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from Duke University’s chapel tower after all. The university announced that it has reconsidered its decision to allow the call for prayer from the iconic tower on Fridays. The reversal came a day after evangelist Franklin Graham posted a scathing criticism on Facebook asking donors not to give to Duke until the policy was changed.

Charlotte Catholic High School in Charlotte, N.C., recently informed one of its substitute teachers that he could not work at the school following the public announcement of his impending same-sex marriage, according to Catholic News Herald. The school’s decision is yet another instance of Catholic schools around the country taking measures to protect and ensure their Catholic identity. The teacher, Lonnie Billard, worked for 11 years at Charlotte Catholic High School as a dramatics teacher until his retirement in 2012. He was reportedly scheduled to begin substituting in January. But when officials at the high school learned of Billard’s public...

Pro-life leaders are expressing their fury toward Rep. Renée Ellmers (R-NC) for seeking to delay what has been expected to be a relatively easy passage next week of a House bill that would restrict abortions to 20 weeks of pregnancy based on scientific evidence that unborn babies experience pain at 20 weeks of gestation. According to the National Journal, Ellmers is leading a group of moderate Republican congresswomen who appear to have concerns about the political ramifications of the bill – which is to be voted on next week on the 42nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision – because it...

s they have almost every Friday for two years, Muslim students gathered at Duke University’s chapel for weekly prayers at midday Friday.. But a university plan to sound the prayer call from the Duke University Chapel’s 210-foot bell tower for the first time was hastily called off Thursday in the face of anti-Islamic tirades on social media and what a school official described as credible concerns about security. Instead, the call to prayer, or adhan, was sounded in Arabic and English on Friday from a small portable speaker set up on the chapel steps. Many among the hundreds of students...

It all started when a University alumnus made a $3 million dollar donation to fund the position of Director of Islamic Studies at Duke University. Bettye Martin Musham, who gifted the Islamic Studies Center with the vast sum of money, said that she was convinced that it was the right thing to do after hearing a lecture on the meaning of jihad. Musham said that she and her husband would later become “hooked with the importance of Islam.” Dr. Omid Safi was appointed to run Islamic Studies at Duke University in July of 2014. He has been the point of...

Duke's Downsized Call to Prayer Draws Hundreds in Support of School's Muslims BY ELISHA FIELDSTADT Hundreds of students of varying religions gathered outside of the chapel on Duke University's campus Friday to take part in a Islamic call to prayer — in support of the school's Muslim population, which had been offered then denied the opportunity to broadcast the call from the chapel's bell tower. "I was out here to show my support and solidarity for the diversity and the religious beliefs for all of Duke's students," said Steven Boyd after the call to prayer, or "adhan," was read in...

HERSHEY, Pa. — A group of female GOP lawmakers is trying to pressure the Republican leadership team to make changes to a 20-week abortion ban the House is set to vote on next week. Led by Rep. Renee Ellmers of North Carolina, the lawmakers are protesting language that requires a rape victim to formally report her assault to police to qualify for an exemption from the legislation’s abortion restrictions. Ellmers raised the concerns during a closed-door meeting at the GOP retreat here, according to sources in the room. Her office did not have a comment on Friday on the discussions...

Duke University has canceled its plan to use the tower of its chapel for a weekly, amplified call to prayer for Muslims. In a release Thursday, the university said Muslims will instead gather on the quadrangle before heading into a room in the chapel for their weekly prayer service. "Duke remains committed to fostering an inclusive, tolerant and welcoming campus for all of its students," said Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations. "However, it was clear that what was conceived as an effort to unify was not having the intended effect." ~snip~

Muslim Center Director 'Sick To My Stomach' Over Prayer Uproar At Duke By DAVID ZUCCHINO The director of the Islamic Studies Center at Duke is 'sick to my stomach' over Muslim prayer controversy The director of the Islamic Studies Center at Duke University, which canceled plans to broadcast a weekly call to Muslim prayers from its famed chapel amid intense controversy and threats, said Friday that he was "sick to my stomach" and disappointed by the episode. "I am disappointed, because I’d like to think we are better than this...better than being intimidated and pressured, '' Omid Safi, director of...

In a new initiative to promote religious pluralism, Duke University will broadcast the Muslim call to prayer every Friday on campus.

Duke University is one of the most politically correct campuses in the nation, a title for which there is abundant competition.  Chick-fil-A’s outlet on campus closed in 2013, after its contract expired in the wake of concerns expressed by the LGBT Center. But now comes news that the Muslim call to prayer, the adhan, will echo from the bell tower of the Duke chapel – Duke’s most iconic structure – every Friday, electronically amplified. CNN: Starting Friday, the Duke Muslim Students Association will chant the call, or adhan, from the Duke Chapel bell tower. The adhan signals the beginning...

