Salem-News.com Religion articles

Sinead O`Connor and Catholic Church Child Abuse

Ms. O’Connor was right all along; we just weren’t ready to listen.

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA.) - Sinead O'Connor, Irish singer-songwriter, artist-musician, political activist and troubled soul died on July 26, 2023, at age 56.

When I think of the late John Paul II, I remember his tepid response to child abuse. I remember the letter from the Vatican warning Ireland's Catholic bishops not to report all child-abuse cases to the police.

Supreme Court Further Erodes The Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution

If religious schools can receive tax dollars, maybe it's time for religions to pay some taxes.

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA.) - The Establishment Clause was intended to prohibit the federal government from declaring and financially supporting a national religion, such as existed in many other countries.

In 1802, Thomas Jefferson declared that when the American people adopted the Establishment Clause they built a “wall of separation" between the church and state.

India: Citizenship Bill Discriminates Against Muslims

CAA disregards victims of persecution based on religion and ethnicity.

(YORK, UK) - I am William Nicholas Gomes, a British Human Rights Activist and Freelance Journalist. I write to express serious concern about the Indian Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 (CAA), passed by the Indian Parliament on December 11, 2019, and received President’s assent on December 12, 2019.

I believe that CAA not only violates Article 14 of the Indian Constitution and the draft law favors Hindus, Other Non-Muslim Immigrants. 

Forensic Scriptures: Manifesto 13

(BOSTON) - "If all of Ace Knight’s research and the conclusions he draws from it prove to be valid, then the traditional view of John the Baptist/Yahya, both scholarly and conventional, Jewish, Christian and Muslim, will be subjected to a tidal wave of revision and reconsideration.

"This will also affect most extant translations of the Quran into English, with the exception of The Sublime Quran by Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar which incorporates all of his results that relate to Quranic verses," wrote journalist Tim King.

New Zealand Prime Minister Responds to William Gomes

50 people were killed at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15.

(YORK, UK) - "Thank you for your kind words.

"The Prime Minister has been deeply moved by the support and compassion in the wake of the attack in Christchurch, and by the thousands of people from around the world who have taken the time to share their condolences."

Fortieth Anniversary of Jonestown Tragedy

There isn't anything extraordinary about Jones’ power. It was pure politics.

(SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) - November 2018 marks the fortieth anniversary of the mass murder and suicide of 918 in Jonestown, Guyana, by religious cult leader Jim Jones. About two-thirds of the victims were African-Americans.

Jones was the founder and leader of the Peoples Temple, established in 1971.

Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report on Pedophile Priests follow up

One source claims “about two percent” (or 1 in 50) Roman Catholic Church priests are pedophiles.

(SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) - far too little is said about the victims of these pedophile priests. Pedophile priests acted criminally by taking advantage of the intimate trust of their youngest and most vulnerable parishioners.

But it is also apparent that the Roman Catholic Church itself, rather than acting decisively to end the victimizations and facilitate prosecutions, engaged in a systematic effort to shield predator priests dating back several decades.

Open Letter to Pope Francis About Sexual Abuse in the Church

I am standing in solidarity with the victims in Pennsylvania.

(DALLAS/FORT WORTH) - The thousands of voices raised is only a small fraction of what I am guessing are the MILLIONS who have suffered this fate, yet remain quiet for personal reasons or out of shame. Wearing robes, burning incense, genuflecting and absolving people of sins does not make it "open season" on gentle young souls trying to create a spiritual connection with God.

It is not ok, was not ok, and never will be ok for the strong to take advantage of the humble.

Merkley Statement on Anti-Rohingya Persecution in Burma

Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley calls on the Government of Burma (Myanmar) to cease its persecution of the Rohingya ethnic minority

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - "There are significant ties between Oregon and the Rohingya community, and I share Oregonians’ concern about the escalating violence in Burma, which has led to the recent displacement of nearly 400,000 Rohingya and horrific death and suffering.

"The persecution of vulnerable Rohingya minorities, who are at risk of statelessness due to having been denied citizenship by the Government of Burma, bears the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing..."

Remains of Kennewick Man The Ancient One Laid to Rest

Since the discovery, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has curated the remains at the Burke Museum under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, and followed the Native Americans Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division (Corps) transferred the human remains known as the Kennewick Man, or the Ancient One, to the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (Washington) on Friday, Feb. 17 on the condition that the Department then repatriate the human remains to the five Columbia River Plateau tribes.

The transfer took place at the Burke Museum in Seattle, Washington where the remains have been curated since 1998.