgan Bragg tells media outlets that Browning died from blunt force trauma to the neck and head. He says investigators believe Browning invited the suspect into his home, because there was no sign of forced entry. Browning was the pastor of Cool Ridge Community Church. MORMON EXCOMMUNICATION Mormon who runs website for doubting members ousted SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Mormon man who gained notoriety over the past decade for running a website that offers doubting Latter-day Saints a forum to chat has been kicked out of the religion. John Dehlin (dah-LIN’) announced the decision from regional church leaders Tuesday. He’s the second high-profile church member to be excommunicated in the past year. Regional church leaders in Utah told Dehlin in a letter that they made a unanimous decision to excommunicate him because he made categorical statements opposing the faith on his website, and because his actions have led others to leave the faith. The letter cites Dehlin’s belief that the Book of Mormon is fraudulent and his rejection of the religion being the “true church with power and authority from God.” While not a lifelong ban, excommunication is still a rare move that amounts to the harshest punishment available for a Mormon. Sound: 251-c-10-(Brady McCombs, AP correspondent)-“about their religion”-AP correspondent Brady McCombs reports that John Dehlin learned of his excommunication in a letter from a local Mormon official. (10 Feb 2015) < 250-c-11-(Brady McCombs, AP correspondent)-“on his website”-AP correspondent Brady McCombs reports that John Dehlin has been excommunicated from the Mormon church. (10 Feb 2015) < 252-c-13-(Brady McCombs, AP correspondent)-“authority from God”-AP correspondent Brady McCombs reports that Mormon officials cite several reasons for John Dehlin’s excommunication. (10 Feb 2015) < RELIGIOUS CONSCIENCE Arkansas House panel supports religious conscience bill LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas house panel has endorsed a proposal that would protect a business owner’s decision to refuse service to a gay person if it conflicted with his or her religious beliefs. The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill that bars the state or local governments from placing a “substantial burden” on a person’s right to exercise religion. Proponents say the bill will protect religious people from being forced to act against their beliefs. Representatives from statewide municipal, county and school board organizations worry the measure will encourage frivolous lawsuits against local governments. Presbyterian preachers testified that the bill could be used by business owners to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill is headed to the full House for a vote. OCCULT BOOK THEFTS Books on occult, Satanism stolen from E. Oregon libraries PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) — Books about black magic, Satanism and the occult have been flying off the shelves at libraries in eastern Oregon — and not coming back. Librarians say the books are frequently stolen, so they have stopped stocking some books to slow down the financial loss. For example, The East Oregonian reports there are supposed to be 36 tarot card books in the Sage Library System, which covers 77 libraries in fifteen counties in Eastern and central Oregon. But, nearly a third of them are lost or missing. There are no books about Satanism in the Pendleton library. Interim director Mary Finney says the shortage of books on occult subjects is due to thefts. Also frequently stolen are test preparation books and books about mushroom identification.
