Stories about Religion from March, 2009
Macedonia: Student Protest Ends in Violence
Recently, the Macedonian government decided to build an Orthodox church with public financing on the main square of Skopje, a decision that the citizens of the city disapproved of. On March 28, a peaceful protest against the construction of the church turned violent when a group of counter-protesters attempted to prevent it. Elena Ignatova reviews the reactions in the Macedonian blogosphere.
Taiwan: Buddhist master creates controversy
Buddhist Master Hsing Yun created controversy at an international Buddhist conference when he claimed, “There are no Taiwanese in Taiwan and Taiwanese are all Chinese.” Taiwan blogs The View from Taiwan and Letters from Taiwan both write about how Buddhism is being used for political purposes.
Afghanistan: The Social Taliban Democrats
Joshua Foust reports that outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan William Wood has stated his desire to create a political party for the Taliban.
Afghanistan: Scandal with the Attorney General
Azar Balkhi writes that Abdul Jabar Sabit, Attorney General of Afghanistan and a Muslim, has been caught dancing drunk at a party in Kabul.
Pakistan: Stand Against Terrorism & Extremism
Hasan Mubarak at Lahore Metblog mentioned that Lahore keeps its resolve after the attacks on a police training school in the city: “We should not and will not tolerate ideologies of extremism, terrorism, inhumanity, and hatred. We are humans, and yes, proud Pakistanis; Muslims or otherwise – but sorry, we...
Trinidad & Tobago: Shouter Baptist Liberation
triniscene.com pays tribute to the Shouter Baptists of Trinidad and Tobago, who today celebrate “the abolition of laws that prohibited the activities of the Shouter or Spiritual Baptist faith on March 30, 1951.”
Georgia: Holy Baby Boom!
The birth rate has increased by 20 percent in ex-Soviet Georgia and the country's Orthodox Church is taking much of the credit. The miracle responsible for the much-needed baby boom in this old Christian country has been a single promise from the head of the Georgian church to personally baptize newborns. Bloggers seem impressed.
Saudi Arabia: Censoring Skin
From Saudi Arabia, Susie describes the ‘trouble’ censors go through to ‘cover up’ women's skin: “Certainly seeing all that tempting erotic skin, and coloring in all those feminine body parts must have some kind of perverse effect on these men who have been entrusted with keeping the entire country out...
Bermuda: Going on Faith?
Both Vexed Bermoothes and The Devil Island discuss the Bermudian government's faith-based tourism programme.
Pakistan: Suicide Bombing at Mosque While People Praying
CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan is reporting that ” 48 people were killed (today) when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a mosque near the town of Jamrud in the Khyber agency in northwest Pakistan.” The Blogger comments: “For a suicide bombing to occur at all is horrific, but...
Pakistan: Persecution of Religious Minorities
Rumbold at Pickled Politics comments: “Before the latest round of violence, the situation was already bad for minorities in Pakistan. But now increased numbers are fleeing as more of them are targeted by religious extremists.”
Palestine: Testimonies Regarding Israeli War Crimes in Gaza
Bloggers in Gaza have not been surprised by the testimonies of Israeli soldiers documenting war crimes they committed or witnessed during the recent attacks on Gaza - or by any of the other stories now being reported regarding the Israeli military's conduct.
Iran: A Christian Blogger arrested
According to several sources an Iranian Christian blogger was arrested in the city of Isfahan in Iran about one month ago. He is a convert from Islam and he used to write about Bible in his blog.
Tunisia: Bloggers Divided on Qaradawi's Visit
Discussions continue in the Tunisian blogosphere following the visit of Egyptian Islamic scholar Yousif Qaradawi, who is based in Qatar, to the secular country two weeks ago. Lina Ben Mhenni reports from a divided blogosphere.
Morocco: War in Shi'a Ideology
Moroccan authorities are aggressively fighting Shi'a ideology in Morocco, says A Moroccan About the World Around Him.
Qatar: The Museum of Islamic Art
Bint battuta in bahrain visits the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha and offers her observations and photographs here. Dubai-based The Bohemians also visited the museum and posted this photograph.
Pakistan Day And The Lawyers’ Movement
Pakistanis celebrated Pakistan day yesterday. Chapaty Mystery discussed the significance of the day and mentioned how the recent successful lawyers’ movement has provided “an opportunity for Pakistan to undertake a serious re-consideration of its self-conception.”
Maldives: Free Speech Under Threat
In early March Mohamed Nasheed, the new President of the Maldives, met with Frank La Rue, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression. In the meeting Nasheed expressed his government’s commitment to free speech and announced that Maldives will be made a haven for dissident writers from...
Angola: Pope is greeted by the largest crowd of his African tour
The climax of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Angola was an open-air mass this Sunday, when nearly million people from various Angolan provinces and other African countries came to Luanda to hear the mass in Cimangola, on the outskirts of Luanda. Bloggers report on the Pope's remarks during his first pilgrimage to Africa, and also on the facelift Angola was given to receive Benedict XVI.
Egypt: The Call for Prayer
“One of the things that I miss the most when I travel is the call to prayer that I hear five times a day here,” writes Maryanne Stroud Gabbani, from Egypt.
Israel: Preparing for the Passover Holiday
In Israel and around the Jewish world, families are preparing for the holiday of Passover. Baroness Tapuzina offers some tasty recipe suggestions.
