Religion News – Weekly Newsletter for November 8-15, 2010

UAE emirate pardons 140 prisoners

Ras Al Khaimah (UAE), Nov 7 (IANS/WAM) The UAE emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has pardoned 140 prisoners so they can celebrate Eid with their families, it was announced Sunday.

Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, supreme council member and ruler of the emirate, ordered the release of the inmates serving various jail terms.
… Read the original article on Gaea Times at : UAE emirate pardons 140 prisoners.

Poland set to unveil world’s tallest Jesus statue

Moscow, Nov 7 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The construction of the world’s tallest Jesus Christ statue that rises to 167 feet in a Polish town has been completed.

The statue’s torso, head and crown were installed Saturday, marking an end to the five-year construction, the PAP news agency reported.
The works were initially scheduled for Friday, but …. Source  : Poland set to unveil world’s tallest Jesus statue.

RSS seeks anti-conversion bill in Jharkhand

RANCHI – The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will ask the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headed Jharkhand government for a law to ban religious conversions in the state, a leader said Sunday.

“We will take up the issue with Chief Minister Arjun Munda… to formulate a law to ban conversion in the state. Conversion in any …. Original source  : RSS seeks anti-conversion bill in Jharkhand.

BJP activists protest rejection of Hajis’ applications

MUMBAI – The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Minority Morcha Monday demonstrated outside the Haj House here to protest the last minute rejection of Haj pilgrimmage applications of about 1,000 people.

“The Central Haj Committe of India last week rejected applications of 980 people who had applied for a Haj visa nearly two months back,” …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : BJP activists protest rejection of Hajis’ applications.

Obama visits Indonesia’s largest mosque

JAKARTA – US President Barack Obama Wednesday visited Indonesia’s largest mosque in a goodwill gesture to Muslims.

At the Istiqlal mosque, a vast, white, concrete structure topped with a large dome, Obama was shown a large drum used for the call to prayer, the prayer hall and the inside of the dome.
Obama and first …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Obama visits Indonesia’s largest mosque.

Obama says US on track to mend ties with Muslims

JAKARTA – US President Barack Obama said Tuesday his efforts to mend ties with the Muslim world were on track but acknowledged that the job was unfinished.

“I think that our efforts have been earnest, sustained,” Obama said during a visit to Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country.
“We don’t expect that we’re going … Original article on : Obama says US on track to mend ties with Muslims.

BJP asks Delhi to declare Chhath Puja a public holiday

NEW DELHI – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday asked the Delhi government to declare a public holiday on Chhath Puja, a festival in which Hindu god Sun is worshipped.

“The government should declare a public holiday on Chhath Puja or, if not, at least a restricted holiday keeping in mind the number of people …. Read the original article  : BJP asks Delhi to declare Chhath Puja a public holiday.

Chhath Puja: BJP Demands Public Holiday

NEW DELHI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that the Delhi government announces a public holiday on the auspicious festival of Chhath Puja, which would be celebrated across the country on November 12 and 13 this year. The party has asked for the holiday reiterating that there are more than … Read more : Chhath Puja: BJP Demands Public Holiday.

First US Sikh soldier completes training with faith intact

WASHINGTON – Thanks to his Punjabi and Hindi language skills, 26-year old Simran Preet Singh Lamba has become the first Sikh soldier in the US army in two decades to complete basic training without giving up articles of his faith.

Recruited in 2009 through the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) programme for … Read more »».

Islamic TV banned in Britain for condoning marital rape

LONDON – Britain’s television watchdog has censured a Muslim religious channel accusing its presenters of condoning marital rape and calling women who visit mosques wearing perfume as “prostitutes”.

The Islam Channel, which broadcasts on Sky, breached the broadcasting code in five programmes between May 2008 and October 2009, the tv monitoring body Ofcom said, according … Read more »»».

Festive mood in Bihar as Chhath festival begins

PATNA – Millions of devotees offered early morning prayers at river banks across the state Wednesday as the four-day Chhath festival began amidst tight security.

