In the News, July 31, 2015

July 31, 2015

Today's religion and world affairs news from the United States and around the globe: Muslims in Central African Republic face pressures to convert, reports of anti-Semitic incidents rise in England, and Chinese elites increasingly turn to superstitions.
AROUND THE WORLD
Syrian Christians and the English Jew
by Charles Krauthammer
Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/syrian-christians-and-the-english-jew/2015/07/30/6642f9d0-36...
The existence of Christianity, whose presence in the Middle East predates Islam’s by 600 years, is greatly at risk right now throughout the region. Lord George Weidenfeld and the Weidenfeld Safe Havens Fund are working to change that.  

Report: C. African Republic Muslims Forced to Convert
New York Times/AP
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/07/31/world/africa/ap-af-central-african-republic-muslims.html?...
Muslims in the western part of Central African Republic are being forced to hide their religion or convert to Christianity under threat of death, Amnesty International said Friday.  

England’s Anti-Semitic Incidents Soar in First Half of 2015 Report
Religion News Service/Reuters
http://www.religionnews.com/2015/07/30/englands-anti-semitic-incidents-soar-in-first-half-of-2015-re...
Across Europe, Jewish communities have warned of a growing undercurrent of anti-Semitism, fueled by anger at Israeli policy in the Middle East, social tensions over immigration, and increasing economic hardship under austerity policies that have helped far-right movements gain popularity. This year, the number of recorded anti-Semitic incidents soared in comparison with the first six months of 2014--though perhaps due largely to a surge in reporting among fearful Jews.  

‘Kandhamal’ Tells the Whole Story of Anti-Christian Persecution
by John L. Allen, Jr.
Crux
http://www.cruxnow.com/faith/2015/07/28/kandhamal-tells-the-whole-story-of-anti-christian-persecutio...
In August, 2008, violence descended upon the impoverished Christian minority of Kandhamal, India--killing roughly 100 people, injuring thousands, destroying churches and homes, and leaving nearly 50,000 people displaced. As the seventh year anniversary of the tragedy approaches, anti-Christian violence continues to plague the Hindu-dominated region.  

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby Interview: 'I Have No Right to Be Here'
by Robert Chalmers
Newsweek
http://europe.newsweek.com/archbishop-canterbury-justin-welby-interview-i-have-no-right-be-here-3308...
Archbishop Welby, 59, served an unusual apprenticeship, having worked for oil corporations including the French company ELF, in its infamous period of malpractice (illegality of which the future cleric was wholly unaware). He has distinguished himself by his extreme bravery, notably in Africa, his empathy for the dispossessed (which prompted his recruiting credit unions to the so-called "War on Wonga") and his criticism of corruption in the City. He is no slave to tradition.  

Uncertain Times Fuel Occult Beliefs in China's Party Hierarchy
New York Times/Reuters
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/07/29/world/asia/29reuters-china-religion.html
In China, underground belief in occult practices such as sorcery and prophecy has spread widely enough amongst Communist Party officials that state media has issued numerous warnings in recent years about its dangers. A rather interesting trend has been noted in which corruption and superstition actually go together--as officials try to placate the gods to forgive their crimes.  

A New Approach for South Sudan
by Andrew S. Natsios
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/29/opinion/a-new-approach-for-south-sudan.html?ref=opinion&_r=0  
With peace talks repeatedly failing in South Sudan, it would be highly beneficial for the United States and European countries to start a high-level diplomatic effort and take greater control of negotiations. As soon as a workable peace agreement is in place, local Christian churches--who make up 60 percent of the country's population--will have the opportunity to begin reconciliation initiatives as they did  before independence in 2011, providing a modicum of public services in disaffected areas and acting as mediators in local disputes.  

Defending Religion From Itself
by Knox Thames
Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/30/defending-religion-from-itself/
Unlike earlier eras, the most active persecutors of religious minorities and dissenters today are religious extremists. Since there is clearly no single recipe for fighting religious bigotry, governments must begin developing fresh approaches to extremism and terror that are flexible, comprehensive, and coordinated--not fragmented across different bureaus and agencies.  

A Long Way Home
by Mausi Segun
Foreign Affairs
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/africa/2015-07-28/long-way-home
The militant Islamist group Boko Haram has operated out of Nigeria since 2010, but has expanded to a number of surrounding countries since last year. Perhaps best known for its widespread abduction of women and girls, the group forces its captives to marry fighters, convert to Islam, and has even brainwashed them to become suicide bombers. Until recently, the Nigerian military has done little to help save these women.
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