· June, 2013

Stories about Religion from June, 2013

Thai Monk On Abortion and Buddhism

  27 June 2013

Takato Mitsunaga of Prachatai interviews Bhikkhuni Dhammananda, a feminist and Buddhist monk, about the spread of abortion in Thailand. About 300,000 abortion cases are reported in Thailand where majority of people believes in Buddhism. Bhikkhuni Dhammananda discussed some misconceptions about Buddhism and how it relates to abortion.

Salafists Attack Shia Homes in Egypt, Killing Four

Four Egyptian adherents of the Shia faith were killed in Egypt today when the house they were meeting in was attacked by Salafists, following two weeks of instigation against the Shia. According to various reports, the house the Shia were meeting in, in Giza, Cairo, was attacked and burned. Al Badil News quotes a witness from the mortuary [ar] who says that one of those killed was slaughtered and the remaining three had injuries to their heads. The horrific incident unleashed anger online.

Burmese Blogger Calls for Religious Tolerance

  17 June 2013

dawn_1o9, a young Burmese blogger, expresses her disappointment over the reported cases of violence between Buddhists and Muslims in some parts of Myanmar: I'm a Buddhist. I'm a Burmese living in Myanmar. But I just don't have anything against the Muslims living in Myanmar….what makes me a true Buddhist is...

Anger Over Attacks Against Myanmar Migrants in Malaysia

  14 June 2013

The ethnic violence in Myanmar seems to be spreading in nearby countries. Some Myanmar Buddhist migrants in Malaysia have been attacked in recent weeks which many people believe are related to the ongoing ethnic and religious tension in Myanmar. The initial response of the Myanmar government to deny the issue angered many netizens

Pastor for South Korea's Biggest Church Charged with Financial Crimes

  14 June 2013

The largest Pentecostal Christian congregation in South Korea, and the world, Yoido Full Gospel church went under fire as its founder and senior pastor Cho Yong-gi await trial along with his two sons. They have been indicted on charges of breach of duty, embezzlement and tax evasion involving tremendous amount of money, a sensational event involving an iconic, mega-church in the country.

Should Kyrgyzstan Ban Tablighi Jamaat?

Following the lead of neighboring countries, Kyrgyzstan is debating banning the activities of Tablighi Jamaat, a controversial non-political movement which aims to bring Muslims towards a deeper embrace of Islamic religious practices. The issue of Tablighi Jamaat has divided political and religious leaders as well as ordinary people in the country.

Barbados: Bush Bath

  10 June 2013

In Barbados, where religion is high on people's list of priorities, Notes From A Small Rock is considering taking a bush bath.

Protests Over ‘Religious Tolerance’ Award for Indonesian President

  1 June 2013

Some Indonesians think their president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, does not deserve the World Statesman Award given to him by a US-based interfaith group. When the award was announced, many people immediately pointed out that the president has done little to address the growing religious intolerance and religious violence in the most populous Muslim country in the world.