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UK watchdog raps Indian channel for ad promoting the occult, psychic practi
2008-04-25 19:59:00
The advert on DD-India channel in Hindi said that Pandit Bharatraj Shastri was an expert in "palmistry, birth kundali (horoscopes), vastu expert, marriage issues, troubles in business, dissatisfaction at work, warding off affects of black magic, family problems".
More About: Indian , Promoting , Psychic , Channel , Occult

Tom Cruise is returning to Oprah
2008-04-25 18:50:00
Tom Cruise is scheduled to return to "The Oprah Winfrey Show," nearly three years after a couch-jumping appearance that spawned countless YouTube parodies and late-night jokes. [video]
More About: Tom Cruise , Scientology

Bank of Israel website cracked by Muslim hacker
2008-04-25 18:37:00
The Bank of Israel ?s website was cracked Thursday. Readers of the English-language website noticed anti-Israeli and anti-American messages planted on the site by a Muslim hacker.
More About: Website , Hacker

Utah judge rejects new trial for Warren Jeffs
2008-04-25 18:18:00
A Utah judge on Thursday rejected claims by polygamous-sect leader Warren Jeffs' attorneys that his rape-by-accomplice convictions should be thrown out because of a decision to remove a juror that the defense had actually supported at the time.
More About: Judge , Trial , Warren Jeffs

Bishop tells Muslims they are in denial
2008-04-25 17:52:00
Muslims were accused of being "in denial" by the senior Christian bishop accused of inflaming anti-Islamic feeling by declaring extremists have made parts of Britain "no go areas" for non-Muslims.
More About: Muslims , Tells , Bishop , Islamism , Denial

Former Scientologists, Including Church Leader?s Niece, Share Stories With
2008-04-25 17:43:00
Scientology's worldwide leader David Miscavige says Scientology can offer its followers greater ability in all areas of life, rid people of negativity, and make them "clear." But some former members of the Sea Organization, or Sea Org (Scientology's version of clergy -- the group of people who essentially run the church), including a niece of Miscavige, see another side to the religion. They spoke to "Nightline" about how they became increasingly disillusioned with the Church of Scientology, until they decided it was time to leave. [video]
More About: Stories , Share , Leader , Scientologists

Denmark: Religious sect cleared of neglect charges
2008-04-25 17:28:00
Religious sect Father House was cleared of child neglect charges by a Lolland court on Thursday, finding that no children lived at the address without a parent present.
More About: Neglect , Denmark , Religious

Muslims fight for pigs? rights
2008-04-25 17:06:00
Danish imam Abdul Wahid Petersen and several other Muslims have started a group, 'Muslims for Danish pigs' rights'...
More About: Rights , Fight , Denmark , Pigs

Jehovah?s parents agree to treatment for unborn twins
2008-04-25 16:53:00
Doctors said the ?ideal management? of the pregnancy would have been for a foetal blood sample to be taken and the unborn children to receive a transfusion in the womb to treat any anaemia. However, that was not possible because of the parents? beliefs and doctors say the babies will instead have to be delivered prematurely, raising ?all the risks associated with pre-term delivery?.
More About: Twins , Treatment , Jehovah , Witnesses , Parents

Tonight: Niece of Scientology Leader Shares Her Story on Nightline
2008-04-24 22:23:00
In the interview, Jenna Miscavige Hill gives her account of her life growing up in Scientology , how she became disillusioned with the Church, and why she finally decided to leave.
More About: Story , Tonight , Shares , Nightline

Tough Transitions Ahead for Polygamy Sect Children
2008-04-24 19:38:00
"These kids don't know who the president is. Don't know that we're at war. Don't know who Elvis was, don't know who the Beatles were," said Bobby Gilliam, director of the Methodist Children 's home in Waco, Texas, where some of the children will be staying.
More About: Polygamy , Transitions , Tough , Ahead

Ireland: High Court grants twins transfusion order
2008-04-24 19:26:00
The delivery of the 32-week-old babies, whose Jehovah Witness parents objected to their getting blood products on religious grounds but have agreed to abide by the court order, is expected to be induced shortly in light of the suspected seriousness of their condition.
More About: Twins , Ireland , Grants , Witnesses

Number used to report abuse in sect is linked to woman
2008-04-24 14:07:00
A court document says a phone number used to report alleged abuse at a polygamist retreat in West Texas had been used previously by a 33-year-old Colorado woman.
More About: Abuse , Report , Woman , Number

Faithful gather as remains of Stigmata Saint go on display
2008-04-24 13:54:00
Padre Pio's body is unusually central to the cult that surrounds him, and exceptionally controversial.
More About: Display , Catholic Church , Faithful , Gather , Saint

