Dallas, Texas - A hooded robber armed with a Glock walked into a crafts boutique at the end of the day and demanded money from the proprietress, Marian Chadwick. When she told the gunman she had none, he pounded the pistol twice on the counter.
Chadwick later said, "I got mad. The Texas part of me was challenged. So I pointed my finger and said, ‘In the name of Jesus, you get out of my store. I bind you by the power of the Holy Spirit.' ”
The gunman backed up and told a customer in the store to drop to the floor. After the customer refused to do so, the store owner continued to point her finger at the would-be robber and chastised him further. He left empty-handed, cursing.
The Frisco (Texas) Police department indicated the man is wanted for other offenses in Dallas, Richardson, Plano and Allen, Texas.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Religious suppression
Vietnam - Renown Zen master, Nhat Hanh, believes the communist government of Vietnam is employing thugs and hiring mobs to use violence against followers from two Buddhist monasteries - Bat Nha and Phuoc Hue - in an eviction attempt.
"Our country does not yet have true religious freedom, and the government tightly controls the Buddhist Church machinery," Nhat Hanh wrote in a letter. "The Buddhist Church is helpless, unable to protect its own children."
Master Hanh has called for the Vietnamese government to lift restrictions on religious freedom and respect human rights. He also feels Vietnam needs more citizen rights and more democracy. "In the case of Bat Nha and Phuoc Hue, government officials hired the mobs and worked together with them," Hanh contends over the recent actions against the monasteries.
Vietnamese officials have denied the allegations but only government-sanctioned churches are allowed to operate in the country.
"Our country does not yet have true religious freedom, and the government tightly controls the Buddhist Church machinery," Nhat Hanh wrote in a letter. "The Buddhist Church is helpless, unable to protect its own children."
Master Hanh has called for the Vietnamese government to lift restrictions on religious freedom and respect human rights. He also feels Vietnam needs more citizen rights and more democracy. "In the case of Bat Nha and Phuoc Hue, government officials hired the mobs and worked together with them," Hanh contends over the recent actions against the monasteries.
Vietnamese officials have denied the allegations but only government-sanctioned churches are allowed to operate in the country.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Prophet Muhammad protected Christians
Dr. Muqtedar Khan, Director of Islamic Studies at the University of Delaware, reminds Christians and Muslims in a recent article about the promise made by the Prophet Muhammad.
The Prophet was visited by a delegation from St. Catherine’s Monastery, located at the base of Mt. Sinai, in 628 AD. They sought protection. He responded by issuing a covenant stating that Christians are also citizens under Allah and that followers are to defend them and their beliefs. No one is to damage or destroy a house of worship. "Verily, they are my allies," said the Prophet. "The Muslims are to fight for them. Their churches are to be respected. No one of the (Muslim) nation is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”
Dr Khan points out that the Prophet said these rights are inalienable and that the Prophet's covenant protects the Christians' right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the person.
The Prophet was visited by a delegation from St. Catherine’s Monastery, located at the base of Mt. Sinai, in 628 AD. They sought protection. He responded by issuing a covenant stating that Christians are also citizens under Allah and that followers are to defend them and their beliefs. No one is to damage or destroy a house of worship. "Verily, they are my allies," said the Prophet. "The Muslims are to fight for them. Their churches are to be respected. No one of the (Muslim) nation is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”
Dr Khan points out that the Prophet said these rights are inalienable and that the Prophet's covenant protects the Christians' right to property, freedom of religion, freedom of work, and security of the person.
Light rail for Feast
Manila, Philippines - Anticipating thousands of devotees to use the trains for the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9th, the Phillipines' Light Rail Transit Authority will deploy more trains for both its systems to accommodate participants.
A wooden statue of Jesus Christ, carved by a Mexican sculptor, was burned when the galleon caught fire during the 1606 voyage. The statue's head was charred from white to black by the flames, but survived the fire - sparking a now 400 year-old tradition.
