Tiny Dalit paper makes waves in India

The Din Dalit is one of the huge number of newspapers in India and it has some degree of influence: for instance, it helped a man get his social security, which the government had previously denied him.

However, the Din Dalit is also a newspaper with a difference: every week since 1986, its part-time editor, a Dalit (untouchable) man named Gaurishankar Rajak, has written most of it himself by hand, and then photocopied it into 100 copies. Nowadays, the paper also has a reporter. Over the years, the paper has developed a following in Dumka, Jharkhand. As Dhrub Rai, a rickshaw driver, observed, "Rajak has simply waged a war against corruption and social evils here" (BBC).

On the one hand, it is sad that so much effort on the part of one person -- and thousands like him elsewhere in India -- has to go into demanding rights the respect of Dalits' rights in modern-day India. On the other hand, the very fact that the Din Dalit has been published for 21 years and has not faced attacks from high-caste neighbours, shows that India has come a long way from the days of prevailing caste-based oppression.

India blames Pakistani, Bangladeshi groups for bombing

The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has blamed unnamed "terrorist organisations based in Bangladesh and Pakistan" for the recent bombings in Hyderabad, which killed 42 people.

Meanwhile, Indian President Pratibha Patil has indicated that the intention of the bombers had been to harm harmony between Hindus and Muslims in the city (BBC).

Is the Indian authorities' tendency to blame most terrorist attacks on Pakistani -- and recently Bangladeshi -- groups a symptom of the fact that they do not possess adequate knowledge of terrorist groups possibly operating within their own country? In other words, why did it have to be Pakistanis or Bangladeshis, and not Indians?

The very idea that terrorists from Pakistan and Bangladesh supposedly cooperated in this attack is kind of hard to take given the sheer distance between the two countries. On the other hand, operatives representing unsavoury groups in the two countries may have met up in India, in which case someone was possibly harbouring them, and that someone might be an Indian group. So any way you look at it, blaming Pakistani and Bangladeshi groups looks like a copout.

Shi'ite flag flies over Basra police station

There are conflicting reports over the fate of a base in Basra that was recently evacuated by British forces. In theory, the Iraqi Police, which the British shared the station with, were supposed to take over control. However, there have been reports that the Mahdi Army, a Shi'ite militia, has taken over the base. Trying to refute those reports, a British Ministry of Defence spokesman said that a green Shi'ite flag was now flying over the base, rather than the black (and also Shi'ite) Mahdi Army flag (BBC).

So, even if the Iraqi Police is now in charge of the base, they are flying a sectarian flag, rather than a national one. This makes me wonder, at least for a moment, if the "Coalition of the Willing" is setting Iraq up for something like what was seen in Palestine and India in 1947-48, even if unintentionally.

Shi'ites and Kurds form new alliance

Four Shi'ite and Kurdish parties have formed a new ruling coalition in Iraq. These parties have also signed a "reconciliation" agreement with Sunni groups, but Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi's (Sunni) Iraqi Islamic Party so far has no plans to join the coalition (BBC).

It seems that the whole key to end the civil-war-like state of affairs in Iraq is to bring the Sunni Arabs on board, and I wish Maliki would try harder to do so.

Mother Teresa suffered decades of doubt

A compilation of Mother Teresa's letters, due to be published next month under the title Come Be My Light, reveals that she doubted the existence of God and heaven, and that she found no attraction in "saving souls," that is, converting people to Catholicism. While outwardly every bit the Catholic, she suffered from an intense spiritual drought in her heart.

At her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in 1979, she proclaimed that "Christ is in our hearts, Christ is in the poor we meet, Christ is in the smile we give, and Christ is in the smile we receive." However, writing to Father Michael van der Peet, her spiritual adviser, she admitted that "the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see -- listen and do not hear -- the tongue moves but does not speak."

In fact, Mother Teresa, known after her death as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, believed that she was involved in the "verbal deception" of people who admired her.

While these revelations, which come from letters Mother Teresa wanted burned after her death (they were preserved on the Church's orders), may make her less popular with some, but others are already saying that she is as holy as they thought previously, only more human (Daily Mail).

Afghans angry at balls donated by the US

About 100 people have demonstrated in the Afghan city of Khost after US troops stationed in the area airdropped some footballs (soccer balls) aimed at children in the area. They were protesting the fact that some of the balls were decorated with, among other things, Saudi flags.

Since the Saudi flag contains the Muslim declaration of faith, "There is no god except God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God," the footballs would indirectly invite players to kick an object bearing the name of God.

A US military spokeswoman has expressed regret over the mistake (BBC).

This once again starkly highlights the need for understanding the US Armed Forces to understand Islam and Muslims. Any interpreter who took a look at one of those footballs would be able to flag them as inappropriate.

Diana memorial scheduled for Friday

The family of the late Diana, Princess of Wales is planning to hold a memorial service on 31 August to mark the ten-year anniversary of her death in Paris, aged 36. The service is to be held in a military chapel in London, and should include readings by Princes William and Harry, as well as Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Diana's elder sister. About 500 people are expected to attend, including over 30 members of the royal family (BBC).

Partial curfew imposed in Baghdad

A partial curfew of indefinite duration has been imposed on Baghdad and its surroundings by the Iraqi government, meaning that, while cars are still allowed to move, two-wheeled vehicled and push-carts are not. This is a measure aimed at protecting Shi'ite pilgrims who are due to attend a festival next week (BBC).

The question is: what good is a curfew that gives cars freedom of movement in a country where so much damage has been wrought by car bombs? Is this a failure of the imagination on the part of the Iraqi government, or just an attempt at not embittering the population further by making life even more difficult for them?

Visitor profile, 15 July to 14 August 2007

Welcome to the fifth installment of Notes on Religion visitor profiles!

This month (15 July to 14 August 2007):

This month, Notes on Religion received 238 visits, that is, 318% more than the previous month, alhamdu lillah. The average number of visitors during this period was eight a day.

Visitors came to Notes on Religion from every inhabited continent, alhamdu lillah. The largest number of visitors (39%) came from the United States, and Canada came a distant second with 15%. Brazil was third with 4%. Because the highest number of visitors to the blog this month came from the US, I'll convert all currencies cited into US dollars during the upcoming month, God willing.

Within the US, the largest number of visits came from California (15% of the American total). In Canada, 72% of the visits this month came from Quebec.

An overwhelming majority of visitors this month (84%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. As for those who were referred by Google, their most common search term consisted of the URL of Notes on Religion.

The most popular browser this month was Internet Explorer (59%). 90% of the visitors were Windows users.

Since the founding of the blog (15 March to 14 August 2007):

The total number of visitors during these five months was 787. The average number of visitors was five per day.

The largest number of visitors (34%) came from Canada. The second-highest number (33%) came from the United States. The United Kingdom came third with 6%.

Quebec accounted for 77% of visitors from Canada.

The biggest proportion of visitors (39%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. The most common search term entered by visitors who were referred to Notes on Religion by Google was 'ishaq nizami'.

The most popular browser was Internet Explorer (53%). 93% of the visitors were Windows users.

Suicide bombers strike Yazidis; scores of casualties

Several suicide bomb attacks have killed 175 or more people near Mosul. The attacks were aimed at Iraq's Yazidi minority, whose members worship Malak Ta'us, or the Peacock Angel. The attack came after a period of rising tension between the Yazidis and Muslims of the area, after an incident in April in which a group of Yazidis allegedly stoned a formerly Yazidi girl who had converted to Islam (BBC).

It looks like some people in Iraq are really determined to drive all minorities out of the country.

Hadrian's statue found in Turkey

Archaeologists working in the ruins of the Roman city of Salagassos, located in modern Turkey, have found pieces of a huge statue of Emperor Hadrian (Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus, 76-138), who ruled the Roman Empire from 117 to 138. Salagassos was declared the "First City" of the Pisidia province by Hadrian, as well as a centre for the official cult of the emperor.

The recently uncovered statue would have stood 4 or 5 m tall. It was one of many statues to Hadrian erected in the city, which also had a temple dedicated to the emperor (BBC).

Are the Lebanese against Hamas? It depends

According to the recent Pew Global Attitudes Survey (PDF here), 67% of Lebanese respondents have an unfavourable view of Hamas. However, while 87% of Lebanese Christians and 76% of Lebanese Sunni Muslims hold that view, only 35% of Lebanese Shi'ite Muslims do.

Once again, I think the fact that 50% of Lebanese Shi'ites actually hold a positive view of Hamas (a Sunni militant group) lies in the fact that many Lebanese Shi'ites support the equally militant Shi'ite group Hizbullah.

Religious divide on Israel and Palestine in Lebanon

According to the recent Pew Global Attitudes Survey (PDF here), 49% of Lebanese respondents agree with the idea that "a way can be found for Israel and Palestinian rights to coexist". However, 70% of Lebanese Christians and 57% of Lebanese Sunni Muslims agree with this statement, but only 16% of Lebanese Shi'ite Muslims do.

If nothing else, this demonstrates what an unhealthy influence Hizbullah has been in Lebanon; the militant group's support base consists of Shi'ites, and they are the main recipients of its propaganda that rejecting peace with Israel.

Views of Sunnis and Shi'ites on Iran and Ahmadinejad

According to the recent Pew Global Attitudes Survey (PDF here), 45% of Lebanese Muslims have a fabourable view of Iran, and 39% have a favourable view of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. However, 86% of Lebanese Shi'ite Muslims have a favourable view of Iran (a majority-Shi'ite country), while only 8% of Lebanese Sunni Muslims do. Similarly, 76% of Lebanese Shi'ites have a favourable view of Ahmadinejad, while only 5% of Lebanese Sunnis do.

