Latest news with #Bibles
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Time of India
FIR after man accuses 7 of illegal conversion
Lucknow: Sitapur police on Tuesday lodged an FIR against seven persons after a man accused them of luring him to adopt Christianity by offering him money, house and marriage. According to the complaint filed by Abhishek Kumar (23), a resident of Nakrahiya village, the incident took place on July 28. Abhishek said when he was near Rampur Mathna, he was approached by three local men — Anant Ram and his sons Ramit and Shubhkaran — who told him that a pastor and his wife were conducting a prayer meeting nearby and could help him financially and arrange his marriage if he converted to Christianity. Abhishek said he was taken to a large hall where 40-50 women and 20-25 men were seated. Pastor Vinod Pal Singh of Lakhimpur Kheri, and his wife Jyoti were allegedly preaching Christianity and holding Bibles. Abhishek alleged that they made him drink "blessed water" from a bottle and showed him the Bible while pressuring him to convert. He was promised a house, money in lakhs, and a good marriage in exchange. Two more individuals — Sanjay Maurya and Patiram, both residents of Rampur Mathna — allegedly joined in pressuring Abhishek. Sensing something suspicious, Abhishek stepped out of the hall and contacted local villagers and some members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, who alerted the local police. A police team soon reached the spot and, in Abhishek's presence, recovered three Bibles, bottles of "healing water," oil, sweets, a dholak, and a khanjari (musical instrument)— all allegedly used in the conversion process. A written complaint was then submitted to the police by Abhishek.
NBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Sheriff's office launches probe after reports of naked women seen on official's TV at Oklahoma Board of Education meeting
A sheriff's office in Oklahoma is investigating an incident that occurred during a state Board of Education meeting last week that reportedly involved images of naked women on the state schools superintendent's office television. The images were seen during the board's executive session, held in Superintendent Ryan Walters' office, The Oklahoman reported, citing members Ryan Deatherage and Becky Carson who attended the meeting. NBC News has not confirmed the accounts of Deatherage and Carson, who were both nominated by Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican. The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office launched a probe into the incident, according to Aaron Brilbeck, public information officer for the sheriff's office, after a request from the agency that oversees human resources matters for the state government. Senate Pro Temp Lonnie Paxton and state Sen. Adam Pugh, both Republicans, had said in a joint news release Friday that the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, which oversees HR matters, was leading an inquiry into the incident and was working through proper channels to initiate an investigation. 'This is a bizarre and troubling situation that raises serious questions about the events and what took place during yesterday's executive session at the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting,' Paxton said in a statement about the Board of Education's meeting held on Thursday. Accounts shared by members of the Board of Education, he added, "paint a strange, unsettling scene that demands clarity and transparency." The Office of Management and Enterprise Services didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. A legislative assistant to House Common Education Committee Chairman Dick Lowe, Caitlin Kilpatrick, pointed NBC News to reporting by the news outlet NonDoc that said Lowe attended the board meeting. Lowe told the publication that while he did not see the video of the naked women, he discussed the matter with the two board members who did view the images. 'Shocked would be maybe an understatement a little bit. In the position that that person is in, that's absolutely without a question not appropriate by any means for any state official, much less that state official,' Lowe told NonDoc. Walters, a conservative Republican, has pushed for proposals to further integrate religion in schools, such as placing Bibles in them. He has also advocated for requiring students enrolled in state public schools to provide proof of U.S. citizenship. In a statement posted Sunday on X after the allegations surrounding the meeting, Walters denied any wrongdoing. "Any suggestion that a device of mine was used to stream inappropriate content on the television set is categorically false. I have no knowledge of what was on the TV screen during the alleged incident, and there is absolutely no truth to any implication of wrongdoing," Walters said. "These falsehoods are the desperate tactics of a broken establishment afraid of real change. They aren't just attacking me, they're attacking the values of the Oklahomans who elected me to challenge the status quo." NBC News reached out to Walters and his spokesman, as well as Deatherage, Carson and the four other members of the Oklahoma Board of Education, for comment. Oklahoma House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, a Democrat, said in a statement Monday that the Democratic Caucus has made six calls over the last two years requesting a special bipartisan committee to investigate Walters regarding other matters. "Before these recent allegations came out, he has shown multiple times throughout his leadership that he has no interest in bettering the public education system for students and teachers. He is mainly concerned with advancing his own political and religious agendas," she said. "These new allegations are serious and troubling, and while we wait for the investigation to be finished, I think it's prudent to acknowledge that there has been a dire need for change in leadership at the Oklahoma State Department of Education for a long time."
