RUNAWAY CONVERT
     
Hearing today could decide fate of runaway teen convert

     
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A teenager who ran away from her Ohio home
because she feared she'd be killed for converting from Islam to
Christianity returns to court today in Orlando, Florida.
     
A judge will decide whether to let 17-year-old Rifqa Bary remain
with a Christian foster family in Florida, as she has asked, or
send her back to her parents. At a hearing 2 weeks ago, her father
said Rifqa could practice any faith she wants if she returns home.
     
Florida state investigators were sent to the Bary family's home
near Columbus and will tell the judge today if they found evidence
that Rifqa would be in danger if she's sent back.

RUNAWAY CONVERT-MUSLIMS
     
Ohio mosque says runaway convert is being used

     
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio mosque accused in a runaway teen's
court case of being linked to terrorism says hate groups are using
the girl to attack Muslims.
     
The Noor Islamic Cultural Center in suburban Columbus says in a
statement that outside groups should avoid injecting hurtful
agendas into the case of 17-year-old Rifqa Bary.
     
The Ohio teen ran away to Florida in July, saying she feared
being killed for converting from Islam to Christianity. A Florida
judge could decide today whether to send her back to Ohio.
     
Bary has asked to be allowed to remain with a Christian foster
family in Florida.
     
The Ohio mosque says it has not been in contact with the girl or
her family.

SPACE SHUTTLE-FAITH
     
Astronaut says being in space confirms his faith

     
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) - A member of the space shuttle
Discovery's crew says being in orbit with the world's best
scientific instruments doesn't reduce his faith in God.
     
Astronaut Jose Hernandez, a Mexican-American who grew up in a
migrant worker family, discussed his Catholic faith yesterday in
several TV interviews from space.
     
When asked in Spanish if being surrounded by all that space
technology diminished his faith, Hernandez replied that on the
contrary, seeing all the stars confirms his belief that all this
cannot possibly be by chance and that there is a greater plan with
a supernatural power.
     
Hernandez said he always carries with him, even now, his
scapular and crucifix, which received the blessing of his parish
priest.

ISRAEL-ANCIENT WALL
     
Israeli archaeologists find ancient fortification

     
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's Antiquities Authority says
archaeologists have uncovered a 3,700-year-old wall that is the
oldest example of massive fortifications ever found in Jerusalem.
     
The 26-foot-high wall is believed to have been built by ancient
Canaanites from a hilltop fortress to a nearby spring that was the
city's only water source and vulnerable to marauders.
     
The discovery marks the first time archaeologists have found
such massive construction from before the time of Herod, the ruler
behind numerous monumental projects in the city 2,000 years ago.
     
The wall dates to the 17th century B.C., when Jerusalem was a
small, fortified enclave controlled by the Canaanites, one of the
peoples the Bible says lived in the Holy Land before the Hebrew
conquest.
     
The kingdom thought to have been ruled from Jerusalem by the
biblical King David is usually dated to at least seven centuries
later.

PEOPLE-DANNY GOKEY
     
Danny Gokey to record country instead of Christian music

     
BURBANK, Calif. (AP) - "American Idol" finalist Danny Gokey is
going country.
     
The 29-year-old former church music director has signed a record
deal, but says, "I definitely don't want to do Christian music at
this point."
     
Gokey explains that while he's "a man of faith," he wants to
perform in a mainstream genre so that his message can reach a
broader audience.
     
His new record label says Gokey will soon start work on his
country album, which will be released sometime next year.
     
He's currently performing on the American Idols Live Tour 2009,
which ends Sept. 15.

    
REVERSE OFFERING
     
Church offering baskets used to give rather than receive

     
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A Southern Baptist church in
Arkansas has held a reverse offering.
     
This past Sunday, Summit Church in North Little Rock distributed
$5,000 to needy members of its congregation. Pastor Bill Elliff
says worshippers received cash to pay medical and electric bills,
buy children's school clothes, make a security deposit for an
apartment and replace a broken washing machine.
     
At the end of Sunday's service, Elliff says baskets with small
bills were laid out at the front of the sanctuary, and he invited
members to take what they needed.
     
Elliff says it was part of a sermon series on giving in which
the congregation studied how Christians in the first-century shared
money and possessions despite their own poverty.

GUYANA-MORMONS DETAINED
     
US Mormon missionaries to be deported from Guyana

     
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) - Police in the South American country
of Guyana say at least 30 Mormon missionaries were detained
Wednesday because they did not have updated travel documents.
     
