Page 56 - Religion Belief
UAE's tolerance embraces faiths, runs up against politics
The United Arab Emirates has branded a bridge, a new ministry, a family day at the park and even the entire year of 2019 under the banner theme of "tolerance," an elaborate effort that's in overdrive as the country prepares to host Pope Francis starting Sunday in the first-ever papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula. The state's tolerance-themed project, however, has hard limits. While allowing churches and other places of worship to exist, and marking holidays like Christmas, the Hindu Diwali and Chinese New Year with festivals and celebrations, the government has simultaneously stomped out critical political expression in the name of national security. Human rights activists and Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers have been imprisoned, academic research deemed sensitive has been curtailed and human rights groups have been barred entry. Political parties are banned and local media are censored. And while the law prohibits religious discrimination and guarantees the freedom to exercise ...
Catholic migrants in the UAE abuzz ahead of pope's visit
Like millions of his compatriots, Filipino migrant Ray Erwin adores Pope Francis. This weekend, he is counting down the hours to a historic papal mass in Abu Dhabi. "We are very grateful," he told AFP. "It's a chance of a lifetime." Erwin, 44, will be among 135,000 worshippers expected to gather on Tuesday when "Lolo Kiko" (Grandpa Francisco), as the pontiff is affectionately known in the Philippines, holds a vast open-air mass in the Muslim-majority Arabian Peninsula. The pope's three-day trip, which starts Sunday, is the first ever papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula -- the birthplace of Islam. While Muslims make up nearly four fifths of the UAE's population, the country is also home to nearly a million Catholics, according to the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia. Most are from India or the Philippines -- like Erwin, who has a wife and two daughters and has lived there for 20 years. Migrants from Asian countries make up about 65 per cent of the population. Decked out with ...
Ram doesn't belong to any party, all saints must unite for the cause: Ramdev
Citing that no specific political party could lay claim to Lord Ram, Yoga guru Swami Ramdev on Saturday called for all saints to unite for the cause concerning him.Speaking to media, Swami Ramdev said, "Ram doesn't belong to any political party but he belongs to the whole country. Hence all saints must unite and show their devotion towards Ram. No wrong message should go to the nation."The yoga guru said, "If saints don't unite and be honest, how will we maintain the unity and integrity of the nation. Hence I request all sankharacharyas and revered saints that there should be no divide in the nation in the name of Ram".On being asked whether the event scheduled for February 21st, will see participation by all saints, he said, "Approximately 99 per cent of saints of the country are united here and remaining one per cent must think about working with mutual harmony and unity and that is what our vedas also teach us."Several saints, seers and people have been demanding early construction
China cracks down on CPC officials in Tibet having religious beliefs, secret links with Dalai Lama
China's ruling Communist Party is cracking down on its officials who are taking part in religious activities violating party's ideology of adhering to atheism and secretly maintaining contacts with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who has been branded as "separatist" by Beijing. A video produced by the Tibetan provincial government has revealed cases in the region where local Communist Party of China (CPC) members violated the CPC regulations on religion, anti-separatism and anti-corruption, state-run Global Times reported on Saturday. So far three officials have been expelled from the party and 10 others received warning, the report said. The Tibetan authority attaches great importance to the party discipline consistent with a nationwide campaign to strengthen the party management. It regulated 46 violations by local CPC members, including religious beliefs, according to the video produced by the publicity department of the regional commission for discipline inspection of ...
Ban on Students Islamic Movement of India extended for another 5 years
The government has decided to continue its ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) for another five years for indulging in "subversive activities".In a January 31 notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that SIMI "has been indulging in activities, which are prejudicial to the security of the country and have the potential of disturbing the peace and communal harmony and disrupting the secular fabric of the country".The MHA said that if the "unlawful activities" of SIMI are not curbed and controlled immediately, it will take the opportunity to continue its subversive activities and re-organise its activists who are still absconding, disrupt the secular fabric of the country by "polluting" the minds of the people by creating communal disharmony.The government stated that SIMI might continue to propagate anti-national sentiments, escalate secessionism by supporting militancy and undertake activities which are prejudicial to the integrity and security of the ...
Goa Minister apologises for 'likening' Parrikar to Jesus
A Goa minister on Saturday apologised for "likening" Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to Jesus Christ.
Sardesai accuses Cong of twisting his statement on Parrikar
A day after the Congress slammed Goa minister Vijai Sardesai for "likening" Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to Jesus Christ, the latter has accused the opposition party of twisting his statement "to hurt the religious sentiments". On Wednesday, Sardesai had showered praise on Parrikar, saying that like Jesus Christ, he built bridges, not walls. "In the Bible there is a saying that man should build bridges, not walls. Jesus built bridges, not walls....Manohar Parrikar also built bridges. We were also on the other side (in anti-BJP camp). We came to this (BJP's) side because of the bridges he built," the minister had said. A day later, the Congress took exception to the Town and Country Planning Minister and Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief for quoting Bible to praise Parrikar. State Congress spokesperson Rohit Bras De Sa had alleged on Friday that by "likening Manohar Parrikar with Jesus Christ", Sardesai had insulted the Christian community. Reacting to the Congress's ...
