Bangladesh - Soon the Buddhist population in Bangladesh will have a new lying Buddha statue, the largest in the country. It is to be 100 feet long, 30 feet high and situated on a hillock in the Ramu Township in Co'xs Bazar near the border with Burma.
Already 75% complete, it expected to be finished within the next 2-3 months.
"Bangladesh is a Muslim-dominated country but...I built the statue for the Buddhist community," said Buddhist monk, the Venerable Karunasree Bhikku.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Hard line on crime
Nigeria - During the consecration of Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh as the Primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, acting President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has told the country's religious leaders to neither condone or encourage corruption or crime in his speech given at the Cathedral Church of Advent in Abuja.
“Yes, he’s a brother, yes the Lord says that until you are proven guilty it is assumed that you are innocent, so you must help to get a brother out of problem," said the President. He reminded the leaders that when he was deputy governor and was approached for help or bail money, his attitude was, "assuming you went and raped a girl and you expect me to go and talk to the Police to release you, I will not.”
Jonathan said Nigeria faces many challenges and that churches must remain firm in their duty to help correct the ills of society, not to bail out the criminals with what resources they have.
“Yes, he’s a brother, yes the Lord says that until you are proven guilty it is assumed that you are innocent, so you must help to get a brother out of problem," said the President. He reminded the leaders that when he was deputy governor and was approached for help or bail money, his attitude was, "assuming you went and raped a girl and you expect me to go and talk to the Police to release you, I will not.”
Jonathan said Nigeria faces many challenges and that churches must remain firm in their duty to help correct the ills of society, not to bail out the criminals with what resources they have.
Media bias and bigotry
UK - Leading figures in the UK's religious community and in a number of prominent organizations have condemned what is perceived as a rise in Islamophobia, seeing it as a viable threat to democracy.
Castigating negative coverage of Muslims in the media and the rise in groups like the English Defence League which marched through central London with placards calling for the closure of the East London Mosque, these voices are warning of history repeating itself - reminding the British people of the 1930's when Oswald Mosley's blackshirts attempted to intimidate the Jewish community.
Billy Hayes, General secretary, Communication Workers Union; Rev. Green, Chair, Tower Hamlets Interfaith forum; Dr. Friedman, Executive director, Jewish Council for Racial Equality; Dr. Bari, Secretary general, Muslim Council of Britain; Sabby Dhalu Joint secretary, Unite Against Fascism and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, NUS black students officer, are but of few of those speaking out against anti-Muslim sentiments.
Castigating negative coverage of Muslims in the media and the rise in groups like the English Defence League which marched through central London with placards calling for the closure of the East London Mosque, these voices are warning of history repeating itself - reminding the British people of the 1930's when Oswald Mosley's blackshirts attempted to intimidate the Jewish community.
Billy Hayes, General secretary, Communication Workers Union; Rev. Green, Chair, Tower Hamlets Interfaith forum; Dr. Friedman, Executive director, Jewish Council for Racial Equality; Dr. Bari, Secretary general, Muslim Council of Britain; Sabby Dhalu Joint secretary, Unite Against Fascism and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, NUS black students officer, are but of few of those speaking out against anti-Muslim sentiments.
Buddhist ban
Sri Lanka - The foreign ministry of Sri Lanka has announced it will deny the US singer Akron a visa to perform to a sold-out concert after almost 12,000 people on Facebook and a large number of Buddhist monks took serious offense over the performer's music video from his "Sexy Bitch" hit that featured bikini-clad women dancing in front of a statue of Buddha.
"Please stop insulting a religion. Save Buddhism," said one FB posting. A "We Hate AKRON" group on Facebook has over 11,700 fans in response to his video.
Sri Lanka is mostly Buddhist and is sensitive to the commercial use of religious imagery. Candles in the shape of Buddha have seen a ban by the government.
"Please stop insulting a religion. Save Buddhism," said one FB posting. A "We Hate AKRON" group on Facebook has over 11,700 fans in response to his video.
Sri Lanka is mostly Buddhist and is sensitive to the commercial use of religious imagery. Candles in the shape of Buddha have seen a ban by the government.
Arab poetry
MidEast - In the Arab version of American Idol, poet Hissa Hilal won a place in the program's finals after she recited a provocative poem in which she castigated Muslim preachers “who sit in the position of power” but are “frightening” people with their fatwas, or religious edicts, and “preying like a wolf” on those seeking peace.
The audience in The Million's Poet show gave the poem loud cheers. The poet has since received death threats that have been posted on several militant Islamic web sites. "Killing a human being is so easy for them, it is always an option,” she said.
From behind her own veil, Hilal recited, “I have seen evil in the eyes of fatwas, at a time when the permitted is being twisted into the forbidden." She called such edicts “a monster that emerged from its hiding place” whenever “the veil is lifted from the face of truth.”
Hilal was once a poetry editor at the Arab daily Al-Hayat.
The audience in The Million's Poet show gave the poem loud cheers. The poet has since received death threats that have been posted on several militant Islamic web sites. "Killing a human being is so easy for them, it is always an option,” she said.
From behind her own veil, Hilal recited, “I have seen evil in the eyes of fatwas, at a time when the permitted is being twisted into the forbidden." She called such edicts “a monster that emerged from its hiding place” whenever “the veil is lifted from the face of truth.”
Hilal was once a poetry editor at the Arab daily Al-Hayat.
Ancient vs modern
Israel - The discovery of bones, determined by archeologists to have belonged to Christians or pagans from the Byzantium era, has convinced the Israeli government to relocate the construction of an hospital emergency room in Ashkelon in the south of Isreal. The ward would have covered the ancient burial site.
According to Dep. Health Minister Litzman, the bones were Jewish and religious practice forbade them being moved.
According to Dep. Health Minister Litzman, the bones were Jewish and religious practice forbade them being moved.
Code violation
USA - The town of Gilbert, Arizona, says their zoning code prohibits assembly activities such as Bible studies, church leadership meetings, and church fellowship activities. The Oasis of Truth church was meeting at Pastor Joe Sutherland's house but were notified to cease and desist.
The Alliance Defense Fund, a national legal organization, has filed an appeal with the town, saying its code violates the U.S. Constitution.
The Alliance Defense Fund, a national legal organization, has filed an appeal with the town, saying its code violates the U.S. Constitution.
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