Stories about Religion from September, 2012
Bangladesh: Attacks on Indigenous Unsettle Chittagong Peace
A series of attacks on indigenous people have unsettled the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Bloggers reckon that these attacks were planned and were politically motivated.
Spain: Should the Church Pay (All) its Taxes?
In May of this year, Zamora became the first city in Spain to enforce that the Catholic Church pay Property Tax (IBI). Social networks have captured information and a variety of comments on the topic.
Pakistan: Taking Off Hijab
The blogger of Kiss My Roti takes off her hijab and provides the reason for it.
Russia: Ominous Predictions of Conflict in Dagestan
Dagestan is among Russia’s most impoverished and ethnically diverse republics. Recent tension between Sunni Sufi and Salafi communities suggest more conflict may not be far to come.
Kyrgyzstan: Court Bans Anti-Islam Film
The recent ban on the anti-Islam film 'Innocence of Muslims' in Kyrgyzstan has triggered lively debates among the country's internet users. While some netizens support the ban on the "offensive" video, others argue that restricting access to the film limits their freedom.
Afghans Show Restraint Over Anti-Islam Film
In spite of fears, Afghanistan saw relatively muted protests a result of the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims. On the internet front, YouTube was blocked and Afghan hackers targeted a Christian website.
Tunisia: Civil Society and the Sharia State
Tunisian blogger Lina Ben Mhenni argues that belonging to any religion or culture is a “product of chance.” She says: And when, together with bloggers from my country, we attempted to participate in one manner or another in the awakening of our people and the uprising against the dictatorship, it...
Pakistan Bans YouTube Over Controversial Video
In an attempt to appease the growing unrest in the country, the Government of Pakistan decided to block the social networking site YouTube as of Monday, September 17, 2012. The move came hours after protests in the southern city of Karachi turned violent, leaving two protesters dead.
Romania: “Church and State”
At OpenDemocracy.net, Luke Dale-Harris writes about the Romanian Orthodox Church's “threatening influence on democracy in the country.”
Tunisia: In Defense (sort of) of French Weekly on the Muhammad Cartoons
As the French ministry of foreign affairs decided to temporary shut down 20 embassies [fr] after the publication of Muhammad Cartoons by French weekly Charlie Hebdo, Linda Doufari in Nawaat takes a nuanced defense [fr] of the magazine. Doufari argues that although the decision is on par with the low level quality of...
Australia: Violence at Sydney Protest Against Anti-Islam Film
Jim Brown, on his blog Grace Filled World, reflects on the nature of Anger and Mercy, in light of the violent protest in Sydney on Sunday 16 September 2012 over the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims.
Saudi Arabia: Authorities Threaten to Block YouTube
Saudi Arabia is threatening to block YouTube, if the latter does not block access to all the clips which lead to the 14-minute trailer of the movie Innocence of Muslims. Saudis, who have ranked first in worldwide YouTube views, overall, reacted to the statement with anger and sarcasm.
World: Hilarious Muslims Rage on Twitter
Twitter was a happy place for Muslims today, who took turns to pour out their rage, 140 characters at a time. Some were even creative enough to share memes in response to Newsweek's latest cover story.
Sudan: YouTube Banned After Protesters Burn German Embassy
Angered by the trailer of a movie which insults Prophet Mohammed, made by an Egyptian in the United States and posted on YouTube, Sudanese protesters burned the German Embassy in Khartoum. Netizens weigh in as Sudanese authorities block access to video sharing site YouTube.
Iran: Much Ado About Anti-Islam Movie
The Iranian government and protesters in Tehran joined in calls demanding for the US government to condemn anti-Islam movie, The Innocence of Muslims. The film has led to furious protests in several countries.
Pakistan Reacts to Anti-Islam Movie
Pakistan has reacted to the anti-Islamic movie which prompted protests in Libya that left the US Ambassador and others dead. Diplomatic agencies across the country have tightened security, but so far protests have been angry yet peaceful.
Russia: Religiosity & the Murdered U.S. Ambassador
Responding to the attack on U.S. embassies across the Muslim world (specifically the murder of Ambassador Christopher Stevens in Libya), Russian bloggers have addressed the perceived growth of religiosity in their own country, and used the incident as an opportunity to discuss the wider consequences of political unrest.
Pakistan: On ‘The Innocence of Muslims’ Film
A 13 minute trailer of controversial film ‘The Innocence of Muslims’ was recently released via YouTube. The movie is said to be strongly anti-Islamic and protests against it were held in several countries, leading to the death of the US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and his three aides. Pakistani netizens react.
Arab World: Outrage Over Killing of US Ambassador in Benghazi
Arab netizens have condemned the cowardly attack on the United States Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, last night. Four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens were killed when militants fired rockets at them as they were being driven to a safer location after protesters surrounded the consulate building.
Lebanon: A Virtual Museum for Censorship
Lebanese non-governmental organization MARCH has launched the country's Virtual Museum of Censorship, which seeks to document censorship cases in Lebanon from the 1940s to date.