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
MAGA Superintendent Ryan Walters Hits Out at Porn Claims
Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters has hit back after colleagues alleged they saw images of nude women on a TV during a meeting in his office. Walters, a Republican, issued a statement on X on Sunday denying the claims as an investigation into the matter is reported to be underway. Newsweek has contacted Walters for comment. Walters has spoken out against showing what he deems to be "pornography" in schools and has pushed to remove books he says contain sexual content, including Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. He also made headlines for his endorsements of pro-religious policies in Oklahoma's public schools, including putting Bibles that mimicked the "God Bless the USA Bibles" endorsed by President Donald Trump in 2024, into classrooms. Two board members who attended the executive session of the Oklahoma State Board of Education on July 24, chaired by Walters, told The Oklahoman that images of naked women were displayed on a TV screen. The allegations came from Ryan Deatherage of Kingfisher and Becky Carson of Edmond, who described the ordeal as "really bizarre." The newspaper reported that it was not clear who was responsible for the alleged images, and that Deatherage said Walters was sitting with his back to the TV screen, so it wasn't in Walters' direct view. The superintendent allegedly turned off the TV after Carson alerted him to the matter. On X, Walters said the claims were "politically motivated attacks" as he is leading the charge for a "bold overhaul of education" in the state. "Any suggestion that a device of mine was used to stream inappropriate content on the television set is categorically false," he wrote, adding that there was "absolutely no truth" to the allegations. Earlier, in a statement to The Oklahoman, Quinton Hitchcock, a spokesperson for Walters, described the story as a "junk tabloid lie." "Any number of people have access to these offices. You have a hostile board who will say and do anything except tell the truth, and now, the Woklahoman is reporting on an alleged random TV cable image," he said, using a term for the newspaper often adopted by Walters. The closed meeting was being held to discuss teacher licensing, student attendance appeals and other sensitive issues, the newspaper reported. "I was like, 'Those are naked women,'" Carson told The Oklahoman. "And then I was like, 'No, wait a minute. Those aren't naked, surely those aren't naked women. Something is playing a trick on my eye. Maybe they just have on tan body suits. … This is just really bizarre.'" "I saw them just walking across the screen, and I'm like, 'no.' I'm sorry I even have to use this language, but I'm like, 'Those are her nipples,'" she continued. "And then I'm like, 'That's pubic hair.' What in the world am I watching? I didn't watch a second longer." Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters wrote on X: "As I lead the charge for a bold overhaul of education in Oklahoma, putting parents back in control, rejecting radical agendas, and demanding excellence: it's no surprise to face politically motivated attacks. "Any suggestion that a device of mine was used to stream inappropriate content on the television set is categorically false. I have no knowledge of what was on the TV screen during the alleged incident, and there is absolutely no truth to any implication of wrongdoing. "These falsehoods are the desperate tactics of a broken establishment afraid of real change. They aren't just attacking me, they're attacking the values of the Oklahomans who elected me to challenge the status quo. "I will not be distracted. My focus remains on making Oklahoma the best state in the nation, in every category." Board member Becky Carson said in a statement, according to KOCO 5 News: "I was appointed to the State Board of Education to serve Oklahoma students to the best of my ability. The images that board members were exposed to yesterday in this meeting were inappropriate to say the least. There has to be accountability." Board member Ryan Deatherage said in a statement, according to KOCO 5 News: "As an appointed member of the Oklahoma School Board, it is my top priority to protect the well-being of Oklahoma students. We hold educators to the strictest of standards when it comes to explicit material. The standard for the superintendent should be no different." An investigation is underway into the matter, according to reports. Related Articles Christian MAGA Singer Vows To Continue Despite Canada ProtestsDonald Trump's Odds of Completing Presidency Fall Amid Epstein UproarFull List of MAGA Influencers at Odds With Trump Admin Over Epstein FilesDonald Trump Reacts to Hulk Hogan's Death 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
I fled persecution in Iran. ICE enforcement here today reminds me of Tehran