In Kuwait, the divide is less stark. Overall, 37% of Muslims in Kuwait like Iran, and 25% like Ahmadinejad. While 51% of Shi'ites in Kuwait have a favourable view of Iran, only 34% of Sunnis do; while 51% of Shi'ites in Kuwait have a favourable view of Ahmadinejad, only 20% of Sunnis do.

In Africa, the difference is even less pronounced, but nevertheless exists. In Mali, 50% of Muslims overall like Iran, while 42% like Ahmadinejad. However, 54% of Malian Shi'ites have a favourable view of Iran, while 44% of Malian Sunnis do; 44% of Malian Shi'ites have a favourable view of Ahmadinejad, while 38% of Malian Sunnis do.

In Nigeria, 64% of Muslims like Iran, while 61% like Ahmadinejad. However, while 81% of Nigerian Sunnis have a favourable view of Iran, 75% of Nigerian Sunnis do; while 79% of Nigerian Shi'ites have a favourable view of Ahmadinejad, 76% of Nigerian Sunnis do.

Religious divide in view of American culture

According to the recent Pew Global Attitudes Survey (PDF here), 71% of Lebanese respondents like American music, movies and TV. However, when broken down by religion and sect, it turns out that 87% of Lebanese Christians and 84% of Lebanese Sunni Muslims like American cultural exports, but only 37% of Lebanese Shi'ite Muslims do.

58% of Ethiopians like American cultural exports; 73% of Ethiopian Christians do, but only 36% of Ethiopian Muslims.

59% of Nigerians like American music, movies and TV; 82% of Nigerian Christians do, but only 38% of Nigerian Muslims.

54% of Malaysians like American cultural exports; 73% of Malaysian Buddhists do, but only 40% of Malaysian Muslims.

What is really interesting, apart from the religious distinctions within these countries, is the fact that many more Muslims seem to like American culture than the proportion that likes the country itself.

What do Muslims think of the US?

According to the recent Pew Global Attitudes Survey (PDF here), the following proportions of Muslim respondents have a favourable view of the US:

43% in Kuwait, 33% in Lebanon, 22% in Egypt, 20% in Jordan, 15% in Morocco, 13% in Palestine, 9% in Turkey, 51% in Bangladesh, 27% in Indonesia, 15% in Pakistan, 9% in Malaysia, 78% in Mali, 69% in Senegal, 49% in Nigeria, 48% in Ethiopia, 41% in Tanzania.

What stands out to me here is that the majority of Bangladeshi Muslims hold a favourable view of the US: Bangladesh is the only non-African country surveyed where this is the case. I wonder why. Perhaps the anwer lies in the fact that a large number of Bangladeshis know their compatriots living in the US who send back a balanced view of the US to their friends and relatives in Bangladesh.

Religious divide in view of the US in Lebanon

Asked in the recent Pew Global Attitudes Survey (PDF here) about their opinion of the United States, only 47% of Lebanese respondents had a favourable view of the country.

However, when the results are sorted according to the religion and sect of the respondent, a much more nuanced picture emerges. Thus, 82% of Lebanese Christians have a favourable view of the US, as do 52% of Lebanese Sunni Muslims. On the other hand, only 7% of Lebanese Shi'ite Muslims have a favourable view of the US.

I wonder if the proportion of Shi'ites and Sunnis with favourable views of the US would be exactly the opposite in Iraq.

Bin Laden's popularity low among Muslims

According to the recent Pew Global Attitudes survey (results available in a PDF), few Muslims have confidence in Osama bin Laden.

Asked whether they had "confidence in Osama bin Laden to do the right thing regarding world affairs," the following proportions of Muslim respondents said they had a lot of confidence or some confidence in him: 20% in Jordan, 20% in Morocco, 18% in Egypt, 13% in Kuwait, 5% in Turkey, 1% in Lebanon, 38% in Pakistan, 41% in Indonesia, 39% in Bangladesh, 32% in Malaysia, 30% in Mali, 20% in Senegal, 37% in Ethiopia, and 11% in Tanzania.

Only in two countries or territories did the majority of Muslim respondents express a lot or some confidence in bin Laden: Palestine, with 57%, and Nigeria, with 52%.

It is not surprising that Palestinians have a somewhat different view of the world from other Muslims at the moment, but what's with bin Laden's relatively high popularity among Nigerian Muslims? Perhaps President Umaru Yar'Adua should investigate the roots of the disaffection that Nigerian Muslims must be feeling.

US court orders Sudan to pay Cole victim families

A US federal court in Virginia has found Sudan guilty of involvement with the bombing of USS Cole by al-Qaeda in 2000, and has ordered the Sudanese government to pay US $8 million (Canadian $8.4 million) in compensation to the families of 17 US Marines who died in the attack.

According to Judge Robert Doumar, who presided over the trial, "It is depressing to realise that a country organised on a religious basis with religious rule of law could and would execute its power for purposes which most countries would find intolerable and loathsome."

The ruling was based on the Death on the High Seas Act. The families can collect the sum from Sudanese assets frozen in the US.

Sudan denies any ties with al-Qaeda, and the US government seems to agree (BBC).

I wonder if Doumar took the US government's position into account in making his judgement.

HIV children's families protest medics' release

The Libyan Association for the Families of HIV-Infected Children has protested against the pardon granted by Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov to the six Bulgarian medics convicted in Libya of deliberately infecting the 438 children with HIV. The association has released a statement saying the pardon shows disrespect towards Muslims, and calling for Libya to break off relations with Bulgaria.

Each of the victims' families have received compensation of US $1 million (Canadian $1,054,000) from an international fund (BBC).

It's strange to see this accusation coming from the victims' families, given that, under Islamic law, a murderer is released following the payment of compensation. So, even if the five Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian-Bulgarian doctor accused of infecting the children were guilty, the compensation should have settled the case under the Shari'a. Now, I know Libya is not run by Shari'a rules, but the family's self-identification as disrespected Muslims calls their protest into question.

Further, if anyone should be blamed for this sordid mess, it's obviously Muammar al-Gaddafi and the rest of the Libyan leadership, who tried to make scapegoats out of the six medics for domestic consumption, and then traded them to Bulgaria in exchange for better ties with the EU.

Most Muslims against the use of suicide bombing

The results of a Pew Global Attitudes Survey carried out in April in 47 countries (available in a PDF file) show that the majority (often an overwhelming one) of Muslims in 15 different countries are against suicide bomb attacks on civilian targets.

According to the survey, the proportions of Muslims who believe that suicide bombing is sometimes or often justified are: 34% in Lebanon, 20% in Bangladesh, 9% in Pakistan, 23% in Jordan, 10% in Indonesia, 11% in Tanzania, 42% in Nigeria, 16% in Turkey, 39% in Mali, 26% in Malaysia, 21% in Kuwait, 18% in Ethiopia, 18% in Senegal, 11% in Morocco, and 8% in Egypt.

The only territory polled where a majority of Muslims supports the use of suicide bombing as a tactic was Palestine, where 70% of respondents think it can sometimes or often be justified.

Gül says he is still running for president

Turkey's foreign Minister, Abdullah Gül, has hinted that he intends to continue seeking the country's presidency, saying, "It is out of the question that I should rule myself out as a candidate."

The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, to which Gül belongs, recently won 46% of the vote in a general election. This does not give the party enough votes to push its candidate through to the presidency without opposition support. The opposition parties, meanwhile, strongly opposed Gül's candidacy the last time around, because of the AK Party's Islamist roots (BBC).

Let's see how this plays out. The last thing the AK Party is likely to want is another election, which might get it yet another ambiguous mandate. I think the time for compromise has arrived.

US Marines, Army undergo cultural training before Iraq

The US Marine Corps organises compulsory cultural training for Marines headed to Iraq in Quantico, Virginia, where, among other topics, the trainees are introduced to topics such as "religion, the importance of mosques to Muslims" and "the importance of family values".

Meanwhile, the US Army has only recently launched a similar cultural training course, based in mock-ups of two Iraqi towns, which are located in the Mojave Desert in California. The Army training programme goes under the name of "Mojave Viper" (BBC).

Two questions: Why did the US Army start out with this programme in 2007, instead of 2003? By way of an answer, I suppose the neocons did not believe a knowledge of Iraqi culture or Islam had anything to do with occupying Iraq.

And secondly: What's up with calling the whole programme "Mojave Viper"? Who or what is supposed to be the viper here?

South Koreans to negotiate with Taliban over hostages

A group of South Korean envoys are in Afghanistan in order to negotiate with the Taliban about 23 of their citizens who are being held hostage by the militant group. The Afghan army has surrounded the Taliban position in Ghazni Province where the militants are holding the South Koreans hostage.

The Afghan deputy interior minister, Gen. Munir Mangal, said that, since the Pashtuns are known for their hospitality, he hoped the Taliban would treat the South Koreans with respect (BBC).

It seems a little much to expect the Taliban to show hospitality to their hostages, now doesn't it? But there's no harm in reminding them of the values they hold so dear; after all, they sheltered Osama bin Laden in 2001 on the pretext that their hospitality is inviolable.