Terror suspect Abdul Matin arrested in Mallapuram, to be produced in court today
A joint operation by the West Bengal Police Special Task Force and the Kerala police led to the arrest of terror suspect Abdul Matin from Kerala's Mallapuram on Friday.Matin, an active member of the terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), will be produced in court today.Hailing from Assam's Barpeta district, Matin is one of the 15 trainees from the Simulia Madrasa and Mokimnagar Madrasa in West Bengal's Bardhman district. He was trained along with Nasirullah, a JMB terrorist, who is also an accused in the 2014 Khagragarh blast in Bardhman.Apart from Nasirullah, Matin is a known associate of other JMB members like Moulana Yousuf, the alleged mastermind of the blast, Sahidul Islam, Jahidul Islam among others.The blast was conducted in the Khagragarh locality of Bardhman in October 2014 and two JMB leaders were reportedly killed. The police had seized a huge cache of explosives, including IEDs and RDX from the blast site.
N Korean Christians keep faith underground amid crackdowns
One North Korean defector in Seoul describes her family back home quietly singing Christian hymns every Sunday while someone stood watch for informers. A second cowered under a blanket or in the toilet when praying in the North. Yet another recalls seeing a fellow prison inmate who'd been severely beaten for refusing to repudiate her religion. These accounts from interviews with The Associated Press provide a small window into how underground Christians in North Korea struggle to maintain their faith amid persistent crackdowns. The North's treatment of Christians could become a bigger issue if North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's expected second summit with President Donald Trump produces significant progress, and if Pope Francis follows through on his expressed willingness to take up Kim's invitation to visit North Korea. Most of North Korea's underground Christians do not engage in the extremely dangerous work of proselytizing, according to defectors and outside experts. Instead, they .
Hindus should involve public awakening for Ram temple construction: RSS
Hindus should involve in public awakening so that the process of building Lord Rama's grand temple on the Ram Janmabhoomi begins soon, said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday. "We should involve in public awakening so that process of building a magnificent Sri Ram Mandir is begun at the earliest. At the same time, we must ensure that a govt having a national viewpoint committed to building SriRamMandir comes again," read a tweet by the RSS. This comes after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday was greeted with vociferous demands for early construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya as he ended his speech at the Dharam Sansad in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. Several saints, seers and people have been demanding early construction of the Ram temple.A conglomerate of saints on Wednesday said construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya will start on February 21.Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati on Wednesday told ANI that the 'Dharam Sansad', after a three-day meeting here, decided that the foundation
Pope Francis in historic Arabian Peninsula visit
Pope Francis is set for a historic trip to the UAE, the first ever papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula, as he seeks to boost the Vatican's outreach to Islam. The Argentine pontiff's trip to the United Arab Emirates "couldn't have come at a better time", said Bishop Paul Hinder of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia -- which encompasses the UAE, Oman and Yemen. "With advanced communication tools at everyone's disposal, we are better informed, and this can be put into a broader perspective when we couple it with dialogue," he told AFP. Pope Francis, who has made strengthening ties between the two largest religions a cornerstone of his papacy, will head to Abu Dhabi on Sunday. During his three-day visit, the pope will take part in an interfaith conference and meet Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's prestigious seat of learning. The papal visit is widely seen as a stepping stone to broader interreligious dialogue in the region. The UAE -- which has .
Congress objects to Sardesai 'likening Parrikar to Christ'
The Congress on Friday took exception to Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai quoting Bible to praise Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Sardesai compared Parrikar to Jesus Christ which was an insult to the Christian community in Goa, the party said. Speaking on a motion in the state Assembly Thursday to congratulate the ailing Parrikar for construction of a third bridge on the river Mandovi, Sardesai had said that like Jesus Christ, Parrikar built bridges. "In the Bible there is a saying that man should build bridges, not walls. Jesus built bridges, not walls....Manohar Parrikar also built bridges. "We were also on the other side (in anti-BJP camp). We came to this (BJP's) side because of the bridges he built," said Sardesai, who heads the Goa Forward Party, now a BJP ally. State Congress spokesperson Rohit Bras De Sa alleged Friday that by "likening Manohar Parrikar with Jesus Christ", Sardesai had insulted the Christian community. In 2017 Assembly elections,
Man ends life for not getting mobile phone of his choice
A 19-year-old man allegedly committed suicide at his residence in Kurla here on Friday, as he was apparently upset over not getting a mobile phone of his choice from his family, a senior police official said. The deceased, Nadeem Sheikh, hanged himself from the ceiling fan of the kitchen around 4 am, the official said. "Sheikh wanted a particular mobile worth Rs 37,000, but his elder brother gave him a cell phone worth around Rs 20,000," he said. "Upset over not getting the phone of his choice, he took the extreme step," the official added. A case of accidental death has been registered, police said, adding that further investigation into the case was on.
Ker govt to take a call soon on restoration of rights of Mala
The Kerala government Friday said it would soon take an appropriate decision on the long-pending demand of restoration of various rights of Mala Araya tribe including lighting the 'Makaravilakku' at Ponnambalamedu in Sabarimala. Replying to a calling attention motion by BJP's lone MLA O Rajagopal in the assembly, Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the 2011 Kerala High Court order shows that the members of the tribal community had played a key role in the rituals and traditions of Sabarimala temple. "... after considering all the aspects, the government will take an appropriate decision with regard to the participation of the tribe in performing various rituals including the lighting of the Makaravilakku," Surendran told the house. Makaravilakku appears on the Ponnambalamedu hill, around eight km from the shrine, on Makara Samkrathi day which usually falls on January 14 every year. The lighting of the lamp by the Kerala government with the support of the ...
Vatican magazine denounces sexual abuse of nuns by priests
The Vatican's women's magazine is denouncing the sexual abuse of nuns by priests and the resulting "scandal" of religious sisters having abortions or giving birth to children who are then not recognised by their fathers. The February issue of "Women Church World," a monthly magazine distributed alongside the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, was published Friday. It cited Pope Francis' own analysis of abuse by saying clerical power was at the root of the problem. It said nuns have been silenced for years by fear of retaliation against themselves or their orders if they report the priests who molested them. The publication marks a significant public acknowledgment from inside the Vatican of the problem that the Holy See has long known about but has done next to nothing to address. Last year, after The Associated Press and other media reported on the scandal, the international association of women's religious orders urged sisters to report abuse to police and their superiors, a .
Demands for early construction of Ram temple greet Bhagwat at Dharam Sansad
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat was on Friday greeted with vociferous demands for early construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya as he ended his speech at the Dharam Sansad here. The protesters waving flags shouted in unison demanding early construction of a Ram temple as Bhagwat ended his speech at the Dharam Sansad called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Prayagraj.Several saints, seers and people have been demanding early construction of the Ram temple.A conglomerate of saints on Wednesday said construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya will start on February 21.Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati on Wednesday told ANI that the 'Dharam Sansad', after a three-day meeting here, decided that the foundation stone of the temple will be laid on February 21.He also said the saints and those mobilized for the effort would not be deterred by arrests or any other kinds of obstacles.Their decision came a day after the government approached the Supreme Court for permission to ...
For those in Ayodhya, Modi can make Ram temple a reality
The jury may be out on whether Narendra Modi will lead the NDA back to power. But, for those thronging the Ram Janmabhoomi (RJB) site at this temple town he is "the only man who will get the Ram temple constructed".
Texas reveals names of sexual abuse accused clergymen
Every Catholic diocese in the US state of Texas has released the names of all priests, deacons and other clergy members accused of sexually abusing children.
Catholic leaders in Texas name 286 accused of abusing minors
Catholic leaders in Texas on Thursday identified 286 priests and others accused of sexually abusing children, a number that represents one of the largest collections of names to be released since an explosive grand jury report last year in Pennsylvania. Fourteen dioceses in Texas named those credibly accused of abuse. The only diocese not to provide names, Fort Worth, did so more than a decade ago and then provided an updated accounting in October. There are only a handful of states where every diocese has released names and most of them have only one or two Catholic districts. Arkansas, for instance, is covered by the Diocese of Little Rock, which in September provided a preliminary list of 12 former priests, deacons and others. Oklahoma has two districts: The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is scheduled to publicly identify accused priests on February 28 and the Diocese of Tulsa previously named two former priests accused of predatory behaviour. The move by Texas church leaders follows
Mamata calls for interfaith harmony to promote unity
Urging the people of the country to promote the motto of 'unity in diversity', West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday stressed on the need for interfaith harmony for peaceful coexistence. Banerjee acknowledged the value of interfaith harmony as the need of the hour, especially in the "times of strife and violence". World Interfaith Harmony Week starts today. Acknowledging the value of interfaith harmony in these times of strife and violence is the need of the hour. Let us uphold the motto of 'unity in diversity', Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle. The World Interfaith Harmony Week is a United Nations resolution proposed in 2010 by King Abdullah II and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan. The World Interfaith Harmony Week begins from February 1 every year and aims to promote harmony among all people, regardless of their religion.