Anugrah Kumar

Latest

• Dec 30, 2012

  Appeals Court Blocks Contraception Mandate in Illinois Case

  Days before the contraception mandate, which requires employers to provide insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs to employees, is set to go into effect, a federal appeals court has temporarily blocked it from being enforced against an Illinois company.

• Dec 30, 2012

  Dozens of Same-Sex Couples Marry in First Hours of Law in Maine

  Dozens of gay couples exchanged wedding vows or obtained marriage licenses early Saturday after Maine's same-sex marriage law went into effect at midnight.

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  Dec 24, 2012

  Iranian Pastor Shares Joy Despite Imprisonment in Letter to Christians

  Jailed Iranian pastor Behnam Irani, who was last month denied hospitalization despite his critical condition, wrote a letter from his prison cell days before Christmas, ministering to Christians in his country and thanking God for letting him share "very little of" Jesus' suffering on the cross.

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  Dec 24, 2012

  Modern Santa Has Little in Common With 'Original' One, Scholar Says

  No Christmas passes by without depictions of Santa Claus, and yet we know little about St. Nicholas, the real man behind the red-suited, white-bearded legend. A U.S. scholar, who discovered the truth about him, offers insights on what the "original" Santa was known for.

• Dec 24, 2012

  Most Christians Say Jesus Wasn't Born on Dec. 25, Poll Finds

  When King James Bible Online asked the 110,000 users on its Facebook page if they believe Jesus was born on Dec. 25, Christmas Day, 83 percent of those who responded answered in the negative. A majority of the respondents also said Santa Claus is a "lie."

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  Dec 24, 2012

  'If You're in Despair, You're Missing Christmas,' Megachurch Pastor Says

  Despite all the celebrations around us, many of us – including believers – might still be missing Christmas, if we are living in despair, feeling that God doesn't care or is not fulfilling His promises, says Pastor Brad Powell of NorthRidge Church in Plymouth, Mich.

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  Dec 23, 2012

  Tears Mark Final Funerals of Sandy Hook Shooting Victims

  A highly emotional week of funerals ended Saturday as the final three victims of the Dec. 14 Connecticut shooting – 6-year-old Ana Marquez-Greene, who loved music; 7-year-old Josephine Gay, nicknamed "Boo;" and 6-year-old Emilie Parker, a budding artist – were laid to rest.

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  Dec 23, 2012

  Anglican Head Rowan Williams Backs Gun Control in US

  The outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, talked about the recent Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Conn., discounting the argument put forward, including by many Christians in the United States, that "it's not guns that kill, it's people."

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  Dec 23, 2012

  Salvation Army's Red Kettles Strive to Meet Fundraising Goals

  The Salvation Army's 122-year-old Red Kettle Campaign raised $147 million nationwide last year, but this year it's still not certain if the campaign ending Monday will bring in the $150 million hoped for to fund programs aiding needy families, seniors, and the homeless.

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  Dec 22, 2012

  Christians Urged to Leave Place at Christmas Dinner for Pastor Jailed in Iran

  A Christian group is asking believers across the nation to set an empty place setting for Pastor Saeed Abedini, a U.S. immigrant being held in an Iranian prison for his faith, at Christmas dinner to symbolically remember and pray for thousands of Christians in jails around the world.