The Great Dialogue

See:    http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/10/21/450557985/its-nepals-biggest-holiday-and-goats-are-not-happy-about-it?sc=tw

See:  https://www.barna.org/barna-update/culture/733-concerns-over-religious-freedom-have-increased-in-last-three-years#.VhJgT_lVikq

See:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/28/us-pope-usa-idUSKCN0RS13320150928

SEE:  http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pope-francis-challenges-congress-to-heal-world%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98open-wounds%e2%80%99/ar-AAeJiHU?li=AAa0dzB&ocid=iehp

See:  http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/09/22/442517305/the-red-god-had-the-earthquake-blues-but-now-hes-on-a-roll?sc=tw

" The argument goes that religious freedom doesn't just mean the government not picking the hymns a congregation will sing on Sundays. It means allowing faith-based groups to be both true to their beliefs and also active players in public life, on the grounds that it's good for society when people of faith are able to apply their values in concrete acts of service." See:  http://www.cruxnow.com/pope/2015/09/21/pope-francis-could-reframe-the-us-religious-freedom-debate/

SEE:  http://www.religionnews.com/2015/09/16/catholic-us-catholics-measure/

See:   http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2015/09/15/pope-francis-impact-on-cuba-and-its-church-is-already-being-felt/

SEE:  http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/09/07/uk-pope-cuba-castros-idUKKCN0R720U20150907

See:  http://www.tricycle.com/blog/gleeful-foreboding

" Indeed, in a few ways, Orthodox Jews more closely resemble white evangelical Protestants than they resemble other U.S. Jews. For example, similarly large majorities of Orthodox Jews (83%) and white evangelicals (86%) say that religion is very important in their lives, while only about one-fifth of other Jewish Americans (20%) say the same. Roughly three-quarters of both Orthodox Jews (74%) and white evangelicals (75%) report that they  attend religious services at least once a month . " See:  http://www.pewforum.org/2015/08/26/a-portrait-of-american-orthodox-jews/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=ff2eef00c1-Religion_Weekly_Aug_27_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-ff2eef00c1-400098233

See:  http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/08/26/india-census-religion-idINKCN0QV0G920150826

" 7. The majority of Americans—regardless of faith or age—believe religious institutions and clergy should not be forced to perform same-sex marriages against their beliefs. A significant majority of Americans disagree with the argument that religious institutions or clergy should be required to perform same-sex marriages against their beliefs; only one-fifth of Americans (19%) say they should be required to do so. Even among those with no faith, less than one-quarter (24%) argue that such institutions should be required to perform same-sex marriages. There is a substantial minority, however, among Americans under 40 (26%) who believe the law should compel religious institutions and clergy members to perform same-sex weddings." SEE:  https://www.barna.org/barna-update/culture/723-christians-react-to-the-legalization-of-same-sex-marriage-9-key-findings#.VdxbEPlViko

SEE:  http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/08/judaism-and-conversion

SEE:   http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-presbyterian-church-gay-marriage-aftermath-20150807-story.html#page=1

"It is not about Islam and Christianity. It is about the right for everyone to have the freedom to choose, practise, share non-coercively, and change their religion or belief – and it includes the right not to believe as well as the right for adherents of all religions to follow their beliefs," said Lord Alton. SEE:  http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/27/dying-for-christianity-millions-at-risk-amid-rise-in-persecution-across-the-globe

http://www.religionnews.com/2015/07/28/federal-prisons-agree-inmates-can-humanists/ (RNS) Under the settlement, the Federal Bureau of Prisons agreed to acknowledge humanism as a "worldview" and allow its adherents the same rights and recognition enjoyed by inmates of other faiths.

SEE:  http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/07/legal-rights-lgbt-discrimination-religious-freedom-claims/399278/

See:  http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-33619331

...My friends; I urge you to read this--it is a sometimes shocking article in describing what is happening, but it is also a very complete history of the conflicts in the Middle East and the impact on Christians and other religious minorities...If you really want to know the scope of ISIS' impact, read this.... SEE:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/is-this-the-end-of-christianity-in-the-middle-east.html?_r=0