Two Hamas activists killed in Gaza

Two Hamas militants have been killed by Israeli soldiers near Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip. According to an Israeli army spokesman, the men were armed, and were killed as they approached the Gaza-Israel border fence (BBC).

Is it not an overreaction to shoot someone just for approaching a border? Was their any evidence that the militants had meant to attack any Israeli positions?

Dozens killed, injured in pilgrim bus crash in France

Twenty-six Polish pilgrims on their way out of France were killed when their bus fell 15 m off a highway between Grenoble and Gap. They had been visiting the Catholic shrine of Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, where the Virgin Mary was reportedly seen in 1846. About 20 other pirlgrims were injured in the fall (BBC).

AK Party wins Turkish election

The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party has won today's general election in Turkey, securing about 50% of the votes. The top-ranked opposition party got only around 20% (BBC).

This theoretically gives PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a fresh mandate to implement direct presidential elections, which proved to be highly controversial during his previous tenure, and drew hundreds of thousands of secularist protesters into the streets.

Once again, the anti-democratic nature of the Turkish general's protests against the AK Party stands revealed.

Indian president-elect retracts statement on the veil

Pratibha Patil, who has been elected India's first female president, recently told a group of Muslims that the veil had first come into use in India to protect Indian women from Mughal invaders. She retracted her comments after they drew protests (BBC).

I'm glad President-elect Patil is wise enough to have taken her words back, instead of starting out with half-hearted apologies, the way some other famous people have done in recent years after offending Muslims with ill-informed statements.

Korean and German hostages in danger in Afghanistan

The Afghan government has denied the Taliban's claims to have executed two German hostages it was holding, saying that one of them was still alive, while the other had died of a heart attack.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has kidnapped upto 23 South Korean Christians, who came to Afghanistan to preach and provide aid. According to Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, the movement would start executing the South Koreans unless 23 Taliban prisoners were released (BBC).

By kidnapping civilians, the Taliban is making it that much harder for those in the international community who advocate a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan. It seems they are not interested in finding a way out of the conflict, but are instead trying to live off it. This strategy may backfire if Afghan civilians eventually tire of their suicide bombings, kidnappings, and other violations of common decency.

Alleged terrorist training school busted in Italy

Police in the Italian city of Umbria have raided and shut down what they describe as a "terror school" linked to al-Qaeda. They arrested the imam of the mosque that housed the alleged terrorist training centre, a Moroccan named Korchi el Moustapha, as well as two other Moroccans linked to the mosque, and twenty foreign students suspected with involvement.

According to the police, the mosque provided training in the use of poinsons and explosives, and also possessed instructions on flying a Boeing 747.

Commenting about the suspects, Abdel Qader, the imam or another mosque in Perugia, said, "If any has made a mistake, he will have to pay" (BBC).

Once again, it seems, we are faced with a group determined to ruin the reputation of Muslims and, if the Italian allegations are true, determined to kill innocent people. If only they could me made to understand how wrong-headed their actions are.

Pearl widow accuses Pakistani bank of role in murder

Mariane Pearl, the widow of Daniel Pearl, the American journalist who was murdered by extremists in Pakistan in 2002, is suing the Habib Bank in a Pakistani court for allegedly transferring money for the al-Rashid Trust which, according to her, is linked to her husband's killers.

According to Mrs Pearl, Daniel Pearl was killed in a house belonging to one of the trustees of the al-Rashid Trust (BBC).

If the bank was indeed involved in transferring money for the al-Rashid Trust, let's hope Mariane Pearl can get justice in a Pakistani court.

There is also the question, though, of whether the bank knew whom it was dealing with. To what extent is it possible for a bank to check on the activities of the trustees or board members of every organisation it has dealings with?

Vatican Library closes for 3 years

The Vatican Library, which is used by academics and other researchers from the world over, has closed for urgent repairs, and is not due to reopen until September 2010. The library has had to close because of structural damage that was discovered in one of its wings.

The library is home to over 1.5 million printed books and 150,000 manuscripts, including the Codex Vaticanus, a copy of the Bible dating back to the 4th century.

This is the first time since the 15th century that the library will be closed for an extended period of time. Despite the closure, however, scholars will be able to request microfilms of photocopies of documents they require, according to Ambrogio Piazzoni, deputy head of the library (BBC).

Visitor profile, 15 June to 14 July 2007

Welcome to the fourth installment of Notes on Religion visitor profiles!

This month (15 June to 14 July 2007):

This month, Notes on Religion received 57 visits, that is, 56% less than the previous month. The average number of visitors during this period was two a day.

Visitors came to Notes on Religion from Asia, Europe and North America. The largest number of visitors (39%) came from Canada, and the second-highest number came from the United States (28%). The UK came third with 14%.

Within Canada, 82% of the visits this month came from Quebec.

The biggest proportion of visitors this month (37%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. As for those who were referred by Google, their most common search term was 'Notesonreligion'.

The most popular browser this month was Internet Explorer (53%). 93% of the visitors were Windows users.

Since the founding of the blog (15 March to 14 July 2007):

The total number of visitors during these four months was 549. The average number of visitors was five per day.

The largest number of visitors (42%) came from Canada. The second-highest number (30%) came from the United States. The United Kingdom came third with 7%.

Quebec accounted for 70% of visitors from Canada.

The biggest proportion of visitors (38%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. The most common search term entered by visitors who were referred to Notes on Religion by Google was 'Ishaq Nizami'.

The most popular browser was Internet Explorer (50%). 93% of the visitors were Windows users.

About 50 killed in Islamabad mosque raid

Abdul Rashid Ghazi, a cleric at Islamabad's Lal Masjid (Red Mosque), has been killed by Pakistani army troops in a crossfire with militants holed up in the mosque, according to Javed Iqbal Cheema, a Pakistan Interior Ministry spokesman. About 50 militant supporters of the mosque were killed in the fighting, and the head imam, Maulana Abdul Aziz, was arrested as he tried to flee the mosque disguised as a woman on 4 July.

About 50 women and children were removed from the mosque by the soldiers.

An additional 70 militants either surrendered to Pakistani forces, or were captured by them.

The standoff between the Pakistani government and the mosque, which had lasted for several months, escalated when supporters of the mosque kidnapped seven Chinese people who, according to Lal Masjid clerics, had been running a brothel (BBC).

This seemingly brings to a sad end the story of the Lal Masjid's defiance of the authorities in Islamabad, which Notes on Religion reported on several times previously. I argued before that Musharraf ought to do something about the mosque, but it is troubling that it came to a bloodbath of this sort.

EU defends sex clip compilation

Martin Selmayr, the spokesman of the European Commission, has defended the EU's use of a compilation of sex scenes from European movies as a promotion tool on YouTube. The video is getting thousands of hits a day, and has drawn protests from some MEPs, including members of Britain's Conservative Party, and the League of Polish Families.

Selmayr described the criticism as "quasi-religious bashing of the very important cultural diversity we have in the European Union," and added that "the European Union is not a Bible belt, we believe in freedom of expression and artistic creativity" (BBC).

What Selmayr seems to forget is the EU's much-vaunted diversity. He should remember that he represents an organisation that does include some pretty religious member-states (Poland is but one example). So, while the EU may not be "a Bible belt", it does contain its own Bible belts and mini-Bible belts (in Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, but also in the more secular member-states). This video, while being a great gimmick for attracting viewers to the EU's YouTube channel, does a poor job of representing the views of the more religious or conservative citizens of the Union.

Happy national holidays to Canada, Belarus, and the US

Early July features the national holidays of three countries to which I am connected in one way or another: Canada, Belarus and the United States.

Canada celebrated Canada Day on 1 July, and a long weekend continues here today (for some). This was the 140th anniversary of Confederation. Belarus is due to celebrate its Independence Day on 3 July, which is the 63rd anniversary of the liberation of Minsk from German forces during World War II. Finally, the US is due to mark its Independence Day, the 231st anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, on 4 July.

Happy national holidays to everyone from these countries!

Catholic film festival held in Belarusian countryside

The Hlybokaje (Hlybokaye) District, located in Belarus's Viciebsk (Vitsebsk) Region, has played host to the third edition of Magnificat, an international Catholic film festival, held from 21 to 24 June. Forty-four movies from 14 countries were presented at the festival.

The film festival is funded by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Belarus. According to Aliaksandr Amielčenia (Amel'chenia), a Catholic priest who directs the festival, the organisers aim not only to proselytise, but also highlight the common human values that arose within Christianity. Amielčenia praised the Hlybokaje District Executive Committee (that is, the local reprsentatives of President Aliaksandr Lukašenka) for their support for the festival (BelaPAN).

Quite a different picture from Orša, I must say.

Orša holds an "Orthodox" birthday

The Belarusian city of Orša (Orsha) is currently celebrating the 940th anniversary of its founding. The celebration is entitled "An Orthodox Christian Orša" a "spiritual and educational" fair called "An Orthodox Christian Belarus". Several Orthodox parish choirs were due to perform at the Orša Centre of Culture.

The festivities, which stretch over several days, also include art exhibitions, a conference entitled "Orša in the Historico-Cultural and Religious Development of Belarus", an air show, horse rides, a Medieval reenactment, and a concert (BELTA).

The question is: why are the celebrations emphasising only one aspect of Orša's diverse religious heritage, and creating the impression that the city has been entirely Orthodox for the 940 years of its existence? What about the fact that Orša became a centre of Calvinism in the 16th century? What about the city's rich Catholic and Jewish history?

