· November, 2009

Stories about Religion from November, 2009

South Asia: Mass Murder Of Animals

  27 November 2009

Dipen Bhattacharya at Mukto Mona criticizes the rituals of sacrifices – be it during Kali Puja for Hindus or Eid-ul-Adha sacrifices for Muslims. “Man might need to eat meat, but mass murder of helpless animals using brutal methods cannot be considered self-sacrifice,” he opines.

Pakistan: Spare The Animals

  26 November 2009

Pakistani blog Baithak suggests that people should understand the spirit of religion rather than just following the rituals of sacrificing animals during Eid-ul-Azha: “The purpose of sacrifice is to understand the spirit of parting with what you hold dear (your wealth), it is not some muqabla against four-legged animals.”

Bangladesh, India, Pakistan: One State Solution Week 2009

  25 November 2009

The One State Solution Blog invites bloggers to express their opinions to redress the problems the Partition of India has created: “it did not achieve the goals or resolve the problems that the two-nation theory promised us as a subcontinent.” If you are blogging on this issue then tag your...

India: Politics And Tolerance

  25 November 2009

I love life… so I explore quotes Allama Iqbal on the philosophy of Hindu God Rama to showcase that: “India’s biggest strength is it’s secularism and it’s philosophy of tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.”

Trinidad & Tobago: On Sex

  24 November 2009

As a prelude to World AIDS Day, Alien In The Caribbean is “doing a thorough three part exploration of sex and sexuality, particularly in the Caribbean.”

Indonesia: Some groups want to ban ‘2012’ movie

  20 November 2009

Several regional branches of the Indonesian Ulema Council want to ban the movie ‘2012’ claiming the film's content is “unsuitable to be viewed by Muslims because only Allah knew when the world would end, not heathens like the Mayans.”

Thailand: Extravagant temple toilets

  20 November 2009

Richard Burrow from Thailand reported that temple toilets at Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai in Samut Prakan have recently built a toilet which cost as much as 5 million baht.

Cameroon: On Catholicism, abortion and homosexuality

  17 November 2009

Rosemary Ekosso discusses the politics of abortion and homosexuality in Cameroon: “As a woman, I have learnt by trial and error (mostly error) not to believe automatically what large groups of men tell me. When the group is as large and exclusive of females (don’t give me that guff about...

Barbados, Jamaica: The Politics of Homosexuality

  17 November 2009

“In Barbados we have a long way to go regarding how as a country we want to deal with the issue of homosexuality”: Barbados Underground says “it would be unfortunate for some if we wait until the next general election” to start discussing…the societal changes to accept this group of...

Africa: Allah is not obliged

  17 November 2009

Sokari reviews Ahmadou Kourouma's novel, Allah is not obliged: “There are three sets of interwoven stories. The story of Birahima and his many wanderings with different militias across the region which makes a mockery of the artificial boundaries created by colonial rulers – only tribes not countries have meaning in...

India: Time To Reclaim The Swastika

  16 November 2009

Runa at Uber Desi comments on the outrage on the Hindu religious symbol swastika printed on gift papers: “Isn’t it time people broadened their horizons a little to recognize that the swastika (in the Hindu form) is not the same as the horrible symbol of the unforgivable atrocities of the...

Qatar: No one is above the law – really?

  13 November 2009

Doha bloggers bemused, incredulous and wistful by official remarks that no one in Qatar is above the law. A debate over the merits of that statement quickly evolves into a discussion on press freedom, as more clamor for a new law press law, free from any imprisonment penalties against journalists.