As a Christian who smuggled Bibles into my home country of Iran, I became a target of the country's Islamist regime, which imprisons and sometimes kills those who invite Muslims to convert. After living under house arrest for two years, I fled as a refugee and was ultimately resettled to the United States. I experienced true religious freedom for the first time in my life in this country, of which I am now a proud, grateful citizen — and that's why I am shocked by the ways that my government is now treating my Iranian congregants, who have been detained by masked officers, separated from their families and threatened with deportation to a country that would kill them for their Christian faith. What I have witnessed gives me flashbacks to Tehran, and I believe that America must be better. Two families who are a part of the Farsi-speaking evangelical congregation that I pastor in Los Angeles have been detained in recent weeks. First, a couple and their 3-year-old daughter, who are in the process of seeking asylum because they fear persecution if they were returned to Iran. They were detained at their court hearing in downtown Los Angeles on June 23. The entire family is now being held in South Texas. The next day, I received a call from a woman in my church. Like me, she had been forced to flee Iran for Turkey when her involvement in Iran's underground churches was exposed. When the woman and her husband found themselves in a desperate situation in Turkey last year, they were not offered the option to fly to the U.S. as resettled refugees as I had been in 2010. Instead, they flew to South America, made a treacherous journey north and waited in Mexico for an appointment they reserved on a U.S. government app, CBP One, to be able to explain their situation to officers of the U.S. government. Once lawfully allowed in with provisional humanitarian status, they found our church — where they could be baptized and publicly profess their faith in Jesus — and legal help to begin their asylum request. They received their work authorization documents and found jobs. Their first asylum hearing in immigration court was scheduled for this September. When President Trump returned to office, however, his administration both suspended all refugee resettlement and canceled humanitarian parole for those who had been allowed to enter via the CBP One app. Many parolees received menacing letters instructing them to self-deport or face prosecution, fines or deportation. But these letters also noted that these instructions did not apply to those who had 'otherwise obtained a lawful basis to remain,' such as a pending asylum application. That's why I was so shocked to receive a call from the woman in my congregation informing me that her husband had been detained by masked immigration officers on the street, just a few blocks from our church. I rushed over and began to film the shocking scene: First he was detained by masked officers, and then she was. I asked if they had a judicial warrant, but if they did, they would not show me. The woman experienced a panic attack and was taken to a hospital but discharged into ICE custody; she is now hours away in a detention center in California. Her husband is in a detention center in Texas. It's not just these two families who are affected. My community of Iranian Christians is terrified of being detained and deported back to Iran, where they fear being killed for their faith. Some have lost jobs because they fear leaving their homes. Others lost jobs because their work authorization, tied to humanitarian parole, was abruptly terminated. I believe that America is better than this. This behavior reminds me disturbingly of what I fled in Iran. But I know that most Americans do not support this, nor do most fellow evangelical Christians: Many evangelicals voted for Trump because he pledged to protect persecuted Christians — not to deport them. While most evangelicals want those convicted of violent crimes detained, one-quarter or less of us say that about other immigrants, and 7 in 10 believe the U.S. has a moral responsibility to receive refugees. I have been overwhelmed by the support of English- and Spanish-speaking sister congregations of our church, by the outreach of Christians from across the country and by a recent biblically rooted statement of many California evangelical leaders. Now, Congress has passed legislation to exponentially increase the funding for detaining and deporting immigrants. Trump's administration has been clear that anyone in the country unlawfully — including more than a million who were here lawfully until his administration abruptly canceled their status — is at risk of deportation. According to a recent study by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, 80% of those vulnerable to deportation are Christians; some, like those in my church, would likely face death if deported to their home countries. I hope and pray Trump will reverse course on these policies, going after those who genuinely present a public safety threat but having mercy on others, especially those who fled persecution on account of their faith. And until he does make that policy shift, I plead with Congress to pass real immigration reforms that would halt these horrifying detentions and deportations. Ara Torosian is a pastor at Cornerstone West Los Angeles.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
