OBAMA: CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN LEADERS HAVE HIJACKED FAITH HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Senator Barack Obama has told members of his denomination that some conservative Christian leaders have exploited and politicized religion to sow division.

In a 30-minute speech before the national meeting of the United Church of Christ, which supports gay marriage, the Democratic presidential candidate said, "Faith got hijacked, partly because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, all too eager to exploit what divides us." Obama said, "They've told Evangelical Christians that Democrats disrespect their values and dislike their church, while suggesting to the rest of the country that religious Americans care only about issues like abortion and gay marriage, school prayer and intelligent design." Obama said a growing number of evangelicals are concerned about poverty and the environment.

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Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., Democratic presidential hopeful, speaking to national convention of the United Church of Christ Senator Barack Obama says some conservative Christian leaders have exploited and politicized religion.

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:08 "divides us" Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., Democratic presidential hopeful, speaking to national convention of the United Church of Christ Senator Barack Obama says some Christian conservatives have hijacked faith for political purposes.

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:18 "intelligent design" Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., Democratic presidential hopeful, speaking to national convention of the United Church of Christ Senator Barack Obama says some evangelical Christians are focusing on issues other than gay marriage and abortion.

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:16 "in Darfur" Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., Democratic presidential hopeful, speaking to national convention of the United Church of Christ Senator Barack Obama says he believes the United Church of Christ's motto: 'God is still speaking.' CUT ..245 (06/24/07)


:15 "about changes" Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., Democratic presidential hopeful, speaking to national convention of the United Church of Christ Senator Barack Obama says Christians can unite on many issues.

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:15 "God's creation" Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., Democratic presidential hopeful, speaking to national convention of the United Church of Christ Senator Barack Obama says evangelicals are increasingly concerned about issues like poverty and the environment.

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:14 "to us"


COURT CONSIDERING CHALLENGED JESUS PORTRAIT SLIDELL, La. (AP) A portrait of Jesus on the wall of the city court in Slidell (sly-DEL'), Louisiana, will remain up for now, despite objections from the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Russian Orthodox picture shows Jesus holding open a book to display two Bible verses in Russian about judging wisely. Next to it in English are the words: "To Know Peace, Obey These Laws." The first verse translates: "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." In the second quotation, Jesus says, "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." The A-C-L-U calls the display unconstitutional and has given the city until Wednesday to take it down. But court spokeswoman Ann Barks says the city is investigating whether the display "might have more to do with the business of the court than purely religious reasons."


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Ann Barks, spokeswoman for Slidell (sly-DEL') City Court, in A-P interview Ann Barks, a spokeswoman for the Slidell City Court, says the American Civil Liberties Union is objecting to a picture of Jesus on the courthouse wall.

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:14 "of justice" Ann Barks, spokeswoman for Slidell (sly-DEL') City Court, in A-P interview Ann Barks, a spokeswoman for the Slidell City Court, says the display includes a portrait of Jesus with Bible verses in Russian, and six words in English.

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:05 "these laws" Ann Barks, spokeswoman for Slidell (sly-DEL') City Court, in A-P interview Ann Barks, a spokeswoman for the Slidell City Court, says the American Civil Liberties Union has given the city an ultimatum.

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:14 "of business" Ann Barks, spokeswoman for Slidell (sly-DEL') City Court, in A-P interview Ann Barks, a spokeswoman for the Slidell City Court, says city Judge James Lamz is seeking advice from constitutional scholars before he removes the portrait.

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:14 "act accordingly"


'EVAN ALMIGHTY' TOPS Box Office ON ITS OPENING WEEKEND LOS ANGELES (AP) "Evan Almighty," with Steve Carell taking over for Jim Carrey in a sequel to the comedy smash "Bruce Almighty," has debuted a solid number one with more than 32 (m) million dollars in weekend ticket sales, according to studio estimates.

Released by Universal, "Evan Almighty" has Carell as a new congressman instructed by God to build an ark for a coming flood.

