Stories about Religion from April, 2008
Lebanon: Remove the Mufti
“The Mufti (religious leader) of Mount Lebanon is a foul-mouthed demagogue who needs to be demoted as soon as possible,” writes Beirut Spring from Lebanon.
Bangladesh: women's equality vs. religion
Tahmina Shafique writes on the recently announced women’s development policy in Bangladesh which has triggered religious protests by Islamist groups and forced a retreat by the government on rights issued by the constitution.
Indonesia: Praying and shopping
Indonesia Matters reports that people in West Java are flocking to shopping malls in order to pray.
Jordan: Mixed Signals
“Can the same facebook contact add an application called (The Latest Hunk) and within the same day join a group called (Proud to be a Muslim) ?” asks Hani Obaid from Jordan.
Bahrain: MPs call to deport homosexuals
Out of the closet and out of the country? Ayesha Saldanha brings us blogger reactions on how Bahraini MPs are pushing for a new law to clampdown on homosexuality among locals and throw out expatriate gays and lesbians from the country.
Touring Libyan Blogs: Pride, Patriotism, Nationalism and Chastity
There obviously is a link between patriotism, nationalism and pride but where do the women figure in this equation? If you are curious, bear with me and let's dissect the situation that has brought all this out on the Libyan blogs, writes Fozia Mohamed, who connects the dots in this article.
Egypt: When Religion Sleeps With Politics
Egyptian blogger Zeinobia attacks Pope Shenouda III in this post for his recent Easter speech in which she claims he said people using Facebook will "roast in hell," reports Gr33nData from Cairo.
Ukraine: Velykden
Ukrainiana writes about the celebration of Easter in Ukraine.
Poland: Tolerance March
The beatroot writes about this year's Tolerance March in Krakow.
Poland: Gorbachev vs John Paul II?
The beatroot writes about the publication of “a politburo document, signed by Mikhail Gorbachev, which appears to warrant a KGB contract killing on John Paul II.”
China and Tibet: Tibetan Wish
Woeser posted 5 short pieces written by Tibetans which expressed their suggestions and wishes for a better Tibet [zh].
Japan: Japan Today supports Scientology
Ken at What Japan Thinks writes about opposition from readers of Japan Today to video ads for the Church of Scientology.
China: Different Voices on the Upcoming Talk with Dalai Lama
The Xinhua news agency reported Friday that "In view of the requests repeatedly made by the Dalai side for resuming talks, the relevant department of the central government will have contact and consultation with Dalai private representative in the coming days.” The report has provoked another new round of controversy on Dalai Lama among the Chinese netizens.
Lost Brazilian ballooning priest carried into the blogosphere
This time the story is rather sad, but the blogosphere is exploding with humorous takes on the tragedy of a Brazilian Roman Catholic priest who is missing after drifting out to sea while trying to set a record for a flight using helium-filled party balloons.
Afghanistan: TV stations under government pressure
Afghan PenLog returns to the issue of a ban on allegedly “un-Islamic” soap operas on the Aghanistani private TV stations, and says this decision of the government was made under pressure from the parliament and clerics.
Russia: Lenin's Mausoleum
Window on Eurasia reports on a Moscow clergyman's appeal to turn Vladimir Lenin’s mausoleum into a “museum of the victims of Soviet power.”
Poland: Opposition to IVF
The beatroot writes about the attitudes towards in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Poland.
India: A Goddess in Mumbai
A photo essay on Mumbai Magic – “In Mumbai, a small community from Andhra Pradesh worships the Goddess Mariamman every summer, seeking protection from smallpox, chickenpox and all forms of disease.”
Afghanistan: Media vs. Mullah
The Council of Afghan Mullahs has warned private TV channels in Afghanistan to immediately stop broadcasting Indian soap operas, hadi1121 reports.
Japan: Love and Hate Story of the Mascot Character, “Sento-kun”
Creepy?! Ugly?! Sacrilegious?! Not many people are happy about the mascot character for the Commemorative Events of the 1300th Anniversary of the Nara-Heijyoko Capital to be held in 2010. The character was designed by a sculptor and professor at Tokyo University of the Arts, Satoshi Yabuuchi, who is one of...
Albania: “Albanosphere”
Douglas Muir of A Fistful of Euros posts a new installment on the “Greater Albania” – an extensive overview of the myths and facts about the “Albanosphere.”
