Great Wall of China Image by Andy Leung

Religious News From Around the Web January 10, 2022

“Global Respect Act” Disrespects Religious Liberty; Christians Win in European Court of Human Rights; Chinese Communists “Walk in Footsteps of Taliban”; To Forward a Spiritual Revival? University and Smithsonian to Study Role of Religion in Jan 6 Capitol Riot; Patheos Pulls Plug on Negative Religious Criticism

“Global Respect Act” Disrespects Religious Liberty
Religion In The 2019 CongressHR 3485 undermines religious liberty and freedom of speech, say critics, by advancing a far left, controversial gender ideology that amounts to “idealogical colonialism” against countries and cultures that uphold traditional beliefs. And it risks undermining the foundations of the human rights system long supported by America and freedom lovers around the world by replacing a vision of unalienable rights available to everyone with one rooted in identity politics.

Christians Win Cake Fight
wedding-cake-639181_640In 2018 the UK Supreme Court rejected the case brought by Gareth Lee that he was discriminated against by Ashers Baking Co. by declining to ice the words ‘Support Gay Marriage’ on a cake for a gay rights event. Judges at the UK’s highest court ruled that the issue was about the message, not the messenger; Equality law does not compel people to say something with which they profoundly disagree; There was no discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation; There was no discrimination on grounds of religious belief or political opinion; The objection was to being required to promote the message on the cake; The less favorable treatment was afforded to the message, not to the man.
The case was appealed to the European Court of Human Rights which rejected it.

Chinese Communists “Walk in Footsteps of Taliban”

Great Wall of China Image by Andy Leung
Great Wall of China Image by Andy Leung
Chinese authorities in the Sichuan province destroyed a 99-foot-tall Buddha statue and 45 prayer wheels in the Draggo county, Kham, Tibet. They also forced the monks from the Gaden Namgyal Ling monastery and the local Tibetans to witness the demolition of the sacred statue. “Xi-led China is working to annihilate Tibetan religion, culture and identity,” and is walking in the footsteps of the Taliban, said said author Brahma Chellaney. “Authorities have switched Tibetan-language schools to Chinese and cut Tibetans off from ancient traditions, like herding and farming”

To Forward a Spiritual Revival?
American spiritualityIn 2022, let’s look forward to a spiritual revival. One in which the goal is to help our neighbor, not by helping him realize how terrible he is as a person but by helping him realize what potential he has. That everyone has value; that everyone has a calling; and that our job on this earth is to help others see the light in themselves, as well as our light in ourselves. That is something to look forward to in the new year.

University and Smithsonian to Study Role of Religion in Jan 6 Capitol Riot
Was religious belief complicit in the Capitol riot, and if so how? The University of Alabama and the Smithsonian Museum created a website to study the issue. “To know in what ways religion showed up, you’d need to know more about what happened that day and more about the various religions represented, not just conservative Christianity. For instance, there were connections there that were specifically Catholic and that played with New Age spirituality. This resource will help explain all of that.”

Patheos Pulls Plug on Negative Religious Criticism
It's Love! At Bible GatewayPatheos’ non-religious channel has apparently been vacated. Departing bloggers and their channel manager said that Patheos decided to change its editorial direction. Bloggers were advised to stop writing negative or critical posts on religion or politics and instead to focus on how to live a good life within their own worldview.