I don't know if Aliaksandr Lukašenka (Lukashenka) is personally responsible for the decision to marginalise non-Orthodox groups from Orša's celebrations, but he has certainly set the tone of the official promotion of Orthodoxy in the country, a position only a third of Belarusians agreed with in a 2002 poll (while 67% of the population is Orthodox). Interestingly enough, the President describes himself as an "Orthodox Christian atheist".

Bosnian War death toll revised downwards

A study entitled "The Bosnian Book of Dead", conducted over the course of three years by the Research and Documentation Centre located in Sarajevo, has concluded that 97,207 people were killed in the Bosnian War (1992-1995).

According to the Centre, about 65% of those killed were Muslims (Bosniaks), 25% were Serbs, and 8% were Croats (BBC).

I'm glad that this number is only half the original estimate of 200,000. But it is still shocking that this many people were killed in a Europe that had supposedly learned the lessons of the two World Wars.

Muslims suffered disproportionately in the war: although 65% of those killed in the war were Muslims, the community represented only 41% of the population of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1991.

Conflict at Jerusalem gay pride march

About 2,000 have joined in a gay pride march through Jerusalem. They were being guarded by 7,000 Israeli policemen. The reason for such a high security presence was a counter-demonstration by several hundred Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews, who denounced the gay pride march, set dustbins on fire and held banners with "Shame" written on them.

An ultra-Orthodox Jew was arrested by Israeli police for allegedly planning to set off a bomb on the route of the gay pride march (BBC).

Taliban turn to suicide bombing

The Taliban seem to be deploying increasing numbers of suicide bombers in their war against NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan. The movement is copying tactics used by insurgents in Iraq.

Arsala Jamal, the Governor of Khost Province, sees the use of this tactic by the Taliban as a sign of desperation. Most of the volunteers for suicide bombing operations are teenage boys lured by the Taliban by promises of paradise; this fact might indicate a shortage of adult recruits ready to engage in conventional combat.

Nevertheless, suicide bombing has so far proved an effective tactic for the Taliban (BBC).

The question is: do the Taliban also tell their recruits that suicide is forbidden in Islam, or do they conveniently forget to do so?

Lebanon reportedly defeats Fatah al-Islam

Lebanon has declared victory over the Palestinian militant group Fatah al-Islam, which it had been fighting for about a month. According to Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Murr, the Lebanese army had "crushed those terrorists". Over 150 people, including 20 civilians, were killed in the conflict between the army and Fatah al-Islam.

According to Murr, the leaders of the Palestinian group are on the run, and are being pursued by the Lebanese army (BBC).

A much-needed victory for Lebanon, as long as it sticks.

Muslim chaplain represents Islam to the Marines

US Navy LCDR Abuhena Saifulislam serves with the US Marine Corps as its only Muslim chaplain, and one of two Muslim chaplains in the Navy.

Growing up in Bangladesh, Saifulislam was fascinated with US Navy uniforms that he saw in World War II movies. After immigrating into the US in the 1980s, he decided to join the Navy instead of working in the world of finance in New York, which had been his original plan.

Saifulislam is often interviewed by the media, and tries to point out that there is nothing incompatible between being Islam and the US Armed Forces.

While working as a Muslim chaplain, he has obtained prayer space for Muslims at Marine Corps Base Quantico (located in Virginia), and started regular Muslim calls to prayer at the detention centre at Guantánamo Bay.

Saifulislam also teaches non-Muslim Marines about Islam.

On relations between the US and the Arab world, Saifulislam says, "Don't see the entire religion, or judge it, through one set of eyes. The Arabs shouldn't generalise (either)...The majority of Americans may not approve of many things that we do outside, but it doesn't mean that we don't love the country (BBC).

Definitely not the most typical place for a Bangladeshi to end up in. Saifulislam is doing good work, and the US Armed Forces need more people like him, both to combat an image of their being an anti-Islamic force, and to teach American soldiers to be respectful to Islam and Muslims.

Hindu activists protest vibrating condom in India

Right-wing Hindus in Madhya Pradesh have protested publicly against the sale of Crezendo condoms, which contain a battery-operated vibrating ring. The presence of this device in the condoms has led many in Madhya Pradesh, including the state's minister for roads and energy, to condemn them as sex toys, which are banned in India.

Asked to comment on the issue, Kunal Singh, who lives in Bhopal the state's capital, said "It is wrong to protest against the move. It is a matter of personal choice" (BBC).

It's hard not to agree with Singh.

UK anapologetic over Rushdie knighthood

In the face of criticism by Iran and Pakistan, and concerns expressed by Iraq, Britain has defended its decision to bestow a knighthood upon Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses, among other novels.

As British Home Secretary, John Reed, put it, "We have a right to express opinions and a tolerance of other people's point of view, and we don't apologise for that."

He also defended Britain's record in protecting the feelings of minorities, saying "We have to be sensitive, but I think that we take the approach that in the long-run the protection of the right to express opinions in literature, argument and politics is of over-riding value to our society" (BBC).

I agree that free expression is extremely valuable, and is one of the things that makes countries that guarantee it pleasant to live in. However, there is, of course, the question of balance: at what point does one person's freedom of expression cause unnecessary pain to another? All in all, I think Britain has got the balance right, unlike some other Western European countries.

Evangelical becomes LA anti-gang head

Rev. Jeff Carr, an Evangelical minister, has been appointed Director of Gang Reduction and Youth Development Programmes in Los Angeles.

It is estimated that there are 40,000 gang members in the city.

Upon his appointment, Rev. Carr said, "We can't arrest our way out of this problem. We have got to figure out how to provide opportunities to communities who have been bypassed for years" (BBC).

Carr seems like the right man for the job. Religion, when properly presented, often gives people the kind of hope they need in order to move away from self-destructive behaviour.

The question is, though: how much religious influence will Carr be able to bring to bear in his new position, given the separation of church and state in the US?

Visitor profile, 15 May to 14 June 2007

Welcome to the third installment of Notes on Religion visitor profiles!

This month (15 May to 14 June 2007):

This month, Notes on Religion received 130 visits, that is, 16% less than the previous month. The average number of visitors during this period was four a day.

Visitors came to Notes on Religion from every inhabited continent except Africa. The largest number of visitors (33%) came from Canada, and the second-highest number came from the United States (31%). The UK came a distant third with 5%.

Within Canada, 72% of the visits this month came from Quebec.

The biggest proportion of visitors this month (42%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. As for those who were referred by Google, their most common search term was 'Ishaq Nizami'.

The most popular browser this month was Internet Explorer (56%). 91% of the visitors were Windows users.

Since the founding of the blog (15 March to 14 June 2007):

The total number of visitors during these three months was 492. The average number of visitors was five per day.

The largest number of visitors (42%) came from Canada. The second-highest number (30%) came from the United States. The United Kingdom came third with 6%.

Quebec accounted for over two-thirds (68%) of visitors from Canada.

The biggest proportion of visitors (39%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. The most common search term entered by visitors who were referred to Notes on Religion by Google was 'Ishaq Nizami'.

The most popular browser was Internet Explorer (50%). 93% of the visitors were Windows users.

Court abolishes AUC niqab ban

Iman al-Zainy, who sued the American University of Cairo (AUC) in 2001 after not being allowed to enter its campus while wearing a niqab, has won her case against the university. The High Administrative Court has ruled that the AUC had no right to stop people wearing the niqab from entering its grounds, as such a policy was a violation of the religious freedom of the people involved.

AUC had claimed that its ban on the niqab stemmed from security concerns. The court's decision leaves the door open for the university to require women wearing the niqab to show their face to a female security officer.

One of Zainy's lawyers, Hossam Bahgat, said the decision affirmed "women's autonomy over their body and dress code" (BBC).

It seems that reason has won the day.

[This post was written in Toronto.]

Former Taliban media head defects

Ishaq Nizami, who served as head of the radio and TV directorate under the Taliban from 1996 to 2001, has left the movement, and may join the current Afghan government. In response, the Taliban have claimed that Nizami was brainwashed.

While Nizami held his position under the Taliban, there were no TV broadcasts in the country, as the radical Islamist movement had banned the medium entirely.

According to other ex-Taliban media workers, Nizami helped preserve Afghanistan's art and film archives from destruction by his fellow Taliban members (BBC).

I hope this defection encourages others to follow suit, so that the various political currents of Afghanistan can cooperate in building the country's future, instead of continuing the fratricidal war currently underway.

[This post was written in Toronto.]

Bush meets Pope

In a visit to the Vatican, George W. Bush has met Pope Benedict XVI for the first time. The Pope expressed concern about the plight of Christians in Iraq, and called for a "regional and negotiated solution to the conflicts that afflict" the region.

"I was talking to a very smart, loving man," Bush observed (BBC).

Now if only Bush could learn something from him.

[This post was written in Toronto.]

Psychic town in Florida

Cassadaga, a small, unincorporated town in Florida, is home to 40 psychics. The town thrives on allegedly helping visitors make contact with their dead loved ones. Some psychics working in Cassadaga claim that everyone is guided by a spirit that once belonged to a living person. Visitors are asked to take pictures of a lake so that they may capture images of the spirits that allegedly hover over it, and, the BBC reporter visiting the town met a fellow visitor who did take a picture of the lake with mysterious markings on it.

While some of the tourists who flock to the town remain sceptical, others derive a sense of comfort from their experiences there (BBC).

[This post was written in Toronto.]

