Religious Violence Archives - Universal Life Church Monastery Blog

What is a Fatwa? Experts Say Salman Rushdie Attack Obscures True Meaning

August 19th, 2022

Islamic scholars are hoping to clarify the true meaning of the word fatwa, which they say has been distorted by the notorious fatwa issued against author Salman Rushdie in 1989, which calls for his death.

Political & Religious Controversy 46 Comments

School Apologizes for Teaching that Jews Killed Jesus

March 10th, 2021

"Jewish leaders wanted Jesus to be guilty," and the depiction of Jews as a bloodthirsty mob are not things you'd expect your child to learn at school. One mother was shocked to find out that was indeed the case.

Political & Religious Controversy 94 Comments

French Teen Receives Death Threats After Viral Video Mocking Islam

February 14th, 2020

A French teen is at the center of a national controversy after she criticized Islam on Instagram. For that rant, she received hundreds of death threats, begging the question: Should we be able to blaspheme with impunity?

Political & Religious Controversy 51 Comments

Vigilantes Flood Streets of NYC to Fight Anti-Semitism

January 6th, 2020

Following a slew of anti-Semitic attacks in and around New York City in recent weeks, a group of vigilantes known as the Guardian Angels is taking to the streets to provide protection to the Jewish community.

Political & Religious Controversy 32 Comments

Study: Fearing Reprisal, One-Third of Jews Publicly Hide Their Faith

October 25th, 2019

A recent survey shows that a significant portion of Jews are avoiding wearing the Star of David, skullcaps, and other religious markers in public, fearing reprisal due to increased antisemitism.

Political & Religious Controversy 36 Comments

Following Mass Shootings, Churches Arm Congregants

August 26th, 2019

After a seemingly never-ending series of violent attacks on religious institutions, some churches aren't leaving anything to chance. Meet the churches who are arming their congregants.

Christian 105 Comments

Fearing Overlap with White Supremacy, Group of Christian Leaders Renounce Christian Nationalism

August 12th, 2019

A group of influential Christian leaders recently endorsed a letter renouncing Christian nationalism. They say the link between Christian nationalism and right-wing extremism is too strong to ignore any longer.

Christian 115 Comments

Churches Beefing Up Security in Response to Recent Attacks

June 4th, 2019

After a flurry of violent attacks, churches are increasing security measures. But not all agree that armed guards and metal detectors are congruent with Christ.

Life and Death 22 Comments

‘Punish a Muslim Day’ Letters Send Panic Through U.K.

March 15th, 2018

Copies of an anonymous letter declaring April 3 “Punish a Muslim Day” have generated waves of anxiety in Muslim communities throughout the United Kingdom. The letters even include a table awarding point values for specific acts of violence against Muslims: 25 points for pulling off a woman’s head scarf, 500 for killing a Muslim person, and 1,000 for bombing a mosque.

Political & Religious Controversy 17 Comments

Hate Crimes Against Jews on the Rise

January 22nd, 2018

When someone mentions a hate crime, you probably picture an abhorrent act fueled by racist or homophobic sentiments. Recent data reveal that in some places, the group most likely to be the victim of a hate crime is Jews.

LGBTQ & Human Rights 125 Comments

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