· January, 2010

Stories about Religion from January, 2010

Syria: A Short Story

  29 January 2010

Medad blog published a sarcastic short story [ar] depicting a Muslim cleric and a Christian cleric passionately discussing virtue and interfaith understanding as each of them tries to claim a spot that allows them to peep through a crack in the wall of a women's bathhouse.

Africa: On Homophobia in Africa

  29 January 2010

Responses to Homophobia in Africa by Sokari: “I’m writing this post in response to number of articles on the prevalence of homophobia in Africa and to try and give some perspective and historical context.”

Pakistan: In Search Of A Pakistani Identity

  28 January 2010

In a recent survey three quarters of Pakistani youth viewed themselves as Muslims first, Pakistani second. Raza Rumi talks about the identity crisis of the Pakistani younger generation, which deviates from the views of the founding father of the nation.

Egypt: The Right to Speak Up

  28 January 2010

Egyptian bloggers and activists held a conference on January 22 in defense of their right to speak up after more than 20 Egyptian bloggers were arrested when their train arrived in the village of Naga Hammady where the Coptic massacre took place. Marwa Rakha sums up their reactions to their detention in this post.

Haiti: Damage in Surrounding Areas

  27 January 2010

how can they hear takes a trip to Leogane and posts photos of the damage, saying: “The truth is that people need to see that Leogane and the surrounding areas need help. We still have families buried underneath the rubble here”, while Ellen in Haiti crunches some numbers: “It says...

Haiti: Endurance

  27 January 2010

“Over and over mind-numbing injuries that are now two weeks old — yet the people are stoic, strong, long-suffering, graceful … resilient beyond comprehension”: The Livesay [Haiti] Weblog is convinced that “against the odds, the people of Haiti will endure.”

Nigeria: Bloggers discuss the massacre in Jos

  26 January 2010

On January 17th, violence erupted in the central Nigerian city of Jos. In the following hours, reports of the conflict spread as witnesses reported mobs armed with knives and machetes roving among burning houses, mosques, and churches. The conflict is ostensibly sectarian: Jos is a major city along Nigeria's “Middle Belt” – the fault line which divides the country's Christian-majority south from its Muslim-majority north.

Barbados, Haiti: Power of Love

  20 January 2010

“Yes, there is good emerging from the horror in Haiti, a very great deal of it. If it could, that power – the all-encompassing, ominpotent power of love – would end suffering” – and, blogging from Barbados, B.C. Pires is quick to remind us that “it comes unbidden from human...

Egypt: Detained Bloggers Tell their Tales

  20 January 2010

More than 20 Egyptian bloggers, who were on their way to pay their respects to the families of the victims of the Coptic massacre, were arrested when their train arrived in the village of Naga Hammady in Upper Egypt. They were released shortly afterwards and they are now telling us their side of the story.

Haiti: “Our hope has not died”

  19 January 2010

A truly inspiring update from The Livesay [Haiti] Weblog: “The reports of violence – we don't get those. Have not seen it. Have not experienced it. Nothing even remotely close. People are helping each other and are warm and kind and humble. I only know one thing – Our hope...