Morality police first appeared in Iran soon after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. But similar forces were present in parts of the Middle East even prior to the date.
A pride flag flies in front of the historic temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Recent years have put more attention on LGBTQ people’s struggle for acceptance in the LDS church, but asexual Latter-day Saints face unique challenges.
Hawaii’s Mauna Loa’s volcano is erupting for the first time in nearly 40 years.
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The eruption of Mauna Loa is a profound spiritual experience for many Native Hawaiians. An anthropologist explains Native American beliefs on the living Earth and volcanic lava.
Al-Fatah mosque founder Shinta Ratri with other transgender women.
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Orthodox Jewish communities are still difficult places for many LGBTQ people. Yet the view, once ubiquitous, that Orthodox tradition is incompatible with their identities is gradually shifting.
People walk by the campus of Yeshiva University in New York City.
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Yeshiva University’s legal case has garnered national attention, but several similar cases are underway.
Brain-computer interfaces raise many ethical questions about how and whether they should be used for certain applications.
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From warfare to entertainment and VR, brain-computer interface development has extended beyond prosthetics for patients with disabilities. Missing is full ethical consideration of the consequences.
A chaplain hugs a registered nurse at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Los Angeles.
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Chaplains have always provided spiritual care outside traditional houses of worship, but their significance is growing as Americans’ religious identities change.
Animal research’s benefits are clear – but public awareness of what it involves is not.
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Guidelines and regulations weigh the medical and health benefits of animal research with researchers’ ability to ensure humane care of their subjects from start to finish.
King David playing the lyre in a scene from a 15th-century manuscript of the Book of Psalms.
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Gratitude and praise are not only some of the most common themes in Christian music, but also some of the oldest.
The Catholic hymn, “Te Deum” – which says, “You, God, we praise” – has been used for centuries in Catholic worship for thanksgiving.
Iconotheca Valvasoriana Author Jean Marot via Wikimedia Commons.
The Pilgrims who started the first Thanksgiving tradition after they landed in Plymouth were following the customs they had grown up with, originating in medieval times.
The vast majority of Buddhists in historical and contemporary times have been followers of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
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The Mahāyāna branch of Buddhism likely emerged around the first centuries A.D. and was most readily carried through the Silk Road and maritime trade routes.
It’s one thing to agree to combat antisemitism. It’s another thing to agree on what it means.
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From ancient Greece to modern-day TikTok witchcraft, the world of witches has been a changing one.
In much of the media outside Iran, female protesters not wearing the headscarf have been highlighted as symbols of defiance.
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The veil as a symbol of oppression has once again moved to center stage in Iran, but it’s important to know about the history of veiling – and mandatory unveiling.
Photographs capture images of women in war-torn regions of the world.
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Pictures of women in war play a pivotal role in the battlefield of political ideas, argues a feminist historian who examines how images and attire are used and seen in war zones and occupied lands.
Amy Grant performs in Abbotsford, British Columbia, in 2017.
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As the ball that Maradona’s fist helped on its way to the back of the net – with some divine help – goes up for auction, a scholar of soccer explains why that goal means so much.
Lucky charms help us feel safer in an uncertain world.
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Halloween was virtually nonexistent in South Korea until about a decade ago. But commercialization is taking popular holidays to unlikely places across the globe.
Pope Francis commemorates the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council by celebrating a Mass.
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Latina women hold few top leadership positions in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but their contributions help keep congregations going.