By ERIC GORSKI
AP Religion Writer
DENVER (AP) — The request befuddled Leah Daughtry. The experienced political hand in charge of planning next month’s Democratic National Convention — a self-described “black chick from Brooklyn” and ordained Pentecostal minister who keeps a Bible in her purse — didn’t know what to tell the atheists.
Daughtry, 44, was preparing for an Aug. 24 interfaith service that will open the Democrats’ gathering here — a first for a party that hasn’t always gotten God. Before her was an angry letter from a secularist group that wanted to know whether atheists would be on the podium.
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Iowa’s senior senator is snubbed by the state’s evangelical political activists, the Washington Times reports. Grassley, an evangelical and a Baptist, upset some evangelicals by launching an investigation into the spending practices of some televangelists.
(more…)

Call it a flip-flop or a conversion experience. Whatever the label, it appears that James Dobson is preparing to endorse a Republican for president in 2008.
Dobson shifts positions, may endorse McCain
By ERIC GORSKI
AP Religion Writer
Conservative Christian leader James Dobson has softened his stance against Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, saying he could reverse his position and endorse the Arizona senator despite serious misgivings.
(more…)

McCain, Obama to participate in church forum
LAKE FOREST, Calif. (AP) — Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama will participate next month in a question-and-answer forum at Saddleback Church, Pastor Rick Warren said Monday.
(more…)

Kentucky sting focused on people who, officials believed, were “buying, selling and possessing  illegal reptiles.” One of Kentucky’s laws makes it illegal to handle snakes for religious reasons. The law, because it targets only those with a religious motive for handling the snakes, is questionable on first amendment grounds, although thus far the courts have upheld it. In the case below, it is notable that 1.) the state apparently had no religious motivation for the bust. Religious and, most likely, non-religious snake enthusiasts are in hot water. and 2.) The state is going after people who buy or sell the reptiles. These aren’t people, most likely, who simply caught a copperhead in their back yard and put it in a container. Commerce may have been involved.

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For Immediate Release                                 Contact:

July 16, 2008                                                   James Salt

Catholics United Calls on Senator John McCain to Remove Controversial Strategist from Catholic Advisory Committee

Deal Hudson Resigned from the Bush Campaign in 2004 amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations; Now Advising McCain on Catholic Outreach

Washington, D.C. – Catholics United today called on Senator John McCain to remove influential Republican strategist Deal Hudson from his position on the “Catholics for McCain National Steering Committee.”  Mr. Hudson apparently continues to serve on the committee despite having stepped down from a similar position with President Bush’s reelection campaign when an alleged episode of sexual impropriety came to light in 2004.

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Texas televangelist says he’ll only turn over requested ministry information if it’s kept confidential. Copeland’s press release cites no scriptural or theological justification for withholding the information, instead citing first amendment concerns.

Question: Is the ministry’s position in harmony with John 3:20-21?

