God kept him from going broke 3:25
CNN's Betty Nguyen sits down with Rev. Michael Beckwith about turning to God during these rough financial times.

Sheikh attacks Israel, pope walks out

May. 11, 2009
JPost.com Staff , THE JERUSALEM POST
Chief Islamic Judge of the Palestinian Authority, Sheikh Tayseer Rajab Tamimi, launched a poisonous verbal attack at Israel at a Monday night gathering attended by Pope Benedict XVI.

In a meeting with organizations involved in inter-religious dialogue at the Notre Dame Jerusalem Center, Tamimi called upon Muslims and Christians to unite against what he said were the murderous Israelis.

Taking the podium after the pope without being on the original list of speakers scheduled for the evening, Tamimi, speaking at length in Arabic, accused Israel of murdering women and children in Gaza and making Palestinians refugees, and declared Jerusalem the eternal Palestinian capital.

Following the diatribe and before the meeting was officially over, the pope exited the premises. Army Radio reported that the pope shook Tamimi's hand before walking out.

Minutes after the embarrassing occurrence, Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See press office, released a response to the incident.

"The intervention of Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi was not previewed by the organizers of the interreligious meeting that took place at Notre Dame Centre in Jerusalem," the message read. "In a meeting dedicated to dialogue, this intervention was a direct negation of what [it] should be," it continued.

"We hope that such an incident will not damage the mission of the Holy Father aiming at promoting peace and interreligious dialogue, as he has clearly affirmed in many occasions in this pilgrimage," Father Lombardi added.

"We hope also that interreligious dialogue in the holy land will not be damaged by this incident," the message concluded.

Nine years ago, Tamimi caused a similar scandal when at an interfaith meeting attended by then-Pope John Paul II at the Notre Dame Jerusalem Center, the Palestinian religious leader condemned Israel for a long list of offenses.

Never referring to Israel by name, Tamimi had called on 'the occupier' to stop 'strangling Jerusalem and oppressing its residents.'

Singling out land confiscations, house demolitions, settlements and the Baruch Goldstein shooting in 1994, Tamimi had said Israel has a long record of 'genocide' and 'shooting and wounding Palestinian children.'

Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.

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Church of England attempts to broaden appeal with songs by U2 and prayers for Google
Christian services that feature DJs, songs of the Irish band U2 and prayers for the chief executives of Google and Wal-Mart are being promoted by the Church of England.

Telegraph.co.uk
By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Published: 9:00PM BST 13 Jun 2009


Bono of U2: Songs by U2 and prayers for Google: the new Church of England services
Lead singer Bono of U2: The ideas for alternative-style worship are part of an initiative launched by Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury Photo: AP

The ideas for alternative-style worship are part of an initiative launched by Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to appeal to the younger generation.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews visit Hamas

Four members of a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews opposed to the existence of Israel have visited Hamas in Gaza.

The men, clad in the traditional ultra-Orthodox garb of black hats and coats and with long side-curls in their hair, met Hamas leader Ismail Haniya.

The Neturei Karta believe that a Jewish state can only be established by the Messiah and thus denounce Israel as heretic and embrace its enemies.

Mr Haniya welcomed them, saying Hamas rejects Zionist ideology, not Jews.

"We feel your suffering, we cry your cry," the Associated Press quoted Rabbi Yisroel Weiss as saying.

"It is your land, it is occupied, illegitimately and unjustly by people who stole it, kidnapped the name of Judaism and our identity." Read on

dude, that is nuts.

Megabucks for megachurch

An Atlanta-area megachurch that covered dozens of acres and became embroiled in scandal has been sold for millions of dollars, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The Cathedral at Chapel Hill, where the late Bishop Earl Paulk Jr. once served as pastor, was sold to Greater Traveler's Rest Baptist Church for $17.6 million.

"This was one of the largest religious facilities available in the United States," said Matt Messier, broker and principal for CNL Specialty Real Estate. "We are happy to have brokered a successful outcome for a property of this size, especially in today's challenging economic climate."

The 51-acre church campus includes a 6,000-seat sanctuary, theater, classrooms, offices and fellowship hall. It went on the market for $24.5 million in November.

"At its height in the 1990s, the church drew 10,000 attendees, but in recent years membership had declined to roughly 1,000 after a series of sexual misconduct allegations were made against Paulk," reported Charisma magazine on its Web site.

"...asking everyone he meets why what he calls the “Gospel of Love” is dividing the nation."

August 21, 2009

NEWS STORY

Lutherans lift ban on gay clergy
By Adelle M. Banks

(UNDATED) After a long and contentious debate, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted Friday (Aug. 21) to drop a ban on partnered gay clergy and committed to let people in same-sex relationships serve as leaders of the church.

The ground-breaking decision is a dramatic change for the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination, which previously permitted openly gay and lesbian clergy so long as they remained celibate. full story

Delegates pray before voting on a resolution to allow non-celibate gay clergy at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis.

August 21, 2009

NEWS DIGEST

Jews warn Catholic bishops on interfaith talks
By Kevin Eckstrom and Kristen May

RNS-DIGEST-AUG21

Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jewish leaders warned the nation's Catholic bishops that a June statement on whether Jews should convert to Christianity could make Jewish-Catholic dialogue "untenable."