Book by film director refutes Bible teachings about the birth of Jesus
2008-04-24 12:49:00
Film director Paul Verhoeven has written a book that contradicts the Bible by suggesting that Jesus might have been fathered by a Roman soldier who raped Mary.
More About: Film , Book , Birth

Judge refuses to delay FLDS leader Warren Jeffs hearing on new trial
2008-04-24 12:41:00
The motion seeking a new trial was filed last December, two months after the conviction. It claims trial errors and other improprieties occurred.
More About: Judge , Warren , Trial , Hearing , Leader

?Prophet? jailed for contempt of Islam
2008-04-24 11:32:00
Ahmad Mushaddeq alias Abu Salam, 63, leader of the Al Qiyadah Al Islam iyah sect, was "guilty of showing contempt in public against a religion recognised by the state," Judge Zahrul Rabaid told a packed courtroom today.
More About: Prophet , Contempt

Madonna defends Tom Cruise for his Scientology beliefs
2008-04-24 10:55:00
Madonna believes Tom Cruise gets a "raw deal" for believing in Scientology , and insists the actor should be allowed to practise his faith without being ridiculed.
More About: Madonna , Beliefs

Workers? tipsheet on FLDS sparks outrage
2008-04-24 10:46:00
A tipsheet provided to Texas case workers working with women and children from a polygamous sect has outraged an attorney working with their families, who says it promotes unfounded stereotypes.
More About: Workers , Polygamy , Sparks

Juanita Bynum discusses marriage on Divorce Court
2008-04-24 00:59:00
Just when the media spotlight was fading on national evangelist Juanita Bynum, the pastor found a new forum where her star could shine again ?reality TV.
More About: Divorce , Marriage , Court

Court applies Law of Return to Messianic Jews because of fathers
2008-04-24 00:04:00
Reportedly, the ruling determined that the petitioners were entitled to automatic new immigrant status and citizenship precisely because they were not Jews as defined by the Law of Return , but rather because they were the offspring of Jewish fathers.
More About: Fathers , Court , Messianic

Jehovah?s Witness refuses blood for her unborn twins
2008-04-23 23:45:00
A pregnant woman with severely anaemic twins has objected to the babies receiving a potentially life-saving blood transfusion when they are born on religious grounds, the High Court was told yesterday.
More About: Twins , Witness , Jehovah , Witnesses , Blood

Muslim plan to tackle extremists
2008-04-23 13:01:00
Potential terrorists should be sent to rehabilitation centres and deradicalised by exposure to intense and substantial periods of genuine piety, Britain's first counter-extremism thinktank said yesterday.
More About: Islam , Muslim , Plan

Advocates fear children?s removal from polygamist ranch violated civil righ
2008-04-23 12:24:00
State law provides for all children to be removed from a home if there's suspicion that one of them might have been abused, and that is what happened to the 437 children of Yearning for Zion ranch. But some experts worry that religious rights and family sanctity were trampled on the way out the door.
More About: Children , Polygamy , Fear , Civil , Ranch

Polygamist sect kids leave shelter for foster care, for now
2008-04-23 00:37:00
The state won the right to put the children in foster care on suspicion that members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints pushed underage girls into marriage and sex and that all the children raised in the church are in danger of being victims or becoming predators. The children had been removed from the Yearning For Zion Ranch, the renegade Mormon sect's compound in nearby Eldorado.
More About: Kids , Leave , Care , Polygamy , Foster Care

Israeli think tank: Muslim anti-Semitism is strategic danger for Israel
2008-04-22 22:43:00
Paradoxically, both Israel -Arab military escalation and progress toward Israeli-Arab peace act to increase anti-Semitism in the Muslim world, the research showed.
More About: Tank , Hate Groups , Danger

Web Site Offers Glimpse Inside Polygamist Compound
2008-04-22 20:16:00
Members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have created a new Web site that offers a glimpse into their once-secretive lifestyle.
More About: Site , Polygamy , Offers , Inside

DNA tests continue in polygamist case
2008-04-22 20:02:00
Officials in a massive custody case are trying to identify the parents of 437 children taken from a west Texas compound more than two weeks ago.
More About: Polygamy , Case , Tests

After shooting at Jewish Federation stopped, victim feared what she might f
2008-04-22 13:10:00
When Dayna Klein crept out of her office after the gunfire had ceased, she was looking for other survivors. Instead, Klein told a King County jury Monday, she walked into a "ghost town" after Naveed Haq opened fire at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle nearly two years ago.
More About: Shooting , Victim

Pre-depositions hearing date set in exorcism case
2008-04-22 11:57:00
Nine members of the extended family of 22-year-old Janet Moses appeared in Lower Hutt District Court today jointly charged with her manslaughter during an apparent exorcism ceremony.
More About: Case , Exorcism , Hearing