GWOZA, Africa — Video footage released on Sunday by the militant Muslim group Boko Haram shows a member of the Islamic sect claiming a predominantly Christian town near Nigeria as an established Islamic state, and declaring that “Allah commands [Muslims] to rule the rest of the world.” Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau appears in the 52-minute […]
Reports are circulating about a transgender couple living in Kentucky that is preparing to tell their children that their father is really their mother and that their mother is really their father. Jason Bowser, 32, who now goes by Bianca, and Nicole Bowser, 27, who now goes by Nik, were married in November 2011, and now have two young sons […]
JACKSON, Miss. — A nationally-recognized humanist organization has threatened to sue a Mississippi school district after a pastor delivered a sermon and prayer at a convocation for teachers earlier this month. The American Humanist Association’s (AHA) Appignani Humanist Legal Center sent a letter to the superintendent of the Jackson Public School District on Monday stating that […]
WASHINGTON — During a recent press conference, America’s top military officer asserted that the Islamic terrorist group ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, has an ‘apocalyptic end-of-days strategic vision’ that must be defeated by a coalition of forces. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made the statements […]
WASHINGTON — Faith-based organizations across the country continue to express objection to the abortion pill mandate in Obamacare after the Obama administration rolled out a new rule on Friday that shifts the burden of paying for abortion-inducing contraceptives onto insurance companies. As previously reported, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision in June […]
CLEVELAND, Texas – Several Christian leaders in Texas are urging a local library to remove books for teenagers that deal with vampires and other ‘demonic’ content. Phillip Missick, pastor of King of Saints Tabernacle in east Texas, recently testified at a Cleveland City Council meeting. According to local reports, Missick told city council members that a […]
(RNS) — Controversial Seattle megachurch founder Mark Driscoll will step down for at least six weeks while leaders review formal charges lodged by a group of pastors that he abused his power. The 43-year-old pastor has been under fire in recent months for plagiarism, inappropriate use of church funds and improper behavior toward subordinates. Returning from vacation Sunday (Aug. […]
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — A nationally-recognized humanist organization is still expressing opposition to what it calls ‘a culture of Christian predominance’ after the superintendent of a Georgia school district responded to a controversy over alleged coach-led prayers at athletic events by barring coaches from continuing the practice. As previously reported, the American Humanist Association (AHA) sent […]
GREECE, N.Y. — The town at the center of this year’s Supreme Court prayer ruling is now facing opposition again from atheists and other groups for its new invocation policy, which some state would ban atheists from participating. As previously reported, earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prayers presented primarily in the name […]
SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Managed Health Care has issued a letter requiring insurance companies in the state to cover abortions, forcing all faith-based employers to likewise offer abortion coverage regardless of their religious beliefs. “Abortion is a basic health care service,” director Michelle Rouillard wrote on Friday to seven insurance companies that refused to […]