News & Ideas

Friday's News & Ideas - 1/28/2022

  • Rising antisemitism
  • Blasphemy laws persist
  • Benedict XVI lied about abuse
  • Interfaith interaction online
  • Social media in India
  • Fall of Aron Baynes

EU leaders worried by rise in antisemitism, Holocaust denial
Associated Press: According to Europe’s Fundamental Rights Agency, nine out of 10 Jews think antisemitism has increased in their country and is a serious problem.

Four-in-ten countries and territories worldwide had blasphemy laws in 2019
Pew Research Center: Apostasy and blasphemy may seem to many like artifacts of history. But in scores of countries around the world, laws against apostasy and blasphemy remain on the books – and many are enforced to various degrees.

Child abuse scandal: Germany’s Catholic Church fights for its future
DW: Former Pope Benedict XVI has apologized for giving false testimony during a child sexual abuse probe. For many Catholics, the statement isn't enough; they are bitterly disappointed and demand an admission of guilt.

Can you heal interfaith tensions with tweets and Facebook posts?
Deseret News: A new course on interfaith leadership will help participants rethink how they behave online.

Misinformation on social media in India is causing tension among families
Teen Vogue: Young Indian Americans say their relatives are pushing misinformation about vaccines and Muslims on social media.

The Spark

The mysterious fall and harrowing story of an NBA center
In the confusion of the moment, no one had realized that Aron Baynes had lost his ability to walk. Or that he was headed for a nightmare that would derail his basketball career, ESPN says.

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