Stories about Religion from July, 2010
Philippines: Santa Rosa City Photos
FILIPINO eSCRIBBLES posts more than a dozen pictures of the church, old houses, and other historical sites of the Philippine city of Santa Rosa.
Trinidad & Tobago: Up Paramin Way
“This village is stunning – the scenery, the variety of panoramic views, and even the crops on the steep hillside are mesmerising”: MEP Caribbean Publishers visits the village of Paramin,...
Is Religion Good for China?
Kai Pan looks into the blooming of Christianity in China in recent years and addresses the question on whether religion is good for China.
Bangladesh: Constitutional Reforms
An Ordinary Citizen discusses about the recent process of constitutional reforms in Bangladesh, the controversies surrounding it and expectations from it.
Brazil: Disgust at prejudice against atheists on live TV
Robson Fernando comments [pt] on a declaration of the police-show host José Luiz Datena who has “associated atheists and disbelief in God with everything that sucks” and said that “Atheists...
Hungary: Poet Endre Ady
Hungarian Spectrum writes about Endre Ady (1877-1919), “one of the most famous Hungarian poets.”
Poland: “Rydzykisation”
Raf Uzar writes about the outcome of the Polish presidential election and the “rydzykisation” of the country.
Jamaica: Reverend's Case Postponed
Girl With a Purpose provides an update on the Dudus extradition case.
Poland: Nowy Sacz Logo Controversy
the POLSKI blog reports that the pastoral ministry of the southern Polish city of Nowy Sacz thinks that the city's new logo “promotes Satanism and homosexuality.”
Israel: “Oliver Stone is a Nutcase”
“Oliver Stone is a nutcase,” announces Yael, from Life in Israel. “Oliver Stone has come out with some virulently anti-semitic comments, claiming that Jews control the media, downplayed the Holocaust,...
Chile: Controversy Over Pardon Proposal by Catholic Church
The Chilean Catholic Church has announced a proposal regarding the need to pardon certain people convicted of crimes on humanitarian grounds. The proposal has sparked debate on the Chilean blogosphere, as the original request could have included a pardon for those convicted of human rights abuses during Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship.
Saudi Arabia: Muttawa in Action
Saudi Woman shows a visitor the Muttawa (religious policemen) in action in one of the malls.
Iraq: Ban on topless women?
After France imposed a ban on the veil, Iraqi Layla Anwar tweeted: “I am looking forward to see a ban on topless Western tourists on Muslim countries beaches…”
South Africa: What would you ask God if you had the chance?
Last week, South African blogger Khaya Dhlanga asked people on the “Internets” what they would ask God if he said they could ask him anything. He has posted some of the answers on his blog. One reader, Busi31, for example, would like to ask: "Can you also make me turn water into wine?"
Saudi Arabia: Dear Moron
In Saudi Arabia, all businesses shut down during prayer times. Ahmed Al-Omran sends out the following tweet: “Dear moron at post office who refused to serve me b/c “it's prayer...
Egypt: Liberals mourn the death of Dr. Nasr Hamed Abu Zeid
Dr. Nasr Hamed Abu Zeid, a prominent Egyptian scholar once accused of apostasy for his contemporary interpretation of Islam, has died on July 5, 2010. He was 66. Officials at the Cairo hospital where Abu Zeid had been receiving treatment for the past two weeks said he died Monday from a brain infection. Liberal Egyptian bloggers mourn his death.
Egypt: Niqab ban in France stirs controversy
The lower house of the Spanish Parliament is debating a proposal to prohibit the wearing of body-covering burqas and face-covering niqabs in all public spaces in Spain, and the French parliament just approved a ban on niqabs (face veils). Bloggers from across the Middle East react.
Russia: Anti-Religious Online Group Closed
“Antireligion” group in the social network “Vkontakte“, with more than 8000 members, had been closed and its content deleted, ru_antireligion reports [RUS]. Prosecutor's office, that was checking the group for...
Pakistan: Perceptions And Accountability
Kiss My Roti says that the perceptions of “terrorism” and militant violence in Pakistan is shaping the social, political and cultural response to it by the Pakistanis. The blogger asserts...
Russia: ‘Orthodoxy or Death’ to Degenerate Art?
"Orthodoxy or death!" is the war cry sounded in recent weeks as forces of religious reaction have entered into fierce battle with liberal arts, in an apparent Russian parallel to the Muhammad cartoon case. The cause of conflict is the trial and conviction of two art curators for a 2007 Moscow exhibition of contemporary art.
Palestine: A Green Home Away from Home
In this post we hear about two women with a great love of nature: a nun who has found her home in the convent garden, and a city-dwelling mother who has brought her dreams of a village garden to the balcony of her apartment.
