Religion

The state Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill to celebrate "Islam Day" -- over the objections of a few lawmakers who said they didn't want to honor a religion connected to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The resolution to proclaim Sept. 24, 2009, as Islam Day passed 22-3. It had previously passed the House.

A UCLA student can thank Jesus in a personal statement to be read during graduation ceremonies, even though an administrator initially barred use of the Christian reference, the university said Tuesday. The university supports "the 1st Amendment and in no way intended to impinge upon any students' rights," senior campus counsel L. Amy Blum wrote in a letter. Students in the molecular cell and developmental biology department were asked to submit short statements that will be read as they cross the stage Saturday to receive their degrees.

Re "Sudan jails woman who wore pants," Sept. 8, and "Woman jailed for wearing pants freed," Sept. 9 Sudan is an Islamic country and therefore follows the rules of its religion, but jailing a woman for wearing pants in public has little to do with religion. This is purely about controlling and keeping women down, to the point where any clothing that resembles a man equals power and frightens countries like Sudan. I lived in Iran for 10 years and personally saw my female relatives suffer from such ridiculous laws.

Re "Courting Anglicans," Editorial, Oct. 24 The Times was right to place Roman Catholicism's courting of estranged Anglicans within the broader wedding of conservative religion and intolerance. As a child, my church taught me about the "curse of Eve" that shaped my young mind about women; the "curse of Onan" that affected my psycho-sexual development; the "curse of the Jews" that nourished the prevailing anti-Semitism; the "curse of Ham" that condemned African Americans to perpetual servitude; and the "curse of Sodom" that fed overt social disgust of homosexuals.

Although Americans grow up glued to the television screen, scholars in religious education generally have ignored how much TV's enormous influence hampers efforts to teach religious subjects at churches, synagogues and religious schools, said an expert in the field. "We have pretended that it's peripheral to our concerns because we are interested in the verbal and the literary"--lectures and books--said Charles F.

Hollywood has been taking its whacks recently from religious, ethnic and political critics. Lined up next, paddles in hand, are scientists and self-described skeptics. Astronomer Carl Sagan, scientist-author Stephen Jay Gould, editors of scientific magazines and secular humanist leaders are dismayed by what they call pseudoscientific programs on television with little or no input from establishment science.

"It's a lovely party," religious right activist Beverly LaHaye told hundreds of cheering antiabortion Republicans gathered in a makeshift tent structure at Sea World this week. "I only wish one thing: that this could be held on the floor of the Republican National Convention." Moments later, Gary Bauer, another religious right standard-bearer, predicted that LaHaye's wish will come true four years from now, at the next GOP convention.

Though Americans grow up glued to the television screen, scholars in religious education generally have ignored how much TV's enormous influence hampers efforts to teach religious subjects to children or adults at churches, synagogues and religious schools, says an expert in the field. "We have pretended that it's peripheral to our concerns because we are interested in the verbal and the literary"--lectures and books--said Charles F.

At this week's Democratic convention, Kuwaiti-born Jihan Hamdan became the first Muslim to serve on the platform committee of either political party. She also became a symbol of the increasing Muslim presence in Los Angeles and around the nation. Hamdan, 27, is a member of the board that guides the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles. The group has launched a campaign to improve the image of Islam and the 5 million Muslims in this country and to register Muslim Americans as voters.

Hollywood has been taking its whacks recently from religious, ethnic and political critics. Lined up next, paddles in hand, are scientists and self-described skeptics. Astronomer Carl Sagan, scientist-author Stephen Jay Gould, editors of scientific magazines and secular humanist leaders are dismayed by what they call pseudoscientific programs on television with little or no input from establishment science.