In Sikhism, a religion which originated in India about 500 years ago, unhealthy attachment is considered one of the five biggest sins. Therefore, alcoholism and drug addiction are discouraged. Despite this, the northern Indian state of Punjab, home to 16 million Sikhs, has struggled with substance abuse for decades.
Read MoreYing Zhang, associate professor of history at Ohio State University, is exploring the connections among prison, art and religion in a unique and meaningful way. Her lecture at The American Academy in Berlin accompanies her new book and discusses the way incarceration limits religious freedom.
Read MoreSince Myanmar’s latest military coup in February 2021, ethnic Chin, Kachin and Karen Christians in the U.S have advocated for democracy. Last week those efforts paid off, with the historic passage of the BURMA Act, an American Congressional act that will authorize sanctions against senior officials in Myanmar’s military and state-owned commercial enterprises, support democracy efforts and provide humanitarian relief.
Read More’Tis the season when Santa Claus is nearly everywhere. Most people know that jolly old St. Nick hails from the North Pole. But many might not realize that the real St. Nicholas, a fourth century Christian bishop, lived and worked in what is now the country of Turkey.
Read MoreThe Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, a limestone building in the style of old Arab structures, houses many masterpieces connected to Islam. From ceramics to manuscripts, the museum is the Arab world’s artistic jewel and a repository like no other. It is the only one of its kind to highlight art and culture from the Arab world.
Read More(OPINION) So far, Hindutva’s overseas influence is limited. It is usually manifest in seeking political influence in diaspora countries and support, financial and otherwise, for Hindutva activities in India itself. However, there are increasing threats to academics and others critical of the Sangh Parivar agenda. Finally, in the last two years, there have been incidents of violence. The situation is likely to worsen.
Read MoreThe tradition of a man bringing gifts to children is traced to stories about the early Greek bishop, St. Nicholas of Myra, a small city in modern day Turkey. Santa Claus today goes by different names around the world and is linked to various folktales and cultural practices. Here are the lesser-known variations of Santa, from the beaches of Aruba to the snow-capped mountains of Finland.
Read MoreSources close to the police investigation told ReligionUnplugged.com they believe Pastor See was killed because of his faith during a time of rapid growth in Laotian churches. The number of baptisms is causing tension in communities distrustful of a religion they see as foreign.
Read More(OPINION) In January 2022, Hong Kong authorities arrested 53 pro-democracy politicians and activists, on suspicion of “subversion,” namely, of undermining the power or authority of the central government. In August 2022, media reported that the prosecution had named five of the defendants as “major organizers,” facing up to life in prison, and 47 facing being prosecuted for “conspiracy to commit subversion.”
Read MoreWhen the south Indian state of Karnataka banned hijabs from public schools this year, theater and performance artist Sania Saifi thought about her own experience in school. When she was a student, her school in Delhi banned hijabs from 2013 to 2015.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Pope Francis decided to divide the church’s Synod of Bishops into two sessions, one next October and a second in October 2024, in order to “help everyone to live it as the journey of brothers and sisters who proclaim the joy of the Gospel.” What does it mean for the future of Catholicism?
Read MoreTenzin Peljor runs a popular Buddhist blog that addresses controversies in Tibetan Buddhism, especially regarding abusive spiritual teachers. After choosing a guru, students take vows to see their teacher as an enlightened being — questioning or criticizing them can send one to a Tantric hell. Peljor, a monk himself, says he is exposing harmful practices while remaining faithful to the Buddhist tradition.
Read MoreThe Indian government banned one of the country’s top Muslim organizations for at least five years, claiming the Popular Front of India has links to terrorists. Critics of the government have two main concerns: The proof that the PFI has participated in terrorist activities is unclear, and the government does not appear to be similarly motivated to investigate Hindu extremist organizations that have participated in or instigated violence.
Read More(OPINION) On Aug. 31, the U.N. concluded that “serious human rights violations” against the Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim communities have been committed in Xinjiang. China continues to deny the allegations and brands them as propaganda.
Read MoreIn December 2021, Congress adopted the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act with strong bipartisan support. The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force has issued guidance instructing companies on how to conduct human rights due diligence and supply chain tracing. But Uyghur activists say more must be done.
Read MoreAfter just two days into the trial of retired Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen and five co-defendants, a Hong Kong magistrates’ court adjourned the proceedings until Oct. 26. The sudden turn of events took place on Wednesday in a trial that officials had said would last five days.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A scholar visited Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to document the lives and stories of everyday Afghans. What he found is that the Taliban have less authority on the ground than they project to the media, fostering uncertainty about the government’s stability and longevity.
Read MoreRecently Wycliffe USA announced it would be joining with eight other groups to work on a Bible translation effort in Southeast Asia. The project involves seven of the region’s language communities.
Read MoreA rise in “anti-conversion” laws is causing greater persecution of Indian Christians in states ruled by India’s Bharatiya Janata Party. There have been targeted attacks on pastors and nuns, and churches and Christian schools have been vandalized.
Read More(ANALYSIS) K-pop group BTS is having its best year yet. The seven-member Korean boy band topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, broke 13 new Guinness World Records hitting a total of 23 and visited the White House. The band draws on the spirituality of self-realization, psychology, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Greek mythology and more to create its fictional universe.
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