20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”^[h]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            MEDIA CONTACT: Lawrence Swicegood Lswicegood@kcm.org KENNETH COPELAND MINISTRIES / EAGLE MOUNTAIN INTERNATIONAL CHURCH RESPONDS TO SENATOR GRASSLEY Church has acted in good faith to cooperate, position has not changed  Newark, TX., Monday July 14, 2008 –  Eagle Mountain International Church/Kenneth Copeland Ministries (the “Church”) has reviewed Senator Grassley’s July 7, 2008, “Memorandum to Reporters and Editors” on the status of the responses and level of cooperation received from the six church ministries who are the subject of the Senator’s investigation that began in November 2007. The Church’s position continues to be that it has responded to the request of Senator Grassley in good faith and to the greatest extent possible without compromising the privacy, confidentiality, and freedom of association rights and protections afforded to the Church by the United States Constitution and the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”). As stated in the Church’s letters of December 6, 2007, and March 31, 2008, to Senators Grassley and Baucus, and in discussions with Committee staff members, the Church continues to believe that the most timely and efficient way for the Committee to obtain the requested confidential information — without compromising the universally recognized fundamental constitutional and statutorily based rights of this Church and all religious institutions — is for the IRS to request and obtain the information through a “church tax inquiry” under section 7611 of the Code.  At the completion of the 90-day inquiry period provided by section 7611 of the Code, the IRS would have in its possession and available for disclosure to Senator Grassley all of the confidential information, including financial data, Senator Grassley is seeking from the Church. Through this well-established statutory process, Senator Grassley and his staff could then obtain all of the information they seek through a request made under section 6103 of the Code, which would provide the Church with the confidentiality protections to which it is entitled.  Had the Senator pursued this course suggested by the Church back in December, he would have the information he is seeking available to him at this time.  The Senator’s suggestion that the Church or its attorneys are being uncooperative or seeking to prolong the process is simply untrue. Indeed, in an effort to expedite the process, in April the Church took the unprecedented step of pledging its cooperation to the IRS should the IRS undertake a church tax inquiry of the Church.  Church and KCM CEO John Copeland said in a statement following his delivery of the letter to IRS offices in Dallas:  “We told the IRS that we welcome them to come and make inquiry of us and we will provide answers to the IRS regarding questions that Senator Grassley has.  The Church desires to protect its and all other churches’ First Amendment rights, and by this action, we believe we are doing just that.” The Church respects the oversight role of the Senate Finance Committee and specifically the many efforts of Senator Grassley to provide oversight of tax-exempt organizations.  Indeed, the Church has voluntarily adopted and adheres to policies and procedures that the Senator has publicly suggested over the years are appropriate governance practices for tax-exempt organizations. However, the Church respectfully disagrees with Senator Grassley’s position that churches are no different from any other tax-exempt organization.  Any government inquiry into the affairs of a church raises serious constitutional issues that must be carefully balanced against the government’s need to evaluate the effectiveness of the laws of the land.  To ensure its constitutional rights are not unnecessarily infringed upon, the Church firmly believes that it must be given the protections from disclosure afforded by the federal tax laws and the benefit of the processes and procedures that apply to inquires of churches made by the IRS.  Without such confidentiality and due process of law, the potential exists for the information to be used in an effort to damage or attempt to embarrass the Church, its pastors, and its members.  Any such use of the information provided interferes with, and ultimately threatens, the religious liberties of this Church, the thousands of other Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches who preach the “Word of Faith” message, and all other churches — irrespective of their particular doctrine or faith.  -30- If you have received this email in error or simply no longer wish to receive these emails please contact us at listchanges@gmail.com   This message was sent to flockwood@arkansasonline.com. To stop receiving these emails InstantUnsubscribe

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

SALT LAKE CITY - The creator of a calendar that featured shirtless Mormon missionaries was excommunicated Sunday after a disciplinary meeting with local church leaders in Las Vegas. (more…)

Spumoni ice cream, to be precise. In Utah.
(more…)

Those verses that describe homosexuality as an abomination? They don’t sit well with at least one gay man. So he’s decided to sue Bible publishers.
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Man sues Tenn. church over spiritual fall

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A man says he was so consumed by the spirit of God that he fell and hit his head while worshipping.
Now he wants Lakewind Church to pay $2.5 million for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
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The 95-year-old billionaire philanthropist gave a fortune to promote the intersection of religion and science.
(more…)

Church of England split on women bishops
By ROBERT BARR
Associated Press Writer
LONDON (AP) — The Church of England’s move to accept women bishops further roiled an already troubled Anglican communion Tuesday, infuriating conservatives and complicating efforts to promote unity with the Roman Catholic Church.
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Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church once claimed 20,000 members. It was listed as the biggest church in the Big Easy and one of the nation’s 10 largest congregations. But Hurricane Katrina’s waters damaged the sanctuary and dislocated most of its members. Now, a pre-dawn fire has destroyed the building.
WWL-TV has more on the story.
So does Bruce Nolan of The Times-Picayune in New Orleans.

A professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says that some spousal abuse occurs because wives fail to submit to their husbands, EthicsDaily.com reports.
H/T: J. Ewing