During the religious event, devotees are known to walk the procession streets without shoes, or sandals, to imitate Jesus on the path to Mount Calvary, where He was crucified.
A wooden statue of Jesus Christ, carved by a Mexican sculptor, was burned when the galleon caught fire during the 1606 voyage. The statue's head was charred from white to black by the flames, but survived the fire - sparking a now 400 year-old tradition.
During the religious event, devotees are known to walk the procession streets without shoes, or sandals, to imitate Jesus on the path to Mount Calvary, where He was crucified.
Blog of Goddess
The Covenant of the Goddess (CoG) has launched a new blog to provide broader coverage of their activities. The Covenant is the group that hosts the Merry Meet, one of America's oldest festival for Witches, Wiccans and Pagans.
"I’m extremely pleased to see CoG take a big step forward in facilitating regular communication with the wider Pagan community...many younger Pagans don’t know the great work this organization does in areas like fighting for equal treatment under the law," said Oberon, Circle of Wondrous Stories.
Recent blog reports focus on the the CoG's participation at the Parliament of the World's Religions held in Australia.
"I’m extremely pleased to see CoG take a big step forward in facilitating regular communication with the wider Pagan community...many younger Pagans don’t know the great work this organization does in areas like fighting for equal treatment under the law," said Oberon, Circle of Wondrous Stories.
Recent blog reports focus on the the CoG's participation at the Parliament of the World's Religions held in Australia.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Papal takedown
Vatican - A woman in a red hooded sweat shirt leaped over a wooden barrier, grabbed Pope Benedict XVI's vestments and pulled him down as he was making his way to the altar in St. Peter's Basilica to celebrate Christmas Eve Mass. The Pope lost his miter and staff as he fell. Cardinal Roger Etchegaray was also knocked down during the incident and was taken to a hospital for a check up. The Pope resumed his walk to the altar and began the mass.
He made no reference to the attack and in his homily he urged the world to "wake up" from selfishness and petty affairs, and find time for God and spiritual matters. "Conflict and lack of reconciliation in the world stem from the fact that we are locked into our own interests and opinions, into our own little private world."
Following the assault, Vatican spokesman Rev. Ciro Benedettini said the woman appeared to be mentally unstable and had been taken into custody by Vatican police.
He made no reference to the attack and in his homily he urged the world to "wake up" from selfishness and petty affairs, and find time for God and spiritual matters. "Conflict and lack of reconciliation in the world stem from the fact that we are locked into our own interests and opinions, into our own little private world."
Following the assault, Vatican spokesman Rev. Ciro Benedettini said the woman appeared to be mentally unstable and had been taken into custody by Vatican police.
Egyptian apparition
Cairo, Egypt - The first sighting happened on December 10th. At 8:30 pm, a Muslim man was having coffee at a local shop in Al-Warrack, a poor neighborhood in Cairo, Egypt, when he noticed a strong light coming from the Warrack church. Others noticed and also saw a bird circling in the sky. Around 2 am, a vision of the Virgin Mary appeared in her blue and white robes. Hundreds of people rushed out of their homes to capture the event with the cameras in their mobile phones. Now as many as ten thousand gather nightly to witness the appearance.
Kawkab Munir Shehata holds she was cured of blindness in her left eye by the Blessed Mother. "I felt immense pain which lasted about quarter of an hour. Then I was ecstatic to find out that I could see clearly," said Kawkab. "You see, my left eye is even better than my right one now."
Father Fishay, a local priest, feels "Maybe her appearance is to bring people closer together, maybe it will bring about the end of the state of tension between Muslims and Christians and an end to extremism."
Kawkab Munir Shehata holds she was cured of blindness in her left eye by the Blessed Mother. "I felt immense pain which lasted about quarter of an hour. Then I was ecstatic to find out that I could see clearly," said Kawkab. "You see, my left eye is even better than my right one now."
Father Fishay, a local priest, feels "Maybe her appearance is to bring people closer together, maybe it will bring about the end of the state of tension between Muslims and Christians and an end to extremism."
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