Police Chief Henry Greene says most of the missionaries are U.S.
citizens and will be given one month to leave before they are
deported. He declined further comment.
     
It was unclear what prompted the arrests. No incidents involving
the missionaries were reported prior to their detention. They could
be heard singing "We Shall Overcome" from their cells Wednesday
night.
     
A Mormon spokeswoman in Guyana says the church emissaries
committed no known crimes and were simply doing missionary work.

GAY MARRIAGE-CATHOLICS
     
Catholic church joins DC battle over gay marriage

     
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington is
diving into the fight over whether to legalize same-sex marriage in
D.C.
     
Archbishop Donald Wuerl sent a letter on Tuesday to 300 area
priests to remind them of the Catholic church's opposition to such
unions. Wuerl says he wants the voice and teachings of the church
to be heard clearly in the midst of the battle over gay marriage.
     
The archbishop reached out to local priests on the same day a
group of mostly African-American, Baptist preachers filed a request
to hold an initiative next year that would define marriage in D.C.
as only between a man and a woman.
     
The D.C. Council recently voted to recognize gay marriages
performed elsewhere. Legislation to legalize same-sex marriages is
expected to be introduced this fall, but could be negated by
Congress.

NUN-TEACHING BAN
     
Cincinnati archbishop bans nun from teaching

     
CINCINNATI (AP) - The Roman Catholic archbishop of Cincinnati
has banned a nun from teaching at parishes and institutions because
she supports the ordination of women as priests.
     
Church officials say Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk
(pih-LAHR'-chik) made the decision after Sister of Charity Louise
Akers refused to renounce her support for a position that violates
Catholic teaching.
     
Akers has taught in the archdiocese for 40 years. She says she
refused to renounce her support of women priests as a matter of
conscience.
     
A spokesman for the archdiocese says Catholic teachers are
expected to support church teachings.

MUSLIM PRAYER COMPLAINT
     
Meatpacker found to have discriminated against Muslims

     
DENVER (AP) - Federal officials say the JBS Swift meatpacking
plant in Greeley, Colorado, was wrong to fire more than 100 Muslim
workers who walked out during Ramadan last year in a dispute over
prayer breaks.
     
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Swift failed to
provide religious accommodations to workers and retaliated against
those who complained.
     
The workers on the evening shift wanted their lunch breaks to
coincide with sunset so they could pray during the holy month of
Ramadan and end their day's fasting.
     
Swift says it has made changes so Ramadan goes smoothly this
year.
     
The commission's ruling means the fired workers and the company
can seek a settlement, including giving workers their jobs back.
The workers or the EEOC can sue Swift if no settlement is reached.

MALAYSIA-NO MUSLIMS AT CONCERT
     
Malaysia lifts ban on Muslims at beer-sponsored concert

     
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - The Malaysian government has
agreed to let Muslims attend a concert by U.S. hip-hop stars the
Black Eyed Peas, reversing an earlier ban imposed because the show
is sponsored by an alcoholic beverage company.
     
Ticket sales opened to Muslims Wednesday for the Sept. 25 show,
backed by Irish beer giant Guinness.
     
Although Islamic laws forbid the consumption of alcohol, it is
considered a punishable offense only in three of Malaysia's 13
states.
     
Government regulations forbid alcohol companies from organizing
public concerts. But this one was allowed in order to boost
tourism, although with the initial condition that Muslims would be
kept away.
     
A Malaysian Culture Ministry official said that ban was lifted
late last week.

PAKISTAN-ATTACK
     
Pakistani religion minister wounded in ambush

     
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Suspected militants have opened fire on a
vehicle carrying Pakistan's religious affairs minister, wounding
him and killing his driver.
     
The Taliban are suspected in Wednesday's attack in the capital,
Islamabad.
     
Hamid Saeed Kazmi has been critical of Muslim extremists blamed
for scores of attacks in Pakistan.
     
A doctor said Kazmi was in stable condition after being shot in
the leg by gunmen on a motorbike.
     
Kazmi comes from Pakistan's Barelvi Muslim sect, which is
traditionally more moderate than others in Pakistan. Its followers
often pray at the tombs of saints -- something Sunni extremists
such as the Taliban regard as sinful. His duties include regulating
the country's thousands of Islamic schools, some of which are
linked to extremist groups.

     
     
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)
     
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