Stories about Religion from July, 2006
Japan: Obon
Marie Mockett writes Japundit about Obon festivial in Japan, it is a Buddhist holiday for memorizing the dead.
Somalia: Congressional testimony
Ahmed Quick posts in full the testimony of George Washington University Professor David H. Shinn, State Department coordinator for Somalia, on the emerging system of Islamic courts in Somalia. “Many Somalis…welcomed the forced departure from Mogadishu several weeks ago of most of the bickering warlords by the Islamic court supported...
Ukraine: Mormons and Local Women
Everybody I Love You writes about the Mormon missionaries in Kharkov and young Ukrainian women: “‘I've had babas (old women) say, ‘I don't want to speak to you about your church, but here, meet my grandaughter’.’ Polite that these young men are, the young women are often invited to English...
Somalia: Students of the Taliban
Chippla comments on the application of Islamic law by the new regime in Somalia. “Why should 21st century African societies be subject to 7th century Arabic laws?” he writes.
Somalia: Pray or die
Ethioblog and The Voice of Somaliland Diaspora both react to an edict handed down by a top cleric in the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) regime emerging in Somalia, to the effect that Muslims who don't observe prayers five times daily will be put to death. Ethioblog draws a fair...
Blog buzz from India: Religion, politics and Monsoon
Religion, politics, monsoons etc. etc.
El Salvador: Top 10 Romero Quotes
Tim Muth has reposted an interesting list of quotes from slain Salvadoran archbishop, Oscar Romero.
India: Temples and religion
Temples seem to be going through a controversial time. This time, it's about a non-Hindu entering one. “National award winning actress Meera Jasmine was made to apologize and pay for purification rituals for having entered a temple in Kerala inspite of being born into a Christian family.” Drisyadrisya updates on...
Lebanon: Maronite church
Maronite church in Lebanon is under attack, and his church is suddenly facing an existential battle against forces determined to weaken its influence. Mind you, that would be a good thing if the aim was to separate church and state, but that is sadly not the objective, Abu Kais said.
Hunger strike & Gaza conflict
Akbar Ganji, dissident journalist and writer, invited Iranians to join him in a three day hunger strike on 14 – 16 July to attract world-wide attention to political prisoners in Iran. Several bloggers supported his proposition but some expressed their doubt about such an action. From virtual world to a...
Bangladesh: Muslim in America
Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying on being a Muslim Immigrant in America. “Even though I have spent most of my life in America I still carry the weight of being an immigrant and a Muslim in post 9/11 America. After 9/11 my loyalties were subject to question. Suddenly...
Malaysia: Questions for the Foreign Minister
Lucia Lai is taking the Malaysian Foreign Minister to task for not practising domestically the ideas he is preaching internationally. “wah!! can go overseas to have an interfaith dialogue while right here in our own homeland there are so many people objecting to the interfaith commission (IFC). IFC will be...
Lebanon: The Shia and the scapegoat
Abu Kais writes controversial piece about Shia in general (Lebanon Shia in particular). He said: “When you’re a member of a persecuted minority, you often need a scapegoat to go with your world view. Ever since Shia Islam developed as a quietist branch of Islam, Shia religious scholars have been...
Iran: Abtahi's father in jail
Mohammad Ali Abtahi, former Vice President & blogger, confirmed in his blog that his father, Ayatollah Abtahi, and his brother are in jail. The blogger says many asked me to know if this Mr. Abtahi who is in jail because of his ideas concerning Hidden Imam is my father or...
US, Caribbean, Africa: Anglicanism under fire
“I feel the American church leadership is far more in tune with the spirit of love and acceptance than the churches in Africa and the Caribbean, or even the English church,” says Trinidad-based Jeremy Taylor, as he weighs in on the controversies threatening to divide the international Anglican Communion in...
Polish Blogosphere Update
With missionary zeal The Poland Pulse blogs about the latest English camps coming to Poland. By no means clandestine, the camp project to convert Catholic women to a less formalistic Christianity hopes to demonstrate that: …following Christ is much more than going to church and paying homage to a religious...
Burkina Faso: Taxi fair
Missionary blogger Keith at Under the Acacias introduces a day in the life of a taxi-driver in the capital, Ougadougou, asking: “If you as a rich tourist can easily afford the extra 10p that may help buy the driver's children's dinner, should you worry if he charges you extra just...
Manila flip-flops on sex education
Education officials of the Philippines decided to pull-out modules on sex education after the powerful Catholic Church opposed the teaching of sex in schools.
This week in the Syrian blogsphere
To start off, like always Ammar Adulhamid has a very interesting article about the role that Arab/Syrian Americans are now playing in the democracy fight back home, and the role they could play, giving the example of the Arab-American Anti Discrimination Committee's last conference… The reality is Arab Americans have...
