Hoping to catch the attention of Roman Catholics, doctors, scientists, and lawmakers, the Vatican has issued a 32-page instruction document on bioethics. The Church's steadfast pro-life position, that all life is sacred including an embryo, informs the document "Dignitas Personae" (The Dignity of the Person). Some positions include: On in vitro fertilization, human cloning, genetic testing of Read more

Anti-Islamic insults desecrated at least 500 tombstones of Muslim soldiers in France's largest military cemetery. The racist graffiti attack took place on the eve of today's Islamic Eid al-Adha festival (the festival of sacrifice), a day when Muslims visit the graves of loved ones. Each grave was marked with either a swastika, or a letter that helped spell out derogatory messages. Many of the Read more

If the US is really one nation under God, maybe its fancy new Capitol Visitor Center should honor the country's religious heritage. That's what South Carolina's Republican Senator Jim DeMint thinks, and he has issued a statement to express his disappointment with the facility that opened yesterday. He stated: The current CVC displays are left-leaning and in some cases distort our true history. Read more

While Americans give thanks tomorrow, Israel's top rabbis have called for mass prayer rallies across Israel to help end the global financial crisis. Jewish religious institutions have been hit hard by the economic downturn, as fundraising efforts in the US and Europe have proved futile. This past summer, religious leaders in the US held gas station-side prayer vigils in an attempt to reduce pain Read more

Speaking at the UN Culture of Peace gathering, President Bush emphasized how religious freedom is crucial to a flourishing society. Bush maintained that freedom to worship as you want is "God's gift to every man, woman, and child." Bush cited the US as an example of how to promote religious freedom: Our nation has helped defend the religious liberty of others, from liberating the concentration Read more

"Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness's sake." That's the message about to be proclaimed on the side of Washington, DC buses this holiday season. Firing the first shot in what could shape up to be a hard-fought War on Christmas, the American Humanists Association is ready to claim a little holiday turf from traditional religions. Following in the footsteps of its British counterparts Read more

Without many of their own in national office, the prolife movement plans to relocate to grassroots activism and street- and abortion clinic-side protests. Beginning Jan. 21, the day after Barack Obama is sworn in, groups will hold a three-day protest in Washington, DC. Speaking about prochoice gains in Congress and the defeat of various state-ballot measures that would limit abortion, Cecile Read more

With last week's news that Missouri sixth-graders had organized "Hit a Jew Day," it appears a new generation of children are being exposed to hateful attitudes towards the traditionally targeted minority. The total number of religiously motivated hate crimes dropped in 2007, yet the number of crimes directed against a people because of their Jewish religion increased from 2006. Of the 1,477 Read more

At a meeting to discuss social threats to Muslims in Malaysia, a fatwa — scholarly opinion on Islamic law — was issued that forbids women to act like men. According to the ruling, women should not cut their hair short nor walk, talk, or otherwise act like men. The fatwa, however, is not legally binding so it's not illegal to act masculine, just immoral. The chairman of the National Fatwa Read more

Matthew 25 Network, a Christian political action committee, has endorsed Barack Obama and Joe Biden, explaining that faith is the center of Obama's hope. Now the group is airing Obama's discussion of faith as an ad on Christian radio stations. Matthew 25 is made up of Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, and Evangelical Christians, and its mission statement holds: While no elected official will Read more