Stories about Religion from June, 2007
Indonesia: Visiting Borobudur
Blogger Ivan Henares from the Philippines is visiting Indonesia. Ivan writes about the largest man-made structure in the Southern Hemisphere, the Buddhist temple of Borobudur in Central Java.
Sudan: what drives Khartoum?
Alex de Waal discusses the question, “What drives Khartoum?”
Iraq: Reactions to Priest's Murder
Iraqi blogger Imad Khadduri updates us on the murder of Catholic priest Father Ragheed Ganni and the reactions it generated.
Jamaica: Trusting Walcott
“A battle over individuality, morality, divinity, and spelling was being fought on a Caribbean beach. I loved it.” A passage from Omeros inspires Jamaican Geoffrey Philp to write about why he trusts poet Derek Walcott more than his pastor.
South Asia: Sir Salman Rushdie
Sepia Mutiny on knighthood and Salman Rushdie, and how the writer in the 80s was a strong critic of the British establishment.
Bahrain: MP Branded a Kaffir
A religious Bahraini MP has been branded a “kaffir” – an apostate – and Mahmood Al Yousif discusses how this could become a dangerous trend in society.
Kazakhstan: Krishna Homes Destroyed
KZBlog reports that more Hare Krishna homes have been destroyed and that the community's temple could be destroyed soon.
Sri Lanka: Environment and Religion
Scourge! catches part of a sermon by a Buddhist priest, and points out that the priest appears to suggest that a “western” lifestyle is harmful to the environment.
Israel: Christian Gazans are in Danger
Israeli blogger Yael says Palestinian Christians living in Gaza are in danger – after repeated attacks by Islamic militants.
Arabeyes: The Power of Fatwas
The stir caused by a fatwa or legal opinion by an Islamic scholar, which allows women to breast feed their male colleagues doesn't seem to want to die down. Two unconnected Arab bloggers ganged up this week to express their disgust with such fatwas.
Bahrain: Don't Press ‘Forward’, Press ‘Search’
What do Bahrainis think of conspiracy theories? How pleased are they with the services their ministries offer and the statements coming out of their ministers' mouths? And what does a Bahraini studying in Japan have in common with a homeless man? To answer these questions read this week's review of Bahraini blogs by Ayesha Saldanha.
Iran:Aramesh Doostar,an exceptional philosopher
Majid Zohari says [Fa]you can be for or against Aramesh Doostar’s ideas but his ideas are a real challenge to “official ideology”.Doostar opened a window for people who do not follow a kind of religious ideology.
Egypt: Muslim Christian Clashes Averted
“Everyday when I wake up in the morning I get on my knees and thank God that weapons and arms are not widely available in Egypt. If they were, there would have been some sort of a civil war in Egypt between its Muslims and Christians,” writes the Big Pharaoh...
Miryang
The star of “Miryang” or “Secret Sunshine,” a Korean film, was awarded best actress at Cannes. The film deals in part with religion, and can be seen as critical of Christianity. The issue is sensitive, and this is one of many opinions from bloggers. [ko]
Iran: Ortega in Tehran and Temporary Marriage Promoted
A few days ago, Daniel Ortega, the President of Nicaragua, went on a two day trip to Tehran to meet with Iranian leaders. According to media reports, Ortega said his country and Iran had agreed to “support each other to help Nicaragua” end its poverty. Several Iranian bloggers discussed this...
Egypt: Save Iraqi Mosques
“I don't know what kind of a terrorist group is that that claims to be a defender of Islam and the savior of the Sunni in Iraq and at the same it destroys mosques and shrines !!” exclaims Egyptian blogger Zeinobia.
Morocco: Hajj and Vodka, Fez the Time Warp, and the Top Ten Reasons Why Maroc Telecom Censors
Wondering why Maroc Telecom censors? What brings hajj and vodka together? How can you go to outer space? Jillian York finds the answers to those questions and more in this week's Moroccan blog roundup.
Iran:A Logo to Remind Samarra's Golden Mosque
Muslim Bloggers Association has created a logo[Fa] to remind Samarra's Golden Mosque that was damaged after an explosion today in Iraq.
The proportion of Christians in Korea
The proportion of Christians in Korea is quite different by province. A blogger researched this issue and shows his findings through graphs. [ko]
Morocco: Hajj or Vodka
Moroccan Laila Lalami posts a clipping of a news article on a Hajj lottery, placed next to a Vodka ad. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol.
Fiji: Attending Dalai Lama's Talk
Babasiga blog has highlights from a talk given by Dalai Lama in Australia. The blogger asks “Some of the things he said this trip certainly sounded like universal principles that could well apply to a small nation like Fiji. Are there Buddhists in Fiji?”
