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  • My new Twitter handle is now live - check me out at @jackiewgibson!

  • CNN has posted a history of bias against Sikhs - more reason for people to learn about religions before they attack anyone:...

  • Sikh temple shooting unfolding, learn about Sikhism here: http://t.co/A0ltLLIm

  • Sikh temple shooting unfolding, learn about Sikhism here: http://t.co/l3KrAJZf

  • Hackers group Anonymous takes down Vatican website: http://t.co/B6lbGAVp

  • WGN-TV calls doomsday prophecies "an illusion": http://t.co/mv8Gzyw7

  • RT @graceishuman: Really,? Asking people JUST LEAVING the service how they felt about it? Tacky, tacky, inappropriate

  • Whitney Houston's funeral service really took the world to church. Love Pastor Winans' honesty, very moving.

  • #teacher ? Here are appropriate responses to situations with your Jehovah's Witness student: http://t.co/A6UfqcgH

  • #Teachers: Want to know why your Jehovah's Witness student won't say the pledge and how to respond? http://t.co/EIdlgDwW

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If you don’t get a chance to see the show PBS refused to air, you can check out another interesting program, set to air August 21-23 on CNN.

Christiane Amanpour will be presenting a three-part series about religious zealots, called “God’s Warriors.” The program will look at zealots in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity — particularly those who have brought their religious ideals into the political sphere. Yes, it will include a small segment on those zealots who have used violence to get their ideas across.

Should be interesting. Watch it for Christiane’s fun accent if nothing else. And if you can’t, at least check out the trailer on the CNN site (see Behind-the-Scenes).

Seriously?

Who does that?!

YESSS! (arm pump)

A while back, PBS created a documentary about moderate Muslims and their outright rejection of Islamist and extremist ideas. Then they said, “Never mind, we’re too scared to show you.” Long story short, PBS thought they would offend various Muslims in some way or another and decided not to air something that could be politically incorrect.

But you can say a little thanks to Allah today. Oregon Public Broadcasting will be airing the show in a variety of cities. Check out this article to see if your city is included. (Those of us in Champaign probably won’t make the list.)

This triggers an entire discussion that would take up much more than this blog space. But just to get your brain going…isn’t it better to have discussions that might breed understanding and peace than to allow fear to keep us from ending negativity and (perhaps) terrorism? If no one ever spoke up about civil rights, if conversations on race were never initiated, where would we be today? Isn’t it better to risk political incorrectness (gasp!) than to ignore opinions, beliefs, and (in some cases) behaviors that risk lives? Should we all just ignore one another and retain prejudices against various religions, or should we take the time to understand varied opinions and work toward peace? As the Quran (49:13) says, “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other.”

Transcend will work to obtain a copy of the film PBS doesn’t want you to see. In the meantime, I’m in the midst of a book called The Two Faces of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and Its Role in Terrorism about the spread of Saudi Wahhabism. So rest assured I will have a few things to say about Muslim extremists, even if PBS wins and I don’t get to see their film.

As the 2008 Olympics near, the media and various activist groups have begun increasing discussions of freedoms in China — particularly religious freedoms. Considering the amount of “free” democratic countries whose teams and fans will be entering the country, and considering the fact that media from around the world will also be allowed to report from China, it’s not surprising that religious groups are also asking for increased leeway.

The Open Doors Campaign is asking for prayers for the Chinese government to allow religious freedom (particularly for Christians). And human rights activists are getting in on the debate for religious freedom — even going so far as to request that the Chinese government take a stand, not just for religious freedoms, but for help in ending the violence in Darfur.

I just have two comments…

1. I’m all for ending violence and allowing religious freedom — but I’m guessing the Chinese government didn’t realize they’d have to bring peace to mankind when they signed on to host some games.

2. Not to be negative or skeptical, but is it really any surprise that there’s not religious freedom in China? Anyone ever heard of a little thing called Communism?