Israeli rabbi calls for massive bombing of Gaza

In a letter he sent to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in late May, the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Mordechai Eliyahu, has declared all the resident of Gaza collectively guilty for the firing of rockets at Israel by some of their number. The letter was later distributed in synagogues across Israel. Eliyahu used texts from the Bible, and from Moses Maimonides's Biblical commentary, as proof for his statement.

Commenting on Eliyahu's statement, his son Shmuel Eliyahu, who is the chief rabbi of the Israeli city of Sefed, said that Mordechai Eliyahu advocated bombing the area from which the rockets were fired, no matter how many Palestinian lives were lost as a result.

According to Shmuel Eliyahu, "If they don't stop after we kill 100, then we must kill a thousand. And if they do not stop after 1,000 then we must kill 10,000. If they still don't stop we must kill 100,000, even a million. Whatever it takes to make them stop" (Jerusalem Post).

I should mention that Qassam rockets fired by Palestinian militants have killed 12 Israelis since 2001. Just so that we are clear about the enormity of what the Eliyahus are saying, it seems that they would not mind seeing a million Palestinians killed to avenge these 12 people.

These statements demonstrate in a rather chilling fashion that extremism and the perversion of religious teachings are not the sole preserve of any one group.

Iran encourages temporary marriages

The Interior Minister of Iran, Mustafa Pour-Mohammadi, who is a Shi'ite cleric, is encouraging Iranians to contract temporary marriages, which are seen as a legitimate form of marriage in Shi'ite Islam. Pour-Mohammadi has called for greater social acceptance of termporary marriages, which many Iranians (about 90% of whom are Shi'ites) see as being little better than prostitution. The minister is also urging Iranians to get married at an earlier age.

Pour-Mohammadi was challenged by a female MP, who asked the minister if he would reveal the number of temporary marriages his daughter had been in to a man seeking to become her permanent husband.

There are currently tens of thousands of children born of such unions in Iran who are stuck in a legal limbo: as products of a marriage recognised by Shi'ite fiqh (understanding of the Shari'a), they are legitimate in law, but their fathers often tend to deny ever having married their mothers, which makes them illegitimate de facto (BBC).

UK govt. promises funding for Islamic studies

The British government has promised to spend £1 million (Canadian $2.1 million) in support of the teaching of Islamic studies at British universities. The announcement came while Tony Blair was attending a University of Cambridge conference on Islam, which has also drawn figures such as the grand muftis of Egypt and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Blair has called on "people in the country and wider to listen to" the participants of the conference, as "they are the authentic voices of Islam" (BBC).

A good initiative on the part of the British government, but how far can £1 million go?

Fatah al-Islam promises escalation

The Lebanon-based Palestinian militant group Fatah al-Islam (Islamic Conquest), which is fighting the Lebanese army in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon, has promised to spread the conflict to the Ain el-Hilweh camp in the south of the country. At the same time, Fatah al-Islam has denied having any connection to the militant group Jund al-Sham, which recently attacked Lebanese soldiers at the southern camp (BBC).

Psychiatrists recommend Buddhist meditation

In a report published in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, psychiatrists Diane Gehart and Eric McCollum, who work at the California State University, Fresno and Virginia Tech, argue that people need to realise that a certain degree of suffering will occur in every marriage. To cope with this suffering, the authors suggest employing mindfulness, which is a meditation technique drawn from the Buddhist tradition.

Mindfulness involves focusing on one's current actions and thoughts. Some British psychiatrists already use this technique for therapeutic purposes (BBC).

Fighting at another Palestinian refugee camp

An apparently minor Islamist Palestinian militant group named Jund al-Sham (The Army of Greater Syria) clashed with the Lebanese army on 3 June at the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp near the southern Lebanese city of Sidon. Two people, including one civilian, were injured when a Jund al-Sham militant attacked a Lebanese army post.

According to the mayor of Sidon, Abdul Rahman Bizri, the fighting has been stopped, with the help of other Palestinian groups

Meanwhile, over 100 people have so far been killed in the fighting between another Palestinian Islamist group, Fatah al-Islam, and the Lebanese army in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, located near Tripoli, in the north of Lebanon (BBC).

How ridiculous is it when groups that claim to be fighting for Islam attack the army of a Muslim country that has given their people refuge since 1948?

Somali PM assassination fails

A suicide bomber trying to kill Ali Mohamed Ghedi, the interim prime minister of Somalia, was shot by Ghedi's bodyguards before he could reach the prime minister's residence. Nevertheless, he succeeded in blowing his car up, killing six people.

Ghedi is blaming Al-Qaeda for the attack (BBC).

American Muslim demographics and views of religion

The recent Pew Research Center survey of American Muslims indicates the following demographic profile for this population:

While 52% of adult Americans overall are female and 48% male, 54% of adult American Muslims are male, while 46% are female.

American Muslims are a younger group than Americans in general. 30% of adult American Muslims are aged between 18 and 29, while only 13% are aged 55 or more. On the other hand, 21% of adult Americans in general are aged between 18 and 29, and 30% are 55 or older.

60% of adult American Muslims are currently married, as opposed to 57% of adult Americans as a whole.

The racial composition of American Muslims is different from that of the overall American population. Only 38% of American Muslims are white, as opposed to 77% of Americans as a whole. Blacks account for 26% of American Muslims but 11% of Americans. Asians make up 20% of American Muslims and 5% of Americans in general. 4% of American Muslims are Hispanic, as are 13% of Americans as a whole.

In educational attainment, Muslim Americans are very similar to Americans in general. 10% of American Muslims have gone to graduate school, as have 9% of Americans as a whole. 14% of American Muslims have a bachelor's degree, as do 16% of Americans as a whole. However, as many as 21% of adult American Muslims have not graduated from high school, while the figure for Americans as a whole is 16%.

Income-wise, Muslim Americans are also very close to the overall American population. While 16% of American Muslim households have an annual income of US $100,000 (Canadian $108,000) or above, the same was true of 17% of American households overall. Again, while 35% of American Muslim households earn less than US $30,000 (Canadian $32,400) a year, so do 33% of American households overall.

However, in home ownership, American Muslims are far behind Americans as a whole: 68% of adult Americans own a home, but only 41% of American Muslims do.

Income disparities between Muslims and non-Muslims are much greater in four Western European countries than in the US. 45% of French Muslim households have an annual income of €17,500 (Canadian $25,400) or less, compared to only 27% of French households overall. 73% of Spanish Muslim households have an annual income of €14,500 (Canadian $21,100) or less, compared to 50% of Spanish households overall. 53% of German Muslim households have an annual income of €18,000 (Canadian $26,100) or less, as opposed to 35% of German households overall. 61% of British Muslim households have an annual income of ₤20,000 (Canadian $42,800) or less, compared to 39% of British households overall.

Interestingly, 23% of American Muslims live in households that contain both Muslims and non-Muslims.

59% of American Muslim households contain children.

50% of American Muslims are Sunnis, while 16% are Shi'ites. As many as 22% do not belong to a specific sect.

91% of American converts to Islam were born in the United States.

59% of Muslim converts in the US are African-American, while 34% are white. 55% of converts are Sunni, while 6% are Shi'ite.

49% of converts embraced Islam when they were less than 21 years old. 67% of American converts to Islam were Protestants before they became Muslims, 10% were Catholics, while 4% were Orthodox Christians. 15% did not observe any religion before becoming Muslims.

58% of American converts to Islam embraced the religion because of the beliefs and practices of Islam. 18% did so for reasons primarily connected with family and marriage.

86% of American Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the word of God, while 78% of American Christians think the same about the Bible. Only 50% of American Muslims think that the Qur'an is the literal word of God, while 40% of American Christians have this view of the Bible.

60% of American Muslims believe that there is more than one correct way of interpreting "Islamic teachings".

74% of American Muslims are satisfied with the mosques in the areas where they live.

41% of American Muslims report praying five times a day. Another 20% perform some of the five prayers.

48% of American Muslim men and 45% of American Muslim women believe that women should pray at the mosque "separately from men". 20% of Muslim men and 26% of Muslim women think that women should pray at the mosque "behind men, not separately".

78% of American Muslims report being "very happy" or "pretty happy" with their lives. The same is true of 87% of Americans as a whole.

47% of American Muslims think of themselves as "Muslim first", while 28% see themselves as "American first". On the other hand, 42% of American Christians think of themselves as "Christian first", while 48% see themselves as "American first".

51% of American Muslims are "very worried" or "somewhat worried" that "women wearing the hijab will be treated poorly". Curiously, only 44% of American women who always wear the hijab share this concern.

It seems that, overall, African Americans face more prejudice than American Muslims. For example, 26% of American Muslims say they were "treated or viewed with suspicion" in the past year, while the same is true of 33% of African Americans.

Muslim Americans who voted in the 2004 presidential election backed John Kerry over George W. Bush by a 71-14 margin.

Only 63% of adult Muslim US citizens are registered to vote, while 76% of adult Americans are overall.

55% of American Muslims think that the current US War on Terrorism is not "a sincere effort to refuce terrorism". This compares with 63% of Turkish Muslims, 66% of Moroccan Muslims, 52% of Jordanian Muslims and 59% of Pakistani Muslims.

