Page 76 - Religion Belief
Congress-led UDF workers to boycott both Women's Wall, Ayyappa Jyothi
The Congress-led UDF here on Tuesday made its position clear that none of their workers will take part in either the Women's Wall organised by the CPI-M or the BJP supported Ayyappa Jyothi that will run through the length of the state.
5,804 NGOs receiving foreign funding carry out religious works: Govt
More than 5,800 NGOs in the country, which receive foreign fundings, carry out various religious activities, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said as per the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, registered NGOs can receive foreign contribution for five purposes -- social, educational, religious, economic and cultural. "Presently 5,804 NGOs are registered for religious purpose under the Act," he said replying a written question. Rijiju said activities of the NGOs aimed at conversion through inducement or force either directly or indirectly, from one faith to another are prohibited under the Act. "For any such violations reported, action as per the FCRA, 2010 is taken against the defaulting NGOs," he said. According to a home ministry statistics, a total of 23,176 NGOs have received Rs 15,329.16 crore during 2016-17. There are around 7,800 NGOs which work for social purposes and 4,800 NGOs which work for educational purposes.
Jesuits release list of 89 US priests accused of sex abuse
Jesuit authorities for 20 US states have released the names of 89 priests with credible allegations of child sexual abuse dating as far back as 1950. The disclosures by the Jesuit provinces of Maryland and USA Midwest are the latest chapter in the ongoing sexual abuse scandal roiling the Catholic Church and come after 153 Jesuits were publicly identified by two other provinces earlier this month. Maryland released 24 names with allegations dating back to 1950 and USA Midwest released 65 names dating back to 1955. Many of the individuals are deceased, and some were previously publicly known to be accused of sexual assault. "On behalf of the Midwest Jesuits, I apologize to victim-survivors and their families for the harm and suffering you have endured. Many of you have suffered in silence for decades," Brian Paulson, head of the province headquartered in Chicago, said in an open letter. Jesuits are the largest male religious order in the Catholic Church, with some 16,000 members ...
Socialism better than capitalism, except in China: Dalai Lama
Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama said Monday the concept of socialism was better than capitalism, but he kept China out of this proposition. "The concept of socialism is better than capitalism. But socialism in China is not in better position," the Dalai Lama told reporters in reply to a question on China. "Power is centralised there (in China). It should be rather decentralised. We all need peace to lead a good life," he said outside the Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya district, where he offered prayers. The Nobel Peace prize winner will stay for 23 days at a Tibetan monastery at Bodh Gaya. Buddhism is a religion which is based on scientific reasons, he said and added that he had been working on the scientific aspect of the religion for the past four decades and had been spreading the same to others. He will inaugurate a newly-built Tibetan Buddhist temple and a residential premises at Bhola Bigha in the district on Wednesday. He would also inaugurate a three-day conference on monastic ..
Lawrence, Endler extend contracts with PSG women's team
French Division 1 Feminine side Paris Saint-Germain announced on Monday that Ashley Lawrence and Christiane Endler have signed new contracts with the club.
Qatar commits USD 500 million to UN, signs multi-year agreements
Qatar announced a series of agreements with the United Nations that is to see $500 million injected into UN programmes over the next few years.
VHP organises 'Dharam Sabha' in Jammu, pledges to build Ram Temple in Ayodhya
The Vishva Hindu Parishad Sunday organised a 'Dharam Sabha' in Jammu where a top Hindu religious leader called for a legislation to be passed during the ongoing winter session of Parliament for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Jagat Guru Ramanandacharya Swami Hansdevacharya Maharaj of Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti said the "final battle" for the temple is about to start as religious heads are meeting in Uttar Pradesh early next year and there they would make an important announcement. "Today, we have sounded the bugle from here and our next stop will be Prayagraj (Allahabad) Kumbh on January 31 and February 1. The final battle for the construction of the Ram Temple will be announced there," Maharaj told reporters after addressing the gathering. He said the saints are waiting for completion of work on stones to be used in the temple. "Once the work is completed, no power will stop us from constructing the temple...and I want to tell those claiming to be secular, we are ...
