Page 63 - Religion Belief
Religious teacher, student put on Restriction Orders for extremist views
A former Singaporean religious teacher and his student have been placed under restriction orders for promoting extremism and undermining Singapore's secular laws by advocating "armed jihad" against "infidels", the Home Ministry has said. Murad Mohd Said, 46, has been placed under Restriction Orders (ROs) under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for spreading exclusivist and extremist teachings that promote violence, making him the first person who was once accredited as a religious teacher to be issued with an order under the ISA. He taught that it was compulsory to kill apostates, defined broadly to include non-believers, Sufis, Shites and Muslims who have renounced Islam or disregarded texts and rulings from the Quran and Sunnah, Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday. A person issued with an RO has to adhere to several conditions and restrictions such as refraining from travelling out of Singapore or from changing address and employment. Said also taught that ...
Islamic teacher placed on restriction order for extremist teachings
A religious teacher and another person were placed under restriction order (RO) by Singapore authorities for extremist teachings that promote violence, according to a Ministry of Home Affairs statement. Murad Mohd Said, 46, has been placed on a RO under the Internal Security Act for spreading exclusivist and extremist teachings that promote violence, the statement issued Wednesday stated. He taught that it was compulsory to kill apostates, defined broadly to include non-believers, Sufis, Shi'ites, and Muslims who have renounced Islam or disregarded texts and rulings from the Quran and Sunnah, it said. The statement said a person issued a RO has to adhere several conditions and restrictions such as not allowed to travel out of Singapore and change address and employment. Said also taught that Muslims were allowed to defend themselves by waging armed jihad against infidels who persecuted them, it said. Murad also encouraged his students to withdraw from Singapore's secular society, ...
Nuns who protested against bishop transferred; won't go, they say
Four nuns -- who went on a public protest last year demanding arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who then headed the Roman Catholic Diocese in Jalandhar in Punjab -- were on Wednesday handed transfer orders asking them to shift to different places but they declined to oblige.
Kerala: Four nuns protesting against rape-accused bishop asked to leave Kuravilangad Convent
The Missionaries of Jesus on Wednesday sent a reminder notice to four nuns, who have been protesting for the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal for allegedly raping their fellow nun, to leave their convent in Kerala.Last year in April, the Missionaries of Jesus gave transfer order, but, the four nuns refused to move out from Kerala's Kuravilangad Convent.Notably, these nuns had issued public statements in connection with the rape case against the Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal last year. However, on the basis of the findings unearthed by its inquiry commission, the Missionaries of Jesus in September 2018 stated that the four nuns were influenced by the "thoughts of rationalists."In a statement released by the Missionaries of Jesus, it was reiterated that the victim, along with other nuns and four other people, were conspiring against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, and accused the nuns of tampering with the visitor's register and the CCTV system on the day of the incident."Victim's friend was
One in three Christians in Asia faces persecution: report
One in three Christians in Asia faces high levels of persecution after a "shocking increase" of religious-based threats and violence across the world, particularly in China and sub-Saharan Africa, a global advocacy group said Wednesday. Around half of China's 100 million Christians encounters persecution, "the worst it's been in more than a decade", following "new laws seeking to control religious expression", the Open Doors watchdog said. Following North Korea on the list are Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Sudan, Eritrea, Iran, India and Syria. India entered the top 10 for the first time, Open Doors said, as "Hindu extremists act with impunity and violent attacks on Christians and churches rise". Persecution worldwide increased for the sixth straight year, with a total of 245 million Christians - one out of nine worldwide - facing high levels in 2018, up from 215 million, or one in 12, the previous year. "Worldwide, our data reveals that 13.9 per cent more Christians are ...
Four nuns who protested against rape-accused bishop asked to
Four of the five nuns who led an agitation against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal in Kerala have been directed to leave their convent in Kottayam district in compliance with a transfer order issued last year, sources said here Wednesday. Their congregation --Missionaries of Jesus under Jalandhar diocese of the Roman Catholic Church-- has directed the nuns to join the convents they were assigned previously as per the transfer orders issued between March and May in 2018. However, the nuns, who have been staying with their colleague, allegedly subjected to rape and unnatural sex by Mulakkal, stated they would not leave the convent in Kuravialangad. The protest led by the nuns and Catholic reformist forums here in September had led to a public outrage and demands for action against the bishop. Bishop Mulakkal, a senior member of the Roman Catholic clergy in India, was arrested in September last following allegations by the nun that he repeatedly raped and sexually ...