While 78% of American Muslims believe that suicide bombing can never be justified, this view is shared by 64% of French Muslims, 69% of Spanish Muslims, 70% of British Muslims, 83% of German Muslims, only 28% of Nigerian Muslims, 43% of Jordanian Muslims, 45% of Egyptian Muslims, 61% of Turkish Muslims, 69% of Pakistani Muslims, and 71% of Indonesian Muslims.

61% of American Muslims think that a way can be found "for Israel and Palestinian rights to coexist". 67% of Americans overall, as well as 67% of Israelis overall, share this view.

This is the fourth (of four) posts in a Notes on Religion series on the Pew Research Center's
survey of American Muslims, released in May 2007.

Here are links to the other three:

[First post] [Second Post] [Third Post] [Fourth Post]

Yet more on American Muslims

Here are some other findings of the Pew Research Center's survey of American Muslims:

35% of American Muslims were born in the United States.

24% were born in the Arab world, 18% in South Asia, 8% in Iran, 5% in Europe, 4% in non-Arab African countries.

After the United States, the countries that account for the largest number of American Muslims (by birth) are Pakistan and Iran (8% each). Next come India, Lebanon and Yemen (4% each), followed by Bangladesh, Iraq and Bosnia-Herzegovina (3% each).

18% of American Muslims only arrived in the US in 2000 or later.

Of foreign-born American Muslims, 26% came to the US primarily for "educational opportunity", 24% came for "economic opportunity", another 24% came for "family reasons", and 20% came to the US to escape conflict or persecution.

77% of Muslims in the United States are US citizens.

This is the third (of four) posts in a Notes on Religion series on the Pew Research Center's survey of American Muslims, released in May 2007. Here are links to the other three:

[First post] [Second Post] [Third Post] [Fourth Post]

More on the survey of American Muslims

Continuing our discussion of the recent Pew Research Center survey of American Muslims, it turns out that Muslims in the United States hold rather social democratic views. 70% favour a bigger government, while only 43% of Americans as a whole do.

73% of American Muslims think the US government should do more to help the poor, a view that 63% of Americans share overall.

On homosexuality, 63% of American Muslims think it should be discouraged, while only 38% of Americans think so in general.

While 35% of Americans approve of George W. Bush's job performance, only 15% of American Muslims do. 63% of American Muslims (as opposed to 51% of Americans in general) are Democrats, or have pro-Democrat views.

72% of American Muslims and 60% of American Christians say that religion is "very important" in their lives. Curiously enough, 61% of American Muslims pray everyday, while 70% of American Christians do so. 40% of American Muslims go to the mosque every week, while 45% of American Christians attend church services weekly.

54% of American Christians think that churches "should express views on political and social issues," while only 43% of American Muslims say the same about mosques.

This is the second (of four) posts in a Notes on Religion series on the Pew Research Center's survey of American Muslims, released in May 2007. Here are links to the other three:

[First post] [Second Post] [Third Post] [Fourth Post]

Survey of American Muslims released

The Pew Research Center has released a large-scale survey of American Muslims, which gauges their opinion on subjects like the the American lifestyle, Islamist extremism, September 11, discrimination, US foreign policy (including the Iraq War), religious observance, homosexuality, President George Bush, and US domestic politics.

The survey also attempted to find out the number of Muslims in the United States, as well as the national, racial, sectarian, age and gender composition of the community. Finally, the respondents were asked about their incomes, education levels, employment, and, importantly, their interpretations and opinions concerning religious matters, such as the Qur'an, and the way mosques operate.

The survey sample consisted of 1,050 Muslims, and participants were paid $50 for taking part. The survey was conducted over landline telephones.

You can view the Pew Research Center's complete report in a PDF file.

Here, though, is a sample of the results:

The survey found that Muslims make up only 0.6% of the US population, which means that there are 1.4 million Muslims over the age of 18 in the United States. This is substantially lower than the currently widely accepted estimate of 6 million Muslims, but the latter number includes children. If we multiply 0.6% by the total US population, i.e. 301.7 million, we get 1.8 million Muslims. However, because American Muslims are a younger population on average than the overall American population, that number is likely to be higher.

65% of American Muslims are foreign-born, while the other 35% are native-born. Only 14% of American Muslims are people who were born into Muslim families in the US. 21% of American Muslims are converts.

It seems that American Muslims are optimists. 71% said that it is possible to "get ahead with hard work", while only 64% of the general public agreed with the statement. Also, interestingly enough, 38% of American Muslims are satisfied with the current state of the United States, while only 32% of the general public are.

43% of American Muslims think that "Muslims coming to the U.S. today should adopt American customs". 62% believe that "life is better for women here than in Muslim countries".

51% of American Muslims are "very concerned about Islamic extremism in the world these days".

53% of American Muslims believe that it is more difficult to be a Muslim in the US since September 11. 54% think that the government singles Muslims out for surveillance. Only 25%, however, report being victims of discrimination "as a Muslim in the U.S."

75% of American Muslims (as opposed to 47% of Americans in general) think that starting the war in Iraq was a wrong decision. 48% of American Muslims (as opposed to 29% of Americans in general) are against the war in Afghanistan.

83% of American Muslims said that suicide bombing could rarely or never be justified. 68% have a somewhat or very unfavourable view of Al-Qaeda. However, only 40% believe that Arabs carried out the September 11 attacks on the United States.

The discussion of this fascinating survey will continue on Notes on Religion in the coming days, God willing.

This is the second (of four) posts in a Notes on Religion series on the Pew Research Center's survey of American Muslims, released in May 2007. Here are links to the other three:

[First post] [Second Post] [Third Post] [Fourth Post]

Falwell's funeral draws thousands

Over 10,000 people attended Rev. Jerry Falwell's funeral in Lynchburg, Virginia on 22 May. The speakers at the funeral had been chosen by the late Falwell himself, along with the music. The funeral was held at the Thomas Road Baptist Church, where he had worked for 41 years.

Falwell died on 15 May, aged 73.

He is remembered for his role in bringing Evangelical Christianity to the political forefront in the United States, and also for founding Liberty University, which is located in Lynchburg.

A student at Liberty University was arrested after home-made bombs were found in his car. According to the police however, he was not planning to use the bombs at the funeral (Miami Herald).

Дзякуй, Беларусь!

У трыццацідзённы пэрыяд ад 15 красавіка да 14 траўня, 7% са 155 наведвальнікаў гэтага блёґу прыйшлі сюды зь Беларусі. Такім чынам, Беларусь у гэтым месяцы была на 3-м мейсцы па колькасьці наведвальнікаў Notes on Religion, пасьля Канады ды ЗША.

Заўсёды прыемна бачыць на сайце сваіх людзей. :)

[This post talks about visitors to Notes on Religion from Belarus.]

New Zealand set to spare the rod

The New Zealand Parliament has passed a bill that criminalises spanking -- or smacking, as it is known there. A poll shows that about three quarters of New Zealanders see nothing wrong with smacking their children. Different Christian groups have found themselves on opposite sides of the issue (BBC).

NWFP Christians ask govt for help

Christians in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) have asked the government for protection after receiving an unsigned letter threatening unspecified consequnces if the Christians do not convert to Islam. The letter was delivered to the house of Michael John, a Christian MP, in Charsadda. About 500 Christian families live in the town.

Pakistani authorities have deployed policemen to protect the NWFP's Christians, but representatives of the minority say that the patrols are few and far between (BBC).

Evidently, those who sent the letter, if it is genuine, have forgotten God's words, as revealed in the Qur'an: "Let there be no compulsion in religion" (2:256). The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also reportedly said, "Whoever hurts a dhimmi [a non-Muslim living under the protection of a Muslim state], I am his adversary, and I shall be an adversary to him on the Day of Resurrection" (Al-Khatib).

Visitor profile, 15 April to 14 May 2007

Welcome to the second installment of Notes on Religion visitor profiles!

This month (15 April to 14 May 2007):

This month, Notes on Religion received 155 visits, that is, 25% less than the previous month. The average number of visitors during this period was five a day.

Visitors came to Notes on Religion from every inhabited continent, alhamdu lillah. Visitors were dispersed much more widely this month than they had been the previous month. The largest number of visitors (34%) came from Canada, and the second-highest number came from the United States (33%). Belarus, my native country, came a distant third with 7%.

Within Canada, 77% of the visits this month came from Quebec.

The biggest proportion of visitors this month (39%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. As for those who were referred by Google, their most common search term was 'notesonreligion'. They knew what they were looking for. :)

The most popular browser this month was Internet Explorer (55%). 93% of the visitors were Windows users.

Since the founding of the blog (15 March to 14 May 2007):

The total number of visitors during these two months was 362. The average number of visitors was six per day.

The largest number of visitors (45%) came from Canada. The second-highest number (30%) came from the United States. The United Kingdom came third with 7%.

Quebec accounted for over two-thirds (67%) of visitors from Canada.

The biggest proportion of visitors (37%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. The most common search term entered by visitors who were referred to Notes on Religion by Google was 'notesonreligion'.

The most popular browser was Firefox (48%). 94% of the visitors were Windows users.

Praise be to God, who allows people from the different corners of the world to communicate with, and learn from, each other.

Scientologists vs. BBC reporter

Representatives of the Church of Scientology, an organisation founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, have allegedly stalked BBC reporter John Sweeney. While Sweeney was making a documentary on the religion, he counted 13 people following his team around. His hotel was also broken into.

Sweeney conducted several interviews with people who had been "disconnected", that is, cut off from all contact, by Scientologist relatives for not believing in the religion's doctrines.

