Religious Freedom

Source: news.yahoo.com --- 3 days ago
AFP - Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain vowed in a speech on Wednesday to make Freedom of religion a key foreign policy issue if he is elected to the White House in November. ...

Source: blog.washingtonpost.com --- 5 days ago
By Juliet Eilperin ROCHESTER, MI--Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) delved into issues of Religious Freedom and human rights Wednesday morning, telling a crowd of several hundred supporters that policymakers need to confront the fact that "evil still exists in the world." Speaking at Oakland University in a town hall meeting, McCain argued the federal government needs to be more aggressive in pushing for greater Religious Freedom in foreign nations such as China and Iran; working to combat human trafficking both domestically and abroad; and cracking down on illicit material on the Internet. "We can retain our own Freedom when others are robbed of theirs, but not the sense of virtue that made our revolution a moral as well as political crusade, and which recognizes that personal happiness is so much more than pleasure, and requires us to serve causes greater than self interest," he said. He pledged to "make Religious Freedom ...

Source: www.christianpost.com --- 8 days ago
A U.S. Religious Freedom watchdog said it is still deliberating whether to downgrade Iraq to the blacklist of violators during the release of its 2008 annual report on ... ...

Source: www.npr.org --- 18 days ago
Earlier this month, Texas officials raided a polygamist compound, taking more than 400 children into custody. The group allegedly encouraged the sexual abuse of underage girls. News & Notes' regular contributor, Judge Lynn Toler, talks with Farai Chideya about the issue of underage sex and non-traditional family structures. ...

Source: blog.beliefnet.com --- 18 days ago
The good news is that Russian Orthodoxy is rising in the formerly atheist dystopia of Russia. The bad news? The Russian government is persecuting Protestants and Catholics in an effort to protect Orthodoxy. This is wrong. Look, I understand why... ...

Source: www.voanews.com --- 9 days ago
US Commission wants State Department to add Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam to the department's list of governments that it says routinely violate people's Religious Freedom ...

Source: religionblog.dallasnews.com --- 4 days ago
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a body appointed jointy ly the president and Congress, has identified 11 "countries of particular concern" with regard to Religious Freedom. These are, according to a news release from the commission, "countries whose governments have engaged in or tolerated systematic and egregious violations of the universal right to Freedom of religion or belief." You can download the commission's full report at the link above. The 11 (alphabetically): China Eritrea Iran Myanmar (Burma) North Korea Pakistan Saudi Arabia Sudan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Vietnam ...

Source: www.moreover.com --- 2 days ago
Human Rights Watch May 10 2008 1:02AM GMT ...

Source: blog.beliefnet.com --- 6 days ago
By Adelle M. Banks Religion News Service WASHINGTON (RNS) A federal watchdog panel said Friday (May 2) that 11 countries should be named "countries of particular concern" for their records on Religious Freedom, including three that are not currently on the State Department's list. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom urged the inclusion of Vietnam -- which was removed from the State Department's list in 2006 -- and Pakistan and Turkmenistan. Commissioners who traveled to Vietnam in 2007 found "very uneven" progress on the improvement of conditions for Religious Freedom, said commission Chair Michael Cromartie in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "Arrests, detentions, discrimination, and other restrictions continue," he said. Cromartie also cited continuing "religiously motivated violence" in Pakistan and "official harassment of Religious adherents" in Turkmenistan. The other countries recommended for the designation of "countries of particular concern" are Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan, which have been on the State Department's list since 2006. "Developments of the past decade have strengthened the importance of Freedom of religion or belief, as the U.S. government navigates a world threatened by religion-based extremism and religion-imbued conflict," Cromartie said in a statement that accompanied the release of the commission's ...

Source: www.nysun.com --- 8 days ago
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is split along party lines over whether to designate Iraq as a "country of particular concern" for Religious Freedom. A recommendation to designate Iraq as a "country of particular concern" would be a blow to the Baghdad government of Prime Minister Maliki, putting Iraq on a list with some of the most repressive countries on the planet, such as North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. It could also prompt the next American... ...

Source: news.christiansunite.com --- 9 days ago
Christians in Nepal have welcomed the victory of the Maoist party in elections held on April 10 for an assembly to rewrite the constitution and make the nation a democratic republic.... read more. ...

Source: www.israelenews.com --- 4 days ago
I spent the day last month with Michael 'Mikey' Weinstein, a living Jewish hero. He is the Air Force Academy honors graduate, boxer, Air Force officer, lawyer, Nixon staff person and bundle of energy who is devoting himself and his own treasure to ... ...

Source: www.boxxet.com --- 4 days ago
 AR - Apr 29, 2008 Polygamists get little public sympathy — despite the positive spin on HBO's "Big Love." But polygamy and under-age marriage are only part of a larger public ... Original story at Baxter Bulletin . Related stories include: Inside the First Amendment - The Girard Press , Texas showdown: Balancing child welfare, Religious Freedom - New Albany Tribune , Texas Showdown: Balancing Welfare, Religious Freedom - North Country Gazette View all 4 related news and blogs, plus related videos, photos and more at Boxxet for Big Love . ...

Source: talkradionews.com --- 9 days ago
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom discusses their evaluation of North Korea at a press conference at the National Press Club on Friday May 2nd, 2008. (0:44) Share This ...

Source: www.wwmt.com --- 5 days ago
ROCHESTER, Mich. ...

Source: talkradionews.com --- 9 days ago
U.S. Commission discusses the situation in Tibet and human rights issues at a press conference held at the National Press Club on May 2nd, 2008. (1:18) Share This ...

Source: www.topix.com --- 9 days ago
"It is my hope that the Church in Cuba, in keeping with her legitimate aspirations, may enjoy normal access to the social communications media." Pope Benedict XVI called for greater Freedom for the Church in Cuba, during a May 2 meeting with the bishops of that country. via Global Catholic Network EWTN ...

Source: www.aina.org --- 9 days ago
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- A US watchdog on Religious Freedom on Friday expressed serious concern over violations in strife-torn Iraq and was considering whether to place the ally of Washington on a blacklist with countries such as North Korea and Iran. ...