Fundamental human right to religious freedom is under attack: Trump
US President Donald Trump has said that fundamental human right to religious freedom is under attack and rued that over time, legislative and political attacks on it have given way to actual violence. Stating that attacks on people of different faith and their worship areas have increased, Trump said that his administration is taking action to protect religious liberty and to seek justice against those who seek to abridge it. "Unfortunately, the fundamental human right to religious freedom is under attack. Efforts to circumscribe religious freedom -- or to separate it from adjoining civil liberties, like property rights or free speech -- are on the rise," Trump said on Tuesday in a proclamation on the occasion of the Religious Freedom Day. He said: "Over time, legislative and political attacks on religious freedom have given way to actual violence. Last October, we witnessed a horrific attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -- the deadliest attack on the ...
Vishnu Hari Dalmia passes away
The land of Lord Krishna and Radha Rani was shocked on the demise of former International President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Vishnu Hari Dalmia, this morning. An exponent of Hindu culture , 91 year old Vishnu Hari Dalmia was instrumental in giving a befitting renovation to Sri Krishna Janmasthan Mathura based temples alongwith his father Jai Dayal Dalmia, Kapil Sharma ,secretary Sri krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan said. He said, indisposed for the last one month, Dalmia breathed his last in his Golf Link based residence, Delhi today. Though he played crucial role in Ram Janmabhumi agitation, he said, however, his last wish of watching a majestic Ram temple in Ayodhya remained unfulfilled. He was former Prabandh Nyasi (managing trustee) of Sri Krishna Janmasthan Mathura, he said. Sharma said, social service was his religion as during his life he never missed an opportunity to provide relief to humanity, through different projects, specially in Brijbhumi, even at the cost of his ...
Protests erupt after 2 women of menstrual age begin trek to Sabarimala
Protests broke out at Neelimala in Kerala on Wednesday morning after two women aged below 50 began trekking up the hill to visit the Sabarimala temple.The women devotees were surrounded by a large number of protesters after they crossed the base camp to begin the trek towards the hill shrine.Kerala Police personnel are present at the spot to handle the situation.Further details are awaited.On September 28 last year, the Supreme Court had lifted the ban on the entry of women aged between 10 and 50 years into the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala.Nearly four months after the verdict, Bindu and Kanakadurga, both aged below 50, entered the Lord Ayyappa temple to offer prayers.After their entry, a purification process took place in the temple, while violent protests broke out across the state with agitators pelting stones and blocking the national highways.
Kumbh: Saints light 33,000 'diyas' wishing for early construction of Ram Temple
As part of the ongoing Kumbh Mela, a group of saints lit 33,000 'diyas' (earthen lamps) in Prayagraj wishing for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya at the earliest."We'll light total 11 lakh lamps in a month. We believe that the construction of Ram Temple will start immediately after the conclusion of Kumbh," a saint, Moni Maharaj said.The Supreme Court has fixed January 29 as the next date of hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute after Justice UU Lalit recused himself from hearing the case. A new bench will now be constituted.About two crore pilgrims took a holy dip in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystic Saraswati on the first day of Kumbh 2019 on Tuesday.Seers and saints from 13 Akhadas as well as different pilgrims from all around the world also worshipped and offered prayers at the banks of the river.The 55-day long Kumbh Mela will end on March 4. It is the largest human congregation in the world, with over 130 million pilgrims expected to ...
Mass religious conversion must be stopped in India: Rajnath Singh
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that mass religious conversions are a matter of concern for any country including India and must be stopped."If someone accepts a religion out of his choice, then nobody should raise an objection. However, mass conversion is a matter of concern for any country including India," he said."If you are a Hindu, be a Hindu. A Muslim should be a Muslim; a Christian should be a Christian. Why do you want to convert the whole world," asked Singh.He said that mass religious conversion in India must be stopped. "India is a land of peace and mass religious conversions must be stopped here," Singh said, while speaking at a function here.He said that the majority community in India is demanding an anti-conversion law, which is a matter of concern and is contrary to what happens in other countries."In Britain and America, minority community demands anti-conversion laws, but here in India, the majority community asks for it. It is a matter of ...
