Page 58 - Religion Belief
Government tracking theological content driven Salafi, Wahabi websites
A number of websites are under the scanner of security agencies for propagating Salafism and the ultra-conservative practice of Islam known as Wahhabism as part of what is being seen as a carefully-crafted strategy to spread radical Islam in India.
Senior Vatican priest resigns over advances to nun
A senior Vatican priest accused of making advances towards a nun during confession has resigned, the Vatican said on Tuesday. Austrian Father Hermann Geissler resigned as one of three top officials at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which ensures Roman Catholic moral doctrine. "Geissler decided to take this step to limit the damage already done to the congregation and to his community," a Vatican statement said, adding that he "reserves the right for possible civil legal action." A Canonical disciplinary procedure in 2014 let Geissler off with a warning after German former nun Doris Wagner accused him of inappropriate behaviour during confession. "He kept me for hours, kneeling before him, he told me that he loved me and that he knew that I loved him and that even if we couldn't marry, there were other ways," Wagner said. "He tried to take me in his arms and kiss me. I panicked and ran," Wagner said in testimony she put on social media. Wagner also accused another ...
Fernandes' Mangaluru connection: From schooling to trade
George Fernandes chose to go to a seminary in Bengaluru, far away from his home town here, early in his life to escape from his father's legal profession. Born here (then Mangalore), Fernandes joined the St Peter's Seminary at the age of 16 in 1946 after doing high schooling here but stayed there only for two years. His parents sent him to the seminary so that he can become a Roman Catholic priest, a wish that did not materialise. Free thinking and independent that he was from an early age, Fernandes left the seminary after he felt there were blemishes in the church which he found hard to compromise with. He though there was a lot of difference between words and practice in the institution of Church and that rectors got better food than seminarians. According to a published account of his wife Leila Kabir Fernandes on a website, he was excommunicated from the Church for his bold views. He joined the trade union movement here where P. DMello became his mentor. The former .
Where Buddhist spirituality and ancient culture reign supreme (Travelogue)
The picturesque valley town of Paro, dotted with Bhutan's historical and sacred monasteries like Tiger's Nest that clings to a vertical rock cliff with a 200-foot majestic waterfall in its vicinity and wrapped in prayer flags fluttering with fresh cool breeze is far from the madding crowd - literally.
Conference, exhibition celebrate life of Guru Padmasambhava
An international conference and exhibition of rare artefacts is celebrating the life and legacy of 8th century Buddhist sage Guru Padmasambhava here on Tuesday. Organised by Centre for Escalation of Peace (CEP), India International Centre and Sahapedia, the conference titled "Life and Legacy of Guru Padmasambhava" also celebrated the 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan. During the two-day conference distinguished scholars from India, Nepal and Bhutan, will highlight the contemporary relevance of the Guru's teachings as well as "the rich, diverse tradition associated with the 8th century Rinpoche". The conference is accompanied by an exhibition of rare thangka paintings, sculptures and photographs associated with the sage. "Guru Padmasambhava undertook many travels across India, Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal. A study into his travels demonstrates his ability to contextualise and localise his message, taking into account the particularities of place and sensibilities of .
Stories of Jews finding refuge in India recounted at UN's Int'l Holocaust Remembrance Day
Poignant tales of compassion of Jews finding refuge in India in the midst of the horror of the Holocaust were recounted as the UN commemorated the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 commemorates the tragedy of the Holocaust that occurred during the Second World War. It commemorates the genocide that resulted in the death of an estimated 6 million Jews. India's Permanent Mission to the UN co-hosted with B'nai B'rith International a special event 'India: A Distant Haven during the Holocaust' here Monday as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres voiced concern over the centuries-old hatred being "not only still strong", but also "getting worse". India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said the commemoration was an opportunity to recount the moving tales of compassion amid the tragedies of the Holocaust, and to promote the civilisational values that are key to preventing such crimes against humanity ..
Man arrested for kidnapping 2 girls as he wanted daughter
Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested a man named Krishna Tiwari who was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of two girls.According to the police, the man kidnapped the girls because he wanted daughters, and already has two sons.Police said, "Man claims he had two sons and no daughter, that is why he did it. Not relying too much on his statements, will request the Court to allow us to get his psychiatric assessment done.
Suman Kumari becomes Pakistan's first Hindu woman judge
Suman Kumari has become the first Hindu woman in Pakistan to be appointed as a civil judge, according to a media report. Suman, who hails from Qambar-Shahdadkot, will serve in her native district. She passed her LLB. examination from Hyderabad and did her masters in law from Karachi's Szabist University, Dawn reported. According to Pawan Kumar Bodan, her father, Suman wants to provide free legal assistance to the poor in Qambar-Shahdadkot. "Suman has opted for a challenging profession, but I am sure she will go places through hard work and honesty," the father said. Her father is an eye specialist while Suman's elder sister is a software engineer and another sister is a chartered accountant. Suman is a fan of singers Lata Mangeshkar and Atif Aslam. This is not the first time that a person from the Hindu community has been appointed as a judge. The first judge from the Hindu community was Justice Rana Bhagwandas, who served as the acting chief justice for brief periods between 2005 and
Appropriateness of reciting 'asatomaa satgamaya, tamosomaa jyotirgamya' in KVs goes to Constitution Bench
The Supreme Court on Monday referred to a Constitution Bench a plea questioning the compulsory recitation of Sanskrit and Hindi hymns, including "asatomaa satgamaya, tamosomaa jyotirgamya", during the morning assembly of Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV) across the country.
