Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune

On May 4, 2001, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that "the centuries-old Amish tradition of allowing teen-agers to serve apprenticeships in sawmills and woodworking shops clashed yesterday at a Senate hearing with the government's desire to ensure workplace safety. The Amish want the law changed so that when their sons leave school [after eighth grade] they can legally work in family owned shops."

Source: Los Angeles Times

On May 4, 2001, the Los Angeles Times reported that "legions of the county's faithful [in Ventura County, California] spent Thursday toting Bibles, singing Christian hymns and raising their arms to the sky in celebration of the annual National Day of Prayer...The references to Jesus Christ at several of the events had one Jewish rabbi hoping next year's event is more multidenominational."

Source: The Kansas City Star

On May 2, 2001, The Kansas City Star reported that Penn Valley Community College invited "Imam Mohammed Adnan Bayazid of the Islamic Society of Greater Kansas City, Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn of the New Reform Temple and Father Jose Geronimo Herrera of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph to answer questions about...Islam, Judaism and Christianity. For many, this was the first time to hear differing faith leaders compare notes about their traditions."

Source: Star Tribune

On May 2, 2001, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that "a 'protest and dissent' statement that scolds state Rep. Arlon Lindner for criticizing the Dalai Lama and Buddhism was signed by more than 60 House members...The statement, a form of protest that is provided for in the Minnesota Constitution, faults Lindner for showing 'a lack of respect and tolerance for other religions.' It also describes his comments as 'bigoted.'"

Source: Star Tribune

On May 1, 2001, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that "Rep. Arlon Lindner...told colleagues in an e-mail...that he is offended by the Dalai Lama's planned speech to the Legislature and that he views Buddhism as a cult that is 'incompatible with Christian principles.' The Corcoran [Minnesota] Republican, who has a Baptist seminary degree, said he will not attend the Dalai Lama's speech to a joint meeting of the House and Senate on May 9."

Source: Los Angeles Times

On May 1, 2001, the Los Angeles Times reported on "an unusual campaign to improve local ethics [in Pacific Palisades by] posting 3,500 signs along neighborhood roads to promote community values...The stake-mounted placards bearing the words 'love,' 'courage,' 'respect,' 'integrity,' 'passion,' 'good works' and 'kindness' were being confiscated by Los Angeles street-use inspectors" because permits are required by the city for the signs to be on the public right of way. "The community values crusade was launched after Kehillat Israel...

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On April 30, 2001, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that "every Sunday, the noon Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Ferguson [Louisiana] is packed" with "upwards of 300 people...The Rev. Richard Vogt... celebrates the Mass in Spanish and preaches in Spanish. For this Mass, the crowd is mostly Hispanic, drawn from throughout the metropolitan area - immigrants from Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Mexico hungry to worship in their own language."

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Church-razing-legal-Court-decision-may-doom-2926080.php

On April 30, 2001, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that "the U.S....

Source: The New York Times

On April 29, 2001, The New York Times reported that the Korean Presbyterian Church, the Jain Society of America and the North Shore Hebrew Academy "have each applied to the [Village of Lake Success in New York] to erect houses of worship and educational centers on the north service road of the Long Island Expressway...The buildings would be next door to one another...Officials viewed the applications as an affirmation of the Island's diversity."

Source: The Kansas City Star

On April 28, 2001, The Kansas City Star reported on "Jews for Jesus, an international organization whose mission is to make the messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to Jews around the world. They maintain that being a Jew is an ethnic identity rather than a religious one, and use street evangelism, secular advertising campaigns, personal visits and Bible studies to reach Jews with their message...Local Jewish leaders...say that belief in Jesus as the Messiah makes one a Christian." Jews for Jesus disagrees.

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On April 28, 2001, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that the Rev. Mickler's exclusion of Rabbi Lebow from giving a baccalaureate speech in his church "struck a sensitive spot with many of Atlanta's 100,000 Jews. Many felt the return of a nearly latent sense of "otherness" -- a sense that Christians view Jews as strange and somehow different." One Jewish resident expressed the feeling "that we're not 100 percent accepted."

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On April 28, 2001, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that "attorneys working pro bono [for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania] have submitted their response in U.S. District Court here to a lawsuit that Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed last month. In its lawsuit, Americans United contends that a bronze plaque displaying the Ten Commandments on the courthouse's exterior violates the First Amendment...The 83-year-old plaque, [the lawyers] say, has historical significance."

Source: The Times-Picayune

On April 28, 2001, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that "the 50th observance of the National Day of Prayer will be marked... with celebrations across the country and the recitation of a special prayer written by evangelist Billy Graham...Recently, boosted by the work of an evangelical Christian ministry called the National Day of Prayer Task Force, observances have continued to expand...The work of the task force has been criticized by church-state separationists who believe the day has become focused primarily on...

Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune

On April 27, 2001, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that "the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will decide this summer whether to become an observer member of Churches Uniting in Christ, a coalition of nine Protestant churches hoping to move toward eventual full communion...As a partner, the ELCA would send a delegation to CUIC's inaugural celebration next January, work to combat racism and join dialogues on ministry."

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On April 26, 2001, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "a Republican-led summit...built momentum among religious leaders for partnerships with government, but opposition groups protested that they had been excluded...'Today's invitation-only Republican faith-based summit looks like the manipulation of religion for partisan politician gain,' said the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, executive director of Interfaith Alliance...The summit was intended to open a dialogue on ways religious groups can tap into the...