AP-Religion Roundup
     
Update on the latest in religion news:

FORT HOOD SHOOTING-MUSLIM-AMERICAN REACTION
     
American Muslim group condemns Fort Hood shooting

     
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Council on American-Islamic relations is
condemning Thursday's shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas.
     
CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper admits his heart sank when he saw
the alleged gunman's Islamic name.
     
Hooper says when he first heard about the shootings, he was
"just hoping and praying that no Muslim had anything to do with
it."
     
A law enforcement official identified the shooting suspect as
Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.
     
Hooper says, "We believe that no political or religious
ideology could ever justify such wanton violence." And he
emphasizes that American Muslims are serving loyally throughout
U.S. armed forces.

     
BIBLE BEE
     
Youngsters compete for $260,000 in prizes in Bible Bee

     
WASHINGTON (AP) - Children and teens from around the nation are
in Washington, competing for $260,000 in prizes in the first annual
National Bible Bee.
     
Executive Director Mark Rasche (RUH'-shee) says more than 17,000
youngsters between the ages of seven and 18 took part in local
Bible Bees to earn a shot at today's top prizes.
     
But he says the greatest benefit will be the Scripture they've
stored in their hearts and minds.
     
In Thursday's preliminaries, 300 contestants in three age groups
were tested on both their Bible knowledge and memorization of
Scripture. Sixty will take part in this morning's semifinals, and
21 -- three from each age group -- will compete in the finals this
afternoon.
     
The winner in the top age bracket will be awarded $100,000.

     
HUCKABEE-BILLY GRAHAM
     
Huckabee praises Billy Graham, who turns 91 Saturday

     
WASHINGTON (AP) - Pastor-turned-politician Mike Huckabee says,
"There's no one living today who has had a greater influence in
all of Christendom than Dr. Billy Graham."
     
The Rev. Graham will be 91-years-old Saturday, and is expected
to celebrate his birthday at home in Montreat, N.C., with visiting
family members.
     
Huckabee, who was in Washington to promote his new book, "A
Simple Christmas," says Christians everywhere can thank God that
Graham was an evangelist whose life was as pure as his message.
     
The former Arkansas governor says he doesn't know if he'll run
for president again, but he's "not ruling anything out."

GAY RIGHTS-RELIGION
     
Impact of bill banning anti-gay bias in hiring debated

     
WASHINGTON (AP) - A National Religious Broadcasters official
says a proposed ban on workplace discrimination against gays would
unconstitutionally burden Christian businesses and organizations.
     
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would outlaw making
decisions about hiring, firing or wages based on a person's sexual
orientation or gender identity. It would exempt religious
organizations.
     
But at a Senate hearing Thursday, NRB Senior Vice President
Craig Parshall suggested that a Christian book store that refused
to hire a homosexual might be told that its objection was invalid
because it was based on sexual orientation rather than religion.
     
Parshall said ENDA might also require Christian schools and
broadcasters to hire gays and lesbians.
     
University of Colorado law professor Helen Norton responded that
churches and religious schools would be exempt from the law,
although it could apply to secular businesses owned by Christians.

     
TV-WINFREY-WINANS
     
Winfrey takes gospel singer off her show

     
NEW YORK (AP) - Oprah Winfrey says she's keeping singer BeBe
Winans (WY'-nunz) off her show until domestic violence charges
against him are resolved.
     
The gospel singer had taped appearances on Winfrey's "karaoke
challenge" and was on last Friday. Following the show, some
bloggers questioned whether Winfrey was guilty of a double standard
by including Winans when she took a strong stand against domestic
violence following Chris Brown's assault of then-girl friend
Rihanna.
     
Winans was charged with misdemeanor domestic assault last winter
for allegedly pushing ex-wife Debra Winans to the ground. He has a
court date set for Jan. 20.
     
Winfrey spokesman Don Halcombe says Winans is off the karaoke
segment.

BRITAIN-BLAIR-RELIGION
     
BBC series on faith to feature Dolly Parton, Tony Blair

     
LONDON (AP) - Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and
country music singer Dolly Parton will be featured in a new BBC
series exploring how faith shapes lives.
     
Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu also will be
interviewed on the program, which explores the role religious
belief plays in the lives of high-profile figures.
     
Blair will talk about his conversion to Catholicism, while
Parton will explain how she balances her faith with her flirtatious
stage image.
     
The series begins on BBC in late November and runs for four
consecutive weeks.

SLAIN NUN
     
Suspect arrested in nun's slaying on Navajo reservation

     
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Federal agents have made an arrest in
connection with the slaying of a nun on the Navajo Indian
reservation in New Mexico.
     
The body of 64-year-old Sister Marguerite Bartz was discovered
in her home after she didn't show up as scheduled for Sunday Mass.
     
Investigators offered few details on Thursday's arrest, but said
the suspect would be held overnight.
     
Diocese officials say the community has questions about whether
the crime could have been the result of a robbery, if it was
gang-related or possibly connected to a break-in at the parish last
month.
     
Parishioners said Bartz served Navajo and surrounding
communities for a decade and had success converting people through
her work.

CHURCH LIEN
     
Judge orders lien on Vermont diocese's investments

     
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - A Vermont judge has ordered that a lien
be placed on investments of the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Burlington to cover a $2.2 million jury award to a former altar
boy.
     
The Burlington Free Press says Judge Helen Toor signed the order
last week.
     
Last month a jury awarded the money to the former altar boy who
was molested by a priest in the 1970s. The diocese didn't dispute
the plaintiff's claim that the church didn't protect him from the
priest.
     
Diocese attorney Thomas McCormick says the lien will limit the
church's programs and operations.
     
Liens were also placed on the church following two earlier
judgments.

PREACHER INDICTED
     
Alabama preacher charged in church fire

     
GROVE HILL, Ala. (AP) - Federal agents say they're searching for
an Alabama preacher who's facing arson charges in connection with a
fire at his church.
     
An indictment issued by a federal grand jury in Mobile charges
42-year-old Ron Bordelle Williams with setting fire to the Miracles
of Prayer Church/Word of Life Center four years ago.
     
The indictment also charges Williams with filing false tax
returns, using another person's Social Security number and falsely
stating on a federal loan application that he had not filed for
bankruptcy within the previous seven years.

ARMAGEDDON CHURCH
     
Founder's death leaves doomsday church's future in doubt

     
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - As many as 1,000 followers of a New Age
spiritual leader and doomsday prophet are expected to attend her
memorial service this weekend at the Montana ranch she used as a
headquarters.
     
Elizabeth Clare Prophet died last month in Bozeman after a
decade-long decline caused by Alzheimer's disease. She was 70.
     
It's uncertain whether the Church Universal and Triumphant and
its publishing business can survive without its founder, since she
left no clear successor.
     
In the 1980s, Prophet convinced followers to donate their life
savings to build underground shelters against a coming nuclear
apocalypse. When it didn't happen in 1990 as she predicted, many
quit. But the church still maintains a network of bomb shelters in
a mountainside near Yellowstone National Park.

     
     
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)
     
AP-NY-11-06-09 0331EST