A tourist who climbed a sacred tree in Bali to post it on social media has been fined $28 and forced to pray for forgiveness. The Australian tourist had only $8 on his person at the time, but promised to hand in the rest this week. Footage on social media shows the tourist beside a Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Inter religious relations’
Muslims and Catholics helping each other out in Indonesia
Thursday, August 2nd, 2018
In a country where the news is often about incidents of religious intolerance, Muslims and Catholics have been coming to each other’s aid. Last Sunday over 3,500 people joined a charity run organized by Indonesia’s Jakarta Archdiocese to raise money to build churches in various parts of the country. Most were Catholics but Muslims also Read more
Growing Islamisation making Christians in Papua anxious
Monday, April 30th, 2018
Father Konstantinus Bahang says the attitude of Christians towards Islam of late has displayed both fear and, increasingly, loathing. He says their fear stems from growing Islamisation in all spheres of life, particularly the economy. “Most of the people who are well-connected and who are prospering are Muslims, while Papuans are getting left out,” said Bahang, Read more
Sikh council candidate’s billboard defaced
Tuesday, September 6th, 2016The first Sikh to run for a place on Hamilton’s city council has had his billboard defaced with the name Isis in black paint. Yugraj Singh Mahil is pictured on the billboard with another candidate Anna Casey-Cox. Both are first time candidates in the city’s east ward, standing as part of the Community Voice group. Read more
Islam awareness week – Muslim Kiwis show off their treasures
Tuesday, August 30th, 2016
Fijian-born Ibrar Sheikh hopes the Islam Open day in Aotea Square on the weekend has helped tackle misconceptions about his community and show that “Kiwi-Muslims are just like other New Zealanders.” The Open Day was one of the main activities of the Islam Awareness Week. Sheikh said it was a very unique opportunity for people Read more
Van Thio – from Otago freezing worker to vice president of Myanmar
Tuesday, April 12th, 2016
Henry Van Thio, who lived in Dunedin from 2011 until last year, has been sworn in as second vice-president in a historic moment for Myanmar – formerly known as Burma. Only two years before his swearing in, he was working at Silver Fern Farms’ Finegand freezing works, while his wife Anna Sui studied towards a PhD Read more
Believers and atheists join in opposing school Bible lessons
Friday, May 22nd, 2015
About a dozen protesters from the Secular Education Network (SEN) picketed outside the High Court at Auckland on Thursday in support of the McClintock family. A SEN spokesperson, David Hine, said the group of protesters included atheists who wanted no religion to be taught in state schools, as well as religious people who believed all Read more
Shia Ismaili Imamat’s Grande Exhibition in Auckland
Tuesday, March 10th, 2015Auckland’s ASB Showground Pavilion witnessed a grand exhibition called Rays of Light- A glimpse into Shia Ismaili Imamat. Rays of Light is a photographic and multimedia exhibition depicting His Highness the Aga Khan’s lifelong commitment to improving multiple facets of the human condition. The exhibit is organized around five main themes: Hope, Identity, Confluence, Harmony, Read more
Islam on the rise in PNG
Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
In recent years the number of Papua New Guinean Christians who have converted to Islam has been considerable. According to the recently released 2011 Census data, the Islamic population in rural areas of PNG has risen from about 300 in the year 2000 to 1352 in 2011. They are concentrated mainly in the Highlands, especially in Read more
Hindus in New Plymouth see need for city temple
Friday, July 4th, 2014When a young Indian child asked if Krishna was Jesus’ righthand man, the president of New Plymouth’s Indian Community knew it was time the town got a Hindu temple. New Plymouth’s Indian community has doubled in size in the past three years. Despite the city’s Indian population being 60-70 per cent Hindu and 10-15 percent Read more