Religion Today Daily Headlines - September 7, 2012

Religion Today Daily Headlines - September 7, 2012

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

In today's edition:

  • Muslim Delegates at Democratic Convention Quadrupled Since 2004
  • Gallup: Obama Enjoys Massive Lead Among Those With No Religion
  • Paul Ryan Supports Prayer in Public Schools
  • Muslim Attacks Reducing Iraq's Christian Population

 

Muslim Delegates at Democratic Convention Quadrupled Since 2004

The number of Muslim delegates attending the Democratic National Convention has quadrupled since 2004, the Religion News Service reports. According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), more than 100 Muslim delegates are representing some 20 states at the DNC in Charlotte, N.C., this week -- up from 25 delegates in 2004. CAIR government affairs coordinator Robert McCaw said the numbers were "a sign of the American Muslim community's growing civic engagement and acceptance in the Democratic Party," adding that Democrats had targeted outreach to American Muslims. A "handful" of Muslims were delegates at the Republican National Convention last week in Tampa, Fla., McCaw said.

Gallup: Obama Enjoys Massive Lead Among Those With No Religion

According to the Gallup tracking poll of the presidential race, President Barack Obama enjoys a massive lead over Mitt Romney among registered voters who say they have no religion, CNSNews.com reports. In the three-week period ending Sept. 3, Obama led Romney 69 percent to 23 percent among those who had no religion, the exact same result Gallup got in the previous three-week period ending August 26. Since Gallup began publishing demographic breakouts of its tracking poll on May 6, Obama has held a large lead among voters who say they have no religion -- and he has even managed to grow that lead. In other religious categories that Gallup tracks, however, Romney leads Obama: 54 percent to 39 percent among Protestants and Christians, 47 percent to 45 percent among Catholics, 58 percent to 35 percent among those who say they are "highly religious," and 47 percent to 45 percent among those who say they are "moderately religious."

Paul Ryan Supports Prayer in Public Schools

Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan said Wednesday he supported states having the right to allow prayer in schools, CBN News reports. "That's a constitutional issue of the states, moral responsibility of parents, education," Ryan said. Last year, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney also said he supported prayer in schools. "I'm not looking for teachers to have prayer every day in the classroom, but I do think at special ceremonies -- graduation, football games and the like -- that calling on our Creator is a good idea," Romney told CNN.

Muslim Attacks Reducing Iraq's Christian Population

Christians in Iraq have not only been injured in recent incidents between Muslim factions, but have been specifically victimized for their faith, OneNewsNow.com reports. In Mosul, the country's third largest city, Christians have especially suffered in recent months. "There used to be a sizeable amount of Christians [in Mosul] -- in fact, almost 100,000 -- but during the last 10 years or so, that has really gone down to about 25,000," said Jerry Dykstra of Open Doors USA. "So, they have been targeted, especially in Mosul. They have been threatened. They have been kidnapped." Many have gone to Iraq, while others have fled to Lebanon and Syria, but even Christians in those locations have been leaving. There are about 345,000 Christians remaining in Iraq, compared to a million in 2003.

Publication date: September 7, 2012

Religion Today Daily Headlines - September 7, 2012