Chhath, celebrated six days after Diwali, is dedicated to the sun god, and is one of the most popular festivals of Bihar.
Millions of devotees, mainly married women, thronged the …. Read the original article  : Festive mood in Bihar as Chhath festival begins.

Chhath Puja Being Celebrated Today

PATNA, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The festivities of Chhath Puja commenced across the country today with people from different states gearing up to participate in the three-day festival. In states across the nation especially in the northern parts of the country, the festival of ‘Chhath Puja,’ which is observed in the Kartik month in the sixth …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Chhath Puja Being Celebrated Today.

Selling arms, gambling not sins: Australian cleric

SYDNEY – Gambling, smoking and selling arms were not intrinsically wrong, and if they did not threaten the well-being of one’s family, they could not be considered as sins, a senior Australian cleric said Friday.

“I must confess I do feel a bit uneasy about that, but only a bit uneasy. Because culturally I’m an … Original source on Gaea Times at : Selling arms, gambling not sins: Australian cleric.

Many Muslim women celebrate Chhath

PATNA – They make religious lines blur. Nazma Khatoon and Hasanzado Begum – both devout Muslims – don’t think twice about observing a fast and performing other rituals of Chhath, the most popular festival of Bihar that is essentially celebrated by Hindus.

“I have celebrated Chhath for nearly two decades and will perform it … Original article on : Many Muslim women celebrate Chhath.

Yamuna banks in Delhi ready for Chhath Puja

NEW DELHI – The Yamuna river banks in the capital are all decked up as nearly 50 lakh people from Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand in the capital prepare for the rituals of Chhath puja Friday to worship the sun god.

Surya Shashthi, or Chhath puja as it is popularly known, is observed by … Read more »»».

Shirdi trust moots action against ‘duplicate’ Sai temples

PANAJI – The Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust (SSBST) is considering legal action against four Sai Baba temples in the country which claim to have samadhis (mausoleum) of the ascetic on their premises.

“Sai Baba undertook Samadhi at Shirdi on Vijaya Dashmi day in 1918. No other place can have his samadhi anywhere else … Read more >>.

Dalai Lama calls for a world free of war

DHARAMSALA – Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has called for eliminating nuclear weapons and for creating a world free of war, according to a post on the Central Tibetan Administration’s website Saturday.

“We all must seek and work for a world without nuclear weapons, we also need to work for demilitarisation of each …. Original source  : Dalai Lama calls for a world free of war.

Millions pray to rising sun as Chhath concludes in Bihar

PATNA – The four-day long Chhath festival ended Saturday morning in Bihar with millions of people, mostly women, braving the chill and taking a dip in the river to offer prayers to the rising sun.

Devotees, locally known as ‘varti’, wore new clothes, and sang folk songs as they prayed to the sun god and … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Millions pray to rising sun as Chhath concludes in Bihar.

Religious fanaticism threat to globalisation: Lord Meghnad Desai

NEW DELHI – Globalisation today faces a big threat from religious fanaticism, noted economist and professor emeritus of the London School of Economics Lord Meghnad Desai said while delivering a lecture in the capital Friday.

“Globalisation has had a check to its progress by the financial meltdown. However, today it faces a threat from another … Read more : Religious fanaticism threat to globalisation: Lord Meghnad Desai.

Sabarimala spruced up as pilgrimage begins Wednesday

THIRUVANANANTHAPURAM – The Sabarimala temple in Kerala, one of the most revered religious centres of the country, is ready for the nearly two-month long pilgrimage season beginning Wednesday, a minister said Sunday.

“All arrangements are falling in place for a smooth pilgrimage, and a final review meeting under Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan will take place … Read more »»».

Nitish, Lalu, Paswan resume campaign after Chhath

PATNA – A day after Chhath festivities ended, Bihar’s top three politicians were back on the campaign trail Sunday for the last round of the six-phase state assembly elections Nov 20.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad and alliance partner Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan had taken … Read more >>>.