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UK overwhelmed by anti-Muslim riots

Our executive editor explains why

Religion Unplugged

Aug 14

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Hi Religion Unplugged readers,

Executive editor Clemente Lisi describes last week as “one of the most violent weeks to take place across Britain in years.” Since late July, far-right groups have targeted Muslims in racist attacks on mosques and hotels housing asylum-seekers.

Last Wednesday, police and thousands of counter-protestors flooded the streets, and larger gatherings of these groups — and resulting violence — was prevented. Even still, authorities remain on high alert for future attacks.

In today’s top story, Lisi reports on the inciting incident and misinformation that sparked weeks of fallout.

Why The UK Has Been Overwhelmed By Anti-Muslim Riots

(EXPLAINER) Riots have erupted across the United Kingdom over the past week as far-right groups launched attacks against hotels housing asylum seekers and mosques. A heavy security presence on Wednesday and a series of arrests across Britain has prevented a repeat of widespread rioting involving racist attacks targeting Muslims and other migrants that started late last month. by Clemente Lisi

(ANALYSIS) This extraordinary political year displays an increasingly multicultural America. Starting with Harris, she'd be the first Asian American to be president, the first with Hindu roots as signified by her name, the first female and first female African American. Despite Donald Trump’s feigned racial perplexity, her dual Black identity is equally obvious since she chose to attend Howard University and has been a member of San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church for three decades. by Richard Ostling

‘Doing What God Had Called Them To’: Q&A With ‘Accidental Diplomats’ Author Phil Dow

During the Cold War, an oft overlooked battle for minds unfolded on the vast stage of Africa. As colonial powers withdrew and new African nations emerged, both the United States and the Soviet Union scrambled for alliances. Author Phil Dow’s new book, “Accidental Diplomats,” catalogs the influence of American evangelical missionaries in Ethiopia, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. by Isabella Meibauer

Crossroads Podcast: What Do ‘Lutherans’ Believe, Anyway?

If you look up “Baptist” in the online Merriam-Webster dictionary, you will find: “… a member or adherent of an evangelical Protestant denomination marked by congregational polity and baptism by immersion of believers only.” Ah, but I have heard quite a few Baptists, especially those leaning toward an Anabaptist identity, argue that the vague term “evangelical” doesn’t apply to them and some may even debate the word “Protestant.” by Terry Mattingly

Rwanda Closes Thousands Of Houses Of Worship After Claiming Code Violations

In a move widely seen as a major blow to religious freedom, the government of Rwanda has closed more than 4,000 houses of worship over the past month for various infractions that include operating in substandard structures, “unhygienic conditions,” not meeting noise pollution standards and not having formally trained preachers. by Cyril Zenda

From Bytes To Belief: A Tech Titan’s Case For Christianity

(ANALYSIS) Christianity, with its rich history of metaphysical claims and moral imperative, offers a bulwark against a descent into chaos — not for everyone, I know, but for a chunk of humanity. It provides a narrative that encompasses human suffering, offers redemption and asserts the inherent dignity of the individual, grounded in the image of God. Peter Thiel is aiming to bring that to the tech world. by John Mac Ghlionn

Is Smuggling Crackdown Behind Anger Against Border Security In Manipur?

In the violence-afflicted state of Manipur in India’s northeast, the Assam Rifles, a key central force, finds itself under intense scrutiny. It’s at the center of a campaign that accuses it of taking sides in the ethnic conflict between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki-Zo tribal groups. However, this claim might just be a smokescreen to divert attention from what could be the real issue. by Vishal Arora and Harshita Rathore

On Religion: The Lord’s Supper Meets Dionysus In An Unholy Parody

(ANALYSIS) These debates raged on and on because few combatants could agree on what took place, in part because that scene in the opening ceremonies were quickly removed from the official Olympics YouTube and NBC Universal accounts. by Terry Mattingly

🚸 To Understand The Wrangling Over Religion In Public Schools, Consider These 3 Questions 🔌

Like it or not, fights over religion in public schools seem unlikely to vanish any time soon. Look for such controversies to remain prominent in the news. by Bobby Ross Jr.

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