TruthBook Religious News Blog

12/27/2008

WESTERVILLE, Ohio - The U.S. presidential election was the impetus for the nation's top religion stories of 2008, according to a survey of more than 100 religion journalists.

The top story was the controversy surrounding the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, with Democratic outreach to faith communities and GOP vice presidential running mate Sarah Palin's selection as the second and third top stories, respectively.

Controversial sermons by Wright surfaced early this year, resulting in pressure on Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who eventually withdrew his membership in his church, Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago.

Obama was named the top religion newsmaker of 2008.

An online poll of religion reporters was conducted Dec. 8 to 10.

The Religion Newswriters Association has conducted the poll since the 1970s.

The list of suggested top religion stories was compiled for the RNA with help from John W. Smith, religion columnist and retired religion editor of the Reading Eagle.

The other top 10 stories are:

4. The California Supreme Court rules gay marriage is legal.

5. Pope Benedict XVI makes his first U.S. visit

6. U.S. conservatives alienated from the Episcopal Church say they will ask Anglican Communion leaders for permission to create the Anglican Church in North America.

7. Terrorism believed motivated in part by religious fervor results in deaths of almost 200 people in a three-day siege in Mumbai, India.

8. China cracks down on Buddhists seeking Tibetan independence in a prelude to producing a peaceful Olympic games.

9. The crumbling economy and subsequent drop in contributions force many faith-based organizations to cut back on expenses.

10. Violence continues in Iraq as Sunnis and Shiites attack each other, and Christians also are targeted.

Labels: 2008 top stories, Barack Obama, China, gay marriage, Pope Benedict XVI, religion, Religion Newswriters Association, terrorism, the economy

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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Coping with being gay and godly

Published:Dec 15, 2008

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As long as churches condemn homosexuality, there will be those who claim they can ‘cure’ this sexual orientation, writes Robert McKay

In 2006 the Rainbow Nation celebrated another milestone. South Africa became one of the most progressive countries in the world when it legalised gay marriage.

From then , as far as the constitution was concerned, gay men and women were equal to their heterosexual countrymen. But a survey published as late as last month shows that this spirit of inclusivity hasn’t filtered down into the hearts of ordinary South Africans.

According to the annual SA Social Attitudes Survey, by the Human Sciences Research Council, as many as 80percent of South Africans remain opposed to gay and lesbian relationships. That this same fraction of people identify themselves as Christian is no coincidence. Much of the prejudice towards homosexuality is rooted in religion. When the Civil Union Bill was passed, African Christian Democratic Party leader Kenneth Meshoe even warned of “provoking God’s anger”.

But, if religion has historically been part of the problem for gay men and women, it now also promises a solution in the form of the “ex-gay” movement — a loose collection of Christians who claim to “cure” homosexuality. The movement began in the US and remains largely American, but several ministries have opened in South Africa. One such organisation is Living Waters, the local branch of a US-based ministry headed by Craig Roome.

Roome says the counselling programme offered by Living Waters is designed for all people who are struggling with relationship issues, and only part of that work includes “helping [gay] people to journey out of that lifestyle” — about 20 percent of the people who enroll for the six-month course are “from gay backgrounds” and the five or six support groups Living Waters runs each year draw 500 to 600 people.

Roome is convinced that people can change — he is a product of the programme himself and now regards himself as heterosexual (he dislikes the term “ex-gay”).

In the US media, the ex-gay story has centered on the debate between ex-gay proponents who say “Change is possible” and gay activists who say “No, it isn’t”.

Labels: Craig Roome, gay marriage, homosexuality, Human Sciences Research Council, Living Waters, Robert McKay, SA Social Attitudes Survey