Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008

Beliefs & Issues

Modesto 'Gathering'

Calvary Temple and 20 other churches are sponsoring "The Gathering," a time of prayer, praise and music, on Friday from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The event, in front of the Gallo Center for the Arts at 10th and I streets, has the theme "One Night, One City, One Hope" and includes a combined choir from several churches. For more information, call 529-7346.

Court: No Falun Gong

Members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement can't participate in San Francisco's Chinese New Year parade and street fair. The state Supreme Court last week rejected the group's challenge to the parade sponsor's decision to exclude it. Falun Gong members sued the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in 2006 after the chamber barred them because of the group's ongoing opposition to the Chinese government.

Pope raps violence

Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday condemned anti-Christian violence in India, where at least 11 people were killed in three days as Christians clashed with Hindu mobs attacking churches, shops and homes. "I firmly condemn any attack on human life," Benedict told a crowd of faithful and pilgrims. He also called "deplorable" the killing of a Hindu leader. Hard-line Hindus in India's Orissa state have blamed that death on Christian militants.

Suicide bill passes

Legislation to promote nurse-assisted suicide of patients who have been diagnosed as "terminally ill" has narrowly passed in the California Assembly. Voting for AB 2747 on Thursday were 42 Democrats; opposing assisted suicide were 30 Republicans and two Democrats, including Greg Aghazarian of Stockton and Tom Berryhill of Modesto.

Jews pick woman

The Union for Reform Judaism, the largest synagogue movement in North America, has named its first female vice president. The appointment of Rabbi Stacy Offner, the longtime leader of Shir Tikvah Congregation in Minnesota, was announced last week. The liberal Union for Reform Judaism, led by Rabbi Eric Yoffie, represents more than 900 congregations in the United States and Canada.

MegaFest to Africa

Bishop T.D. Jakes, senior pastor of the Dallas-area megachurch Potter's House, is taking his annual praise party, MegaFest, to Johannesburg, South Africa, on Oct. 10-12. Jakes said, "For people of color, this is not only a chance to have great worship and strengthen the economy of Africa, but also a time to reflect back on where many of them have come from," he said.

Have you heard?

"Let's be honest: Religion has been used and abused by politics."

— Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine