Page 35 - Religion Belief
Some North Dakota GOP lawmakers abstain from Hindu prayer
Some Republican North Dakota House members abstained Tuesday from an opening floor session prayer by a Hindu cleric, marking the second time in recent years some GOP representatives have objected to an invocation from a non-Christian. Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism in Nevada, offered prayer as the guest chaplain in the House, a day after he delivered the invocation in the Senate without incident. Lutheran pastor and freshman Rep. Jeff Hoverson of Minot sat at the back of the chamber to "protest" the prayer. A handful of other lawmakers also stood or sat at the back of the chamber during the prayer, which was the first in the chamber by a Hindu. The lawmakers returned to their seats on the floor when the prayer was over. Hoverson said he met with Zed prior to floor session to tell him his protest "was nothing personal." He said the two hugged, exchanged handshakes and business cards. The Senate and House convene daily with a prayer by the chamber's guest ...
I have worked on my consistency: Prasidh Krishna
Young Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Prasidh Krishna is looking to be consistent this season, an aspect he feels is the biggest attribute a bowler can add to his arsenal.
10 lakh first-timers among 4.51 crore voters in Gujarat
More than 4.51 crore voters, including 10.06 lakh first-timers, are eligible to exercise their franchise across the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in Gujarat that goes to the polls on April 23, a top official said Wednesday. The figure, which saw a drop in third gender voters, was arrived at after revision of electoral rolls in the state. Between September 1, 2018 and March 25, 2019, a total of 10.05 lakh voters were added to the existing list in the revision carried out in two phases, Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Murali Krishna said. The total number of eligible voters in Gujarat now stood at 4,51,25,680 -- 2,34,28,119 crore males, 2,16,96,571 crore females and 990 from the third gender, he said while addressing a press conference here. The revision of electoral rolls involved addition, deletion, updating of details and change in address. The number of third gender voters came down by 149 to 990 following the revision carried out between February 1, 2019 and ...
Aussie MP slammed for Christchurch attack remarks
The Australian Senate on Wednesday slammed a lawmaker for blaming Muslim immigration as the cause for the New Zealand mosque attacks that killed 50 people.
Maharashtra Cong chief accuses Shiv Sena of insulting religious sentiments of Jains
Accusing Shiv Sena of hurting the religious sentiments of Jain followers, Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora urged the community to teach them a lesson by not voting for them in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections."Shiv Sena has been against the minorities. A few years ago, the party insulted Jain religion by cooking meat outside Jain temples during Paryushana festival. Remember, you have to teach them a lesson through your votes," Deora said at a programme at Zhaveri Bazar on Tuesday.Paryushana, an annual event where Jain community observe fast for a period of eight days, is usually celebrated in August or September.It is worth mentioning that Deora was appointed as Mumbai Congress party unit last month replacing Sanjay Nirupam.Maharastra will go to polls for its 48 parliamentary constituencies in the first four phases of elections starting from April 11.
Agree or face consequences, Nayantara Sahgal on message from powers-that-be
Author Nayantara Sahgal on Tuesday said the message from those in power was clear -- either agree with them or suffer the consequences. Sahgal, who was conferred with the first Bhai Vaidya Smruti Gaurav Puraskar here, could not attend the award ceremony in person but a pre-recorded video speech was played at the event. The award was received by noted author Kiran Nagarkar on behalf of Sahgal. "We are living in an India that has no connection with our modern political past. Secularism is under attack. Equal rights and equal citizenship are in tatters, and Indians have been divided into Hindus and others," Sahgal said in the video clip. "The truth is that this divide is not between Hindus and others. It is between a militant creed called Hindutva and those whom it calls others, and it is a negation of all that Hinduism represents," she added. Sahgal asserted that many Hindus were opposed to this communal ideology and its political agenda of vengeance and violence against fellow Indians .
Outcry over Harry Potter book burning by priests in Poland
The burning of Harry Potter "magic" books by priests in Poland triggered a wave of protest in the majority Catholic country on Tuesday with critics making comparisons with totalitarian regimes and the Inquisition. The Episcopate has so far declined to comment on the burning in a parish at the Baltic port city of Gdansk after Sunday mass. A post detailing the incident on a Facebook page run by the Catholic "SMS from Heaven" evangelical group has gone viral, drawing heavy flak both online and off, but also pockets of support from internet users. Three priests burned books and other items they regarded as sacrilegious, including tomes from British author J.K. Rowling's famed Harry Potter series of fantasy novels. Father Jan Kucharski, the priest in the parish where the book burning took place, told the natemat.pl news website they had set fire to items "linked to the occult and magic" in line with Biblical exhortations against practising idolatry. Two altar boys are also shown standing ..
BJP will not give ticket to Muslims as they do not believe in
Senior Karnataka BJP leader and former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa has said his party will not give tickets to Muslims to contest the elections as they do not believe in the party. "We will not give...We will not give ticket to Muslims in Karnataka. Why? (because) you do not believe in us. If you believe and vote us, if you understand us, we will see," Eshwarappa said on Monday at Koppal. He also alleged that the Congress party has only used Muslims as a "vote bank." However, the senior leader from the Kuruba community Tuesday clarified that he was not hater of any community including Muslims and his statement was in response to a specific question about Iqbal Ansari, a political leader fromthe district, getting ticket from the BJP. "Correction:I'm not the hater of any community including Muslims. My statement was about a question asked will Iqbal Ansari get ticket from BJP? Whenever a new person joins he is not given any post,he has to work hard and earn the ...
Brunei brings new sharia laws into force amid outcry
The tiny Southeast Asian nation of Brunei brings into force on Wednesday harsh sharia laws, including death by stoning for gay sex and adultery, that has sparked an international outcry and fears among some citizens.
Pope: Women have 'legitimate claims' for justice, equality
Pope Francis says women have "legitimate claims" to seek more justice and equality in the Catholic Church, but has stopped short of endorsing more sweeping calls from his own bishops to give women decision-making roles. Francis on Tuesday issued a document inspired by an October 2018 meeting of bishops on better ministering to today's young Catholics. The meeting was marked by demands for greater women's rights, and the final document called the need for women to claim decision-making positions in the church "a duty of justice." In the lengthy document "Christ is Alive," Francis endorses no such conclusion. He writes that the church must be attentive to women's "legitimate claims" for equality and must better train men and women with leadership potential.
Pope warns against hate-fomenting 'fake news'
Internet-based "fake news" is fomenting prejudice and hatred, Pope Francis said on Tuesday, warning our culture "has lost its sense of truth and bends the facts to suit particular interests". He issued the stark warning in a letter to young people around the world following last October's youth-themed bishops' synod. "There are huge economic interests operating in the digital world, capable of exercising forms of control as subtle as they are invasive, creating mechanisms for the manipulation of consciences and of the democratic process," the pope wrote. Social networks encourage contact between people who already think alike, precluding them from debate, he said. "These closed circuits facilitate the spread of fake news and false information, fomenting prejudice and hate." The Argentine pontiff cited prolific Catholic teenager and Internet user Carlo Acutis, who died of leukaemia in 2006. "He saw that many young people, wanting to be different, really end up being like everyone else,
Do you support SC's judgment or have a different approach: Chilkuri Balaji temple's head priest questions Rahul Gandhi over Sabarimala
Welcoming Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Wayanad in Kerala, head priest CS Rangarajan at the popular Chilkur Balaji temple here said he was curious to know the opinion of the Congress chief on the Supreme Court judgement to allow women into the Sabarimala temple."We will welcome Rahul Gandhi to south India as he is contesting from Wayanad, Kerala. On behalf of Hindu priest community, we have a few questions for him as he is showing lot of interest towards temple system. On the issue of Sabrimala Temple, Supreme Court gave judgment.. So, are you supporting the judgment or do you have any different approach," Rangarajan told ANI.Ragarajan added, "On the issue of eve teasing of girls in Pollachi, DMK party leader Viramani made a comment which hurt Hindu sentiments. As you have aligned with the DMK party in Tamil Nadu, are you going to support him or are you going to make him apologise for his statements?"The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests .
Congress seeks Modi's apology for remarks on Rahul
The Congress party has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's apology for his remarks over party chief Rahul Gandhi choosing to contest also from Wayanad in Kerala as his second seat apparently because the Congress is "scared" that Hindus will punish them for "Hindu terror" remarks and therefore running away to minority-dominated seat.
LS polls: Congress declares nine more candidates
The Congress on Monday night declared nine more candidates for the coming Lok Sabha polls, taking the total number of names announced so far to 325.
DMK is not anti-Hindu, says DMK chief M K Stalin
DMK president M K Stalin Monday asserted that his party was not against any religion and deprecated what he called a disinformation campaign that his outfit was an "enemy of Hindus." The Dravidian party chief, addressing a poll rally near here described his party nominee for the Arakkonam Lok Sabha constituency, S Jagathrakshakan as a deeply spiritual man who spent his money during his previous tenure as MP to renovate hundreds of temples in Arakkonam, besides developing infrastructure and undertaking other welfare initiatives. "Jagathrakshakan has another specialty. He is a deeply spiritual person. Some are even today criticising DMK as an enemy of the Hindus. Are you saying this even after seeing him (Jagathrakshakan)..?" The DMK chief blamed sections of the media for deliberately creating a false impression that his party was against the Hindus. Citing the popular dialogue "we are not against temples, our principle is that it should not become a camp of the wicked," .
DSGMC plans 'Nagar Kirtan' from Delhi to Nankana Sahib in Pak on Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniv
Delhi's Gurudwara management body DSGMC has planned to take out a grand 'Nagar Kirtan' procession from the city to Nankana Sahib (in Pakistan), the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev, on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of the Sikhism founder. The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has written to the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi to facilitate a meeting between the organising committee of Pakistan for 550th 'Prakash Parab' of Guru Nanak Dev so that all preparations and mandatory clearances can be obtained timely, DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. The committee has planned to make the historic 'Prakash Parab' a memorable event by holding various programmes. Sirsa said a 'Kirtan Darbar' will be organised on September 21 at IP stadium here in which 1100 children from DSGMC schools will recite 'Shabads' and perform 'Kirtan'. A special laser show on the life of Guru Nanak Dev will also be held on this occasion. A second grand 'Kirtan Darbar' has ...
Pakistan's senior Muslim clerics denounce forced conversion of Hindus
Pakistan's senior Muslim clerics and representatives from different religions have condemned forceful conversions, saying Islam doesn't allow such acts and Muslims must provide better environment to minorities in their areas, according to a media report. The remarks made during a joint meeting of the Mutahida Ulema Board (Punjab) and Pakistan Ulema Council on Sunday came amid the nationwide outrage over the alleged forced conversions of Hindu girls in Sindh province. "Islam doesn't allow forceful conversion of non-Muslims," the religious leaders said. They agreed that the issue of alleged forced conversion and marriages of two teenage Hindu girls in Sindh province and other subsequent matters should be settled in accordance with the law and justice, the News reported. The meeting - presided over by Chairman Mutahida Ulema Board and Pakistan Ulema Council Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi - underlined that Islam is a religion of peace, harmony, stability and its teachings have ...
Catholic priests burn Harry Potter books in Poland
Catholic priests in the northern Polish city of Koszalin burned books they say are sacrilegious this weekend, including tomes from British author J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of fantasy novels. "We obey the Word," priests said in a Facebook post showing photographs of the public book burning and quoting Biblical passages from the book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. One passage exhorting believers to destroy the enemies of God includes the passage "burn their idols in the fire". The post shows three priests carrying a basket of books and other items including an African-styled face mask through a church to an outside fire pit. Photographs show priests saying prayers over the fire pit, where other items including a 'Hello Kitty' umbrella and a Hindu religious figurine, are also burning. The Facebook page belongs to the "SMS from Heaven" Catholic evangelical foundation set up to spread Christian message via mobile phone text messages. "I'd like to believe this is a joke... ...
Pope promises 'healing' of Church amid sex abuse scandal
Pope Francis said a process of "healing" had started within the Catholic Church in the wake of a paedophilia summit, but acknowledged guilty priests had not been punished. The Argentine pontiff last week issued stringent child abuse legislation for Vatican City employees as part of the Church's bid to address a wave of sex abuse allegations against priests. In an interview broadcast on Sunday with Spanish TV channel La Sexta, he said he understood that many were disappointed at the lack of concrete results of the landmark Vatican summit in February, but insisted progress was being made. "If I hanged 100 priests in Saint Peter's Square (people would have said) that's good, something concrete," he said in Spanish. "I would been seen to have taken action. But what interests me is not being seen to take action, but starting a healing process and that takes time." Abuse scandals have hit countries around the world, with lives devastated from Australia to Chile, Germany and the ...
TDP MLA faints during campaigning in Penamaluru Assembly constituency
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Bode Prasad fainted during the election campaigning in Penamaluru Assembly constituency in Krishna district.Prasad was immediately taken to a private hospital at Poranki town.After an examination, doctors said that he lost consciousness on account of a dip in his Blood Pressure and that his health condition is currently stable.Election to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to be held on April 11 simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls for 25 parliamentary seats. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.