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AIR FORCE ACADEMY-RELIGIOUS DEBATE
Air Force to review restrictions on religious expression
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James says the military branch's restrictions on religious expression will be reviewed following the removal of a Bible verse from a cadet's message board at the Air Force Academy.
James told the Senate Armed Services Committee that top Air Force officials, chaplains and legal officers will meet this month to ensure that the policy barring service members from pressing their beliefs on subordinates complies with the federal law funding the nation's military.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, reminded James that the law says "the armed forces shall accommodate individual expressions of belief" unless doing so would harm "military readiness, unit cohesion and good order and discipline."
Lee said that appears to favor religious expression more than the current Air Force policy does.
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321-a-19-(Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, at Senate hearing)-"Air Force policy"-Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, says the religious expression in the armed forces is protected under the current defense funding law. (10 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *321 (04/10/14)££ 00:19 "Air Force policy"
320-a-18-(Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, at Senate hearing)-"of this policy"-Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, says current Air Force policy may be too restrictive of religious freedom. (10 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *320 (04/10/14)££ 00:18 "of this policy"
322-a-12-(Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, at Senate hearing)-"have been passed"-Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James says the Air Force policy on religious expression will be reviewed this month. (10 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *322 (04/10/14)££ 00:12 "have been passed"
323-a-08-(Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, at Senate hearing)-"have no religion"-Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James says current policy bars service members in a position of authority from pressing their beliefs on subordinates. (10 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *323 (04/10/14)££ 00:08 "have no religion"
CHURCH-SCHOOL SPACE
NYC mayor says churches can keep meeting in schools
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says he intends to let religious groups continue meeting for worship in the city's public schools.
Just days before the Jewish Passover and Christian Holy Week, de Blasio said he'll "update the rules" that have been the subject of a long-running court challenge.
Last week, a federal appeals court ruled that the ban instituted under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg is constitutional, a ruling that threatened worship plans for dozens of congregations that rent public school space.
But de Blasio told reporters he believes "that a faith-based organization has a right like anyone else — waiting in line their turn, paying the same amount as any other organization — to use that space."
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325-a-07-(New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, at news conference)-"to faith organizations"-New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says he'll change the city policy that a federal appeals court upheld. (10 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *325 (04/10/14)££ 00:07 "to faith organizations"
324-a-13-(New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, at news conference)-"use that space"-New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says religious congregations should be able to continue meeting for worship in the city's public schools. (10 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *324 (04/10/14)££ 00:13 "use that space"
326-a-11-(New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, at news conference)-"apply for space"-New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says lifting the city's ban on worship in public schools doesn't favor any particular religion. (10 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *326 (04/10/14)££ 00:11 "apply for space"
STATE BOOK-BIBLE
Bill would name the Bible as Louisiana state book
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Lawmakers are moving ahead with a proposal to name the Bible as Louisiana's official state book, despite concerns the bill would land the Legislature in court.
A House municipal committee advanced the bill Thursday with an 8-5 vote.
Republican state Rep. Thomas Carmody, of Shreveport, says he sponsored the proposal after a constituent made the request. But Carmody insisted the bill wasn't designed to be a state-endorsement of Christianity or a specific religion.
Lawmakers who voted against the measure say it raises questions about whether Louisiana would be violating separation of church and state.
State Rep. Wesley Bishop, a Democrat from New Orleans, opposed the bill. He says as a preacher's son, he loved the concept. But he says as a lawyer, he thinks it would open the state to lawsuits.
GAY SCOUT LEADER OUSTED
Seattle mayor, council back ousted gay scoutmaster
SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle's mayor and city council have thrown their support behind a Boys Scouts troop leader in Seattle who was dismissed last month because he is gay.
The Boys Scouts of America revoked the membership of Geoff McGrath two weeks ago after officials learned he was gay when his troop was profiled by NBC News.
Mayor Ed Murray and council members urged the Chief Seattle Council, the regional body, to defend the Rainier Beach United Methodist Church in its decision to retain McGrath as scoutmaster. The church is the troop's chartering organization.
BSA spokesman Deron Smith said in a statement Wednesday that McGrath "is no longer eligible to serve as an adult leader."
But the church's Rev. Monica Corsaro says McGrath continues to lead the troop and that the church stands by him.
CRASH-MOB ATTACK
Several hundred gather at vigil for beaten driver
DETROIT (AP) — Several hundred people have attended a Detroit church service to stand against racism and pray for a white motorist beaten by a black mob after he stopped to check on a child struck by his pickup truck.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan joined clergy of various faiths Thursday evening at Historic Little Rock Baptist Church. The family of the motorist, Steve Utash, also attended the "A Night of Healing" event.
The 54-year-old Utash was attacked April 2 when he stopped to help 10-year-old David Harris.
Utash remains hospitalized with severe head injuries. Harris suffered a leg and other injuries.
A 16-year-old boy is charged as a juvenile with assault and ethnic intimidation. Four men are charged with assault with intent to murder and assault with intent to do great bodily harm.
SCHOLAR JESUS WIFE
Harvard study suggests 'Jesus' wife' text not fake
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — A Harvard University professor says scientific tests suggest a fragment of papyrus mentioning Jesus having a wife is more likely an ancient document than a forgery.
The text is written in Coptic and contains a dialogue in which Jesus refers to "my wife." Karen King, a professor of divinity, writes in the Harvard Theological Review that the papyrus probably dates to eighth-century Egypt based on carbon dating and chemical tests on the ink.
Other researchers are still questioning the authenticity of the document.
King stresses that the fragment of text doesn't prove that Jesus was actually married. She says, if anything, it provides insight into early Christianity's debates over whether it was better to be celibate or to marry and have children.
King announced the research in 2012. Publication was delayed for the tests.
VATICAN-TRAFFICKING
Pope meets ex-sex slaves, denounces trafficking
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has denounced human trafficking as a crime against humanity after meeting with four women who were forced into prostitution.
Francis attended a Vatican conference Thursday of church workers, charity representatives and police chiefs from 20 nations, who pledged greater cooperation to encourage victims of trafficking and slavery to come forward.
Francis told the conference that trafficking is "an open wound on the body of contemporary society." He met privately with four freed sex slaves from his native Argentina, Chile, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Francis has made combating human trafficking and slavery a priority of his papacy.
The Vatican recently joined forces with the Anglican Church and Al-Azhar university, the world's foremost seat of Sunni Islamic learning, in an anti-slavery initiative.
ISRAEL-DRAFT PROTEST
Ultra-Orthodox Jews clash with Israeli police
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police say hundreds of ultra-Orthodox protesters have clashed with police in a demonstration against military conscription.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says protesters in Jerusalem hurled stones and bottles at police and set trash bins on fire. He said police on horseback pushed them back and five were arrested.
Thursday's protest was meant as a show of support for an ultra-Orthodox man who refused to appear at a recruitment center.
Israel recently passed a contentious law aiming to gradually increase ultra-Orthodox enlistment. A system of military exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men has bred resentment among Israel's secular majority, whose sons serve three years. Ultra-Orthodox leaders say they serve Israel through religious study and prayer and fear that integration into the military will pose a threat to their pious way of life.
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