Religion

Court Rejects Challenge To Obamacare Rules On Contraceptives

10:49am November 15, 2014

by Nina Totenberg

At issue were regulations to accommodate religious nonprofits that object to including birth control in their health insurance plans. Catholic groups said the regulations don't go far enough.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints published an essay on its website last month, acknowledging its founder practiced polygamy.

Mormon Church Publishes Essay On Founder Joseph Smith's Polygamy

10:31am November 14, 2014

by Dan Bammes

The Mormon church's founder was married to as many as 40 women in the years before his murder in 1844, the church acknowledged in an article posted on its website.

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Israeli police detain a right-wing Jewish activist near the Western Wall after he tried to enter the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary compound in Jerusalem on Oct. 30. Israeli authorities temporarily closed the compound because of tensions over the site, whic

The Jewish Divide Over Jerusalem's Most Sensitive Holy Site

3:42pm November 12, 2014

by Emily Harris

Israeli policy bars Jews from praying on the Temple Mount, the Jerusalem hilltop sacred to Jews and Muslims. But some rabbis and right-wing politicians are increasingly challenging the ban.

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, based in Salt Lake City, is opening up about its founder's polygamous practices.

Mormon Church Admits Founder Joseph Smith Had Up To 40 Wives

8:30pm November 11, 2014

by Sam Sanders

The Church of Latter-day Saints never denied polygamy was part of its history. But in a series of new essays, it describes the now-banned practice in detail.

Charlotte's College Of Faith Lacks A Campus But Not A Football Team

11:58am November 05, 2014

by Michael Tomsic

Normally, colleges create their football teams. But now we have the story of a football coach who created a college. It's an online school called College of Faith in Charlotte, N.C.

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Many Views Of Muhammad, As A Man And As A Prophet

7:21pm November 03, 2014

by NPR Staff

In her new book, The Lives of Muhammad, Boston University professor Kecia Ali discusses the different ways that Muslim and non-Muslim biographers have depicted the prophet over the centuries.

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Nepal's sacred goats are escorted to a field to grab a bite. Luckily for them, they will never become a bite.

Holy Goats! They're Kind Of A Big Deal In One Nepali Town

3:07pm November 03, 2014

by Donatella Lorch

The people of Nepal like goat dishes. They like goat sacrifices. But not all local goats meet such a fate. In one town, goats do as they please. After all, they're divine!

Religion

The Creepiest Ghost And Monster Stories From Around The World

4:32pm October 31, 2014

by Gene Demby

Did you know about the bat-demon of Tanzania? Or the Japanese girl who haunts school bathrooms? We've rounded up some spooky stories that come from different cultural contexts. The chills translate.

The Dome of the Rock Mosque in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known by the Jews as the Temple Mount, is seen in Jerusalem's Old City. Israel closed the site to all visitors on Thursday following an assassination attempt on a right-wing Jewish activist.

Palestinians Condemn Closure Of Disputed Religious Site In Jerusalem

10:45am October 31, 2014

by Krishnadev Calamur

Israel closed the Temple Mount, holy to both Muslims and Jews, following an assassination attempt against a Jewish activist who wants Jews to be able to pray at the site. The site will be open Friday.

Evangelicals Mobilize Voters, But GOP Candidates Less Vocally Supportive

2:25pm October 30, 2014

Republican candidates haven't been emphasizing their message to religious conservatives this year. But polls suggest evangelical Christians could be their most important block of voters come Election Day. David Greene talks to Pastor Bill Tvedt of the Jubilee Family Church in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

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