New Gallup Poll Says Religion Is Important to 72% of Americans, While Record Low Thinks Religion Can Solve Today's Problems

Religious News From Around the Web October 5, 2020

Feds Warn SF of Religious Rights Violations, Anglicans Say Not to Suspend Worship Again, Religious Bashing of SCOTUS Nominee, Spiritual Experience and Feelings of Wellbeing, Macron Aims to Separate Muslims from Foreign Influence, Religion vs. LGBT a “false binary”

Feds Warn San Francisco of Religious Rights Violations

San Francisco is the 18th least Christian city, according to Barna.
San Francisco is the 18th least Christian city,
according to Barna.
The U.S. Department of Justice sent a three-page letter to San Francisco Mayor London Breed calling on her to end discriminating against religious believers by loosening the city’s harsh restrictions on houses of worship. While the U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom to limit religious gatherings in the state, San Francisco went much further and limited churches to one worshipper only.

Do Not Suspend Worship Again, Say Anglican Clergy
New Gallup Poll Says Religion Is Important to 72% of Americans, While Record Low Thinks Religion Can Solve Today's ProblemsSome 150 Anglican clergy have joined hundreds more religious leaders around the UK, demanding that restrictions on worship be rescinded and not reimposed. “We are troubled by policies which prioritize bare existence at the expense of those things that give quality, meaning and purpose to life,” they wrote, going on to say that the restrictions not only violate religious freedoms, they have a dehumanizing effect that increase loneliness and anxiety.

Religious Bashing of SCOTUS Nominee
Amy Coney Barrett is President Trump’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. As soon as word got around that Barrett was on the short list of nominees, the attacks began. Barrett, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a Catholic, was reported by the New York Times to be a member of a religious group “People of Praise” has adopted children from Haiti and has five children, all of which seem to be targets as opponents see Barrett as a threat to the balance of SCOTUS and that a conservative court could undo legislation such as Roe v. Wade.

Surveys Find Connection Between Spiritual Experience and Wellbeing
American spiritualityDaily spiritual experiences correspond to a feeling of wellbeing, according to an unusual cell-phone survey. “This study is unique because it examines daily spiritual experiences — such as feeling God’s presence, finding strength in religion or spirituality, and feeling inner peace and harmony — as both stable traits and as states that fluctuate,” said study co-author Matt Bradshaw, Ph.D., research professor at Baylor.

Macron Moves to “Separate Muslims from Foreign Influence”
Emmanuel_Macron 5-9-2017Spurred by what he termed terrorism in France since 2012, French President Macron outlined measures to put mosques under greater control and require imams to be trained and certified in France. The aim would be to “liberate French Islam from foreign influences” particularly funding. Islamic organizations that receive funding from the French state will have to sign a “secular charter.”

Religion vs. LGBT is a “False Binary”
Catholic Songwriter Composes A Song for Pride MonthIn the supposed conflict between religion and LGBT rights, a rich array of factors get boiled down into a simplistic “us vs. them” story, according to writer Samantha Allen. Allen takes the idea – now front and center with the Barrett nomination – that Catholics automatically hold discriminatory attitudes toward LGBTQ people. A Public Religion Research Institute poll, however, revealed that 71 percent of white Catholics support anti-discrimination laws that cover the LGBTQ community.