Former Scientologists told Sweeney that one such doctrine is that, 75 million years ago, a space lord named Xenu forcibly brought a large number of "Thetans" to Earth, placed them inside volcanoes, and then blew them up using advanced weapons. Scientologists have to pay their church to find out about the religion's key beliefs, and knowledge about the belief in Xenu reportedly costs individual Scientologists £100,000 (Canadian $219,000) (BBC).

Terrorism suspects on trial in the US

Three Muslim men, including US citizen José Padilla, are on trial in the US on terrorism charges. Padilla has been in detention since 2002. He spent part of this time at a US Navy base, despite the fact that he is American. Eventually, he was transferred to a civilian prison.

Prosecutors say that Padilla filled out an application to attend an Al-Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan. Defence lawyers for the accused men, however, are saying that the US government does not have a case (BBC).

Johnston kidnappers want Abu Qatada released

Jaysh al-Islam (The Army of Islam), a Palestinian militant group, has taken responsibility for kidnapping the BBC's Gaza correspondent, Alan Johnston. In exchange for the release of Johnston, who was kidnapped on 12 March, Jaysh al-Islam is demanding the release of all Muslims held in British jails, and, in particular, Abu Qatada, a Palestinian-Jordanian imam who is currently in detention under suspicion of supportin Al-Qaeda (BBC).

Since Johnston was kidnapped almost two months ago, and it has taken Jaysh al-Islam this long to make its demands public, the question that begs itself is whether Johnston was kidnapped by people who had no idea why they were taking him prisoner. Perhaps, during the preceding almost two months of silence, there was a quiet struggle underway between militants who wanted to release Johnston, and those who wanted to keep him prisoner as a bargaining chip.

I should add that all mainstream Palestinian groups, including the governing party, Hamas (despite its terrorist roots) have strongly condemned Johnston's kidnapping, and the government has pledged on several occasions to work for his release.

Pope in Brazil

Pope Benedict XVI is visiting Brazil, the country with the largest number of Catholics in the world. He is due to canonise Brother Antônio Galvaão, who is set to become the first Brazilian-born Catholic saint. Catholics account for 64% of Brazil's population.

On 13 May, the Pope is scheduled to open a meeting of about 200 bishops from Latin America and the Caribbean. The main topic under discussion is expected to be the church's steady and large-scale loss of members to various evangelical denominations. Abortion is likely to be another topic under discussion, as politicians in Mexico and Brazil have made several moves to weaken their countries strict anti-abortion laws (BBC).

Welsh Hindu temple seeks to prevent slaughter of its bull

The Skanda Vale Temple, located in western Wales, is fighting to save the life of a temple bull suffering from bovine tuberculosis. Welsh authorities intend to slaughter the bull, named Shambo, in order to prevent the disease from spreading from him to other cattle, or to humans.

However, the other 34 cows belonging to the temple are so far not showing any signs of tuberculosis, and the temple is asking the Welsh Assembly Government to make an exception for Shambo.

Killing cattle is strictly forbidden in Hinduism (BBC).

Iraqi Israelis long for homeland

Jewish Israelis of Iraqi origin still retain strong emotional ties to Iraq, even after 50 years after much of the Iraqi Jewish community immigrated to Israel.

Yakov Reuveni, originally from the southwestern Iraqi city of Amara, fondly remembers joining Shi'ite processions commemorating the Battle of Karbala in his childhood.

Eli Mizrakhi, who was born in Israel but whose family came from Iraqi Kurdistan, says, "most of us still feel connected to the country where we or our ancestors came from. Our parents and our grandparents still remember many things from their Iraqi past and they bring them to us, with food, music, language."

As for life in Iraq before the migration to Israel, Reuveni observes that "we never thought of who was Jewish and who was Arab, until 1947. It all suddenly changed. The people that you knew as good people turned into bad people for you and you became bad for them. It was very sad" (BBC).

So while the founding of Israel on what used to be Arab land set off repercussions that forced almost the entire Iraqi Jewish community out of Iraq, the community's continuing sense of attachment to Iraq may one day, perhaps, be used as a way to build bridges between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Iraqi Israelis could be great ambassadors for their adopted country if peace is established in the region.

Egyptian court rejects military trial for Muslim Brothers

An Egyptian court has found a presidential order calling for a group of Muslim Brethren to undergo trial in a military court to be invalid. The group has been charged with supporting terrorism, as well as membership in a banned organisation (BBC).

The court has displayed an impressively independent spirit, for which it must be commended. The Muslim Brotherhood is a fact of life in Egypt, and the government knows this as well as anyone. To selectively prosecute some people for belonging to the group, while 88 out of Egypt's 454 MPs are known Brethren, is sheer hypocricy. Furthermore, military courts ought to have no place in civilian life.

However, I don't think the courts can achieve much by themselves until the executive decides to liberalise the system. It would be appropriate for Egypt's ally, the United States, to put some pressure on it to do so, but, unfortunately, the US doesn't have many cards left to play because of the Iraq fiasco.

Abe sends offering to controversial shrine

The Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has sent a potted tree as an offering to the Shinto Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan's war dead. Visits to the shrine by previous prime ministers of Japan have courted controversy among neighbouring countries, such as China and South Korea, because, among the spirits honoured at the shrine, are those of 12 World War II "Class A" war criminals.

Abe is trying to avoid straining relations with Japan's neighbours, and has not visited the shrine since taking the prime ministerial post (BBC).

King Herod's tomb allegedly discovered

Ehud Netzer, an Israeli archaeologist based at Hebrew University, has claimed to have discovered the tomb of King Herod I (74 BCE - 4 BCE), who ruled Judaea under Roman suzerainty from 37 BCE to 4 BCE.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Herod ordered the Massacre of the Innocents, that is, the killing of all children under two years old, in Bethlehem.

Herod also expanded the Second Jewish temple, and enlarged Jerusalem's city walls.

Although his tomb may well have been discovered, Herod's body was not found inside. It is thought to have gone missing in the 1st century CE.

The tomb allegedly belonging to Herod is on the West Bank, south of Bethlehem (BBC).

Man whose eye was "miraculously" healed meets Pope

Six years ago, Phil McCord, facilities manager at a convent near Terre Haute, Indiana, had his eye healed by a miracle, or so he believes. He prayed to Mother Théodore Guérin (1798-1856), who founded the convent. After his prayer, his eye was healed, and 12 different doctors who subsequently examined him were unable to explain the recovery scientifically.

As a result of this reported miracle, which was the second claimed for Mother Théodore, the Catholic Church canonised her in 2006. St Théodore's remains have been disinterred, and placed in a shrine at the convent.

For his part, McCord is planning to convert to Catholicism. He recently met briefly with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. Unfortunately, however, his dry cleaner had given him the wrong pair of trousers, and so he had to meet the Pope wearing trousers that were two inches too short (BBC).

Six Muslims charged with anti-army plot in US

Six Muslim men, among them one American, two holders of work visas and three illegal immigrants, have been arrested in New Jersey, and have been charged with plotting to attack the US Army base at Fort Dix, with the intention of killing "as many soldiers as possible."

According to US Representative Chris Smith (Republican-New Jersey), the men had trained for the attacks in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains.

The group was under surveillance for over a year, and was arrested after taking delivery of AK-47 assault rifles from an undercover FBI agent posing as a weapon dealer.

Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim lawyer from New Jersey, has condemned the media's description of the men as "Islamic militants," (San Diego Union-Tribune).

I agree with S. Mohammed on this: these men should no more be called "Islamic militants" than the IRA (in the days of old) should be called "Christian militants". However, it is quite possible that they were, indeed, acting in the name of Islam, led by their own delusions.

What these men don't understand is that the United States is home to millions of Muslims, who may not all agree with American foreign policy, but who nevertheless want to live in the country peacefully, as loyal citizens or residents, and to influence US policies by means of lobbying and votes, rather than violence. The last thing that American Muslims need is militants smearing their names and placing them, as a group, under increased suspicion.

Northern Ireland gets home rule

The leading Protestant and Catholic political parties in Northern Ireland have begun implementing their power-sharing agreement, paving the way for a restoration of home rule in the province. Ian Paisley of the (Protestant) Democratic Unionist Party has been sworn in as First Minister, while Martin McGuinness of the (Catholic) Sinn Féin has become Deputy First Minister (BBC).

The BBC's James Robbins has written an interesting retrospective piece looking at the long and winding road to peace in the region.

Congratulations, Northern Ireland! Let's hope the agreement sticks.

Christian leaders rally for illegal immigrants in London

Christian priests joined trade union activists in London today for a rally that called for the issuance of two-year work permits to all illegal immigrants who have been in Britain for at least four years. According to the organisers of the rally, 300,000 people would be covered by the scheme (out of an estimated total of 570,000-870,000 illegal immigrants currently in the country).

The British government is strongly against the idea of the temporary work permits.

Earlier, a mass was held at the Westminster Cathedral to pray for illegal immigrants. Addressing the rally, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, said, "Our government and the governments all over the world must treat migrant workers with justice and with dignity" (BBC).

Fine sentiments, but won't this sort of plan, if it is actually implemented, simply encourage a flood of new illegal immigration? How do you deal justly with existing illegal immigrants, who face difficult living conditions because of their lack of work permits, without inviting in many others who would want to gain the same rights through the back door?

Sarkozy promises to defend women forced into burqa

The French president-elect, Nicolas Sarkozy, has said in his victory speech that "France will not abandon the women condemned to wear the burqa" (BBC).

