Religion News Selection 44 (Nov 22

Religion News Selection 44 (Nov 22 - 29)

(29 November 15)
by Greg Spearritt

Religion News Selection

November 22 - 29, 2015

A selection of religion news stories from Australia.

(Research: Greg Spearritt)

Inclusion here does not endorse the veracity or quality of any particular item – it just means
I found it worth reading and reflecting on (even if badly conceived or poorly written).

If you’re after the unexpurgated (and reasonably unbiased) version,
see Religion News Australia which appears weekly on our website.

ABUSE

Catholic Church does not rule out statute of limitations in abuse claims (Brisbane Times)
Nov 24 - The Catholic Church has not ruled out blocking compensation claims for child sexual abuse if it occurred before certain time limits.

George Pell asked for payments for paedophile priest, commission heard (Brisbane Times)
Nov 25 - Cardinal George Pell lobbied for payments to be made to a paedophile priest days before he was charged with sex offences, documents tendered to the child abuse royal commission show.

The litany of child abuse by Catholic priests that no longer shocks the world (The Guardian, Australia)
Nov 25 – (Opinion: David Marr) Not long ago, Tuesday morning’s revelations at the royal commission into institutional responses to child abuse would have made headlines round the world.

Cardinal George Pell calls Catholic Church's handling of child sex abuse complaints 'shameful' (ABC News)
Nov 26 - The Catholic Church's failure to deal with Melbourne paedophile priests is shameful, Cardinal George Pell has said in a statement from the Vatican.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

UK cinemas ban Lord's Prayer ad before Star Wars (Sydney Morning Herald)
Nov 23 - London: The Church of England said on Sunday it was "bewildered" by the refusal of some of Britain's biggest cinema chains to show an advert featuring the Lord's Prayer.

EDUCATION

Psalm things are off limits at schools, but not Christmas carols (Brisbane Times)
Nov 24 - State school students can sing Christmas carols in class time, but they can't sing hymns

Safe Schools Coalition and Minus 18 launch GBLTI lessons for teachers (Brisbane Times)
Nov 26 - It was a crush on the singer Pink that made Jaimee realise she was different to other girls in her Year 8 class.

INTERNATIONAL STORIES

Catholic Church

Pope Francis calls for unity between Christians, Muslims as tour of Africa begins (Brisbane Times)
Nov 26 - Nairobi: Pope Francis said on Thursday in Kenya – a country that has seen a spate of attacks by Islamist militants – that dialogue between religions in Africa was essential to teach young people that violence in God's name was unjustified.

In Kenyan slum, Pope Francis slams wealthy elite over 'dreadful injustice' to poor (ABC News)
Nov 28 - Pope Francis has lashed out at wealthy minorities who hoard resources at the expense of the poor during his visit to a crowded slum in Kenya's capital.

Islam

Leading French Muslim body to create 'licence to preach' for imams (The Guardian, Australia)
Nov 25 - France’s leading Muslim body said on Tuesday it would create a permit to preach for imams in a bid to root out extremists, as well as a new religious body to fight back against jihadist propaganda.

What it’s like to be a Muslim woman living in the United States (Adelaide Now)
Nov 29 - I FIRST noticed things were changing after 9/11.

Religious violence

Paris aftermath: Why resort to the flawed clash of civilisations narrative? (Brisbane Times)
Nov 24 – (Opinion: Sarah Gill) Our eagerness to cling to a simplistic narrative reflects our inability to deal with complexity in the terrorism debate and to confront our own prejudice.

Islamic State supporters in London caught on camera by undercover reporter (news.com.au)
Nov 25 - IN A nondescript kitchen in a London suburb, a woman known as Umm L makes a very clear demand.

Islamic State's real aim is to topple Saudi Arabia
Nov 25 – (Opinion: Richard Bulliet) By playing the caliph card, IS is bidding for pre-eminence in the Muslim world.

Sex and drugs on the road to jihad (Brisbane Times)
Nov 26 – (Opinion: Leonid Bershidsky) There is a paradox to the recent terrorist attacks in Paris.

Islamic State heads replaced by rubber ducks, courtesy of 4chan (The Age, Melbourne)
Nov 29 - As the hacker collective Anonymous continues its cyber war against the terrorist group Islamic State, other internet users have joined the fight.

ISLAM

Businesswoman Margot Spalding leads campaign to fight anti-mosque 'hate' (ABC News)
Nov 23 - The businesswoman leading a fight against "intolerance and hate" in Bendigo says the city's anti-mosque demonstrations must be stopped before they spread across Australia.

Instead of yelling at us, ask Muslim women to join the discussion (Brisbane Times)
Nov 25 – (Opinion: Mehreen Faruqi) Women across the world are disproportionately affected by wars, armed conflicts and terrorism.

Australian Muslim soldier 'labelled a security risk', says he was told he would never be promoted (ABC News)
Nov 27 - A soldier who converted to Islam says he was branded a "security risk" and told he would never be promoted because of his religion.

Muslim mothers learn computer skills to fight Islamic State online (Brisbane Times)
Nov 27 - With bright headscarves and shy smiles, these Muslim mothers stand on the new frontline of Australia's online battle against the violent and ideological extremists of Islamic State.

How Australia plans to stop radicalisation in its tracks (Brisbane Times)
Nov 28 - "Drug-dealers, wannabe gangsters, thugs and criminals. This is a common theme you see," Mubin Shaikh says.

The vexed power of Grand Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohamed (The Saturday Paper, Australia)
Nov 28 – (Opinion: Mike Seccombe) In the first major profile piece on Australia’s new Grand Mufti, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, in October 2011, the writer extolled his diplomacy, tact and political savvy.

POLITICS

With God on his side, or to the side? (Brisbane Times)
Nov 28 - He is the Uniting Church minister hoping to switch the pulpit for a seat in Parliament as one of Labor's leading candidates in Ginninderra next year.

Minister Josh Frydenberg accuses Grand Mufti of a failure of leadership (The Age, Melbourne)
Nov 29 - Cabinet minister Josh Frydenberg has accused the Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, of a failure of leadership and an inadequate response to the recent international terrorist attacks.

Terror ‘a problem within Islam’ (The Australian)
Nov 29 - Josh Frydenberg says “a problem within Islam” is to blame for recent terrorist attacks and extremist activity.

RELIGION & SOCIETY

WA couples abandoning church weddings, getting married older (Brisbane Times)
Nov 25 - Marriage statistics have revealed WA couples are marrying older and less likely to choose a religious wedding ceremony.

Religious leaders push for release of asylum seeker children before Christmas (Brisbane Times)
Nov 27 - A cross-section of Australia's most prominent Christian leaders is imploring the nation's politicians to "do the right thing" and release asylum seeker children from detention before Christmas.

'Pastafarian' gets Victorian driver's licence photo wearing spaghetti strainer on head (Brisbane Times)
Nov 27 - A Melbourne man who identifies as a member of a parody religion has had his Victorian driver's licence photo taken with a spaghetti strainer on his head.

From the Archive…

Religion News Australia 2015 – 44 (Nov 22 - 29)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 43 (Nov 15 - 22)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 42 (Nov 8 - 15)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 41 (Nov 1 - 8)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 40 (Oct 25 – Nov 1)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 39 (Oct 18 - 25)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 38 (Oct 11 - 18)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 37 (Sept 27 – Oct 11)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 36 (Sept 20 - 27)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 35 (Sept 13 - 20)

Religion News Australia 2015 – 34 (Sept 6 - 13)