Bangladesh celebrates 47th Victory Day
Bangladesh on Sunday celebrated the 47th Victory Day commemorating the day when Pakistan surrendered and Bangladesh emerged as a new country, ending the decades-long rule of West Pakistan.
Can Rahul's Hinduism succeed where bogus secularism failed? (Comment)
It will be impossible to resist the temptation of attributing Congress gains in the three northern states to Rahul Gandhi's demonstrative adoption of Hinduism. In some measure, that is. There are two ways of looking at it. It is a trick which worked. Or is it the enunciation of a line which has to be developed?
People have started showing Gotra, janeyu to become prominent in politics: Adityanath
Taking a veiled dig at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said people have started showing their gotra and sacred thread to become prominent in the country's politics. Addressing a gathering in the district Saturday he said, the people who had described themselves as accidentally Hindus were now realising that they were Hindus in the real sense and it was a victory of Sanatan faith. He said Google failed before the epic Ramayana, which was written by sage Valmiki, and he asserted that the knowledge of the spiritual books was correct instead of what the search engine said. "The word Kumbh has started becoming prevalent. It has become a fashion and trademark for the branding of one's programme... These days people are showing their Gotra and janeyu (sacred thread) to become prominent in the country's politics," Adityanath said without naming Gandhi. "The people who described themselves as accidentally Hindu are now realising that they are also .
Ukraine creates church independent from Russia
A historic council of Orthodox bishops in Kiev has created a new Ukrainian church independent from Russia, President Petro Poroshenko announced on Sunday. The announcement came after Ukrainian priests held a historic synod in Kiev's 11th-century Saint Sophia Cathedral to work towards establishing an Orthodox church independent from Moscow. "It happened," Poroshenko told a crowd awaiting the council's decision in central Kiev. He also announced the council had chosen the head of the new church: 39-year-old Metropolitan Yepifaniy, whose secular name is Sergiy Dumenko. "I would like to call on all our brothers, bishops and all believers to the newly created united Ukrainian Orthodox Church," Yepifaniy told the crowd outside the cathedral. "The doors of our church are open to all." Poroshenko said the event will "go down in history" as the day Ukraine "finally received (its) independence form Russia". Earlier, he addressed the synod of bishops, saying Kiev's national security depends on ..
Dubai Police grills Chhota Shakeel's brother, wanted in Mumbai
The Dubai Police on Saturday detained Anwar Babu Sheikh, the brother of absconding mafiosi Chhota Shakeel, reports reaching here said.
Ukraine leader addresses historic Orthodox synod
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko Saturday told a historic synod of Orthodox bishops that Kiev's national security depends on "spiritual independence" from Moscow. Poroshenko addressed Ukrainian priests in Kiev's 11th-century Saint Sophia Cathedral, where the clerics met to work towards establishing an Orthodox church independent from Russia. "This is a question of our Ukrainian national security, of our statehood," he said in a speech broadcast live on Ukrainian television. Poroshenko, who has made an independent Church a campaign pledge ahead of an unpredictable election next year, said the state "did everything it could" towards the creation of a new independent church. "Now the future of Ukraine depends on you," he told the bishops. "You have before you (the task) of choosing a primate." Several thousand Ukrainians rallied outside the cathedral throughout the day, awaiting the synod's decision. "The people have been waiting for this. Our Ukrainian church should finally be ...
Ukrainians await historic synod decision on independent church
Several thousand Ukrainians rallied outside one of Kiev's main cathedrals Saturday ahead of a historic synod expected to establish an Orthodox church independent from Russia. Ukrainian priests were to meet in Kiev's 11th-century Saint Sophia Cathedral to work towards founding the church, in what Kiev authorities hope will be a further step out of Russia's orbit. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko briefly came to the rally before going into the cathedral, where he is expected to attend the synod. "Let's stand and pray for a Ukrainian church to be created today," he said as he greeted several of the rally's participants. He has made an independent Church a campaign pledge as he looks ahead to an unpredictable election next year. "The people have been waiting for this. Our Ukrainian church should finally be independent from Moscow," 65-year-old Mykhaylo Khalepyk, who travelled to Kiev from the southern Kherson region, told AFP. Vitaliya Popovych, who also came to the rally, said she ...