But France has already abandoned the women -- the Frenchwomen -- who wear the hijab. Excuse me, but who is France to lecture others on how people should dress, when its own citizens do not have the freedom to choose their clothes without hindrance? This is a rather unimpressive start for Sarkozy, and it shouldn't come as a surprise.

Militants destroy CD and movie shops in Pakistan

Over a dozen CD and film shops have been destroyed in explosions in Tangi and Charsadda, in the North West Frotier Province (NWFP). It seems that the bombing campaign was carried out by militants convinced that the shops contravened Islamic principles (BBC).

I wish the militants engaged in this sort of thing would understand what effect their blind hatred has on perceptions of Islam around the world. As Pervez Musharraf's failed military campaign in the NWFP shows, the solution to the problem may well lie in the region itself. The common people of the NWFP ought to turn these gangs out of every hiding place of theirs.

12th-century Buddhist art found in Nepal

A set of twelfth-century (or older) murals depicting the life of the Buddha has been discovered in Nepal, 250 km northwest of Kathmandu. The murals, which are made up 55 panels set within a painting 8 m wide, is located in a cave in a cliff 4,300 m above sea level.

The murals were found by a shepherd who took refuge in the cave from rain. The shepherd later informed an international team of researchers about them (BBC).

Iranian couple sets off on world tour by bycicle

Jafar and Naseem Edrisi from Iran have set out on a tour of four continents on bycicles. They are planning to cover a distance of 20,000 km in two years. They are aiming to promote world peace, improve the international image of their homeland, and plant trees in every city they visit, thus constructing a "green line... to help the environment."

The Edrisis are financing the expedition with money they themselves saved up over the last two years.

Among the things they packed for the journey are a Qur'an, a Bible, and several books of Persian poetry (BBC).

We should have more of this in the world, eh? Ma sha' Allah.

Khatami visits the Vatican

Former Iranian President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami is visiting Vatican City, where he has met with Pope Benedict XVI.

In the coming week, the Vatican is planning to host a seminar for diplomats from several Muslim countries, where they will be told about the Catholic Church's interfaith and inter-cultural dialogue initiatives (BBC).

I should add that Khatami's visit can also be seen as part of a continuing "dialogue between civilisations", which is his preferred alternative to the "clash of civilisations" posited by Samuel Huntington and others.

Priest-imam football match cancelled in Norway

A football (soccer) match between Church of Norway priests and Muslim imams, which was scheduled to be held on 5 May in Oslo, has had to be cancelled because the two sides could not come to an understanding regarding female players.

Two days before the match was supposed to be held, the imams' team announced that they could not play against a mixed-gender team, because Islam does not allow unrelated men and women to come into close physical contact. The Church of Norway team agreed to make the game an all-male event. However, the female ministers who had been dropped from the team were angry at the development, which led the team captain to tender his resignation.

As a result, the Church of Norway called off the match. According to a Church spokesman, though, "both sides have learned to better understand our cultures and we have had an open discussion" (BBC).

I think that, first of all, the imams should not have made such a big deal out of the presence of female players on the Church of Norway team, but, having said that, I think that the Church team also displayed a large measure of inflexibility. Come on, now. Men and women don't play on the same teams in professional football matches. Why do they have to play together in this sort of bridge-building event? Why not hold a separate football match for female Church of Norway ministers and a team of Muslim women? If that is discrimination, isn't the existence of separate men's and women's World Cups a form of discrimination as well? Where are the Church of Norway's protests at regular, all-male or all-female football matches?

Gül steps down as presidential candidate

After a second unsuccessful parliamentary vote where he stood for the position of Turkish head of state, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül has withdrawn his candidacy. Because of the Islamist origins of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, Gül's run for president aroused fervent opposition among large segments of Turkish secularists (Белорусские новости).

It remains to be seen how Turkey can come out of this impasse. Earlier, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that he would like to have the president directly elected by Turks in the future. But I think it's quite likely that the secularists would try to block any such move, having already twice disrupted the presidential election in parliament by depriving the sessions of a quorum.

It seems the opposition parties are determined to subject Turkey to some form of minority rule.

Interest in religion growing at US universities

Anecdotal evidence -- as well as a recent survey -- seems to indicate that a religious revival is underway at American universities and colleges. Religious studies classes are attracting more students, students are forming a large variety of religious discussion groups, and, at some universities, a growing number of students are attending religious services.

According to Peter Gomes, Harvard University's preacher, "there is probably more active religious life [at Harvard] now than there has been in 100 years." (New York Times).

I witnessed some of this revival at Grinnell College in Iowa between 1999 and 2003, which had a number of active religious groups on campus, and hosted such diverse activities as Islamic Friday prayers, Shabbat services, and pagan worship ceremonies. It's nice to see this sort of openness to religion spreading around the US.

Terrorists attack Banlgadeshi railway stations

A new terrorist organisation that calls itself "Jadid al-Qaeda" has set off simultaenous bombs at railway stations at the Bangladeshi cities of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet. The bombs were placed in cotton bags at the stations. They resulted in a single casualty: a rickshaw driver was wounded in Chittagong when he opened the bag containing one of the bombs.

Jadid al-Qaeda had left metallic plaques inside the bags claiming responsibility for the attacks. The plaques also contained threats against the minority Ahmadiyya Muslim sect, and warnings to Bangladeshis to stop working for NGOs, which, in some cases, receive foreign funding (BBC).

You'd think that this cowardly group, in its search for a scary-sounding Arabic name for itself, would at least double-check its grammar. "Jadid al-Qaeda" makes no grammatical sense in Arabic.

All that these bombs have succeeded in doing was to injure the poor, innocent rickshaw driver. How is he related to NGOs?

The lunatic bombers, who aim to kill innocent people in the name of Islam, should understand that Bangladesh is not the right country for them. Their type lost all legitimacy by siding with Pakistan in 1971. The newfound extremists are merely setting themselves up for destruction.

Nasrallah praises Winograd Commission

Hassan Nasrallah, head of Hizbullah, has expressed his "every respect" for the Winograd Commission, praising it for condemning Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's leadership failures, despite having been appointed by Olmert himself (BBC).

Northern Irish Loyalist group renounces violence

The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), a Protestant Loyalist terrorist group in Northern Ireland has renounced violence, and has declared that it will give up terrorism starting tomorrow. The UVF is responsible for killing over 500 people in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. It also killed 33 people in the Republic of Ireland in 1974.

The UVF said that it had put its arms "beyond reach", but is refusing to give them up completely (BBC).

It's about time, and let's hope the UVF will be courageous enough to take the next step: complete disarmament. If the peace process in Northern Ireland continues successfully, perhaps the province could become a model for Iraq.

Paper accuses Ahmadinejad of indecent behaviour

A conservative Iranian newspaper has accused President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of indecency and a violation of the Shari'a after he kissed the hand of his former schoolteacher. At the moment the controversial gesture took place, the teacher was wearing gloves (BBC).

This just goes to show the extent to which Iran's conservative establishment is willing to go to intrude into the everyday lives of Iranians, despite the fact that this sort of behaviour exposes them -- and Iran -- to international ridicule. So the man showed respect and affection towards his childhood teacher. It is the newspaper that is being indecent.

Pope expected to widen use of Latin Mass

Pope Benedict XVI is expected to authorise wider use of the Latin Mass, in a move that is already stirring controversy. The reason is that, once a year, on Good Friday, the Latin Mass includes a prayer for the conversion of the Jews to Christianity (BBC).

Whether or not the Latin Mass, on that one day per year, calls for the conversion of Jews, the fact remains that Christianity is a proselytising religion, as is Islam. Perhaps what is incumbent on followers of these religions is not to stop seeking to pray to God for what they will, but rather to be sensitive to and respectful of the beliefs of others.

Pope stands by archbishop who was mailed a bullet

Pope Benedict XVI has called Angelo Bagnasco, the Archbishop of Genoa, to express his support, after Bagnasco received a bullet in the mail for opposing an Italian parliamentary bill that would give more rights to unmarried couples, including same-sex ones. Along with the bullet, the package also contained a picture of Bagnasco stamped with a swastika (BBC).

It's odd when liberals adopt fascist scare tactics, eh?

Sexual abuse by Catholic priests revealed in Ireland

The Dublin Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church has announced that almost 150 priests and other members of Catholic religious orders have been suspected or accused of sexually abusing children in Ireland since 1940. As many as 15,000 people have filed compensation claims for abuse suffered at the hands of priests or nuns in orphanages. It is expected that the Irish government will pay the victims a sum of €760 million (Canadian $1.1 billion) (BBC).

Let's hope there is a good way to separate the real victims from false ones; it would be a shame if scams such as those perpetrated after Hurricane Katrina are repeated here.

It is an encouraging sign that the Catholic Church is finally tackling the issue with a degree of openness. The question is, though: why does the Irish state have to compensate the victims? Why can't the Church itself pay?

World's tallest pagoda opens in China

A 154 m tall pagoda has been completed at a Buddhist temple in Changzhou, in China's Jiangsu Province. The pagoda cost 300 million yuan (Canadian $43 million) to build, and features a large bell that can be heard from 5 km away. A survey conducted in February suggested that China has about 200 million Buddhists and Taoists (BBC).

The Buddha, as far as I know, preached out in the open and shunned luxury. I wonder what he would think about this sort of expense lavished on a pagoda in his name.