Religion Today Daily Headlines - October 17, 2012

Religion Today Daily Headlines - October 17, 2012

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.

In today's edition:

  • Gay-Marriage Activists Increase Donations, Seeking First Win at Polls
  • New York Times Editor Scolds Paper for Burying Libya Scandal
  • University Draws Fire After Placing Official on Leave for Signing Marriage Petition
  • Pakistani Girl Shot by Taliban Treated in the UK

 

Gay-Marriage Activists Increase Donations, Seeking First Win at Polls

Since 1998, 32 states have held votes on same-sex marriage, and all 32 have opposed it. This year, as four states -- Maryland, Maine, Washington and Minnesota -- have Nov. 6 referendums on the issue, homosexual activists are trying to break the streak, WORLD Magazine reports. The pro-homosexual Human Rights Campaign is contributing at least $4.4 million in its effort to influence the vote -- more than twice as much as the $2 million raised and spent by the National Organization for Marriage. In Maine and Washington, gay marriage seems to be leading in the polls; however, polls have been notoriously inaccurate on this issue, and tend to shift in the last few days before an election -- almost always in the direction of traditional marriage.

New York Times Editor Scolds Paper for Burying Libya Scandal

In response to criticism from The New York Times' public editor, Margaret Sullivan, about the paper's decision not to run its story about the Oct. 10 Libya congressional hearings on the front page, the Times' managing editor and executive editor explained that they didn't see "anything significantly new" in the "politicized" hearings and that's why they tucked coverage inside, Politico.com reports. "I can't think of many journalistic subjects that are more important right now, or more deserving of aggressive reporting," Sullivan wrote on the Times website, adding that readers wrote to her "in dismay" about the apparent downplaying. The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal both gave the hearings prominent position above the fold on their front pages, while the Times put its story on page A3 and placed stories about Lance Armstrong and other topics on the front page.

University Draws Fire After Placing Official on Leave for Signing Marriage Petition

A federally chartered university's decision to place its chief diversity officer on paid leave over her support for a referendum challenging Maryland's same-sex marriage law is drawing fire, the Christian Post reports. Conservative and LGBT groups alike have denounced Gallaudet University's decision to suspend Dr. Angela McCaskill after signing the marriage referendum petition. "Quite simply, it was well within her rights to sign the petition," said Derek McCoy, chairman of the Maryland Marriage Alliance. Josh Levin of Marylanders for Marriage Equality also commented: "We strongly disagree with the decision to put the chief diversity officer on leave and hope she is reinstated immediately. Everyone is entitled to free speech and their own opinion about Question 6." After Maryland became the eighth state to legalize gay marriage, traditional marriage supporters collected signatures to place the new law on the November ballot to allow voters to decide on the issue of marriage. McCaskill signed the petition in July while at church, but a Gallaudet faculty member, who remains anonymous, recently discovered her name on the petition and filed a complaint with the university. The university then announced last Wednesday that McCaskill would be placed on administrative leave effective immediately while "the appropriate next steps" were determined.

Pakistani Girl Shot by Taliban Treated in the UK

A 14-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot by the Taliban has arrived in the United Kingdom for medical treatment, CBN News reports. Gunmen shot Malala Yousafzai, a blogger and activist who spoke out for women's education, along with two classmates as they came home from school last week. She remains in critical condition, and her skull and neck wounds along with the shock of the attack are serious enough that authorities decided on a prolonged stay out of the country. The Taliban has also threatened to finish their job and kill her. Meanwhile, some 10,000 demonstrators gathered in Pakistan's largest city to protest the shooting and the Taliban.

Publication date: October 17, 2012

Religion Today Daily Headlines - October 17, 2012