Ragbag Headliners

'Mysticism' Infecting Nazarene Beliefs

A ministry based in Massachusetts is voicing its concern about the so-called "emergent church" movement's growing influence on the Nazarene denomination.

The InterMountain Christian News reports that roughly 10,000 Nazarenes in the United States and Canada have left the denomination over the past four years. Manny Silva, director of Stand for Truth Ministries, says research shows that unbiblical ideology is rampant throughout the denomination.

"There is mysticism coming into the denomination -- a lot of mystical practices, including the use of pagan prayer labyrinths. There is the teaching of open theism and process theology in the university," Silva reports. "The underlying problem that is going on in the Church of Nazarene, most of us believe, is the denial that the holy scriptures are the inherent, infallible Word of God."

He goes on to express concerns that institutions like Northwest Nazarene University, Point Loma Nazarene University and Trevecca Nazarene University have become training grounds of flawed theology, but many of the schools have failed to adequately address his organization's concerns.

"Ultimately, we want to at least have people be aware, have as many Nazarenes become aware of these issues as possible...so that even if the responses of clarity that we want to get do not arrive, we'll at least have more people become aware," the Stand for Truth Ministries director notes. "They'll be able to voice their concerns, and hopefully there will be a growing body of Nazarenes who continue to express their concerns until we get a response from the leadership."

Silva adds that many of the Nazarene universities have featured emergent church gurus in recent years, including Donald Miller, Rob Bell, Brian McLaren, and Dallas Willard. –One News Now 

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Delaware Lawmakers Approves Civil Unions Bill

Delaware lawmakers on Thursday approved a measure legalizing civil unions, sending the bill to the governor for his signature.

The 26-15 vote by the state House of Representatives was heralded by gay rights groups. The state Senate passed the bill last week on a 13-6 vote.

"Parties who enter into a lawful civil union in Delaware, or whose legal union is recognized as a civil union under Delaware law, will have all of the same rights, benefits, protections and responsibilities as married persons under Delaware law," the measure says.

"Today, we celebrate a victory for all Delaware families who will have the tools to protect themselves in good times and in bad," said Joe Solomonese, Human Rights Campaign president, in a statement.

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell has said he will sign the bill, according to the Delaware News Journal.

"The fact that the Delaware General Assembly passed civil union legislation on the first attempt is a great testament to how far public opinion has come on equality issues," said Lisa Goodman, president of Equality Delaware.

The bill does not allow same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses, and religious institutions retain the right to refuse to solemnize such unions. After it is signed, the bill will take effect January 1.

The new law will make Delaware the eighth state to offer civil unions or comprehensive domestic partnerships for same-sex couples, according to the Human Rights Campaign. The others are California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington. Couples in Illinois can begin applying for civil union licenses on June 1, according to the Human Rights Campaign, and Hawaii's law takes effect on January 1. –CNN Politics 

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Abortion Battle Rages In State Legislatures

The battle over a hot-button issue has been raging in state legislatures across the country this year with an unprecedented number of bills aimed at restricting abortions.

An advocacy group published a study this week contending that "hostility" toward abortion rights is on the rise.

"It's pretty much an all-out, anti-abortion free-for-all out there," said Elizabeth Nash, public policy associate at the Guttmacher Institute.

"I've been doing this for almost 12 years now, so I feel like I have some historical sense. This year is just unlike any other year we've seen before."

Anti-abortion activists took issue with the term "hostility." Nonetheless, they hailed the rising tide in their favor as a necessary correction in the nation's moral barometer.

Consider that 374 anti-abortion bills were introduced in state legislatures this year, 200 more than last year, said Ted Miller, spokesman for NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Of those, 61 bills in 25 states focus on prohibiting health insurance coverage for abortions. Another 20 in 10 states make ultrasounds mandatory before abortions. – Read more at CNN U.S. 

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Pakistan's Blasphemy Vigilantes Kill Exonerated Man

Mohamed Imran had been accused, jailed, tried and cleared: if anything, society owed him a debt as a man wrongfully accused.

But his crime was blasphemy. He was meant to have said something derogatory about the prophet Mohammed, so in Pakistan justice worked a little differently.

Two weeks after he returned to his small patch of farmland on the rustic outskirts of Islamabad, his alleged crime caught up with him.

Two gunmen burst into the shoe shop where he was sat talking to a friend. Imran tried to duck, to seek cover behind the man next to him -- terrified so greatly for his own life that he perhaps forgot about those around him.

But the gunmen found their target and Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws claimed another victim.

His brother Ikram told CNN: "When I saw him lying there, I felt the blood leave my body, and that I was now alone."

Now Ikram has only his brother's unmarked grave to visit, next to the plot of land close to what was once the source of Mohamed Imran's livelihood. This farmland no longer feeds his family, who have moved away to live under the charity of a friend. The threats remained. –Read more at CNN World