· March, 2011

Stories about Religion from March, 2011

Japan: The Tsunami, God and Man

  31 March 2011

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

  28 March 2011

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

  24 March 2011

“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...

Pakistan: Citizens In Action After Minority Minister's Assassination

  19 March 2011

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”

  15 March 2011

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

  15 March 2011

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...

Haiti: At the Intersection

  11 March 2011

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.”

Jamaica: On Lent

  10 March 2011

“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.

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.