By ADELLE M. BANKS c. 2011 Religion News Service ROCKVILLE, Md. (RNS) The V-shaped hand sign that made actor Leonard Nimoy famous as Mr. Spock may have seemed to be from a planet far away. But the “Star Trek” star says he created it from childhood memories of his Jewish family. “I reached back to…

By OMAR SACIRBEY c. 2011 Religion News Service (RNS) Officially, President Obama was talking to the Muslim world in his State Department speech on Thursday (May 19), but U.S. Muslims were equally interested in how their faith will be treated in a post-Osama bin Laden era. U.S. Muslims tuned in hoping for clear direction from…

By BOB SMIETANA c. 2011 Religion News Service NASHVILLE (RNS) In Hindu tradition, Lord Vishnu shows up in many forms. There’s Prince Rama, who killed the demon Ravana; Vamana the dwarf; Parashurama the vengeful; and Matsya the great fish. Then there’s Varasha, the boar who saved the world. “He’s like a superhero,” said Joan Cummins…

By KIM MICHELE RICHARDSON c. 2011 Religion News Service (RNS) The Vatican has given the world’s Catholic bishops one year to set policies for handling allegations of child abuse, including reporting to police where required by local law. And on Wednesday (May 18), the U.S. bishops released a 300-page report on the “causes and context”…

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