The Morning Buzz | May 29, 2012
Welcome to the Morning Buzz, PRRI’s morning dose of religion-related news with a shot of data – because what doesn’t liven up a morning round-up like some public opinion numbers? Have you ever wondered where ice cream flavors go when they die? I don’t know if they go to ice cream heaven, but at least at Ben and Jerry’s, they get a proper burial.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill that bans state judges from considering foreign law when making their decisions. The bill does not mention Shari’a, or Islamic law, by name, but critics and supporters alike say that it arose out of worries about Shari’a law. Fourteen percent of Americans agree that American Muslims want to establish Shari’a or Islamic law as law of the land, while more than two-thirds (68%) disagree. And some Catholics say that laws like these should be part of the larger struggle for religious freedom.
Mormons questioning their faith are finding safe spaces to explore their struggles in online support groups.
Renowned paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey told the AP that he has no aversion to religious faith. But when it comes to evolution, he said, “There’s no explanation for this change going back 500 million years in any book I’ve read from the lips of any God.” A majority (57%) of Americans believe that humans and other living things have evolved over time. But among those affirming a belief in evolution, 38% also say a supreme being guided the process.
Perhaps as a result of shaky economic times, today’s college students and recent graduates prioritize financial security above marriage, children or wealth.
It’s not a murder in a country house, but when it comes to an unfolding scandal colloquially known as “VatiLeaks,” it looks like the butler did it.
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