GO TO SOURCE AFGHANISTAN, August 5, 2001: Cracking down on any agency or person that might disagree with their Islamic beliefs, Taleban hard-liners have now closed down a Western aid agency called Shelter Now International. After accusing the agency of promoting Christianity to its emergency relief victims, twenty-four members of staff were arrested. Eight have allegedly admitted to the crime.…
Source: Cybernoon MUMBAI, INDIA, August 6, 2001: For the overseas devotees of the elephant-headed Lord of the Siddhi Vinayak Temple here, the decision to make the auspicious arati and puja ceremonies in the temple going on-line, is a reason to rejoice. The temple trustees have joined hands with www.forindia.com to uplink the live Angaraki Puja to be held tomorrow (Tuesday,…
Source: Religion News Service AYLMER, ONTARIO, August 4, 2001: A Christian fundamentalist group in Canada has moved their children to Indiana and Ohio in the USA to take advantage of looser laws on corporal punishment. The Canadian authorities forbade them from beating their children with sticks, something the group says is allowed by their Bible. The group may even claim…
Source: Tribune News Service SHIMLA, INDIA, August 3, 2001: The University Grants Commission has sanctioned US$34,000 to Himachal Pradesh University for setting up a department of astrology and a Sanskrit speaking center. This was stated by Dr S.K. Gupta, vice-Chancellor, while inaugurating a two-day National Symposium on Sanskrit today. He said our literary heritage Sanskrit was not only but also…
Source: The Los Angeles Times PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, July 27, 2001: The engraved concrete steps leading up to Yoga Kingdom Sanctuary explain what yoga is all about before you even enter. “Increase strength,” “Reduce stress,” “Improve flexibility,” Increase energy,” and “Improve concentration,” all lead to the top step of “Inner peace.” The ancient Hindu discipline of Yoga, which means “union” in…
GO TO SOURCE USA, August, 2001: A clever system of miniature processing plants set up in 40-foot containers may be a boon for developing countries. The mini-plant system is designed in such a way that all the production machinery is fixed on the platform of the container, with all wiring, piping, and installation parts, all ready for production. There are…
GO TO SOURCE SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, August 5, 2001: Temples in South Korea have begun offering special ceremonies for women to pray for the foetuses they have aborted. The ritual, called naktae chondoje or offering ceremony for aborted foetuses, lasts for 49 days, the usual duration of a Buddhist funeral ceremony. Besides fruit and sweets, the women also make offerings…
GO TO SOURCE COLOMBO, SRI LANKA, August 5, 2001: Sri Lanka’s influential Buddhist clergy have called for laws to ban Christian conversions, which are spreading in poverty-stricken rural villages, and vowed collective action against the practice. They have adopted an 11-point plan to fight proselytizers, active in several districts of the island, and called on the authorities to immediately pass…
GO TO SOURCE LONDON, ENGLAND, August 5, 2001: Broadcasters in the United Kingdom want to a fight digital license ban, despite fears that opening the gates to U.S.-style evangelism will hit the weak and vulnerable. The BBC might just have appointed its first agnostic head of religion and ethics, and ITV may have already attracted doubts over whether it will…
Source: Sandhya Times (Hindi) RISHIKESH, INDIA, August 2, 2001: In the pilgrimage city of Rishikesh, use of polyethylene bags have been banned from August 1, 2001. According to the chief of the Nagar Palika Parishad Srimati Snehlata Sharma, a committee of citizens will keep an eye on the use of polyethylene bags, and five officials will be looking after the…