Finding Faith

A new essay argues that efforts to wall off the open web—such as paywalls, logins and bot-blocking measures—will not stop malicious automated traffic, and may instead harm legitimate users, researchers and smaller sites. The piece contends that bad actors will always find ways around restrictions, so locking down access punishes good-faith visitors without solving the underlying problem. It is prompting debate about how the web should handle crawlers and abuse.

A Nepalese physicist is being profiled for his unusual path to religious belief, one he says he never set out to find. The story highlights how a scientist working in Nepal came to embrace faith through his life and work rather than deliberate spiritual searching, drawing interest as a personal account of the relationship between science and religion.

Religious leaders from different faith traditions are gathering at an interfaith summit on migration policy, focused on finding shared approaches to welcoming migrants and refugees. Organizers hope the meeting will build common ground among communities that often differ on immigration politics, drawing on shared religious teachings about hospitality and care for strangers.

A US commentary piece published via the Yakima Herald-Republic addresses the ongoing tension between faith and science in American public life. The op-ed contributes to a recurring national debate over how religious belief and scientific findings coexist in education, policy and culture. Little additional detail is available beyond the headline tag.

Charles F. Porter, an actor and film producer best known for his work on 'Finding Faith,' has died at the age of 47. The Hollywood Reporter reported his death, noting his career that also included 'Duke' and 'Wendell Scott.' Porter was active in independent film as both a performer and producer. Industry colleagues and film fans have been sharing tributes and remembering his contributions to cinema.

Bible teacher Allen Parr has released a message aimed at Christians who are struggling with church, whether from hurt, disappointment or waning commitment. The talk has drawn strong engagement, with hundreds of thousands of likes, suggesting many believers are wrestling with their relationship to organized worship and finding the advice resonates widely.

A new Public Policy Institute of California survey finds that most Californians say they have confidence in the accuracy and fairness of the state's elections, even as their broader trust in government remains low. The polling suggests a split between faith in electoral administration and skepticism toward public institutions, a gap likely to feed ongoing debates about election integrity and political disaffection.

CAP Freedom of Conscience has contributed to a United Nations report examining international solidarity and the role of faith-based and humanist organizations. The contribution positions the group among civil society voices informing the UN's work on how religious and humanist actors cooperate across borders. Details of the report's findings and the organisation's specific input were not immediately available.

A new study reports that belief in ghosts and magic is linked to religious faith as well as trust in science, challenging the assumption that supernatural beliefs simply decline as scientific thinking rises. The findings suggest the two ways of understanding the world can coexist in the same people, prompting discussion about how faith, magic and science interact.