religion

States Ban Non-Essential Travel To Mississippi Over 'Religious Freedom' Law

6:31am April 07, 2016

by Hansi Lo Wang

The governors of New York, Washington, Vermont and Minnesota have banned state officials from making non-essential trips to Mississippi in response to the state's new "religious freedom" law. Critics of the policy say it allows groups to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.

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Mississippi Residents Divided Over Guns In Churches Law

4:35pm April 06, 2016

by Paul Boger

A Mississippi bill that would allow congregants to carry a concealed firearm into a place of worship is about to become law. Some congregations believe the measure will bolster security. Others worry it could bring more anxiety.

Businesses Follow 'Public's Will' In Denouncing 'Religious Freedom' Laws

4:01pm April 06, 2016

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with business strategies consultant Susan McPherson about reactions by corporations to the "religious freedom" law passed in Mississippi and similar laws in other states.

Pakistani refugees go on a hunger strike during a protest against the EU's deportation deal with Turkey at Moria Refugee Camp in Lesbos, Greece, on Wednesday. The pope and the Orthodox Church's ecumenical patriarch may be visiting the island soon.

Pope Francis, Patriarch Bartholomew May Visit Greece This Month

3:59pm April 06, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

The visit by the leaders of the Eastern and Western churches — announced by Greek church and government officials, but not confirmed by the Vatican — would signal support for migrants and refugees.

State Sen. Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin (left), speaks during debate on a bill that would make the Bible the state book of Tennessee. At front right is Sen. Steve Southerland, R-Morristown, who sponsored the bill.

Bible Could Become An Official State Symbol, As Tennessee Approves Bill

4:54pm April 05, 2016

by Bill Chappell

It's degrading to the religious book to put it on the same level as the state flower and bird, says a Republican critic of the bill.

Mississippi Governor Signs Controversial Religious Liberty Law

4:47pm April 05, 2016

by Paul Boger

The law allows businesses, residents and government officials to refuse marriage-related services to same-sex couples if doing so would violate a "sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction."

Tartans Go Kosher: Scottish Rabbi Gives The Traditional Cloth A Jewish Spin

5:26pm April 03, 2016

Scottish Rabbi Mendel Jacobs talks about his effort to create the first kosher Scottish-Jewish tartan, which is traditional Scottish cloth.

North Carolina 'Religious Freedom' Law Makes Some Reconsider Moving There

7:58am April 03, 2016

NPR's Rachel Martin asks North Carolina furniture maker Mitchell Gold about a new state law undoing local LGBT protections.

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Morgan Freeman Takes On Omniscient View To Explore Big Uncertainties In 'God'

7:58am April 03, 2016

by Tom Gjelten

The actor, who once played God in a Hollywood movie, takes a serious look at religion in a new television series called "The Story of God."

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"[My father] said 'Kitra, my beauty, don't cry. This is a blessing.'" — Kitra Cahana

Can A Massive Stroke Change A Life — For The Better?

8:55am April 01, 2016

by NPR/TED Staff

Photojournalist Kitra Cahana describes how her father dealt with a stroke that left his body completely paralyzed, and how his experience opened a world of opportunities for him.

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