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The new U.S. Attorney General attacks secularism. A Hindu Londoner reflects on her spiritual journey. And a look at how China's population has re-embraced religion after decades of impose atheism. It's Faithful Friday, our news segment about faiths and religious communities from around the world. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

Russian pilgrims visit a remote forest shrine. Pew Research reveals the relationship between religious Americans and science. And the tricky balance between community tradition and assimilation is examined by an American Jews. It's Faithful Friday, our weekly take on news about faiths and religious communities from around the world. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

Happy Ostara/Equinox everyone! Today's the first day of spring (by some definitions) but it's also Faithful Friday and we've got a bunch of stories to share with you. Many of our stories today focus on how the modern world and religion (or the lack thereof) intersect, often in some very interesting and surprising ways.

There is nothing like the overwhelming opportunities for renewal and reflection that New Year's Eve celebrations can bring.

Last night I bid 2014 farewell by sharing a few beers on the beach with a good friend, and we had a good view of the 'kids' fireworks that were at 9pm. We were alone on the beach to watch the sun set, but as 8.30 rolled around local residents started strolling down to the beach to get a view of the light show that was being held in town. There was so much cheer - people bidding "Happy New Year" to strangers, kids covered in glow-stick jewelry jumping out of the skins with anticipation, and just a lot of general positive feeling.

Today's Fiery Tuesday posts are sure to stir a bit of controversy -- hopefully of a useful kind! Pagan Activism Conference, lowering police shootings; secularization of holidays; the (humanistic Pagan) case against spellwork; scary monsters in "pagan" festival.

First up, a report on last week's online Pagan Activism Conference. Which brings up the question: when and how should Paganism and political/environmental activism come together?

In today's Faithful Friday post, the Pagan News Beagle brings you: a secularist convention; yoga: fitness or faith; UK law enforcement confronts witchcraft accusations; does higher education lead to less religious behavior? and five Hindu words for love.

Richard Dawkins and his fellow secularists are having a convention this week, concentrating on the rise of religious fundamentalism, especially in the Middle East.

#PaganNewsBeagle #FieryTuesday

Are the divisive culture wars focusing on personal morality (contraception, LGBT marriage etc) pushing young people away from organized religion altogether? Some polling seems to suggest that the religious right is winning legal battles, but losing the "hearts & minds" war, especially among younger Americans.
http://religiondispatches.org/hobby-lobby-key-to-a-more-liberal-and-less-religious-america/