Kumbh's first day drew record 2.25 cr devotees: UP CM
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said the first "Shahi Snan" (royal bathing) on the first day of Kumbh at Prayagraj drew a record crowd of 2.25 devotees.
AAP's Sanjay Singh threatens protests if FIR not scrapped for march against 'demolition' of temples
Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh Tuesday demanded that the BJP government in UP withdraw an FIR registered against him and his followers, saying he will continue protest over alleged demolition of temples in Varanasi. Singh alleged that Yogi Adityanath government is "destorying" the holy city of Varanasi by demolition of temples for Kashi Vishwanath corridor project. The AAP leader had taken out 'BJP Bhagao, Bhagwan Bachao' march from Ayodhya to Varanasi along with his supporters last week. "The administrations of all the districts through which the march passed was informed about it. Yet the Yogi Adityanath government and its police registered a case against me, my six companions and over 250 other people," Singh said at a press conference. He said he will sit on a 'dharna' at Faizabad (Ayodhya) on January 23 if the FIR is not scrapped. Singh has been on the forefront on opposing alleged demolition of temples due to the construction of the 700-metre-long Kashi ...
Modi returns after praying at Padmanabha Swamy temple
Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended his brief trip to Kerala on Tuesday after praying at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple here.
BJP destroying Varanasi's history in name of development: AAP
Attacking the Uttar Pradesh government for "demolishing 36 temples" for the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi, AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh on Tuesday said the BJP is destroying the history of the ancient city in the name of development.
Kumbh 2019: 2 crore take dip on first day
About two crore pilgrims took a holy dip in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystic Saraswati on the first day of Kumbh 2019 being organised here from today.As per mela administration, the arrival of saints and pilgrims to the Sangam banks had started since last night itself and over two crore people had taken holy dip on different Ghats of Sangam by Tuesday evening.Seers and saints from 13 Akhada's as well as different pilgrims from all around the world also worshipped and offered prayers at the banks of the river.Uttar Pradesh government also deployed a helicopter to shower flower petals on pilgrims at the banks of Sangam on the occasion of first Shahi Snan.Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also arrived at the Kumbh and was spotted welcoming the pilgrims with flowers and sweets.Speaking about the ongoing fair, Maurya told ANI: "Crores of people have come here on this auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti. I welcome all the saints and bhakts (devotees) who have ...
We do not discriminate, says Rajnath; demands debate on mass conversion
"Whether we win or lose... we will not discriminate among people," Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Tuesday at a function organised by a Christian body during which he also made it clear that mass conversions need to be checked across the country. Singh said he supports freedom to follow any religion but was of the opinion that a debate is needed as mass conversion is a matter of concern for any country. He said as far as the government is concerned there will not be discrimination with anybody. "I have never discriminated on the basis of caste, creed and religion in my life. Whether or not we get votes. Whether or not we form the government, whether we win or lose. But we will never discriminate among people. This is what our prime minister feels," he said at the function organised by Rashtriya Isai Mahasangh. Singh said one cannot be in power and rule without love. "One can only rule with love. There is no other way," he added. "I would also say one thing on the Christian community.
1.4 crore people take dip as Kumbh Mela begins - and a centuries old ritual continues
The sacred baths began at break of dawn as the sun rose faintly over the horizon and went on through the day till the last rays set over the Sangam, the chants of "Har Har Gange" reaching a crescendo as lakhs of people took a dip to mark the beginning of the Kumbh Mela on Tuesday. By end of day, about 1.4 crore people had taken the ritual bath in the holy waters of the Sangam here, administration officials estimated. Makar Sankranti, which marks the beginning of the festival, is one of the sacred bathing days of the 50-day Kumbh Mela. The confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati has called out to the religious for centuries and Tuesday was a continuation of an ancient ritual that has stood the test of time, history and modernisation. Undeterred by the cold, a couple with their hands held tight stood waist deep in the river, a woman, her hands cupped, offered water to the rising sun, an ascetic took a dip with his eyes closed in veneration while a group of children ...
Punjab CM seeks waiver of passport condition for Kartarpur visit
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday sought waiver of the passport condition for pilgrims to pay obeisance at Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan on the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev.
MP celebrates Makar Sankranti with zeal
Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday celebrated the festival of Makar Sankranti with gaiety and zeal as thousands of people thronged temples and river banks to offer prayers and take part in rituals.