Rap Sheet
Links on R&P from around the web
“They Can’t Attack Me. Now They’re Coming After Kids.”
posted on February 28, 2023For Politico Magazine, Kathy Gilsinan interviews Greg Razer, the only openly gay member of the Missouri State Senate, about the chamber’s proposed bills targeting transgender children. State senators have introduced bills to prevent trans children from playing on the sports team of their preferred gender and bills to halt gender-affirming healthcare. Razer said, “They’ve run out of ways to attack me as a gay, white man. I’ve won. But they still have to have a boogeyman. They still have to be able to divide the population. They can’t attack me anymore. So now they’re coming after kids.”
Poll: Support for Abortion Rights Is Strong, Even Among Most Religious Groups
posted on February 28, 2023Yonat Shimron of Religion News Service reports that a new poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that a majority of religious Americans support abortion rights. White evangelicals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Latter-day Saints, and Hispanic Protestants were exceptions to the finding. Shimron writes, “Only a third of Americans say their religious beliefs dictate their views of abortion.” The survey also found widespread rejection of a proposed federal abortion ban, with only 12 percent of respondents supporting the bill’s passage.
Southern Baptists Oust Saddleback Church Over Woman Pastor
posted on February 28, 2023Peter Smith of the Associated Press reports, “The Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday ousted its second-largest congregation – Saddleback Church, the renowned California megachurch founded by pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren – for having a woman pastor.” The SBC Executive Committee severed ties with four other congregations for female leadership during the same session. Andy Wood, the lead pastor of Saddleback and husband of the female pastor, said, “The church should be a place where both men and women can exercise those spiritual gifts.”
Nikki Haley’s South Asian Heritage Is Historic Part of Her Presidential Campaign
posted on February 21, 2023Zohreen Shah of ABC reports, “With her announcement this week that she is running for president, Nikki Haley has made a bit of history again—becoming the first prominent woman of color to seek the Republican nomination.” Haley’s parents are from India, and she was raised Sikh before she converted to Christianity. Sara Sadhwani, an assistant professor of politics at Pomona College, said, “We see South Asians who have largely been on the outskirts of American politics in many ways. This is a moment where we’re seeing South Asians step into the limelight.”
When Parents Hear That Their Child “Is Not Normal and Should Not Exist”
posted on February 21, 2023For The New York Times, Megan K. Stack profiles Missouri families with transgender children, as the state legislature considers bills that would ban gender-affirming medical care. Russel and Rori Picker Neiss, the parents of a transgender boy, both take inspiration from their Jewish faith to fight for their son’s medical care. Mr. Neiss cites the Jewish principle of pikuach nefesh, the preservation of human life over other obligations, to support his decision. Mrs. Neiss said, “I’m not advocating that every child should get every procedure they want. I can’t speak for every single family. All I’m saying is that the government shouldn’t be deciding.”
How Public Money Goes to Support a Hasidic Village’s Private Schools
posted on February 21, 2023Jay Root of The New York Times reports that Kiryas Joel, a public school district exclusively for Hasidic children with disabilities, has received substantial state and federal funding. Critics object to the district’s appropriation of funds to lease buildings from a private religious organization. Members of the school board also sit on that group’s board. Marc Stern, general counsel for the American Jewish Committee, said, “When you deal with small, sealed-off groups, these sorts of abuses do occur. There’s less of a check. And so it’s not surprising that it developed this way.”
Suspect Arrested in Shooting of Los Angeles Bishop Is Housekeeper’s Husband
posted on February 21, 2023Alejandra Molina of Religion News Service reports, “The suspect arrested in Saturday’s shooting of Roman Catholic Bishop David G. O’Connell is Carlos Medina, the husband of the bishop’s housekeeper, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.” Detectives are investigating a potential financial dispute between the two. O’Connell was renowned for his work with the poor and immigrant communities in Los Angeles. Linda Dakin-Grimm, an immigration attorney who worked with O’Connell, said, “He’s an extremely unique person of deep faith and witness and kindness. I don’t see how we will fill that big, aching gap.”
Seattle Considers Historic Law Barring Caste Discrimination
posted on February 21, 2023Deepa Bharath of the Associated Press reports that the Seattle city council is considering an ordinance to bar caste discrimination, a South Asian form of social hierarchy. Seattle would be the first American city to bar the practice if the proposal passes. Critics of the policy, however, claim that it would create the false impression that Hinduism is inherently discriminatory. Nikunj Trivedi, the president of the Coalition of Hindus of North America, said, “The understanding of Hinduism is poor in this country. Many people believe caste equals Hinduism, which is simply not true. There is diversity of thought, belief and practice within Hinduism.”
Harvard, National Council of Churches, Reform Jews Seeking Reparations Blueprint
posted on February 21, 2023Adelle M. Banks of Religion News Service reports, “A professor and students at Harvard Kennedy School are joining forces with prominent Christian and Jewish organizations to develop a faith-based blueprint to advance the possibility of reparations for African Americans.” The group is hoping to create both legislative and faith-based proposals by the end of the semester. The Rev. Cornell William Brooks, the professor at the Kennedy School, said, “We’re trying to build a grassroots, congregation-level strategy to take up the whole matter of federal reparations and ultimately establish a commission and ultimately push for legislation that addresses America’s profound racial wealth gap.”
Nonstop Worship Service at Kentucky College Set to End After Attracting Thousands
posted on February 21, 2023Amber Ferguson of The Washington Post reports, “After almost two weeks of 24-hour worship, a revival at Asbury University in Wilmore, Ky., will end, the school said.” Asbury University, a small Christian college, hosted the spontaneous revival that has attracted thousands of worshipers from around the globe. Kevin J Brown, the president of the university, said in a statement announcing the end of the revival, “Students have not only had to juggle various campus commitments … but also the throngs of people who have entered the dimensions of their space. For some, this has created a sense of being unsettled and even alienation from their campus community.”