Religion News in Brief (2016/10/20)
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Conatus News/Uncommon Ground Media Inc.
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2016/10/20
Bangladeshi murder suspect arrested
According to NDTV, the central suspect in the murder case of secular Bangladeshi blogger has been arrested as of recent.
The secular Bangladeshi blogger, Nazimuddin Samad, was a law student and was murdered after the publication of a blog post critical of Islamists.
Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Centre unit and Detective Branch of police arrested the suspect, Rashidun Nabi, from Sayedabad.
Chinese government cracks down on parental ‘luring’ of kids into religion
The Independent reported on the government China’s call on friends, neighbours, and relatives that might be “luring minors into religious activities” in one province of China with the largest Muslim population.
November 1 in Xinjiang will be the first implementation of the education rules. There will be removal of children from their parents’ care and send them to “receive rectification” at specialist schools” in the case of the luring into religious activities.
With the “significant ethnic Uighur population” in this region of China, the limitations or restrictions are being “enforced on the practice of Islam” with the implementation of the new rules resulting in even further punishment.
Secular father prevents circumcision of newborn
According to Arutz Sheva, a father prevented a circumcision. The father very shortly before a circumcision of his son prevented the circumcision. It was the secular father’s newborn son.
The ‘sandak’ was to be performed by Rabbi Kanievsky. Sandak is a term for an honoring for a child at a Brit Milah or circumcision ceremony in the Jewish tradition.
The report states: “A number of families were participating in the joint event, and when the turn of the child in question came, his father suddenly appeared, grabbed him up, and fled.
Secular Student Alliance sells souls to religions
According to Daily Texan Online, the Secular Student Alliance has set up an auction for souls to be able to raise funds for the alliance.
It was called, and was the first, the Soul Auction. Various formal religions were represented with different jars such as Mormonism, Islam, Catholicism, and so on.
Based on the greatest amount of donations to a particular religious denomination, the SSA would attend a service of that religion.
Kaine and Pence debate seen as “honest” and “sincere” regarding faith
According to Salon, Longwood University, which is a public university in Virginia, was host to “the first and only vice presidential debate” with many calling the “most honest” and “most sincere” debate in some moments.
These were moments marked by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Gov. Mike Pence
(R-IN) having open discussions about their faiths. Pence made open appeals to the abortion and life’s sanctity concerns of the Christian right.
Kaine made clear emphasis on individual choice and the “moral responsibility of honoring” it. The Salon article author notes that the “focus stemmed from the fear, particularly among white southern evangelicals, of disturbing an old order based on white supremacy, heterosexuality and female domesticity.”
High Holy Days unavoidable for secular Israelis and diaspora Jewry
According to Haaretz, diaspora Jews and secular Israelis can learn from one another during the occurrence of Yom Kippur.
The High Holy Days remain “unavoidable” within the borders of Israel. This “religious New Year permeates the country’s natural rhythms.”
Both diaspora Jewry and secular Israelis take part in them or rake advantage of these special days. It is noted secular Israelis, for instance, might use them as “pseudo-holidays”.
Bart Ehrman and Robert Price debate
According to Chicago Now, Professor Bart D. Ehrman and Dr. Robert M. Priceare having a debate on October 21 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on the topic of Jesus’s existence or non-existence.
Ehrman wrote five New York Times bestsellers to date in addition to be a distinguished professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is considered
a “leading authority on the New Testament and the history of early Christianity.”
Professor Robert M. Price is a former Baptist minister with a PhDs in systematic theology and the New Testament. He is the “professor of biblical criticism at the Center for Inquiry Institute” and considers Jesus a mythological figure.
School works to keep secular status
According to The Record, a school is working hard to keep its secular status after two Muslim students were discriminated against.
The students wanted to pray and were not allowed to pray. The school, Webber Academy, is fighting to keep its secular status based on this.
The Alberta Human Rights Commission decision, last summer, was upheld by a lower court judge in addition to the $26,000 fine.
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