UK student cracks theologian Andrew Fuller's religious code
A divinity student in the UK has found a way to decipher hundreds of pages of shorthand notes left by leading Baptist theologian Andrew Fuller that has baffled academics for generations. Jonny Woods from the University of St Andrews has worked out how to read shorthand notes left by Fuller, who is best known for founding the Baptist Missionary Society. Hundreds of pages of his sermon notes are held in archives, but until now they have been a mystery to academics, the BBC reported. The third-year undergraduate was able to decipher the shorthand after an academic traced a longhand equivalent. Fuller, who was born in Cambridgeshire in 1754, became a Baptist minister. Such was his international standing, he was offered honorary doctorates by both Yale and the College of New Jersey - now Princeton. While he wrote a number of influential works before his death in 1815, his early sermons and other documents have survived only as shorthand notes. They remained inaccessible until Dr Steve ...
Bodh Gaya blast in retaliation of alleged atrocities against Rohingyas in Myanmar: NIA
The Bodh Gaya blast in 2018 was carried out in retaliation of alleged atrocities against the Rohingyas in Myanmar and to overawe the Indian government by the terrorist act, according to a supplementary charge sheet filed on Monday in a Patna court by the NIA. It said Bangladesh-based terrorists group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen was responsible for hatching the conspiracy to attack Bodh Gaya temple and other symbols of Buddhist faith. In the charge sheet, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) named six people behind carrying out the attack. One of them is Bangladesh resident Md Jahidul Islam, and the other five are Md Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim, Mustafizur Rahman and Arif Hussain from West Bengal, according to a statement issued Monday. The NIA said investigation has revealed that Md Jahidul Islam alias Kausar along with the other accused formed a terrorist gang and hatched a conspiracy to plant IEDs in the Bodh Gaya temple complex and other symbols of Buddhist faith. "The ...
SC refers petition against recital of Sanskrit prayers in KVs to Constitution Bench
The Supreme Court Monday referred to a Constitution Bench the question whether compulsory recitation of morning prayers in Sanskrit by students of Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs), irrespective of faith and beliefs, violates their fundamental right. A bench of Justices R F Nariman and Vineet Saran said the question would be examined by a Constitution Bench and referred the matter to Chief Justice of India for listing it before a larger bench. "We think this is an issue of importance and a Constitution Bench should examine it," the bench said. The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Jabalpur-based advocate Veenayak Shah who has challenged the compulsory recitation of morning prayers in Sanskrit by students of KVs across the country. During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said that meaning of Sanskrit 'shlokas' is a universal truth and merely because it is written in Sanskrit, it does not make it communal. To this, Justice Nariman said that the ...
New Delhi should engage all stakeholders to end militancy in J-K: NC
The National Conference Monday said New Delhi should take steps to end the three-decade-old militancy in Jammu and Kashmir by taking effective steps of engaging all stakeholders. "We hope that New Delhi will take steps to end the three-decade-old unrest and militancy in J&K by taking effective steps of engaging all stakeholders, including our neighbour, in a sincere and meaningful dialogue," Additional General Secretary, NC, Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal said. He also demanded restoring J&K's Constitution to its "pristine glory". "Altering constitutional position through dubious means over the years is the basic cause of the present unrest in the state," he said. Kamaal alleged that forces inimical to India's diversity of religion, region, language, colour, caste and creed were being encouraged. "India's strength is its pluralistic ethos and its diversity of culture and religion," he said.
Pope reaffirms priest celibacy but makes case for exception
Pope Francis is ruling out any lifting of the celibacy requirement for priests but says there's reason to consider ordaining older, married men in remote communities where priests are in short supply. Francis said he believes priestly celibacy is a gift for the Catholic Church and opposes a blanket change to make it optional. But he said "pastoral necessity" might justify alternative options in certain parts of the world. "I think the problem should be opened in this sense: Where there's a pastoral problem because of a lack of priests," he said. "I'm not saying it should be done, because I haven't reflected or prayed enough about it. But theologians must study it." Francis' comments, to reporters on the way home Sunday from Panama, open the way for discussion about celibacy in the run-up to a big meeting of bishops from the Amazon at the Vatican in October. Brazil's bishops have long pushed for the church to consider ordaining so-called viri probati, older married men of proven ...
