Stories about Religion from May, 2011
Thailand: Foreigners banned from getting religious tattoos
Saksith Saiyasombut reacts to the order of a Thai government official banning foreigners from getting religious tattoos in Thailand
Bolivia: Do Massive Religious Images Promote Tourism?
Luis Ramos in Citizen of La Paz [es] writes about two projects in Bolivia to build “the largest religious statue in the world” and asks: “can religious images alone promote tourism?” He argues that before building “cement idols” Bolivia should focus on creating adequate conditions for tourists to visit cities...
Philippines: Online campaign to defeat Reproductive Health measure
The Catholic Church has turned to cyberspace in its bid to defeat the proposed Reproductive Health bill now pending in Philippine Congress.
Kenya: Catholic Church Should Cleanse Its House
The Catholic Church in Kenya should cleanse its house, argues Sue at Jamii Ya Kenya blog: “The recent accusation of a priest Renato Kizito of sexually abusing his secretary is shocking but not strange, because this is not the first time he is accused of sexual abuse. In 2009 he...
Indonesia: Tweeting a trial on religious violence
The twitter account @cikeusiktrial was created to monitor the trial of a mob attack against an Ahmadi congregation in Cikeusik Sub District in Indonesia. The attack was witnessed by 30 police officers who did nothing to prevent the religious violence.
Egypt: Religious Minorities after the Revolution
On Mideast Youth, Ahmed Zidan shares this podcast on religious minorities in Egypt after the January 25 revolution.
Bermuda: Gay Rights
“Bermuda has a long history of discrimination rooted in slavery, the restricted vote and racial segregation. Those who championed resistance to these injustices, those who have benefited from their elimination, should be sensitive to any discrimination set upon any other group”: Respice Finem wants to put gay rights back on...
Russia: Peaceful Religious Co-Existence in Tatarstan
At OpenDemocracy.net, Oleg Pavlov writes about Jadidism, “an Islamic movement common among the Muslims in the Volga and Urals region,” and peaceful religious co-existence in Tatarstan.
Kenya: Documentary on child abuse by Catholic priests
Njamba discusses the lastest expose by Irish TV on child abuse by Catholic priests in Kenya: “I just finished watching a 53 minute documentary aired by an Ireland TV station on clerical abuse in Africa and there were four cases of Kenyans two boys and two girls who were abused...
Russia: Most Users of Popular Social Network Are Russian Orthodox
Ten million users of the most popular social network in Russian Vkontakte.ru consider themselves Russian Orthodox, news agency Interfax reported. It is the most popular religion on Vkontakte.ru followed by Islam (1.5 million users) and Buddhism (363 thousand users).
Africa: Bloggers Discuss The Failed Rapture
The American Christian radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicted that the Rapture would take place on May 21, 2011, when Christians will be caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus Christ. It is May 24, 2011 and we are still here. Bloggers in Africa discuss the failed Rapture.
Caribbean: Reflections on the Rapture
So the world was supposed to end this past Saturday - at least according to some religious sects. Caribbean bloggers write about how one man's delusion had an impact on the region and put a humourous spin on surviving the end of the world.
Cuba: More on “The Student”
More details on the death of Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia, from Without Evasion.
Iran: 30 Bahais are arrested
Azadi Ghlam reports [fa] Iranian security forces arrested 30 Bahais for ‘online university’. The Bahais are barred from higher education and government posts
Bulgaria: People Bring Flowers to Sofia's Mosque
Ruslan Trad (@ruslantrad) writes that people were bringing flowers on Saturday to the mosque in Sofia where clashes between a right-wing group and local Muslims took place the day before.
Bulgaria: Right-Wing Group and Muslims Clash in Sofia
Ruslan Trad reports on the violent clashes that erupted in Sofia during today's nationalist rally against a mosque's loudspeakers, between sympathizers of the nationalist Ataka party and local Muslims.
Cuba: Pastor Speaks Out
Dissident Juan Wilfredo Soto García‘s pastor has a blog and is using it to “raise [his] voice for Juan Wilfredo.”
Afghanistan: “Attorney General Dancing Drunk” scandalous video
The Rumi posts a YouTube scandalous video with Abdul Jabar Sabit, former Afghanistan Attorney General, who “jailed many people in Kabul for calling it crime against Islam”.
Sri Lanka: Buddhism And Its Impact On Governance
A Concerned Citizen at Groundviews criticizes the Sri Lankan leadership’s aggressively defensive behaviour on many issues, which do not represent what the Buddha taught.
Russia: Church of Scientology in Moscow
English Russia re-posts and translates LJ user ottenki-serogo‘s photo report [ru; over 1,300 comments] on the Church of Scientology in Moscow.
Lebanon: Getting Typical Directions in Beirut
“Meet me by the church next to the mosque across from the nightclub in Downtown” is a typical direction that you may get in Beirut, according to This is Beirut.
