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)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 33 (Aug 30 – Sept 6)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 32 (Aug 23 - 30)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 31 (Aug 16 - 23)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 30 (Aug 9 - 16)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 29 (Aug 2 - 9)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 28 (July 26 – Aug 2)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 27 (July 19 - 26)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 26 (July 12 - 19)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 25 (July 5 - 12)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 24 (June 28 – July 5)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 23 (June 21 - 28)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 22 (June 22 - 29)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 21 (June 15 - 22)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 20 (June 8 - 15)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 19 (June 1 - 8)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 18 (May 25 – June 1)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 17 (May 18 - 25)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 16 (May 11 - 18)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 15 (May 4 - 11)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 14 (April 27 – May 4)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 13 (April 20 - 27)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 12 (April 12 - 20)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 11 (Mar 30 – April 12)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 10 (Mar 23 - 30)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 9 (Mar 16 - 23)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 8 (Mar 9 - 16)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 7 (Mar 3 - 9)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 6 (Feb 23 – Mar 3)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 5 (Feb 16 - 23)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 4 (Feb 9 - 16)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 3 (Feb 2 - 9)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 2 (Jan 26 – Feb 2)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 1 (Jan 4 - 26)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 53 (Dec 29 – Jan 4)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 52 (Dec 22 - 29)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 51 (Dec 15 - 22)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 50 (Dec 8 - 15)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 49 (Dec 1 - 8)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 48 (Nov 23 – Dec 1)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 47 (Nov 17 - 23)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 46 (Nov 10 - 17)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 45 (Nov 3 - 10)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 44 (Oct 27 – Nov 3)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 43 (Oct 20 - 27)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 42 (Oct 13 - 20)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 41 (Oct 6 - 13)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 40 (Sept 29 – Oct 6)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 39 (Sept 22 - 29)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 38 (Sept 15 - 22)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 37 (Sept 8 - 15)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 36 (Sept 1 - 8)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 35 (Aug 25 – Sept 1)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 34 (Aug 18 - 25)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 33 (Aug 11 - 18)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 32 (Aug 4 - 11)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 31 (July 28 – Aug 4)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 30 (July 21 - 28)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 29 (July 14 - 21)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 28 (July 7 - 14)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 27 (July 1 - 7)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 26 (June 23 - 30)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 25 (June 16 - 23)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 24 (June 9 - 16)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 23 (June 2 - 9)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 22 (May 26 – June 2)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 21 (May 19 - 26)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 20 (May 12 - 19)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 19 (May 5 - 12)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 18 (Apr 28 – May 5)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 17 (Apr 21 - 28)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 16 (Apr 14 - 21)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 15 (Apr 7 - 14)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 14 (Mar 31 – Apr 7)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 13 (Mar 24 - 31)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 12 (Mar 17 - 24)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 11 (Mar 10 - 17)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 10 (Mar 3 - 10)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 9 (Feb 24 – Mar 3)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 8 (Feb 17 - 24)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 7 (Feb 10 - 17)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 6 (Feb 3 - 10)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 5 (Jan 27 – Feb 3)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 4 (Jan 20 - 27)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 3 (Jan 13 - 20)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 2 (Jan 6 - 13)
Religion News Australia 2013 – 1 (Dec 30 – Jan 6)