· October, 2012

Stories about Religion from October, 2012

Arab World: Sandy Unleashes Wrath of God on Infidel America

As the world turned its eyes to New York and New Jersey to follow the news of hurricane Sandy, and the destruction it has caused, many across the Arab world debated whether the storm was the embodiment of the wrath of God - unleashed against the infidels and in retaliation to US foreign policy. Seriously.

31 October 2012

Arab World: Salafi Awkward Moments

Recognised by their long beards, and short garbs (thobe), Salafists, who follow a strict interpretation of Islam, were the butt of jokes on Twitter under a new hash tag #SalafiAwkwardMoments. While the West ponders on how to deal with them, let's tune into Twitter to see how funny netizens think they are.

24 October 2012

Pakistan: Developing Viewpoints on Malala Yousufzai

Malala Yosufzai, the female education activist who was shot by Taliban, has become a symbol for an enlightened and moderate Pakistan. Her name is being eulogized in prose and poetry in her homeland and beyond. However, an Anti-Malala Syndrome has also developed simultaneously.

19 October 2012

Greece: Theater Critic Assaulted by Neo-Nazi and Religious Protesters

Religious groups and neo-nazis protested against gay-themed play Corpus Christi in Athens on 11 October, 2012. Deeming it blasphemous, they assaulted a theater critic and forced the cancellation of the performance. Netizens reacted in shocked outrage, demanding an end to the unchecked spiral of violence perpetrated by neo-nazis in recent months.

14 October 2012

Russia: Getting It Wrong on the Pussy Riot Prisoner's Dilemma

RuNet Echo

Reactions to the release of Yekaterina Samutsevich have generally been myopic and misleading. The popular "insight" is that the authorities are maneuvering to "divide and conquer" the punk rocker trio. That is undoubtedly part of what's happened, but it isn't the whole story.

12 October 2012

Pakistan: Religious Extremists Attack Malala Yousufzai

Malala Yousufzai, a 14 year old girl, was shot and severely wounded by Taliban for her activism. She is famous for her ‘Diary of a Pakistani School girl‘ which reveals the onslaught of the Taliban against girls education in Swat, Pakistan. Netizens condemn this horrendous act.

11 October 2012

Pakistan: Riots Aftermath – Project Cleanup for Peace

On September 21, 2012 peaceful protests in Pakistan against the film insulting prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) turned violent and properties were burnt and people lost their lives. Contrary to the tide some youths started a facebook event called “"Project cleanup for peace“, which gathered more than 2500 volunteers to cleanup the mess on the streets in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

7 October 2012

Kazakhstan Joins the Ban on Anti-Islam Film

Kazakhstan has joined a number of other countries in banning the controversial anti-Islamic film "The Innocence of Muslims." The ban has sparked debates in the country about the effectiveness of this measure and its potential implications.

5 October 2012

Bangladesh: The Value Of Co-existence

Fundamentally, we enrich each other in this life not by merely co-existing but by seeing the value in each other’s existence. And, by helping each other grow, thrive, and prosper, we enrich ourselves.

5 October 2012