MAGA Superintendent Ryan Walters Hits Out at Porn Claims
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters has hit back after colleagues alleged they saw images of nude women on a TV during a meeting in his office. Walters, a Republican, issued a statement on X on Sunday denying the claims as an investigation into the matter is reported to be underway. Newsweek has contacted Walters for comment. Why It Matters Walters has spoken out against showing what he deems to be "pornography" in schools and has pushed to remove books he says contain sexual content, including Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. He also made headlines for his endorsements of pro-religious policies in Oklahoma's public schools, including putting Bibles that mimicked the "God Bless the USA Bibles" endorsed by President Donald Trump in 2024, into classrooms. State Superintendent Ryan Walters speaks to members of the State Board of Education at a meeting in Oklahoma City on August 24, 2023. State Superintendent Ryan Walters speaks to members of the State Board of Education at a meeting in Oklahoma City on August 24, 2023. Daniel Shular/Tulsa World via AP What To Know Two board members who attended the executive session of the Oklahoma State Board of Education on July 24, chaired by Walters, told The Oklahoman that images of naked women were displayed on a TV screen. The allegations came from Ryan Deatherage of Kingfisher and Becky Carson of Edmond, who described the ordeal as "really bizarre." The newspaper reported that it was not clear who was responsible for the alleged images, and that Deatherage said Walters was sitting with his back to the TV screen, so it wasn't in Walters' direct view. The superintendent allegedly turned off the TV after Carson alerted him to the matter. On X, Walters said the claims were "politically motivated attacks" as he is leading the charge for a "bold overhaul of education" in the state. "Any suggestion that a device of mine was used to stream inappropriate content on the television set is categorically false," he wrote, adding that there was "absolutely no truth" to the allegations. Earlier, in a statement to The Oklahoman, Quinton Hitchcock, a spokesperson for Walters, described the story as a "junk tabloid lie." "Any number of people have access to these offices. You have a hostile board who will say and do anything except tell the truth, and now, the Woklahoman is reporting on an alleged random TV cable image," he said, using a term for the newspaper often adopted by Walters. The closed meeting was being held to discuss teacher licensing, student attendance appeals and other sensitive issues, the newspaper reported. "I was like, 'Those are naked women,'" Carson told The Oklahoman. "And then I was like, 'No, wait a minute. Those aren't naked, surely those aren't naked women. Something is playing a trick on my eye. Maybe they just have on tan body suits. … This is just really bizarre.'" "I saw them just walking across the screen, and I'm like, 'no.' I'm sorry I even have to use this language, but I'm like, 'Those are her nipples,'" she continued. "And then I'm like, 'That's pubic hair.' What in the world am I watching? I didn't watch a second longer." What People Are Saying Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters wrote on X: "As I lead the charge for a bold overhaul of education in Oklahoma, putting parents back in control, rejecting radical agendas, and demanding excellence: it's no surprise to face politically motivated attacks. "Any suggestion that a device of mine was used to stream inappropriate content on the television set is categorically false. I have no knowledge of what was on the TV screen during the alleged incident, and there is absolutely no truth to any implication of wrongdoing. "These falsehoods are the desperate tactics of a broken establishment afraid of real change. They aren't just attacking me, they're attacking the values of the Oklahomans who elected me to challenge the status quo. "I will not be distracted. My focus remains on making Oklahoma the best state in the nation, in every category." Board member Becky Carson said in a statement, according to KOCO 5 News: "I was appointed to the State Board of Education to serve Oklahoma students to the best of my ability. The images that board members were exposed to yesterday in this meeting were inappropriate to say the least. There has to be accountability." Board member Ryan Deatherage said in a statement, according to KOCO 5 News: "As an appointed member of the Oklahoma School Board, it is my top priority to protect the well-being of Oklahoma students. We hold educators to the strictest of standards when it comes to explicit material. The standard for the superintendent should be no different." What Happens Next An investigation is underway into the matter, according to reports.
