Atheist lawyer Michael Newdow said recently that he will appeal a court decision that called his bid to halt prayers and the words “so help me God” in presidential inaugurations “moot,” according to the Huffington Post.

“We will be petitioning for a rehearing,” said Newdow, who represented himself and other atheists in the case.

The May 7 ruling, issued by Judge Janice Rogers Brown of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the issues are “Not a live controversy that can avail itself of the judicial powers of the federal courts,” the Huffington Post reported.  Read more... (248 words, 1 image, estimated 60 secs reading time)

Despite a judge’s ruling that declared the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, special observations were held across the nation and in several places in the capital city including the Pentagon, the Cannon House Office Building and the steps of the US Capitol, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Rev. Franklin Graham, who had been disinvited to the Pentagon because of comments he had made regarding the Islamic faith after 911 nonetheless prayed on a sidewalk outside the building.  Graham is honorary chairman of the private National Day of Prayer Task Force.  Read more... (455 words, 1 image, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

The Vatican’s most recent statement concerning the link between pedophilia and homosexuality, which was  designed to quell a fire caused by a previous statement, actually caused a new hullabaloo.

Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi tried to douse flames of controversy by releasing a statement intended to lend the Vatican distance from the uproar.

Lombardi said that Church leaders were not trying to make “general affirmations of a specific psychological nature” and offered Church statistics cited by the Vatican’s internal prosecutor, Msgr. Charles J. Scicluna.  Read more... (425 words, 2 images, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Blending their unique blend of Celtic-tinged rock with weighty Christian lyricism, in the 90’s, Irish rock band Emmaus, was the big thing.

According to a report in a 1997 issue of Cross Rhythms magazine, Emmaus was second only to U2 in popularity in Ireland.

However, after a whirlwind tour in support of their 1997 release, “All Over the World,” Emmaus was largely silent for the next decade, releasing a live disc in 1997 (Live at the Temple Bar, Dublin) and 2000’s “Closer, Nearer.”

Now, like a rushing wind, Emmaus and front man Ronan Johnston are back full-force.  Read more... (326 words, 2 images, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)

Nigerian Christians and Muslims clash yet again near Jos. This time leaving 500 dead. Vanguard Image.

Nigerian officials say more than 500 Nigerian Christians are dead after attacks by neighboring Muslims in Dogo Nahauwa, Nigeria, a town just south of Jos on Sunday.

According to CNN, the marauders, stormed the settlement at 3 a.m. Sunday (9 p.m. Saturday EST) and remained there for more than two hours, setting edifices such as churches on fire and executing people with machetes.

The attacks on the people of Dogo Nahauwa, who are primarily from the Berom tribe, are thought to be retaliation for attacks on the Fulani, a predominantly Muslim tribe, that took place in January nearby.

Irish singer Sinead O’Connor says she’d help Jesus destroy the Vatican if she could.

“If Christ was here, he would be burning down the Vatican. And I for one would be helping him,” she said.

O’Connor made the statement via a letter to the Irish Independent in response to Roman Catholic Bishop, Denis Brennan’s recent plea to his congregation for funds.

Brennan oversees the Ferns Diocese in County Wexford, Ireland.

His  plea for funds came in the midst of a recently exposed decades-old sex abuse scandal that has seen the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland receive a publicized rebuke from Pope Benedict XVI and paying out millions to victims of sexual abuse at the hand of priests.  Read more... (456 words, 2 images, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

A recent archaeological excavation outside Jerusalem has uncovered a gate, tower and wall that might have been part of Solomon’s Temple 3,000 years ago.

Pottery shards found by Eilat Mazar of Hebrew University and her team of archaeologists during excavation are purported to be from the 10th century B.C.

The dating of the ancient fortifications place the structures during the time of the first temple built by King David’s son Solomon as mentioned in 1 Kings 5 and indicates that a powerful centralized governing body existed in ancient Jerusalem, according to the Washington Post.  Read more... (467 words, 2 images, estimated 1:52 mins reading time)

At ibelieve.com, Franklin Graham (in association with Christianity.com) asks “Can We Find 1,000,000 to Proclaim ‘I am a Christian’?”

How does he want you to do it? By signing a petition.

A personal message from Graham on the site says, “At a time when God’s truth is being attacked on all sides, now more than ever, Christians need to take a stand and declare their faith in Jesus Christ. I’m Franklin Graham and I want to encourage you to join the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Christianity.com in declaring your faith.”  Read more... (436 words, 1 image, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)

The results of 30 years of sex-selective abortions will rear its head in China as early as 10 years from now Chinese researchers say.

Since the Chinese government instituted its “one-child” policy in the 1970s in bid to curb the country’s rapidly expanding population, more than 400 million births have been averted, many of them female.

Chinese baby boy/ Photo courtesy sxc.hu

Consequently, since 1979, birth rates for girls in China have plummeted. On average, 93 to 97 girls are born for every 100 males.

The latest statistics show the decline in female births dropping even more with 81 girls to every 119 boys being born in 2005.  Read more... (288 words, 2 images, estimated 1:09 mins reading time)

Amrit Vani cd cover

Since 2000, Aradhna has set out to create authentic Indian worship music.

By blending Indian bhajans (spirituals) with Biblical subject-matter, band members Chris Hale (lead vocals, sitar), Peter Hicks (acoustic guitar, sitar, English vocals), Fiona Hicks (Hindustani violin) and Travis Macafee (bass), have proven that good Christian music is not an oxymoron.

Amrit Vani (Immortal World) is the band’s latest release.

While listening, you can almost smell of Tibetan juniper incense, frying spices and rain-drenched soil wafting through the air as you lift up fragrant praise offerings to the Most High God.  Read more... (606 words, 6 images, estimated 2:25 mins reading time)