Filipinos Engage in Annual Ritual of Whipping, Crucifying Themselves: Video

Filipinos Engage in Annual Ritual of Whipping, Crucifying Themselves: Video

SAN PEDRO CUTUD, Philippines — Thousands in the heavily Roman Catholic country of the Philippines looked on as their neighbors engaged in self-flagellation in the streets, while others volunteered themselves to be nailed to the cross for the Good Friday holiday. The tradition, while criticized by local Roman Catholic leaders who would prefer to see “good works” from […]

Joel Osteen’s Senior Worship Leader: ‘I Have Not Been Fired’ Following Divorce, New Girlfriend

Joel Osteen’s Senior Worship Leader: ‘I Have Not Been Fired’ Following Divorce, New Girlfriend

HOUSTON, Texas — The longtime senior worship leader for megachurch self-help author and motivational speaker Joel Osteen says that he was not fired after announcing his divorce last month and being photographed this month kissing a woman not his wife. Lakewood has classified the arrangement as “indefinite leave.” As previously reported, on February 22, Houghton, a five-time […]

San Francisco Mayor Bans Government Travel to North Carolina Over ‘Discriminatory’ Law

San Francisco Mayor Bans Government Travel to North Carolina Over ‘Discriminatory’ Law

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The mayor of San Francisco has banned all non-essential government travel to North Carolina after legislators voted to overturn a controversial “bathroom bill” in Charlotte. “Effective immediately, I am directing City departments under my authority to bar any publicly-funded City employee travel to the State of North Carolina that is not […]

Alabama Governor, Staffer ‘No Longer Members’ of Church After Admitting to Explicit Calls

Alabama Governor, Staffer ‘No Longer Members’ of Church After Admitting to Explicit Calls

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The governor of Alabama and a female staffer are no longer members of the First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa following the release of audio footage in which the governor engaged in sexually-charged talk with the woman that suggested they had been physical with each other. While it is unknown exactly when the church […]

UK Prison Worker Barred from Chapel Services for Quoting Bible on Homosexuality Loses Case

UK Prison Worker Barred from Chapel Services for Quoting Bible on Homosexuality Loses Case

CAMBRIDGESHIRE, U.K. — A Christian prison worker who was barred from participating in chapel services after quoting a Scripture that references homosexuality has lost his discrimination case before an employment tribunal. As previously reported, Barry Trayhorn has been employed as a gardener at HMP Littlehey since 2011, and since 2012 he has volunteered to help with the […]

Bangladeshis Protest Against Ending Islam as State Religion

Bangladeshis Protest Against Ending Islam as State Religion

(Associated Press) — Thousands of Muslims rallied in Bangladesh’s capital on Friday to denounce a court petition seeking to remove Islam as the country’s official state religion. About 3,000 Muslims protested outside the national mosque in Dhaka against the petition, filed by a group of prominent citizens, which is to be taken up by the […]

Alabama Representative Presents Proposal to Define Unborn as Persons, Ending Abortion

Alabama Representative Presents Proposal to Define Unborn as Persons, Ending Abortion

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A bill recently presented in the Alabama legislature moves to acknowledge the unborn as persons, thus granting them the right to life and ending abortion in the state. Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, is sponsor of H.B. 300, which would amend the Alabama Constitution to include the unborn under the definition of a person. […]

Oklahoma Supreme Court Claims Ballot Initiative to Ban Abortion Is Unconstitutional

Oklahoma Supreme Court Claims Ballot Initiative to Ban Abortion Is Unconstitutional

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Oklahoma Supreme Court has struck down a petition to place on the state ballot a proposal to ban abortion in the state, as it claimed that the concept is unconstitutional. Proposed Question 782, Initiative 406 would have amended the Oklahoma Constitution to include abortion as murder, and would criminalize those […]

Belgium Proposes ‘Death on Demand’ Euthanasia Law

Belgium Proposes ‘Death on Demand’ Euthanasia Law

(Christian Concern) — A law that would allow ‘death on demand’ is to be put before legislators in Belgium. Already the country with the world’s most permissive euthanasia policy, it is now to consider the introduction of a law which would stop doctors from denying euthanasia requests from patients. The law was proposed by the […]