A remarkable display of love and compassion
~ The Globe and Mail
An incredible example of how healing it can be to extend compassion and love to all, even - or perhaps especially - to those who express hate toward their fellow human beings. When each of us finds this kind of love in our hearts, only then will we find peace on Earth.
PLUS a reminder to join us for a Peace Encounter: Dismantling Barriers to Peace on Sun. Sept. 11th: http://www.worldreligions.ca/uploads/downloads/peaceencounterflyer.pdf.
Posted September 6, 2011
Teaching Religious Literacy in California’s Bible Belt
~ Miller-McCune
A Central California community has added a fourth “R” to the core curriculum in its public schools: Religion. Sociologist Emile Lester answers our questions about the experiment.
Posted August 28, 2011
Does Secularism Make People More Ethical?
~ Spiegel Online
Non-believers are often more educated, more tolerant and know more about God than the pious. A new wave of research is trying to figure out what goes on in the minds of an ever-growing group of people known as the "Nones".
Posted August 24, 2011
This is an interesting article about the challenges/issues of snake charming. From a metaphorical perspective, however, the art of snake charming says a lot about Hindu philosophy. In Hinduism, because a snake will repeatedly shed its skin throughout its lifetime it is a symbol of the cyclical nature of time we experience (samsara). Therefore, by charming the cobra one metaphorically transcends time and illusion - one 'realizes' the ultimate within everything.
Equally important if not perhaps even more so, because snakes are considered sacred (worshiped in the form of Nagas), a person capable of controlling a snake also has power to "control" or at least greatly influence the gods themselves. Thus snake charmers are considered very powerful shaman-like holy individuals.
Click here for an article on the festival of Naga Panchami. Posted August 8, 2011
A tweet feat: Quran goes on Twitter for Ramadan
~ USA Today
Muslims begin the month of fasting and study this Monday, and many will be using Twitter to connect with each other to explore and discuss the Quran. Ramadan Mubarak.
Posted July 28, 2011
FREE Kitchener Festivals in June Celebrating Diversity and Culture
~ City of Kitchener
Tapestry is a month-long festival of music, dance, food, art, storytelling and images from this area and from around the world - celebrating our community's great diversity. The festival takes place every June in a variety of downtown venues.
Posted June 2, 2011
Shahbaz Bhatti's death not in vain
~ http://tribune.com.pk/
Shahbaz Bhatti strove to safeguard the basic human and civil rights of minorities and was killed for it. An "Ahmadi in America" speaks out to honour Bhatti, who challenged the violent religious orthodoxy with his life. Ahmadi Muslims are a sect of Islam.
Posted March 9, 2011
Rabbi Rami Shapiro on Interfaith Programs
~ Beyond Religion with Rabbi Rami
A keynote address presented by Rabbi Rami Shapiro February 2, 2011,
for the Tennessee State Interfaith Harmony Breakfast held at Wisdom House, the new
interfaith educational center of the Scarritt-Bennett Centre, Nashville, Tennessee.
Posted February 21, 2011
Forgiveness in the Face of Tragedy: Amish Grace at Nickel Mines
~ Conrad Grebel University
As a trusted outside observer of the Amish community, Professor Don Kraybill has become a preeminent voice of the Amish worldview. Last night at Conrad Grebel University College he told the story of the tragic shooting of ten girls in an Amish schoolhouse in Nickel Mines Pennsylvania.
What the world could not understand was how the Amish so quickly reached out to the family of their assailant. "I have given up my right for revenge," was one Amish man's response quoted by Dr. Kraybill. In describing the events following the shooting Kraybill explained the unique features of Amish forgiveness. Many people find a way to forgive those who have hurt them over time, but the Amish response in Nickel Mines was almost immediate and unlike anything seen before. Isolated visits by Amish individuals to the wife, family and parents of the killer to offer condolences for their loss and the spontaneous gathering of over 40 Amish to the funeral of the killer days after they buried their own girls were baffling.
Perhaps hard to understand, the nature of Amish forgiveness is nevertheless very simple. In fact it is foundational to Amish belief. The common response from all who were asked to explain their willingness to forgive was based on the Lord's Prayer, which asks God to forgive our own transgressions as we forgive those who transgress against us.
Posted February 12, 2011
