Saturday, September 30, 2006; B09

Religious Leaders Call For U.S. Talks With Iran

Citing deep concern about the direction the U.S. government has taken in the Middle East, religious leaders are urging "the media and Congress to take a stand now" and prevent a possible preemptive attack on Iran.

Evangelical Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders held a telephone conference with reporters Tuesday to highlight their appeal for the United States to engage in direct negotiations with Iran.

Organizers also released a statement on their Web site ( http://www.wordsnotwar.org) signed by more than 100 religious leaders and clerics urging diplomacy with Iran.

"We take the threat of nuclear weapons very seriously," said the Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners/Call to Renewal, a social justice group in Washington. But "we don't believe there is a military solution."

-- Religion News Service

The U.S. House has passed legislation that would cut off financial awards for successful lawsuits against religious displays on government property.

The bill would deny the awarding of attorney's fees or monetary damages to a party that wins a court case based on separation of church and state.

Backers of the legislation said local and state governments often give in to demands to remove religious displays for fear of incurring costly attorney's fees.

Opponents called the legislation a waste of time by Republicans who are anxious to shore up their conservative base before Election Day.

-- Associated Press

Seeking to improve the image of Muslims in the United States, an English-language Muslim-oriented TV station has extended its availability into parts of Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida and New York.

Bridges TV, which was founded by Mo Hassan, a Muslim, is now included in the basic lineup for users of Verizon's fiber-optic network in those six states, and it hopes to expand further.

At a news conference announcing the move, Madhi Bray, the executive director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, said the pope's recent controversial remarks about Islam highlighted the need for such programming.

"Bridges TV is critically important to the American public because it builds bridges," Bray said. "If there's anything we've seen with the recent episode with the pope and how there's a misconception about the faith traditions of other people . . . we need bridges."

The expansion increases Bridges TV's potential audience from fewer than 10,000 homes to nearly 2 million, according to Hassan, the station's chief executive. Previously, Bridges TV, which was launched in 2004, was available to paid subscribers only through Comcast Cable as well as some smaller cable systems.

Hassan said Bridges TV is a good business venture for cable stations because of the growing number of Muslims and Islam's growing profile in the United States.

-- Religion News Service

American Orthodox Christian leaders are set to meet next week, the third such gathering aimed at strengthening ties among their churches, which began splintering along ethnic lines a century ago.

But the chance that the movement will take up unifying into one U.S. church -- a dream of some laity and clergy -- at the meeting of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas is small to nonexistent.

The 31 officials, who are scheduled to meet from Tuesday to Friday in Chicago, represent churches formed by Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Syrian, Lebanese and other immigrants.

The American Orthodox are split among more than a dozen jurisdictions, many with membership no greater than in the tens of thousands -- or even as few as the hundreds.

Many Orthodox are frustrated that the elaborate ritual, liturgy and teachings of the Orthodox tradition are failing to attract more newcomers. Advocates for unity say a merger would create badly needed resources for outreach.

But a merger would require individual churches to move bishops and share authority among many more leaders. Merging would also require a major shift in outlook for worshipers, many of whom deeply appreciate that their churches help maintain their ethnic identity and links to the past.

-- Associated Press