SourceKAUAI, HAWAII, November 3, 2003: Hinduism Today magazine is preparing a feature story on Hindus who talk about Hinduism to non-Hindu groups, such as school classes, interfaith meetings, hospital and nursing staff, social club meetings, etc. We want to interview those so engaged and share their experiences and suggestions with our readers, such as how to answer, “Why do you…
SourceUSA, October 30, 2003: Christian missionaries in India are furiously targeting specific regions of the country in the hopes of converting the entire population to Christianity. The Hindu-run website at “source” takes a look at their designs and plans. One map shows the percentage of Hindus in each state of India. The central states have the highest and have been…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND. October 29 2003: Nobel Prize winner Dr. Amartya Sen criticized the support to faith schools by Prime Minister Tony Blair in his keynote speech at the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Edinburgh. He also criticised the Scottish Executive’s stance on denominational schools, claiming single-faith establishments damage educational attainment. He said: “I personally believe that even the UK…
SourceSEATTLE, WASHINGTON, October 30, 2003: The Big Bang sounded more like a deep hum (“aum,” perhaps?) than a bang, according to an analysis of the radiation left over from the cataclysm. Physicist John Cramer of the University of Washington in Seattle has created audio files of the event which can be played on a PC (download at “source” above). “The…
SourceLONDON, UK, October 30, 2003: In a momentous occasion for the Indian community in Britain, Diwali has been celebrated inside the House of Commons, with Prime Minister Tony Blair lighting the traditional lamp to mark the festivities. Presiding over the function, attended by more than 100 Members of Parliament and 400 guests, Blair said that he was “deeply touched by…
SourceMUMBAI, INDIA, October 28, 2003: Security has been stepped up at the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai after warnings that it could be the next terrorist target. “The temple trust has hired a foreign security agency to guard the temple,” said Sanjay Bhagwat, chief executive officer of the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust. New safety measures in place include trained guards checking every…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, October 27, 2003: Many people in Delhi consult astrologers to decide the day, date and time of a surgery in the family. Paediatric cardiologist Dr. Vikas Kohli says he “gets such requests all the time.” “The parents want the surgery to be over by, say, before 9 a.m. on October 29. They had consulted an astrologer, who…
SourceGEORGETOWN, GUYANA, October 26, 2003: “Our country has prevailed, our people have prevailed,” exclaimed Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo to a mammoth crowd on Diwali. “In the true spirit of Diwali, our people have overcome their problems because Diwali is all about the triumph of good over evil. It is the triumph of the forces of light over darkness and our…
SourceBEGUSARAI, INDIA, October 27, 2003: The arrival of the wedding season means fear for parents of unmarried men in Begusarai (in Bihar state, eastern India), which is known for “forced marriages.” Pakraua Vivah (forced marriage) is an old practice in the district, but the menace has increased in recent years and spread to neighboring districts also. With dowry demands rising,…
Religion News ServiceCALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA, October 29, 2003: Bibles and any other religious texts in hospital bedside drawers may become contraband under a proposal from the Calgary Health Region (CHR), reports the Calgary Herald. If the policy is approved, the Gideons International Bible, a bedside staple in hotels, prisons and hospitals, will be removed from all hospital rooms in the…