Where a debate in Congress over the necessity of raising the federal debt ceiling is a symbol of the worsening faith that investors have in U.S. debt.

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Despite denials by its architects, the religious overtones of the memorial are unmistakable (the crescent, of course, is a symbol of the Islamic faith).

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To the Amish, a beard is a significant symbol of faith and manhood, and the way Amish women wear their hair also is a symbol of faith.

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Others, however, like David Fleming, director of Tyne and Wear Museums, worry that such an overtly Christian symbol is inappropriate in the modern multi-faith north-east.

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