Muslim group threatens "jihad" over Protestants' planned Qur'an burning day

An Islamic group has threatened "jihad" if the "non-denominational" (Protestant) group in the U.S. goes forward with their planned "Burn a Qur'an" day on 9/11. Muslims recently "appealed to the Pope" and other world leaders hoping they would lend their efforts to try to prevent the event, and various Catholic leaders have also voiced criticism of the event. U.S. General David Petraeus warned that images of the burning would "undoubtedly" be used "to inflame public opinion and incite violence" and may possibly put U.S. soldiers and civilians "in jeopardy" [Hmm... Must have missed the standard 'religion of peace' reference...]

[9/7]

More News Highlights

Some more recent news highlights...

* Fides news agency is reporting that Christians in Pakistan are facing "systematic discrimination" in the distribution of aid essential for survival in the wake of devastating floods. Aid is allegedly handled "either by Muslim relief organizations or by government officials close to fundamentalists" who 'often ignore' or who 'purposely do not identify & register' Christians

* The USCCB has lent its support to an initiative designed to protect the right of religious organizations to make staffing decisions on the basis of faith. Pending legislation threatens to harm religious freedom and the ability of organizations to protect their religious identity

* A second lawsuit has been filed against the Santa Rosa Diocese concerning alleged abuse by an Irish priest in the 1980's. The priest had been described as "troublesome" by former Dublin Archbishop Dermot Ryan

* The Catholic League's rally against the Empire State Building on Mother Teresa's 100th birthday drew "well over 3,000", according to the League. A CNN blog reports the rally drew "a few hundred people." While the Catholic League was "proud of the overwhelming support" and called the rally a "smashing success", liberal-leaning CNN pointed out that "conspicuously absent from the rally were any blue and white saris." Officials of the Empire State Building had refused to light up the building in Mother Teresa's honor

* The Vatican's "top official for migrants", Msgr. Agostino Marchetto, "deplored" the French government's recent crackdown on gypsies ("Roma"). The Archbishop of Paris was also critical, calling the actions a "circus". The French government defended the mass deportations saying they are "scrupulously respecting European law" and claimed that the illegal "squatters' camps" have been linked to crime

* A message was sent from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to Muslims to mark the end of their "holy" month which called for Muslims and Christians to work together against violence. Muslims, on the other hand, have "appealed to the Pope" and other world leaders hoping they will lend their efforts to try to prevent a "Burn a Qur'an" day being planned for 9/11 in the U.S. by a "non-denominational" group

* A Catholic school in Australia has apologized to parents after a boy dressed as Adolf Hitler won a prize for his costume. The school had received "a number of complaints" about the award

* Parents of a 19 year-old girl have filed a lawsuit against the Allentown Diocese after their daughter allegedly became pregnant by a priest. The parents - who reportedly recorded their daughter having intimate relations with the priest via a hidden camera - are seeking more than $300K in damages

* A formal announcement is expected to be made next month regarding Cardinal Newman's feast date, which will be on October 9 (Novus Ordo calendar), the date of his conversion

[8/27]

New Concerns Over the Holy Father's Safety

There are new concerns for Pope Benedict's safety during his September 2010 trip to the U.K. after an Islamic publication has called for Muslims to attend the Holy Father's open air Mass to preach Islam and tell the Pope "in no uncertain terms what Muslims think of his evil slanders" against Muhammad. The message is feared to be an "incitement to violence." Reportedly, Birmingham City Hospital - which has "expertise in dealing with bullet injuries" - is "on alert for an assassination attempt on the Pope."

Pray for the Holy Father!

[Note: Some prayers for the Pope may be found here]

[7/19]

Vatican Laments Violence in Nigeria

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi lamented the "horrible acts of violence" committed by Muslims against non-Muslims in Nigeria on Sunday morning. Machete-wielding gangs in the area reportedly killed at least 500 people, mostly women, children, and older men. The Archbishop of the Nigerian capital Abuja claimed the violence was not due to religious reasons. Close to 100 people have been arrested.

[3/8]

Desecration goes unpunished in Malaysia [Updated]

The Muslims who desecrated the Holy Eucharist in Malaysia will not be prosecuted, according to the attorney general. They had faced a prison term of up to five years for their actions, but the attorney general claimed that "they did not intend to offend anyone" by the desecration. At least one report noted that "The government stance in this case is likely to draw comparisons with its strong defense of Islam, the faith of the majority of Malaysia's 28 million people."

UPDATE: Malaysia's Al Islam magazine has issued an apology for "unintentionally hurt[ing] feelings" over the desecration of the Holy Eucharist by its journalists and said that it is "not the intention of Al Islam to insult the Christian religion nor to desecrate their house of worship".

[3/5, updated 3/6]

Update on the Situation in Malaysia

Religious tension in Malaysia has increased as the violence against non-Islamic religious structures has continued. At least nine structures have been firebombed or otherwise vandalized since a controversial court ruling permitted a Catholic newspaper to use the word "Allah" as a translation for God. The court ruling, which has angered many Muslims, has been suspended.

[1/11]

More News Highlights

Recent news highlights...

* Tragic: Catholic Portugal is reportedly "set to legalize gay 'marriage'"

* 2012 not the "end of the world": Vatican astronomer notes that "People have been predicting the end of the world since the dawn of humanity" and also notes that "These beliefs spread because we are all tempted by the desire to possess secret knowledge of the future, thinking that it will make us more powerful than others. In reality, this is only a sign of bad science or bad religion." Instead, he gives two precautionary measures "to increase the possibility of a long and healthy life", namely "stop smoking and fasten your seatbelt" [Related: Jesus' Second Coming (Topical Scripture)]

* Heartbreaking: Planned Parenthood is turning a former bank building in Texas into the "largest abortion clinic in the U.S." The facility will include a surgical wing "equipped to provide late-term abortions"

* New study reveals that "children who had been physically disciplined when they were young, between the ages of 2 and 6, grew up to be happier and more successful, performed better at school as teenagers and were more likely to do volunteer work and to want to go to university, than those who had never been spanked." Related: User-Submitted Article on Spanking]

* Hold your cookies: Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran decries "ignorance of Islam", saying "I wonder if these persons [referring to Swiss persons who - with a "feeling of fear" - voted to ban construction of new Muslim minarets] know Muslims, if they have ever opened the Qur’an." Commentary: Isn't it shocking to hear a Cardinal suggesting persons subject themselves to the offensive - even blasphemous - material in this "holy book"? Doesn’t history speak clearly enough for him? Don't the publications which clearly expose the ...um... 'peaceful' parts of this "central religious text of Islam" speak clearly enough? Does the Cardinal also suggest persons drink poison to experience for themselves what it's like? Rather than advising people to read material that offends God, perhaps the good Cardinal should spend more time on the truly holy book of his own religion - the Holy Bible - perhaps starting with passages where followers of Christ are instructed to be on guard against those who distort truth and where we are told to flatly reject error in matters of religion.

* The Iowa Catholic Conference has joined secular efforts to outlaw seemingly astronomical interest rates on "payday loans". Missing from news accounts: The word "usury", mention of lenders' risk on such loans, and references to the voluntary nature of such agreements (regrettable though they be).

[1/6]