European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 06, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I v 3, saturday november 6, 1993 religion the stars and stripes Page d Bill limits Federal Power Over regulating religion. 1 from wire report Washington a Bill sent 10 president Clinton on wednesday guarantees religious freedoms that some lawmakers contended were threatened by a 1990 supreme court  legislation was in reaction to a supreme court decision upholding a lower court ruling that jobless benefits could be denied to an Oregon Man who was fired for using an illegal drug during religious ritual. The religious Freedom restoration act approved on a House voice vote overturned the effects of that High court decision by stating that the government has to demonstrate compelling state interest in limiting the free exercise of  House which first passed the Bill last May approved the amended Senate version which h passed last week 97-3. The Clinton administration supports the Bill. Graham to recruit in Japan Minneapolis evangelist Billy Graham plans to hold a four Day series of evangelistic meetings in Japan in  94r will be held Jan. 13-16 at the 40,000 seat Tokyo dome and transmitted by satellite Tomore than 70 locations across the country the Billy Graham evangelistic association  association said Graham who has held five previous crusades in Japan in 1967 and 1980, was invited by the leaders of moire than 800 churches in Tokyo. Reunion held despite arson Jellico by. An arson fire in october that gutted the 107-year-old St. Boniface Catholic Church did t spoil a reunion of descendants of italian immigrants who built the Structure. Nearly 200 people from As far away As Michigan and Massachusetts crowded into a tiny Fellowship Hall just North of the Kentucky Tennessee Borde last sunday to celebrate mass. A few Yards away stood the charred remains of the building their ancestors constructed. The fire oct. 19 left the 40-member Paris without a Sanctuary but the gathering was especially touching for the four children of Alexandra Sander Rassega one of Many italians who immigrated to Bell Harlan and Whitley counties to work in Coal mines at the turn of the Century. Rassega who came to the United states in 1923,died on aug. 20. His funeral mass three Days later was the last funeral in the White framed Church before it was set afire. Baptist recording Label set Nashville Tenn. The Baptist sunday school Board is starting a record Label for contemporary Christian  records will release its first albums by february said Mark Blankenship director of Genevor music group. Genevor is the Southern Baptist Board s Trade music publishing  signed to the Label include adult contemporary Singer Amy Roth and friends in quartet featuring Terry Blackwood of the imperials. The Label is part of the Board s push to reach evangelical christians through Christian Book and record stores Blankenship said. It is the Board first recording Label. Trading cards show saints Boynton Beach. Fla. Holy traders anew line of trading cards based on the lives of saints was introduced monday on All saints  cards Are the same size As baseball trading cards and feature an official portrait of a Saint on the front. The flip Side is divided into three sections a biography focusing on the Saint s younger years statistics about accomplishments and a Brief catechism lesson titled Check it  purpose is to Plant seeds for vocations said Jim Shanley of Aziriah co., the producer of holy traders which is based in Boynton Beach. Shanley said Aziriah was the name used i scriptures by the Angel Raphael who answered a mail s prayers by leading his child Home safely through treacherous terrain. Aziriah co. Hopes to be a similar guide for youngsters today Shanley said. Kids today have so Many influences that Aren t Good for them. Since they like trading cards we Hope to bring them positive role models in a package they will accept. Between Church state by David Brigg the associated press new Haven Conn. In the fractious world of religion and politics where the soul of a nation is often portrayed As hanging on the thread of a single Issue such As abortion or school prayer a Calm voice of com Promise is  Herald of a mutually respectful approach to Defi Ning the boundaries of Church and state is Yale la school professor Stephen Carter a soft spoken self described Liberal who rejects the notion that religion should be excluded from the body politic. Why not for example allow Safe sex programs i schools but give parents the right to excuse their Chil Dren if it violates their religious principles and just As religiously based principles motivated the civil rights movement of the 1960s, so individuals and groups today who oppose abortion on moral and Spiri Tual grounds have the right to make their voices heard in Polit ical debates Carter says. It is impossible for a private individual to violate the separa Tion of Church and state he said at a recent Yale forum on Law and religion values i contemporary Amer Cathe danger the separation of Church and state guards against is not religion he said. It Isth  Carter recently entered the literary and political limelight with a provocative new Book the Cul Ture