SC refers to Constitution bench plea against Sanskrit, Hindu hymns at KVs
Supreme Court on Monday referred to the Constitution Bench, a plea challenging the compulsory recitation of Sanskrit and Hindi hymns in the morning assembly of the central government-run Kendriya Vidyalaya schools.A bench headed by Justice Rohinton Nariman sent to the Constitution Bench to decide the petition, which objected to the recital of Sanskrit hymns like "tamso maa jyotirgamya" and "Asato Ma Sadgamaya" by students.The plea filed by a lawyer Veenayak Shah contends that the compulsory singing of Sanskrit hymns at the school assembly every morning strangles the spirit of scientific inquiry and amounts to religious instruction, prohibited under the Constitution.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Kendriya Vidhyala Sangathan told the apex court that "tamso maa jyotirgamya" is written in Sanskrit and reciting hymns in Sanskrit doesn't make anyone Hindu."It has nothing to do with religion. Just because it's written Sanskrit doesn't make it communal and non-secular," ...
Lakhs Gathered to Celebrate the 100th Incarnation Day of 2nd Master of Dera Sacha Sauda, Shah Satnam Ji Maharaj in Various Locations Across India
/ -- 100th Incarnation day of 2nd Master of Dera Sacha Sauda, Shah Satnam Ji, was organised at Shah Satnam Ji Dham, Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa on Friday, 25th January. Followers from both, near and far-flung areas from Haryana visited the Ashram to celebrate the birthday of the 2nd Master. This day, is in fact the most awaited event of the year for the followers. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/814104/Dera_Sacha_Sauda.jpg ) A Naamcharcha was organised in the campus to mark this occasion where recordings of Satsangs by Dera chief were played. A new welfare work was added to the list of 133 welfare activities, taking the count to 134. As part of this welfare activity, followers pledged 'will not resort to activities that add to pollution and will take every effort to curb pollution.' followers also distributed stationery, ration, blankets, warm clothes to the needy. Distribution of these essential items was also undertaken by Dera followers across the globe. Dera has been trying .
Gujarat mosque opens doors for people across religion
Sending a message of communal harmony a mosque here has opened its doors for people across all religions.Masjid Umar Bin Khattab located in Rakhial area has started an exhibition where people from any religion can come and witness the activities going on in the Mosque. The organiser of the exhibition told ANI, "The main motto is to initiate communal harmony among people. Today, people have wrong impressions about the activities that take place in a mosque. So, we kept it open to let people know what exactly is happening here. We request other mosques also to follow this trend so that people can understand our religion."A Hindu visitor said that it is a very nice gesture. He added, "I am happy that they have kept the mosque open for all. Today, I came here and witnessed the Namaz, which gave me positive vibes.
K'taka brawl: Parameshwara meets Anand Singh, inspects inquiry committee's development into matter
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday inspected the work of the inquiry committee, which was constituted by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) to probe the incident of brawl that took place between three Congress MLAs earlier this month.Before heading to the committee to investigate the development into the matter, the deputy chief minister and state minister Krishna Byregowda met Congress MLA Anand Singh here at the Apollo Hospital, who is undergoing treatment following a scuffle at a resort near Bengaluru where the Congress party had sequestered 76 lawmakers to protect them from poaching by the BJP.Anand, who sustained injuries during a brawl with MLA JN Ganesh, has been shifted to specialist eye hospital Narayana Nethralaya in Bengaluru on Thursday.Singh was moved from Apollo Hospital owing to a severe eye injury.Ganesh was suspended on Monday by Congress Karnataka unit general secretary VY Ghorpade on the directions of state unit president Dinesh ...
Ijtihad needed to tackle modern challenges to Islam: Khurshid
Former Union minister Salman Khurshid Sunday said there is a need to resort to ijtihad to interpret Islam to tackle modern challenges before the Muslim community. Ijtihad is an Islamic term implying a process of deducing legal decisions based on the Quran. "In modern and contemporary society, there is a great need for a serious look at ijtihad to interpret Islam in terms of modern challenges," said Khurshid, replying to a question on as to who speaks for Muslims in India. The problem, however, lies in acceptance of interpreters and their interpretations, he added. In India, we have Muslim Personal Law Board; lot of people accept it, but lot others do not," said Khurshid. Similarly, the country has the Supreme Court, but lot of people question if it is equipped to deal with the core of Islam, he added. Khurshid was speaking here at Jaipur Literary Festival session on 'Islam: Multiple Histories'. He also urged his community members to look within. Elaborating on Islam in India, the ...
If a hand touches a Hindu girl, then that hand should not exist: Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde
Union Minister of State Anant Kumar Hegde on Sunday courted a fresh controversy by saying that "if a Hindu girl is touched by a hand, then that hand should not exist." Addressing a gathering here, Hegde said: "We have to rethink about priorities of our society. We shouldn't think of caste. If a Hindu girl is touched by a hand, then that hand should not exist."Hegde had recently stoked a controversy with his 'daylight rape' comment which he had made in the context of persistent violence in Kerala after the Supreme Court allowed the women of menstrual age to enter the Sabarimala temple. "The Supreme Court has given the direction. I totally agree with that, but at the same time since law and order is a state subject, the Kerala government should know how it has to be dealt with," he had said on January 10. "The Kerala government had completely failed to manage it diplomatically without hurting the faith of the masses. It is a daylight rape on the Hindu people," Hegde had ...