Government should bring ordinance to construct Ram Mandir:
Hindu religious leader Sadhvi Saraswati Saturday called for the ordinance route to construct Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, and claimed that Hindus are now being treated as aliens in their own land. She also accused the Trinamool Congress government of West Bengal of appeasing the Muslims. The TMC, however, said efforts to divide the people on religious lines would not work in the state. "Why is the government ignoring the sentiments of the Hindus? Hindustan belong to the Hindus but we are treated as aliens in our own land. The government should take the ordinance route for construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya," Saraswati said here today. There has been a growing clamour for ordinance by various organisations and political outfits such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), RSS and Shiv Sena. Addressing a 'Virat Hindu Sammelan' here, she demanded that the work for construction of Ram Mandir should start immediately and no one should try to test the patience of the Hindus. The Supreme .
UAE President declares 2019 as 'Year of Tolerance'
Abu Dhabi, Dec 15 (IANS/WAM) UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has declared 2019 as the "Year of Tolerance", highlighting the country as a global capital for tolerance, through its goals to enhance the role of the country in instilling the values of co-existence and peace in local, regional and international communities.
Bishop from China's underground Catholic church steps down: state media
A bishop from China's underground Catholic church will step down at the request of the Vatican to make way for a candidate recognised by Beijing, state-run media reported, amid a thaw in relations. There are an estimated 12 million Catholics in China, divided between a government-run association whose clergy are chosen by the Communist Party and the unofficial church which swears allegiance to the Vatican. An agreement struck in September on the appointment of bishops paved the way for a rapprochement between the Holy See and Beijing, establishing diplomatic ties for the first time since 1951. Guo Xijin, bishop of the underground church in eastern Fujian province was appointed by the Pope, but his title was never recognised by Chinese authorities, who have detained and questioned him several times in the past. His decision to step aside follows a rare visit this week by an official Vatican delegation to the Chinese capital, the state-run daily Global Times said on its website on ...
Two firsts at Mizoram swearing-in
There were two firsts at the swearing-in of the new Mizo National Front ministry headed by Zoramthanga in Mizoram on Saturday. The first one were a prayer, reading from the Bible and singing of a gospel song at the ceremony. The other one was that the newly-inducted ministers took oath of office and oath of secrecy in Mizo language. The oath of office and secrecy by Governor K Rajasekharan during a ceremony at Raj Bhavan here. The prayer and Bible reading took place after the singing of the National Anthem. This was followed by the swearing-in oath of secrecy and then the gospel song. Rev R Lalhmingthanga, chairman of the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee which is a conglomerate of leaders of 16 major churches headed by moderator of the Presbyterian Church Mizo Synod, read out verses from the Bible and led the prayer. The Leprosy Choir presented the 'Hallelujah Chorus' at the programme held at Raj Bhavan lawns. Former speaker Lalchamliana, who was sworn-in as a cabinet minister, ...
Ukraine Orthodox priests to establish independent church
Ukrainian Orthodox priests will hold a historic council here on Saturday to create a new national church, a move condemned as schism by the Russian clergy.
Ukraine priests to hold historic 'unification' synod
Ukrainian priests will hold a historic synod on Saturday to work towards founding an independent church, in what Kiev authorities hope will be a further step out of Russia's orbit. Ties between the ex-Soviet neighbours have broken down since Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014 following a pro-Western uprising in Kiev, and this year those tensions spilt into the religious arena. The synod will seek to realise a landmark decision by Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to recognise Ukraine's independence from the Russian Orthodox Church. The ruling in October sparked fury in Moscow, which has overseen the Ukrainian branch of Orthodoxy for the last 332 years, and saw the Russian Orthodox Church cut all ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The meeting will take place in Kiev's Saint Sophia's Cathedral and aims to unite various branches of the Orthodox church in Ukraine into a single independent body. But Ukraine's Moscow-loyal church has said it will not send ...