Today's religion and world affairs news from the United States and around the globe: ISIS and Turkey, religious freedom tested at the Supreme Court, and U.S.-Russia relations.
AROUND THE WORLD
Pakistan-Based Indian Jihadist Group Calls for Attacks on Non-Muslims
by Rupam Jain Nair
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/10/08/pakistan-based-indian-jihadist-group-calls-for-attacks-on-non-muslims/
A group of Indian Islamic militants, operating out of Pakistan, has called for attacks on non-Muslims in the region in retaliation for U.S.-led air strikes on fighters of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Islamic State Jihadists Are Using Water as a Weapon in Iraq
by Erin Cunningham
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/islamic-state-jihadists-are-using-water-as-a-weapon-in-iraq/2014/10/06/aead6792-79ec-4c7c-8f2f-fd7b95765d09_story.html
The Islamic State militants who have rampaged across northern Iraq are increasingly using water as a weapon, cutting off supplies to villages that resist their rule and pressing to expand their control over the country’s water infrastructure.
Why ISIL Beheads Its Victims
by Robert A. Paper, Michael Rowley, and Sarah Morell
POLITICO Magazine
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/why-isil-beheads-its-victims-111684.html?hp=pm_2#.VDVGVildXyd
The common misperception is that these beheadings are meant only to intimidate the West. On the contrary, beheadings are a deliberate strategy to improve recruitment efforts and build military strength to fight enemies in Iraq and Syria.
Fiddling While Kobani Burns
by Steven A. Cook
Foreign Policy
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/10/07/fiddling_while_kobani_burns_turkey_islamic_state
Turkey is talking tough about the Islamic State, but it’s still not ready for war.
Ukrainian Students to Take Russians’ Places in U.S. Exchange Program
by Michael R. Gordon
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/world/europe/ukrainian-students-to-take-russians-places-in-us-exchange-program.html?ref=world
Russia’s decision to cancel a longstanding high school exchange program with the United States has had one result that the Kremlin may not have anticipated: more slots open for students from Ukraine.
DOMESTIC
Justices Say Case of Inmate’s Beard May Not Be the Best Test of Religious Liberty
by Adam Liptak
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/us/politics/as-test-of-religious-liberty-justices-say-beard-case-may-come-up-short.html
As Supreme Court arguments started on Tuesday in a religious liberty case, several justices expressed an unusual concern. They said the question before them, whether prison officials in Arkansas may prohibit a Muslim inmate from growing a half-inch beard, was too easy. Such short beards are not a problem from the standpoint of prison security, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told a lawyer for the inmate.
Atheists Tweet More Often Than Muslims, Jews, Christians, Study Shows
by Kimberly Winston
Religion News Service
http://www.religionnews.com/2014/10/03/atheists-tweet-often-muslims-jews-christians-study-shows/
A new study of Twitter finds that self-identified religious users are more likely to tweet to members of their own faith than to members of a different one. The study examined people whose Twitter profiles identified them as Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and atheist.
How Meditation, Prayer and Spiritual Communities Are Helping These College Students Thrive
by Antonia Blumberg
Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/07/college-meditation-prayer-_n_5799532.html
For many students, personal spirituality and religious groups provide necessary support to guide them through this challenging time.
When Your Rabbi Comes Out as Gay
by Jeffrey Goldberg
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/10/when-your-rabbi-comes-out-as-gay/381168/
There is no reason for the rabbi of a progressive synagogue to hide from his congregants who he, in fact, is.
Pakistan-Based Indian Jihadist Group Calls for Attacks on Non-Muslims
by Rupam Jain Nair
Reuters
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/10/08/pakistan-based-indian-jihadist-group-calls-for-attacks-on-non-muslims/
A group of Indian Islamic militants, operating out of Pakistan, has called for attacks on non-Muslims in the region in retaliation for U.S.-led air strikes on fighters of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Islamic State Jihadists Are Using Water as a Weapon in Iraq
by Erin Cunningham
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/islamic-state-jihadists-are-using-water-as-a-weapon-in-iraq/2014/10/06/aead6792-79ec-4c7c-8f2f-fd7b95765d09_story.html
The Islamic State militants who have rampaged across northern Iraq are increasingly using water as a weapon, cutting off supplies to villages that resist their rule and pressing to expand their control over the country’s water infrastructure.
Why ISIL Beheads Its Victims
by Robert A. Paper, Michael Rowley, and Sarah Morell
POLITICO Magazine
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/why-isil-beheads-its-victims-111684.html?hp=pm_2#.VDVGVildXyd
The common misperception is that these beheadings are meant only to intimidate the West. On the contrary, beheadings are a deliberate strategy to improve recruitment efforts and build military strength to fight enemies in Iraq and Syria.
Fiddling While Kobani Burns
by Steven A. Cook
Foreign Policy
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/10/07/fiddling_while_kobani_burns_turkey_islamic_state
Turkey is talking tough about the Islamic State, but it’s still not ready for war.
Ukrainian Students to Take Russians’ Places in U.S. Exchange Program
by Michael R. Gordon
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/world/europe/ukrainian-students-to-take-russians-places-in-us-exchange-program.html?ref=world
Russia’s decision to cancel a longstanding high school exchange program with the United States has had one result that the Kremlin may not have anticipated: more slots open for students from Ukraine.
DOMESTIC
Justices Say Case of Inmate’s Beard May Not Be the Best Test of Religious Liberty
by Adam Liptak
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/us/politics/as-test-of-religious-liberty-justices-say-beard-case-may-come-up-short.html
As Supreme Court arguments started on Tuesday in a religious liberty case, several justices expressed an unusual concern. They said the question before them, whether prison officials in Arkansas may prohibit a Muslim inmate from growing a half-inch beard, was too easy. Such short beards are not a problem from the standpoint of prison security, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told a lawyer for the inmate.
Atheists Tweet More Often Than Muslims, Jews, Christians, Study Shows
by Kimberly Winston
Religion News Service
http://www.religionnews.com/2014/10/03/atheists-tweet-often-muslims-jews-christians-study-shows/
A new study of Twitter finds that self-identified religious users are more likely to tweet to members of their own faith than to members of a different one. The study examined people whose Twitter profiles identified them as Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and atheist.
How Meditation, Prayer and Spiritual Communities Are Helping These College Students Thrive
by Antonia Blumberg
Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/07/college-meditation-prayer-_n_5799532.html
For many students, personal spirituality and religious groups provide necessary support to guide them through this challenging time.
When Your Rabbi Comes Out as Gay
by Jeffrey Goldberg
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/10/when-your-rabbi-comes-out-as-gay/381168/
There is no reason for the rabbi of a progressive synagogue to hide from his congregants who he, in fact, is.
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