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So what motivates 120 million Americans to attend a church, synagogue or temple?

  I carried a lot of crosses as a Catholic altar boy. I also learned to mumble phrases in Latin and breathed in enough incense to choke an elephant. There is something serene about being behind a ritual. It lets you observe and reflect. And wonder why in the world people show up. Roughly six…

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Syria: Cutthroat “Mukhabarat” of Middle East

Analysts say a popular president, dreaded security forces and religious diversity make a Syrian revolution unlikely. A key factor for stability within Syria is the popularity of President Bashar al-Assad Despite a wave of protests spreading across the Middle East, so far the revolutionary spirit has failed to reach Syria. Authoritarian rule, corruption and economic hardship are characteristics…