· January, 2012

Stories about Religion from January, 2012

Pakistan: Moral Policing of Dating Couples Gets TV Show Axed

  30 January 2012

In a recent live Pakistani television show, a group of middle aged women were seen scouring the parks of Karachi to hold accountable the couples dating without their guardians' knowledge. Protests mounted on social media which led to the firing of the anchor and removal of the show from the network.

Cuba: Pope's Visit & Human Rights

  30 January 2012

In the wake of more repression against Las Damas de Blanco, Uncommon Sense thinks “that the pope should postpone his visit until human rights conditions improve in Cuba.”

Cuba: The Cardinal Rule

  27 January 2012

In the context of the country's upcoming papal visit, Angel Santiesteban writes: “What we Cubans have to achieve won’t come from anyone’s visit, nor from the ‘peace concert’, although it had good intentions, nor from the ‘U.S. blockade.’ It will come the day we demand what belongs to us by...

South Korea : Pizza Appears in Lunar New Year's Ancestral Worship

  23 January 2012

Sharing food with relatives that had been offered in the ancestral worship is regarded as the essence of the traditional Lunar New Year holiday in Korea and there are strict and complicated rules to follow in offering food. However, some young Koreans have started offering unconventional food, such as pizza,...

Pakistan: Hate Speech Against Ahmadiya Muslims

  22 January 2012

Saira Ahmad condemns sectarian Jiyalas’ hate speech against Ahmadiyya Muslims. The blogger thinks it was a major crime of the PPP as well as other parties in Pakistan’s parliament in 1974 to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims.

Pakistan: Bigotry Or Blind Hatred?

  17 January 2012

Sana Saleem reports that on last Saturday evening a group of men attacked a church in Manghopir because children were singing carols which allegedly disrupted their prayers.

Lebanon: Her Veil

  16 January 2012

“And when I made up my mind and ran to my mom screaming ”baddi it7ajab” [I want to wear the veil] she looked at me and said if you wear it now will you ever take it off ? I paused and asked her ”Are you ever going to take...

Pakistan: Khutba On A Plane

  13 January 2012

The life and times of two Indians in Pakistan describes an incident where a Pakistani pilot delivered a khutba (mini sermon) for 10 minutes on a regular flight.

Haiti: Two Years, Today

  12 January 2012

Today is the second anniversary of the Haiti earthquake. Regional bloggers post remembrances, here, here and here.

Greece: Criticism of Politicians During Theophany Celebrations

  12 January 2012

In Greece, January 6 is the national holiday of Theophany. Every year, government and civic officials attend the celebrations and make official statements. However, due to the economic, political and social crisis in Greece, this year's celebrations were marked by strong expressions of disapproval and criticism of politicians.

Brazil: “Industries on Christ” Gain Access to Funding from Taxes

  11 January 2012

Blogger Conceição Oliveira regrets [pt] the change in the Rouanet Law made by President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, which “recognizes the gospel music and its related events as cultural manifestations”. Religious performances thus gain access to a certain percentage of the investment off the Income Taxes. For Oliveira in Brazil...

Nigeria 2011: A Year of Small Victories and Great Challenges

  11 January 2012

2011 will go down in Nigeria's history as the year of the nation's third presidential election since independence. For the first half of the year, the blogosphere was abuzz with discussion of the election: protests, campaigns, debates, the role of technology, preparations for the polls, election day itself.

Bahamas: The Gay Agenda

  11 January 2012

A local newspaper carries a story of a pastor warning of “the gay threat from the US and Canada”, prompting Rick Lowe at Weblog Bahamas to ask: “Can't we understand that if consenting adults are homosexual what business is it of yours, mine or the good pastor?”

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