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Steven Waldman

Lama Surya Das passed on this fascinating bit. Richard Blum, who is the husband of California Senator Diane Feinstein, also happens to be a major supporter of Buddhism. He was up on the platform during the swearing in. Beforehand, he told Barack Obama that he had with him a white khata — a silk Tibetan…

Obama’s pro-life supporters have got to be somewhat disappointed today. Today, as promised, he is expected to repeal the “Mexico City policy” a.k.a. the “gag rule” — the policy that prevented overseas family planning groups from mentioning abortion as an option if they receive U.S. money. He earned some praise from pro-life supporters by delaying…

The Catholic Church praised Obama’s executive order banning torture (full text here). Said Bishop Howard J. Hubbard of Albany, chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace: “Based upon the teachings of the Catholic Church, our Conference of Bishops welcomes the executive order. Together with other religious leaders, we had pressed for this…

Americans United for Life has issued a ranking of the best and worst states in terms of anti-abortion policies. For the most part, the “best” states also seem to be ones with low abortion rates, buttressing the pro-life argument that legal restrictions can help reduce the abortion rate. One mystery, though: Pennsylvania. They list Pennsylvania…

We hear at Beliefnet are accustomed to thinking of the world’s major religions as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. In his inaugural address, Obama went four for five, mentioning Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and (signficantly) “non believers.” No Buddhism. At the National Prayer Service Wednesday at the National Cathedral, twenty different clergy participated —…

Pro-life Obama activists fully expect Obama to repeal the Mexico City “gag rule” — which prevents American dollars from going to groups that offer abortion services or advice. But some of them are urging the Obama administration Obama to delay action on that until he can put it in the context of a broader “abortion…

Only in America Sitting in a balcony of the National Cathedral, I found myself most moved when the procession of clergy walked in, each in distinctive religious garb. A cardinal’s skull cap, a Muslim headress, a Yalmulke — and fifteen other men and women, each representing a distinctive faith….Greek Orthodox, Hindu, various protestant denominations. Would…

Obama’s inaugural address was brimming with religious references. “We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things….” “This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny….” “With eyes fixed on the horizon and…

In one of the most anticipated invocations ever, the controversial pastor managed to offer a prayer that was broadly inclusive yet true to his faith. There many other interesting bits worthy of detaild fisking * * * Let Us Pray:Almighty God, Our Father, everything we see and everything we can’t see exists because of You…

Transcript courtesy Federal News Service God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far along the way, thou who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we…
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