JOURNALIST SLAIN-OBAMA-FAITH
President says extremist group has no ties to religion
EDGARTOWN, Mass. (AP) β In condemning the beheading of American journalist James Foley, President Barack Obama says he wants to “be clear” that the extremist group Islamic State is about terror, not faith.
In a statement made in Edgartown, Massachusetts, the president said ISIL “speaks for no religion” and that “no faith teaches people to massacre innocents.” Obama also said “No just God would stand for what they did.”
He noted that the Sunni extremists have murdered Sunni and Shia Muslims by the thousands. He also said Christians and other religious minorities have been targeted for genocide.
Obama said the goal’s group is to terrorize, enslave and to see the “collapse of any definition of civilized behavior.”
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311-a-09-(President Barack Obama, in statement)-“and religious minorities”-President Barack Obama says the extremist group Islamic State has victimized people of faith. (20 Aug 2014)
< 312-a-09-(President Barack Obama, in statement)-“every single day”-President Barack Obama says Islamic State does not represent religion. (20 Aug 2014) < MISSING AMERICAN-SYRIA-PARENTS FAITH Parents of slain American journalist say their faith helps with loss ROCHESTER, New Hampshire (AP) β The parents of the American journalist who was beheaded by the extremist group Islamic State say their faith is helping them manage their excruciating grief. Diane and John Foley addressed the media outside their Rochester, New Hampshire, home. They managed to laugh about happier moments, praised their son for his dedication and said their faith is helping them get through. Diane Foley said she is thankful that God has given the family “so many prayers.” John Foley fought back tears while saying that his son “is finally free” and “in Heaven.” 313-a-08-(Diane Foley, mother of slain American journalist James Foley, with reporters)-“so many prayers”-Diane Foley says she and her husband are managing to cope with their loss through their faith. (20 Aug 2014) < 314-a-13-(John Foley, father of slain American journalist James Foley, with reporters)-“he’s in heaven”-John Foley says he believes that his son has transition from captivity to a better place. (20 Aug 2014) < MUSLIMS-ISLAMIC STATE CONDEMNATIONS Muslims join chorus of condemnation of killing of journalist WASHINGTON (AP) β A growing number of Muslim groups are condemning the videotaped beheading of an American journalist in Syria by the extremist group Islamic State. Those groups include CAIR – The Council on American Islamic Relations, the Muslim Public Affairs Council and the Islamic Society of North America. CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper says the killing was “barbaric” and “criminal” and can’t be justified under Islam or any faith. Hooper says there is universal agreement among Muslims that such actions by Islamic State can’t be tolerated. Islamic State has launched attacks against all people considered heretics or infidels. It seeks to impose its harsh interpretation of Islamic law in the lands it is trying to control in Syria and Iraq. 206-a-09-(Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman, Council on American Islamic Relations, in AP interview)-“crimes by ISIS”-Council on American Relations spokesman Ibrahim Hooper says Muslims are solidly against Islamic State because of its brutality. (20 Aug 2014) < 207-a-08-(Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman, Council on American Islamic Relations, in AP interview)-“any other faith”-Council on American Relations spokesman Ibrahim Hooper says Islamic State’s actions are intolerable. Updated: 08/20/2014-05:32:59 PM ET (20 Aug 2014) < 205-a-08-(Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman, Council on American Islamic Relations, in AP interview)-“the American journalist”-Council on American Relations spokesman Ibrahim Hooper says there is universal condemnation of the extremist group Islamic State for the killing of James Foley. (20 Aug 2014) < POLICE CHOKEHOLD DEATH-SUMMIT NYC mayor, faith leaders meet over chokehold death NEW YORK (AP) β New York City’s mayor and archbishop have convened a round-table meeting of police and minority community leaders to defuse tensions between the groups. The gathering came ahead of a weekend march to protest the death of a black man placed in a chokehold by a white police officer. Mayor Bill de Blasio said he hoped the meeting will help a city grappling with the renewal of a long-held distrust of the police in some of New York’s minority neighborhoods. Eric Garner died after being placed in a chokehold by a white officer and can be heard repeatedly screaming on a video that he couldn’t breathe. Cardinal Timothy Dolan