Stories about Religion from March, 2011
Japan: The Tsunami, God and Man
A few days after the disaster that killed more than ten thousand people, Italian vice-president of the National Research Council (CNR) Roberto De Mattei and Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara left the Italian and the Japanese blogosphere astounded when they declared that the catastrophe occurred as a manifestation of God’s will. Both in Japan and in Italy bloggers reacted and demanded their resignation.
Colombia: Controversy Over Photos of Minors Published by Adult Magazine
An article, titled "Let the children come to me" (referencing Mark 10:14), which includes photos from an exhibition by photographer Mauricio Vélez depicting staged scenes of nude underage boys (or models pretending to be minors) being watched by actors dressed as Catholic priests has caused controversy both offline and online.
Egypt: The Constitutional Amendments
About one month after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians went to vote on constitutional amendments, on Saturday, March 19. The referendum is on a group of articles in the constitution that discuss the Presidency and Parliamentary elections and the requirements for candidates. Here, new and old voters alike share their stories.
El Salvador: 31 Years Since the Death of Archbishop Oscar Romero
“On March 24, 1980, Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot and killed while saying Mass at the chapel of the Divina Providencia. Romero had spent the last two-plus years of his life as Archbishop working tirelessly to prevent the country from falling into open civil war,” Mike explains at Central American...
Zambia: Opposition Leader Risks His Political Neck Over Gays
Leader of Zambia’s biggest opposition party, the Patriotic Front, Michael Sata is in political hot water because of an interview he allegedly gave to a Danish newspaper in which he stated that Zambian laws in fact recognise homosexuality.
Lebanon: Anti-Sectarian March on Mother's Day
Trella posts (Ar) the call for the Anti-Sectarian March taking place today, March 20, 2011, and considers it as a gift to all mothers. Mother's Day in Lebanon is celebrated on March 21st, which is also the first day of the Spring Season.
Lebanon: Anti-Sectarian Movement
Isqat Al Nizam (Bringing Down the System) is a blog (Ar) dedicated to the rallies and demonstrations aiming at dismantling the Lebanese sectarian laws and system.
Georgia: Journalists Dismissed Because of Facebook Hate Speech
On 18 March 2011, the Georgian Public Broadcaster dismissed two of its journalists, Giorgi Tukhareli and Giorgi Gabrichidze, because of offensive comments they made on Facebook against homosexuals as and the Vatican as well as the Catholic Church.
Pakistan: Citizens In Action After Minority Minister's Assassination
On the 2nd of March, an unknown gunmen shot and killed Pakistan's Federal Minister For Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti. He was assassinated for their stance on the blasphemy law. A letter writing campaign initiated by a blogger to protest this received responses from over 15,000 people from different walks of life.
Saudi Arabia: King Promises Saudis More Money
More money was promised to Saudis today, following an address by King Abdulla to the nation. In a short address, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques thanked clerics, writers and the Ministry of Interior for their efforts in defending the kingdom. Announcements and decrees then followed that billions would be dished out on Saudis.
Eritrea: How we celebrate “Meskel”
A holiday in my country, Eritrea: “I’m from Eritrea which is in the horn of East Africa. We have a religious holiday called “Meskel” which means “cross”. The holiday is about how our ancestors find the holy cross. It is in September.”
Macedonia: Holocaust Memorial Center Opens in Skopje
Balkanalysis.com writes about the Holocaust Memorial Center opening ceremony, held in the capital of Macedonia on March 11: “Even though things will never be as they once were in a country where little more than 200 Jews survive, at least for a moment one could feel something of what the...
Bangladesh: Internet In An Evolving World Of Faith, Religion and Spirituality
Bangladeshi blogger Sadiq M. Alam at Inspirations And Creative Thoughts writes how seekers of faith are increasingly using Internet in their seeking.
Maldives: Fostering Extremist Ideas
Hassan Ziyau is not happy with Maldive's efforts to suppress extremist ideas where “hate preachers continue with hate mongering and brain washing the youth”.
Haiti: At the Intersection
Throwing Down the Water witnesses a scene which reminds her that “we contain infinite possibilities. And that if we accept the excuses most easily available to us, we are selling ourselves – and the world – short.”
Cuba: The Release List
The Cuban Triangle has the list of the most recent Cuban prisoner releases.
Jamaica: On Lent
“My view on Lent is that it is really meant to be a time for personal renewal”: Grasshopper Eyes The Potomac considers ways in which he can best honour the Lenten season.
Saudi Arabia: “Demonstrations are Forbidden in This Country”
Saudi Arabia's council of senior clerics issued a statement forbidding public protests. The announcement caused a storm of reaction from Saudi tweeps.
Turkmenistan: Hidden islamists on the Internet
The presence of radical Islamism in Turkmenistan is almost a legend, as the government is adamant that the threat is practically non-existent and under thorough control. neweurasia’s Annasoltan goes online to discover the truth, and what she finds is something very unpleasant.
USA: Twittersphere Debates Kristof Column on Islam
A column by New York Times writer Nicholas Kristof riled the Twittersphere today. In the column, Kristof asks if Islam is the reason for stagnation in the Middle East and North Africa. Readers take issue with his characterizations of the region.
Nigeria: Jesus Film in Hausa
The “Jesus film”, a 2 hour docudrama on the life of Jesus Christ based on the Gospel of Luke is now available in Hausa.