of disbelief How american Law and politics trivialize religious Devotion. In it he argues the first amendment that was intended to prevent government interference in religion and Safe guard religious Freedom has been twisted in recent years in at tempts to exclude religion from any role in Public  the Book s Many inter ested readers has been president Linton who recommended it at a recent meeting with religious  people of Faith in this country ought to be Able to say that religion shapes their approach to Public de Bate without someone saying on you re just a right Winger " the president  How necessary a common ground May be in the contentious debate was dramatically illustrated at the forum held recently at Battell Chapel As part of the Yale Law school alumni  sen. John c Danforth of Missouri the forum Moderator introduced the discussion by dispute since that is what lawmakers do in legislation fro criminal Law to health care Reform. When political foes say morality cannot be legislated Danforth said what they May mean is you can t do it while i m Busy doing  the ensuing debate among Yale Law school alumni religious broadcaster Pat Robertson argued that proper Legal concerns Over the propriety of sectarian school prayers has steadily evolved into hostility to Ward religion. He said his american Center for Law and Justice gets 30 complaints a week from people who claim their rights have been  them he said were the cases of a 6-year-Bld girl told to sit Down and put her head on the desk for giving religious answer in response to a teacher s question about the meaning of Christmas. In another Case Robertson said a Young Man who brought a Bible to read in school Dur ing free time was told by a teacher get this thing out of  official hostility toward religion to the nation s High rates of abortion divorce and illiteracy Robertson said our nation is at risk. Itis at risk because we have a naked Public  Yale Law school professor Bruce Ackerman said a naked Public Square one where religious convictions Are left out of Public policy debates is a Good thing. If political action based on religious motivations is legitimized he said civic culture probably will de generate and the nation will be driven apart by forces that have the potential to turn ugly because of their emotional  Ackerman evoked images of iraqi Leader Saddam Hussein an Robertson pointed to the holocaust to buttress their Points of View. Car Ter Drew sustained applause in his Appeal for an understanding base Don Mutual respect. Respect Means recognizing the legitimate concerns of those who fear an individual religious group will dictate Public policy but also recognizing the right of religious individuals to participate in Public policy debates he said. Pointing to the civil rights movement. Carter make the argument that religious rhetoric in its Best sense and in its Best causes can enable the nation to see moral truths. While sometimes it May contribute to tension he said religion can also bring out the very Best in America and Stephen Carter. Soft spoken Liberal ing the idea that the state cannot legislate morality the american people services to inmates curbed Boston a take it to the chaplain. That advice in t so easy for Massachusetts prison in mates who want to learn the difference Between Good and evil. Budget cutbacks have reduced the hours of the clergy and Lay people who provide religious services and counselling have been Cut by 25 percent. But religious leaders say the cuts Are shortsighted. I m deeply concerned with the throwaway people mentality that is evidenced in the priorities that they Are perfectly Happy to put More Money into bricks an mortar but services that meet the needs of inmates Are not As important said the Rev. Diane c Kessler executive director of the Massachusetts Council of churches. Robin Buvarp spokeswoman for the department of corrections said an individual chaplain gets to spend 8.65 hours for each 100 inmates this year compare with 11 hours per 100 inmates before the cutbacks were put into effect in August. The Rev. Tom Conway outgoing Liaison Between the corrections department and the roman Catholic archdiocese of Boston said the cuts reduced spending from $394,000 last fiscal year ending june 30 to $299,000 this year. Bavaro said there Are about 40 chaplains of faiths writing in tha archdiocesan news paper Joseph Doolon said he fears someday a prisoner will whisper iwas in prison and you Cut a off from god from christianity to islam tending to the spiritual needs of More than 9,900 inmates. The state pays Chap Lains an average of $13 per  and the Rev. Charles Hendricks senior Pas Tor of the Tremont Temple Baptist Church and chair Man of an advisory committee for the corrections department said prison officials weren t to blame for . The committee understood the position in which the department of corrections was placed by budget Ary constraints Hendricks  Joseph Doolin executive director of Catholic charities for the Boston archdiocese said he is worried that Money to pay chaplains will be Cut even More if the state budget remains  in the archdiocesan newspaper Doolin said he fears some Day a prisoner will whisper i was imprison and you Cut me off from