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Religion

Why Muslim countries are passing new blasphemy laws

By Ahmet T. Kuru San Diego State University THE CONVERSATION On Jan. 17, 2023, Pakistan’s National Assembly unanimously voted to expand the country’s laws on blasphemy, which carries the death penalty for insulting the Prophet Muhammad. The new law now extends the punishment to those deemed to have insulted the prophet’s companions, which could include thousands of early Muslims, with 10 years in prison or life imprisonment. Human rights activists are concerned that the expanded laws could target minorities, particularly Shiite Muslims who are critical of many leading early ...

Religion Briefs

Editor’s note: To submit a nonprofit announcement to The Sentinel’s Religion section, contact Tom Laub at (717) 248-6741 or by email at living@lewistownsentinel.com. Items also may be faxed to (717) 248-3481 or sent to The Sentinel, 352 Sixth St., Lewistown, PA 17044. Items must be received by Tuesday for publication in the Saturday edition. Submissions will be published as space allows. The editor reserves the right to edit all submissions. ••• UMC to host Bible study LEWISTOWN — First Bakers United Methodist Church will host a Bible study every Wednesday at 7 p.m. ...

In The Dark, Warming Arctic

LONGYEARBYEN, Norway (AP) — The warm glow of Svalbard Kirke’s lights gleams on the mountain slope from where the church stands over this remote Norwegian Arctic village, cloaked in the polar night’s constant darkness. A century after it was founded to minister to the coal miners who settled Longyearbyen, the Lutheran house of faith is open 24/7, serving as a beacon for the community navigating a drastic change in its identity. The last Norwegian coal mine in Svalbard — an archipelago that’s one of the world’s fastest warming spots — was slated to close this year and ...

Hope for Mifflin County

By Deb Yoder Kish Valley Grace Brethren Church Jan. 22, 2023 was National Sanctity of Human Life Day, designated as such by President Ronald Reagan on Jan. 22, 1984. If you are like me, you may be quite familiar with this annual observance of the need to protect and save lives, born and unborn. You may even have said on more than one occasion that you believe in the sanctity of human life and know that this term describes the preciousness of human life and have a moral conviction about how human beings are to be perceived and treated. If you are like me you may have offered up a ...

Prayer: A love letter to God

On February 14th, we celebrate Valentine’s Day. It is a day in which we exchange love letters. Have you ever spoken these three words: I love you, I love you? Do not those three words mean so much both for the one who says them and the one who hears them? In Eph. 3:14-19 Paul writes a love letter to God and it is in the form of a prayer. It is Pauls’ way of saying, I love you. As most of you know, writing a love letter is no easy task. It is hard to find the right words to convey the feelings of your heart. I imagine all of our love letters would convey a different meaning of love. ...

What the Gospel is really all about

Revelation 21:1-5a Are you searching for something? Is there a restlessness in your life — an undefined longing? I ask because the Scriptures speak to our deepest needs. In Revelation 21:5 God tells us: “Behold, I make all things new.” Wouldn’t it be great to have God do a new thing in your life? Wouldn’t it be great to be made a new person? Wouldn’t it be great to have a new love for God — a better relationship with God — a new love for your marriage — a much improved marriage — a new love for your family — a much improved family — to get up tomorrow ...