Carrey's "Bruce Almighty" was an adult comedy, while the P-G-rated "Evan Almighty" is aimed at a family audience. Studio officials say that could keep it in theaters far longer this summer.

"Evan Almighty" needs to hold up well in subsequent weeks to make good on its 175 (m) million dollar budget an enormous sum for a comedy resulting largely from costly visual effects.

CLERGY LEAD NEW YORK GAY PRIDE PARADE NEW YORK (AP) Clergy have led New York City's gay pride parade, lending their moral authority to an event that also featured drag queens, motorcycle-riding lesbians and samba Dancers.

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, who heads a gay synagogue, and the Reverend Troy Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Church, were the parade's grand marshals.

In Kleinbaum's words, "Those who use religion to advocate an anti-gay agenda, I believe, are blaspheming God's name." Buddhists carried a gay pride sign that said "Don't Block Your Buddha." At San Francisco's gay pride festival, Elizabeth Edwards said that unlike her husband, Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards, she supports gay marriage.

DEFROCKED Lutheran PASTOR LEADS GAY PRIDE PARADE ATLANTA (AP) A Lutheran pastor who's challenging his denomination's ban on clergy in same-sex relationships has served as grand marshal at Sunday's annual gay pride parade in Atlanta.

Members of Bradley Schmeling's (SHMAY'-lingz) congregation marched behind the car carrying him in the parade, and other church members stood along the parade route.

Schmeling was defrocked by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America when he refused to resign after telling his bishop that he's in a gay relationship. He's appealing an order to vacate his pulpit at St. John's Lutheran Church in Atlanta by August 15th.

The Evangelical Lutherans could change the denomination's policy on gay clergy at their churchwide assembly starting August sixth in Chicago.

CANADIAN ANGLICANS DEFEAT RESOLUTION TO BLESS SAME-SEX UNIONS WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Canadian Anglicans have narrowly defeated a resolution that would have allowed their priests to bless gay and lesbian couples who already are legally married.

The resolution would not have allowed priests to perform same-sex marriages, which have been legal in Canada since 2004.

The resolution required majority approval by the laity, clergy and bishops. It was passed by the laity and clergy, but failed 21-to-19 among Canada's Anglican bishops.

The world Anglican Communion is already torn over its U-S branch, the Episcopal Church, consecrating the openly gay Bishop V.

Gene Robinson of New Hampshire in 2003.

Anglican leaders have given the Episcopal Church until September 30th to unequivocally pledge not to consecrate another openly gay bishop or authorize official prayers for same-sex couples.

Otherwise, Episcopalians risk losing their full membership in the communion.

POPE PLANS JULY VACATION IN ITALIAN ALPS VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope Benedict will vacation next month in a mountain village that was a holiday favorite of his predecessor, John Paul the Second.

The Vatican says Benedict will spend his July 9th-through-27th holiday in Lorenzago di Cadore, in the Italian Alps.

The private vacation is described as a "period of rest," although the 80-year-old pontiff has two scheduled appearances, on July 15th and July 22nd, to deliver the traditional Sunday noon Angelus prayer.

From the Alps, Benedict plans to head to the Vatican summer palace outside Rome in the hill town of Castel Gandolfo.

MOSQUE STUDENTS KIDNAP NINE PEOPLE IN PAKISTAN ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) Officials in Pakistan's capital say Muslim students linked to a radical mosque kidnapped nine people from an alleged brothel on Saturday, freeing them hours later.

The abductions were the latest act in an anti-vice campaign by students and teachers at the Red Mosque which has raised concerns about rising religious extremism in Pakistan.

Dozens of students seized the nine people from a massage parlor in an upscale neighborhood of Islamabad. A cleric at the mosque said the nine were taken there to teach them not to indulge in "anti-social activities." They were released after about 14 hours.

Last month, clerics from the mosque seized seven policemen to press for the release of students detained by authorities for threatening the owners of music stores. The officers were released after authorities sent thousands of police into the capital.



(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 06-25-07 0230CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list