Stories about Religion from April, 2010
Benin: Iyanda's diary in Benin
Funmi's diary about her visit and filming experience in Benin: “After all the mystery and hushed tones l had experienced during the research about the holy Aruosa church, l had expected a much more impressive building but the church was pretty nondescript.”
Haiti: Getting it Wrong
Haitianalysis.com points out all the ways in which a British newspaper columnist gets it wrong about Haiti.
Nigeria: Forced marriages and the age of consent
Sokari discusses forced marriages and the age of consent after the former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Sani Yerima marries a 13 year old Egyptian girl for whom he paid her family $100,000.
France: Reactions over Niqab and Polygamy Controversy
Lies Hebbadj is currently making the headline news because his wife was fined for driving while wearing a niqab and because he said himself that he has three more households. His statement led him to be suspected of polygamy and therefore possiblyof French gaming welfare laws. Although many bloggers, including Rokhaya...
Ecuador: Don Bosco in Manta
The relic of the Roman Catholic Saint “Don” Bosco has been making its way around Latin American, and Joselias Sánchez Ramos writes about the stop of the “guest of honor” in Manta, Ecuador [es], which attracted large crowd of the faithful.
Afghanistan: Taliban reintegration plans
Nick Fielding reflects on the plans to reintegrate Taliban fighters back into society of Aghanistan, reviewing a new report by the Afghan Analysts Network.
Afghanistan: Kabul’s Restaurant Raids
Kabul expat writes that last week four of most popular alcohol-serving restaurants in the capital of Afghanistan were raided in quick succession, sending chills through the expat community.
India: A Minority In The World Of Believers
“Beliefs are what divide people. Doubt unites them. I doubt the dogmas that's why today, I am too minority in the world of believers,” comments Indian blogger Himanshu Rai at Sparsh.
Guyana: Calling for a Vote
Guyana's Imran Khan suggests that there “be a vote in the community” when it comes to the amplification of the Muslim call to prayer: “I am convinced that there will be a landslide victory to cease the amplified adhan…[and] have it continue by a natural human voice only.”
Uruguay: Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Verdún Shrine
Uruguayans participate annually in a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Verdún in the town of Minas, and 2010 marks 109 years since the faithful have been making the journey [es]. Estela of the blog Abre Cabezas [es] also posts photos and videos [es] of a previous visit.
Lebanon: Marching for Secularism
Lebanese Laïque Pride will hold a rally for secularism on April 25. They are a group of citizens who are calling for the full implementation of article (c) of the Lebanese Constitution's preamble: “Respect for the freedom of opinion and belief,” “social justice,” and “equality of rights and duties between...
Bangladesh: Women Must Not Be Forced To Wear Veils
Shamim Ashraf at Straight from Bangladesh informs about a recent court ruling in Bangladesh which asserts that “none can force women, working at public and private educational institutions, to wear veils or cover their heads against their wills.”
Philippines: Holy Week rituals
Journalist Gel Santos Relos writes about the Holy Week rituals practiced in the Philippines
France: Muslim woman on the burqa debate
In an interview with Bondy blog [Fr], Malika, 28, a veiled French Muslim woman of Algerian descent, expresses her detailed views about the burqa and niqab, amidst the debate, reheated by the French government, for or against a bill that would ban the burqa.
Maldives: The Issue Of Veil In Focus
Rehendhi is uncomfortable with the fact that the issue of veil is becoming a focus in Maldives, due to exploitation of religion in politics.
Saudi Arabia: Religious Police in Trouble?
The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice rules Saudi Arabia with an iron fist. Crossroads Arabia reports what could signal trouble to the commission – better known as the religious police.
Lebanon: First Muslim-Christian Feast
“This year, Lebanon finally celebrated its first Muslim-Christian feast: the Annunciation (البشارة) on March 25th… At first, I was quite skeptical about this inter-religious feast…[later] I started to feel that there was something good about that celebration…” writes Worried Lebanese about the newly declared unified Muslim-Christian Holiday commemorating the Virgin...
Lebanon: Chant and Scent
While hundreds of well dressed Lebanese were flocking towards the churches of Beirut to the religious chants emanating from loud speakers, a strong scent of the shiploads of cows penetrated every street and house. This took place on the night of Good Friday as reported by Bech.
Morocco: Are Christians at Risk?
In early March, observers watched as around 20 long-time Christian orphanage workers were expelled from the country they called home. The incident, and others which followed it, have brought to light the debate surrounding Christianity in the Kingdom.
Guatemala: The Colorful Sights of Holy Week
Holy Week, which is celebrated the week before Easter, is an eagerly anticipated time in Guatemala. With colorful religious traditions and the abundance of typical foods, local bloggers have been experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells of Holy Week.
Philippines: Online Visita Iglesia
The faithful can now have the Visita Iglesia, or the traditional Filipino custom of visiting at least seven churches where they can commemorate the fourteen Stations of the Cross on Holy Thursday, online. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines recently launched the “online Visita Iglesia” for those “who cannot...