One of the most profound pro-life moments of 2014 came at the hands of an unborn child whose “thumbs-up” bore a striking resemblance to the trademark gesture of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli. A photo of the ultrasound went viral and inspired mothers to share images of their own unborn children. Millions of people were exposed to a strong pro-life message, even if many of them did not realize it at the time. Even the major news networks, normally reliable shills for “reproductive justice,” admitted that they were indeed seeing pictures of babies. When a matter is as hotly charged as the...

Duke University has reversed itself, and announced Thursday afternoon it will not allow a Muslim call to prayer Friday from its iconic cathedral. The decision had met with widespread controversy. “Duke remains committed to fostering an inclusive, tolerant and welcoming campus for all of its students,” said Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations. “However, it was clear that what was conceived as an effort to unify was not having the intended effect.” Members of the Muslim community will now gather on the quadrangle outside the chapel before moving to its regular location for prayers, Duke said....

"Klansville U.S.A." which was broadcast nationally last night is a PBS American Experience production by WGBH in Boston based on a book of that title by David Cunningham. It is an interesting look at the rise and fall of the North Carolina Ku Klux Klan in the 1960s. A very good historical documentary marred by the jarring flaw of taking a cheap shot at Republicans. It was almost as if the producer and director, Callie T. Wiser, just couldn't restrain herself from taking a shot at Republicans. The documentary stuck to the facts until just a couple of minutes before...

A weekly call to prayer for Muslims will be heard at Duke University starting Friday, school officials said. Members of the Duke Muslim Students Association will chant the call, known as adhan or azan, from the Duke Chapel bell tower each Friday at 1 p.m. The call to prayer will last about three minutes and be “moderately amplified,” officials said in a statement Tuesday. “The adhan is the call to prayer that brings Muslims back to their purpose in life, which is to worship God, and serves as a reminder to serve our brothers and sisters in humanity,” said Imam...

North Carolina City Ordered to Remove Memorial Featuring Soldier Kneeling before Cross Carrie Dedrick | Editor, ChristianHeadlines.com | Monday, January 12, 2015 A city in North Carolina has removed a war memorial featuring the silhouette of a soldier kneeling before a cross after a group complained that the sculpture promoted Christianity. According to Fox News, a public park in King, North Carolina housed the statue which had been paid for privately. Americans United for Separation of Church and State sued the city on behalf of Afghanistan War veteran Steven Hewett who said that the memorial was not representative to others...

Democratic vulnerabilities appear to be limited to just two states. Former Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Michael Bennet’s re-election in Colorado is rated as Leans Democratic. His home-state colleague, Democrat Mark Udall, was defeated in November. And Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid can expect a tough race in Nevada if he seeks re-election. His race is also rated Leans Democratic, as Republicans search for a challenger. ... Four of the nine seats Democrats lost in 2014 were listed as Tossups nearly two years before the election. In January 2013, Alaska, Montana and North Carolina were rated as Leans Democratic, and...

KING, N.C. – Effective immediately, all religious symbols at the veterans memorial in King have been removed as part of a settlement with Steven Hewett, a man who sued the city claiming his constitutional rights were being violated because of a Christian flag flown at the memorial and the inclusion of a cross as part of a statue honoring veterans. The decision was made at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. The city council also repealed a 2010 law establishing a flag lottery that allowed flags of any religious denomination to be flown at the memorial.

Today Boehner lackey Renee Elmers attacked Boehner challengers Rep. Gohmert and Rep. Yoho as media whores with no substance whatsoever: Monday on NewsMax TV’s “Midpoint,” Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) without naming names blasted members of Congress who have come out against House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in his bid for a third term as speaker. Ellmers said, “Those who are acting out right now though are getting some media attention. That is all it is. It’s media attention. These are folks that thrive on it. They are bad actors right now because they are acting as though they are going...

~~snip~~ Voting against Boehner (10) Gohmert* Yoho* Rep. Steve King (Iowa) Rep. Jim Bridenstine (Okla.)* Rep. Dave Brat (Va.) (freshman) Rep. Walter Jones (N.C.)* Rep. Gary Palmer (Ala.) (freshman) Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.)* Rep. Paul Gosar (Ariz.) Rep. Marlin Stutzman (Ind.) Said prior to 2014 election that they would vote against Boehner (2) Rep. Jody Hice (Ga.) (freshman) Rep. John Ratfliffe (Tex.) (freshman) Voted against Boehner in 2013/haven't weighed in (2) Rep. Steve Pearce (N.M.) (spokesman says he's "undecided") Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.) Voted against Boehner in 2013/will support him (3) Rep. Mick Mulvaney (S.C.) Rep. Raul Labrador (Idaho) Rep....