 |
|
|
|
 Florida pastor Terry Jones.
April 1st, 2011
01:33 PM ET
Timeline of Florida's Quran-burning pastorOn Friday, a bloody attack on a United Nations building in Mazar-e Sharif is suspected to have been carried out by a mob protesting last month's Quran burning by Pastor Terry Jones. The Florida pastor made headlines last year when he threatened to burn Qurans to protest Islam, on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. On March 20, he went through with the act, this time failing to attract widespread media attention. However, the incident triggered outrage in Pakistan, which condemned the desecration and called for him to be charged with terrorism. Here's a timeline of events leading up to the Quran burning:
September 13th, 2010
12:32 PM ET
Trying to define Islam as a religion of peaceEditor's note: CNN's Tricia Escobedo spoke to the leaders of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Atlanta, Georgia, at their Friday prayer service and celebration marking the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. Ahmadi Muslims across the United States began taking to the streets earlier this year to spread their message that Islam is a religion of peace. They've been showcasing their message in pamphlets, advertisements on city buses, and in face-to-face conversations with fellow Americans. Hazeem Pudhiapura is asking his Atlanta, Georgia, congregation to personally hand out pamphlets with that message in a nationwide effort to reach two percent of all Americans this year. He admits that the campaign probably won't receive as much attention as, say, the planned Quran burning on 9/11. But he said that anti-Islam sentiment is why their message needs to be heard now, more than ever.
July 1st, 2010
11:39 AM ET
Somali radio station defies Islamist music ban
Islamist militants in Somalia recently imposed a ban on playing music in the capital, Mogadishu. The move is based on their strict interpretation of Islamic teachings, although many analysts say the militants are misconstruing Islam to assert control in the lawless country. Many Somalis have rejected the militants, with one radio station defiying the music ban:
June 28th, 2010
03:37 PM ET
Secularist billboard defacedIt was meant to be controversial: a billboard campaign with the message "One Nation Indivisible," purposely leaving out the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegience. Over the weekend, vandals replaced those words on one of the signs with spray paint. Full story
June 25th, 2010
09:08 AM ET
Photo spotlight: 'Mud people festival'Catholic devotees in Aliaga, Philippines listen to Mass while covered in mud and leaves during the Taong Putik Festival or "Mud People Festival," on Friday, June 24. They cover themselves in mud, banana leaves, twigs and vines to emulate John the Baptist's disguised appearance when he baptized Jesus Christ, according to the Bible.
June 24th, 2010
09:27 AM ET
Woman sues church over gay marriageYears before the nation's capital legalized same-sex marriage in March, one church in Washington, D.C., opened its doors to gay couples as part of its mission to establish an "inclusive body of Biblical believers." Pastors Christine and Dennis Wiley performed a 2007 commitment ceremony at their altar. That action split the historically black church, prompting half of the congregation to leave. Yvonne Moore not only left Covenant Baptist, where she had worshipped for nearly 40 years: she filed a lawsuit for her weekly tithes because, as she said, "They didn't respect the members enough to listen to us."
June 24th, 2010
09:02 AM ET
Reconciling homosexuality and Christianity Gary Spino, left, and Tony Brown, right
Editor's Note: Tony Brown and his partner Gary Spino are featured in the upcoming CNN In America documentary "Gary and Tony Have a Baby," airing on CNN 8 p.m. ET Thursday. Tony Brown submitted this blog post on the importance of his Christian faith: By Tony Brown, Special to CNN As a child I was taught to believe in myself, in family and in God. To a confused adolescent struggling with his sexuality, that was easier said than done. Being the victim of constant and severe bullying due to my perceived sexuality, I developed a strong aversion to organized religion. After all, every religious voice I heard in my youth - whether it was from the pulpit or in the news - told me that I was evil and that there was something wrong with me. My heart said otherwise. As I later learned, so did God.
June 23rd, 2010
03:14 PM ET
Photo spotlight: Jewish settlers in the West BankJewish settlers gathered on Wednesday, June 23, outside the Abraham Mosque or Tomb of the Patriarchs, a holy site for both Muslims and Jews in the West Bank town of Hebron. The settlers are watching a group of visiting left-wing Israeli lawmakers who support Palestinian calls to dismantle two Jewish settlements in Hebron.
June 22nd, 2010
04:29 PM ET
Vatican: Oldest known images of apostles Andrew and John foundThe oldest known image of the apostles Andrew and John have been discovered in catacombs under the city of Rome, dating back to the 4th century A.D., archaeologists announced Tuesday. The paintings were found in the same location where the oldest known painting of St. Paul was discovered last year, the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology said Tuesday.
June 22nd, 2010
12:03 PM ET
Photo spotlight: Hindus, Muslims pray for rainHindus and Muslims gather in Ahmedabad, India, on Tuesday, June 22, to pray for rain. The western state of Gujarat and other parts of India are waiting for the annual monsoon rains to cool down the triple-digit temperatures. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
|
|
|
