religious persecution

As thousands of followers of the conservative Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir, held demonstrations Sunday against the planned visit of the US President Barack Obama, human rights activists said they hoped he would foster greater respect for pluralism. From continued violence against Ahmadiyah followers to the burning of churches across the country, scholars and activists admit there are many pitfalls in Indonesia's embrace of religious and cultural difference. "Discrimination and violence against minoriti  

Moroccan authorities have ordered dozens of foreign Christian aid workers deported in at least five major cities this week, calling into question an unspoken but long-standing truce between missionaries and their Muslim hosts. "This is a change in policy from the top of the government," says Jack Wald, who has spent 10 years as pastor of Rabat International Church, a protestant congregation here in the capital. "It's like going to sleep, waking up, and all of the sudden you're in a different country."  

In his March 4 column, Treston Wheat's claims that the "United States is not a Christian nation" are disingenuous, designed only to deflect criticism of his militant Christian arguments against those he believes are "going to hell." He makes his argument on the basis that Christians wouldn't have reacted to 9/11 the way the Bush administration did. Christians would have "turned the other cheek," while Wheat's ideal leader would have nuked a city in retaliation.  

There are weeks to go before a general election and the main parties are struggling. Cue the filthy politics of scapegoating and divide and rule. If it were only the fascists of the British National Party and their street-fighting associates in the English Defence League it would be bad enough.  

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. A Catholic priest from Rochester Hills says he regrets referring to some victims of the Balkan conflict as dogs in a 2007 speech that has been posted online and criticized by Muslims. The Rev. Anton Kcira of St. Paul Albanian Catholic Church in Rochester Hills says in a statement Saturday that he used "some wrong words, cited some bad examples, and described massacre victims with provocative names." Details of a video recently posted online of Kcira's 2007 remarks were reported

some wrong words, cited some bad examples, and described massacre victims with provocative names.   -Anton Kcira

 

Up to 130 Iranian parliamentarians have called for strict action to be taken against proponents of secularism in universities throughout the country. The lawmakers made the call in a letter signed and addressed to the Minister of Science, Research and Technology Kamran Daneshjou. The MPs warned Daneshjou of the activities that were carried out in universities by "certain individuals who are hostile toward the Islamic system."

The cultural message of the [1979] Islamic Revolution is the most important topic that university professors and the elite must seek to promote   -IRNA

 

From Ireland to Germany, Roman Catholic victims are forcing the hierarchy to face its demons. DUBLIN - It often starts as a voice in the wilderness, but can swell into an entire nation's demand for truth. From Ireland to Germany, Europe's many victims of child abuse in the Roman Catholic church are finally breaking social taboos and challenging the clergy to face its demons.

You have to presume that the cover-up of abuse exists everywhere, to one extent or another. A new case could appear in a new country tomorrow   -David Quinn

 

The United States is "increasingly concerned" over the persecution of the Bahai and other religious minorities in Iran, a State Department spokesman said on Friday. "The United States is increasingly concerned about the Iran's ongoing persecution of Bahais and other religious minority communities," spokesman Philip Crowley said in a statement. He added that Washington was also concerned about the ongoing espionage trial in Iran of seven Bahai leaders, who have been denied access to their lawyers.

The United States is increasingly concerned about the Iran's ongoing persecution of Bahais and other religious minority communities   -Philip Crowley

 

If god created us in his image we have certainly returned the compliment. Verily, if the origin of the word 'holocaust' meant 'whole' + 'burning' then surely the history of the persecution and killing of pagans and various heretical sects would qualify to this nomenclature? After all, how many supposed witches, were tortured and/or burned over the centuries?