called the meeting. He said religion in the city is a bridge to better relations. The meeting was attended by other faith leaders. SUPREME COURT-GAY MARRIAGE-VIRGINIA High court blocks same-sex unions in Virginia WASHINGTON (AP) β The Supreme Court is delaying the start of same-sex marriage in Virginia. The court granted a request from a county clerk in northern Virginia to block same-sex marriages across the state while the issue is being appealed to the Supreme Court. The court provided no explanation for its order. Without court intervention, same-sex couples would have been allowed to wed starting today. In January, the justices issued an order putting same-sex unions on hold in Utah while the federal appeals court in Denver was hearing the case. That court upheld the decision striking down Utah’s gay marriage ban, but delayed its decision from taking effect pending appeal to the Supreme Court. Most other federal court decisions in favor of same-sex marriage also have been put on hold. GAY MARRIAGE CARDS-BYU Mormon school removes gay-marriage cards at store SALT LAKE CITY (AP) β Greeting cards celebrating same-sex marriages that turned up at the Brigham Young University bookstore in Salt Lake City yesterday were quickly removed. Placed by Hallmark, the cards read “Mr. and Mr.” and “Mrs. and Mrs.” They were quickly taken off shelves when bookstore staffer discovered them after photos surfaced online. A BYU spokeswoman says the outside vendor stocked the shelves without realizing the school wouldn’t want to sell the cards marketed to buyers celebrating unions between two brides and two grooms. BYU is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has stood behind its belief that marriage should only be between a man and a woman/ CHURCH-BLACK MASS-LAWSUIT Oklahoma bishop sues to recover property to be used in black mass OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) β Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to halt the desecration of a stolen Eucharistic Host that is to be used in a planned ‘black mass’ at the Oklahoma Civic Center Music Hall. The suit says the Host — a wafer that has been blessed by a priest — was stolen from a church. The suit says it would be used in vile manners in “an attack on the Catholic Mass, as well as the foundational beliefs of all Christians.” The lawsuit alleges that the Dakhma of Angra Mainyu and leader Adam Daniels unlawfully obtained the consecrated host to be used in the mass. According to the lawsuit, only ordained Catholic ministers or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion can handle the consecrated host. Daniels refused to say how he obtained the communion wafer and said he would sue Coakley for defamation. 315-a-15-(Diane Clay, spokeswoman, Archciocese of Oklahoma City, in AP interview)-“a Catholic Mass”-Oklahoma Archdiocese spokesaman Diane Clay says the lawsuit was filed to recover the church’s property from a group planning a satamic mass. (20 Aug 2014) < 316-a-08-(Diane Clay, spokeswoman, Archciocese of Oklahoma City, in AP interview)-“a Catholic Church”-Oklahoma Archdiocese spokesaman Diane Clay says the lawsuit is about more than just over a wafer. (20 Aug 2014) < PRISON REFORM Church coalition extends calls for prison reform MILWAUKEE (AP) β A coalition of church congregations is launching a second phase in its campaign calling for reforms within the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. The coalition, called WISDOM, is an umbrella organization of congregations from around Wisconsin. Its members want reforms that include providing more services to inmates whether they’re behind bars or out on parole. About 100 people rallied Wednesday in front of the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility. The Rev. Willie Brisco is WISDOM’s vice president. He says the coalition is speaking up now because it doesn’t want the issues to fester and then suddenly explode into civil unrest as happened in Ferguson, Missouri. CASINO CLOSINGS Workers facing layoffs attend rally with local church leader ATLANTIC CITY (AP) β Hundreds of casino workers in Atlantic City, New Jersey, who are facing unemployment have attended a rally led by local church leaders. They are among dealers, cocktail servers and hotel workers at three casinos shutting down. Nearly 8,000 will be jobless when Revel, the Showboat and Trump Plaza close down over the next few weeks Present for the event — held at a Baptist Church — were workers, clergy and elected officials. Rev. Eric McCoy says he’s praying that “new doors” open to the workers. McCoy says God had plans for the workers before there were casinos. McCoy says God remains “a miracle worker.” Casino worker Dawn Inglin says workers “know what they are facing” but she believes there is still some hope.
