· May, 2012

Stories about Religion from May, 2012

Slovakia: “God Can Cure You”

On May 26, approximately 50-60 opponents of the upcoming Gay Pride gathered [sk] in Bratislava for a rally organized by the Association for Protection of Family, together with the Citizens’ Association for Christian Values and Traditions. The main organizer, Jozef Dupkala, offering a helping hand to homosexuals, said: “Your current...

South Korea: Taking Evolution out of Textbooks

  22 May 2012

An atheist blogger who works as an English teacher in South Korea, Chris Hallquist wrote about some efforts made to strip evolution out of science textbooks. Based on his experience in South Korea which he defines as ‘a pretty secular country’, the blogger commented on the Christian organizations’ influence on...

Mali: Protests Call for National Unity in Gao and Timbuktu

  22 May 2012

Following protests in Timbuktu in April 2012, citizens of the city of Gao have taken to the streets to protest about the demands and orders imposed by the Islamic groups currently occupying northern Mali. Malian bloggers and their readers react to the protests as well as to the current situation in Northern Mali.

Peru: Controversy Over Banning of Popular Priest

  21 May 2012

Netizens immediately reacted after news broke that the Cardinal Priest and Archbishop of Lima, Juan Luis Cipriani, had decided not to renew the ministerial license for Father Gaston Garatea, a well-known Peruvian priest. According to some analysts, the cause of the decision was Father Gaston's stance on homosexuality and civil unions.

Pakistan: Twitter Goes Through Weekend of Censorship

  20 May 2012

On Sunday 20 May, Twitter users in Pakistan suffered a total blanket censorship across all ISPs in Pakistan on order of the Pakistan Telcommunucation Authority who cited the reason as censoring blasphemous contents. However, the netizens think that the authorities were testing their url filtering service.

Georgia: No Sex and the City

No Sex and the City — Georgian Liberal (an oxymoron) blog comments on the physical confrontation between priests accompanying religious parents and LGBT activists marching in Tbilisi, Georgia. The blog details events as they happened, including the alleged inaction of the Georgian police when they were asked to intervene to...

Brazil: ‘Hands That Cure, Words That Heal’

  15 May 2012

With their herbs, gestures, prayers and comforting words, folk healing is an important element of Brazilian culture. Although some people believe that traditional healing art is disappearing, folk healers from two Brazilian cities have just had their activities recognised by pioneering laws.

South Korea: Monks Caught in Gambling, Smoking and Drinking Scandal

  15 May 2012

In South Korea, six leaders of the nation's biggest Buddhist order were caught playing high-stakes poker, along with drinking and smoking. The case was disclosed through leaked video footage that shows high-profile monks gambling at a luxury lakeside hotel just days before a national holiday celebrating the birth of Buddha.

Cuba: Radio Marti Editorial Controversy

  9 May 2012

“Radio Marti last week published and broadcast an editorial, ‘The Cardinal’s limits,’ that asserted that Cardinal Ortega is involved in ‘political collusion’ (contubernio) with the Cuban government…”: The Cuban Triangle suggests that Radio Marti also has its limits.

Jamaica: Better to Give

  9 May 2012

“The Bobo Shanti youth are well spoken and have a serene gentleness about them…[they] are excellent ambassadors of Rastafari”: Jamaian litblogger Geoffrey Philp finds himself “drawn to how they greet each other and me with the words: ‘Blessed Love.'”