Pope risks Islamic ire with toughened terrorism appeal
by Angus Mackkinnon AFP The Pope calls on Muslim political, religious and intellectual leaders worldwide to ‘clearly’ speak out in condemnation of those who kill in the name of Islam […]
Kamal Alam: Syria offers clues to Islamic State’s future in Asia
One of the more remarkable documents found in the Osama bin Laden compound included a letter to the Islamic State group of Iraq and Syria cautioning Abu Musab al-Zarqawi over his group’s extreme violence. The insurgency in Fallujah and Tal Afar had alarmed the al-Qaida leadership in Pakistan as to […]
Muslim prayers banned in govt buildings, schools in Xinjiang
Saibal Dasgupta,TNN | Dec 1, 2014, 09.45 PM IST BEIJING: The restive Xinjiang region in western China has banned prayer meetings and other religious practices in government buildings, schools and business offices. It has also imposed steep fines on the use of mobile phones and Internet to disseminate messages that […]
Karen Armstrong: “Religion does not beget violence.”
Source: CBC From ISIS beheadings, to the kidnapping of 200 girls in Nigeria, the news brings us a steady diet of horrifying images of violence inspired by religion. In her […]
Migrants ‘prefer Germany to Britain’, report finds
Nearly 30 per cent of migrants travelled to Germany under EU free movement rules, compared to seven per cent who moved to UK, study reveals. Germany, not the United Kingdom, is the main destination of free movement within the European Union, an international economic organisation has found. Nearly 30 per […]
UK: Mohammad and Sophia most popular baby names of 2014
Source: The Telegraph Arabic names and 1970s names on the rise while the royals prove out of favour’ The name Mohammed has become the most popular boys’ name in […]
A new Berlin wall, this time US-built – from the Baltics to the Black Sea now runs through Kiev.
Source: Asia Times. Belarus – has signed up to NATO. A new Berlin wall, this time US-built – from the Baltics to the Black Sea now runs through Kiev. Were Ukraine to become a NATO member in an albeit remote future, the shatter belt buffer zone would disappear. This means […]
Modi faces day in US court
Source: Asia Times: The US State Department has declared that Modi, as India’s head of state, receives sovereign immunity from US lawsuits, even if they allege human rights violations he committed as an individual while Chief Minister of Gujarat. Attorneys for the victims beg to differ, and a US Superior […]
Do you know the difference between a Holocaust and a holocaust? The Armenians do Despite what some sub-editors might think, the genocide of 1.5m Armenian Christians in 1915 was not a holocaust
BY ROBERT FISK, THE INDEPENDENT What’s in a name? Let’s start with the Persian Gulf. Or the Arabian Gulf. Or just the Arab Gulf. I’m indebted to reader (and surgeon) Ross Farhadieh for complaining to me last week about my use of “The Gulf” – bland, dull and historically anaemic […]
Qur’an lesson for today: 309. Commandment – when they are with him on some matter of common importance which has brought them together, go not away until they have asked leave of him
309. Commandment – when they are with him on some matter of common importance which has brought them together, go not away until they have asked leave of him [24:63] Those only are true believers who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and who, when they are with him on […]
Brazilian Bishop, Urges Ordination Of Married Elders As Priest Shortage Grows
Epigraph: Then We caused Our Messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow them, and We gave him the Gospel. And We placed […]
Ahmadiyya Focused on peace at the UN
Source: news-journal.com Radicalization of youth is one of the biggest challenges facing us today. Often, we hear of young people taking arms to shoot fellow students while other frustrated youth have […]
Calgary’s Ahmadiyya Muslim community sees success with outreach efforts
“Extremism has no room in Islam,” said Mohsin Kamran, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association. “It’s a very peaceful and moderate religion.” Source: metronews.ca Members of Calgary’s Ahmadiyya Muslim community […]
‘Think twice’ before calling PH a ‘Catholic nation’
Rappler.com: MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos should “think more than twice” about calling the Philippines a “Catholic nation,” a Jesuit priest and theologian said, as the Ateneo de Manila University launched an unprecedented journal issue on Filipino Catholicism. “Many do not think twice about referring to the Philippines as a ‘Catholic […]
Nearly 8,000 resign from Finnish church after same-sex marriage vote
Russia Today: Thousands of people have resigned from the Lutheran Church in Finland, after the nation’s parliament approved a same-sex marriage law and the church’s archbishop expressed support for the […]
Pope says it is wrong to equate Islam with violence
Rueters: * Pope condemned Islamic State insurgents during trip * Says understands why Muslims are offended by stereotype * Predecessor Pope Benedict caused uproar with 2006 speech (Recasts with comments […]
Ahmadi Muslims in East Valley seeking peaceful image
eastvalleytribune.com: Ann Wilcox’s daily routine looks like any other American Muslim woman’s. She covers her head with a hijab, abstains from alcohol and pork, and rises before sunrise to perform […]
Christianity and Islam
Epigraph: “The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is Reason. I have never used any other, and I trust I never shall.” Thomas Paine, One of the Founding Fathers of USA President Recep Tayyip Erdogan personally presented his gift, an edict of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, […]
Canada: Canadian women captured by ISIS in Syria
Gill Rosenberg, Canadian citizen, reportedly captured by ISIS in Syria Canada ‘pursuing all appropriate channels’ to verify reports, is in touch with local authorities The Associated Press Posted: Nov 30, 2014 1:33 PM ETLast Updated: Nov 30, 2014 2:39 PM ET Gill Rosenberg from White Rock, B.C., who emigrated to […]
Dear Evangelicals: You’re Being Had
Source: The daily Beast Why are you trying to solve a cultural problem with a political solution? Because the Republican Party is using you. Dear Conservative Evangelicals, I drive a Prius, enjoy Vanilla lattes, and am married to a man. I know it’s unlikely for me to be writing you […]