The celebration of a Hindu festival, Ram Navami, which marks the birth of Lord Ram, was tarnished by violence in late March across 10 Indian states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Delhi and West Bengal. It’s this kind of religious violence and intolerance that belied the surface of diplomatic talks between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his state visit to Washington.
Read MoreNikhil Mandalaparthy is the advocacy director with Hindus for Human Rights, a human rights nonprofit that advocates for pluralism and civil and human rights in South Asia and North America. He spoke with Jody Hassett Sanchez in Washington during Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s state visit.
Read More(TRAVEL) It's a city of contrasts, where vestiges from the colonial era are juxtaposed with cutting-edge technological advancements. Amid this dynamic backdrop, Bangalore’s churches stand out as remarkable symbols of the city’s diverse cultural and religious tapestry. Each church tells a distinct story of architectural splendor intertwined with a deep spiritual heritage.
Read More(PHOTO STORY) On Nyepi, which is the most special day of the year in the Balinese Saka Calendar, the island of Bali turns off all lights and sounds, stops all traffic, renounces all worldly activities, and meditates while silence and serenity reign over the entire island.
Read MoreThe caste system's historical legacy has prohibited dalits from owning land nationwide, and this pattern remains prominent in India's Sikh-majority state of Punjab, which has a population of about 30 million.
Read More(OPINION) In education circles, an incident like the Dalai Lama asking a boy to suck his tongue is often called a teachable moment. But the real lessons to be learned from this video could be titled “How NOT to respond to possible child sexual abuse” Or “How NOT to respond to a troubling sexual situation with a child.”
Read MoreIn Cambodia, the three days of celebration are centered on religious observances. The vast majority of Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists, and during this time they visit temples to complete various rituals. These include merit-making activities, such as praying and offering food to monks in exchange for a blessing. They also build sand hills on the temple grounds. These symbolize the heavenly “stupa” where relics of the Buddha’s earthly remains are believed to be kept.
Read MorePolice raided the Baptist Church in Karshi during worship on Easter Sunday. They “damaged the door of the prayer house, behaved crudely, and arrested three church members,” Baptists said. Police refused to explain why they raided the church and tortured church members. Meanwhile, Prison No. 49 in Olmalyk banned prisoners from fasting during Ramadan, threatening those that do.
Read More(OPINION) The world’s largest organization of Muslims is campaigning for thorough worldwide reform of how to understand the faith’s religious law, Shariah, and applied jurisprudence, Fiqh. Such an ambitious goal may seem unlikely, and to date, Western media have given the effort minimal coverage. It’s time for that trend to change.
Read More(PERSONAL ESSAY) Buddha’s birthday is celebrated as a more quiet holiday in Japan as opposed to other countries, where it tends to be a grander national celebration. Known as Hana Matsuri (flower festival) or Kanbutsu-e (literally “Buddha bathing party”) in Japan, this birthday commemoration for Shakyamuni Buddha became intertwined with traditions from ancient Japanese farmers.
Read MoreAmritpal Singh was born in Jullupur Khera in the Amritsar district of Punjab. He reportedly enrolled himself in a polytechnic college before moving to Dubai to join a transport business in 2012. In 2022 he returned to India to take over the leadership of “Waris Punjab De” after founder Deep Sidhu died on Feb. 15, 2022 in a vehicle accident.
Read More(REVIEW) The eight-episode series “In The Name of God: A Holy Betrayal” covered Jesus Morning Star, Five Oceans, The Baby Garden, and the God of Manmim cults. Comedian Esther Ku spoke with ReligionUnplugged.com about how the series unearthed an ecosystem of cults in Korea.
Read MoreMore than a third of the 143 known administrative prosecutions in 2022 punished individuals for posting religious texts and recordings on social media accounts without state permission. In one case a journalist was initially fined — changed to a verbal warning — for posting her interview with a state-approved imam.
Read More(REVIEW) Although it is a supernatural anime, Demon Slayer is set during the shortest era in Japanese history — the Taisho Period (1912-1926). Japanese religion during this time was made up of several different elements, including Shintoism, “the way of the spirits or deities” that was present in the nation before the sixth century, and Buddhism, which began during the sixth century in India.
Read MorePope Francis marks his 10th year on Monday as head of the Catholic church and its 1.38 billion adherents around the globe. It’s an anniversary that will be viewed differently depending on where one falls on the doctrinal spectrum. The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was born in Argentina and is of Italian descent, was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. It marked the first time a pontiff from South America has held the position.
Read More(ANALYSIS) There has been surprisingly little engagement among religious groups in China, and Christians could point to ways that shared efforts by religious groups — care for the aging, improving schools in rural areas, marriage counseling and the like — can benefit Chinese society.
Read MoreThe documentary, titled “India: The Modi Question,” was initially aired in the U.K, but soon after, video clips started spreading on social media platforms in India, which led the Indian government to ban the documentary. But student organizations in India have been organizing screenings of the BBC documentary in numerous campuses across the nation to protest the censorship imposed by the government.
Read MoreDays after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake devastated communities in Turkey and Syria, Christians gathered at the Antalya Bible Church for an evening of prayer. The official death toll in Turkey topped 35,000 and was expected to keep rising, the Turkish government reported on Feb 14. Deaths in Syria had climbed to about 3,700.
Read MoreIn the unusual tradition of Ma’nene in South Sulawesi of Indonesia's Toraja region, families lovingly clean, dress up and even put cigarettes in the mouths of the exhumed bodies of their dead relatives. This photo essay and video offers ReligionUnplugged.com readers a glimpse of this unique religious and cultural ceremony.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Marking the two years of the Tatmadaw in power, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that, to date, the military coup has led to the death of around 3,000 civilians as well as the destruction of villages and houses of worship in various parts of the country.
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