The group 3HO is currently made up mostly of white Americans converted to Sikhism, a 500-year-old religion with origins in Punjab, India. Members also regularly practice Kundalini yoga. They wear white and typically live in ashrams and abide by a lacto-vegetarian diet. Alcohol, drugs and sexual relations among the non-married is forbidden in the ashram.
Read MoreIn the face of the vast human suffering, staggering damage to infrastructure and environmental catastrophe caused by the conflict — which marks its 100th day on Sunday — another controversial post-war scenario is for Israel to rebuild some of the post-1967 Gaza Strip settlements from which it unilaterally withdrew in 2005.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The Vatican’s decision to allow priests to bless couples in what they called “irregular relationships” continues to get lots of media attention, especially since it involves same-sex couples. Here’s how some Catholic priests who are active on social media and YouTube are explaining what it all means.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Shared testimonies, collective singing, silent meditation and baptism rituals — these are all activities you might find at a Christian church service on a Sunday morning in the United States. But what would it look like if atheists were gathering to do these rituals instead?
Read MoreFor centuries, the Bible has been central to the spread of Christianity. In the West, Bibles have been a symbol of faith and very often also art. It’s the reason why J. Pierpont Morgan collected these sacred texts in the form of illuminated manuscripts, drawings and early printed books.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Recent months (and years) have seen a crackdown by the Nicaraguan government against religious leaders and institutions. Among others, President Daniel Ortega “ordered the arrest of, forced into exile, and verbally attacked priests and bishops, labeled them ‘criminals’ and ‘coup-plotters,’ and accused them of inciting violence.”
Read MoreHouston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud — one of this season’s rising stars in the NFL — isn’t just known for throwing touchdown passes and getting his team into the playoffs. Stroud also made headlines for his faith after thanking Jesus following his team’s 23-19 win over the Indianapolis Colts this past Saturday, earning the team a spot in the playoffs that start this weekend.
Read MoreLike all Muslims, Islam and its teachings is for the Molbog a way of life. But for them, crocodiles are considered sacred and their ancestors. In fact, the Molbog word for crocodile — “opo” — is the same one used to refer to grandparents.
Read MoreThe Muslim community in Uganda entered 2024 with three rival muftis each heading his own faction. The fraternity has been split into factions as a result of endless wrangling caused by, among other things, the mismanagement of Muslim-owned properties.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Jan. 5 marked 336 years since the death of an extraordinary woman you have probably never heard of: Catarina de San Juan. Her life reads like an epic. Born in South Asia during the early 17th century, she was captured by the Portuguese at age eight and sold to Spaniards in the Philippines.
Read MoreWater scarcity is a big problem in many communities around the world due to a combination of factors. Some of them have exacerbated the problem, including population growth, urbanization, increase in demand of water and climate change. A Catholic group in Nigeria is working to change that.
Read MoreIn order to build the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline, critics said TotalEnergies is moving over 2,000 graves in Uganda and Tanzania, without adhering to cultural and religious burial customs. GreenFaith — a multi-faith climate justice organization — recently released a report titled “As If Nothing Is Scared” to shed light on the issue.
Read MoreThis year’s Golden Globes — the first in a series of awards that will set the stage for the Oscars — took place on Sunday evening at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Among the top film nominees coming into the night were Greta Gerwig's blockbuster “Barbie,” Christopher Nolan's “Oppenheimer” and Martin Scorsese's “Killers of the Flower Moon.” See which movies and TV shows won awards this year.
Read MoreAs India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to run for a third term, the country remains on the brink. Activists, journalists and civil society groups have continued in recent months to raise alarms at the rise in religious persecution of minorities throughout the country.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Religion is likely to play a big role in voters’ choices in the 2024 presidential election — much as it did in previous years. Despite an overall shift away from participation in organized religion in the U.S. populace, religious rhetoric in the political arena has intensified.
Read MoreIn Italy, a country that exudes centuries-old traditions rooted in Christianity, there exists a holiday that captures the imagination of both young and old alike every Jan. 6. The holiday — known as La Befana — is a unique blend of religion and folklore that marks the end of the Christmas season.
Read MoreThree weeks after announcing that priests could bless individuals in same-sex relationships, the Vatican published a clarification on Thursday following backlash — and even some confusion — from Catholic prelates around the world.
Read MoreHouses of worship with predominantly Black congregations suffered the most in terms of attendance and donations. At the same time, they did more to promote COVID-19 testing and vaccinations throughout the pandemic.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In the midst of Israel’s fierce war against Hamas in Gaza, the country’s highest court on New Year’s Day drew attention back to a previous conflict within the country. In a narrowly divided decision, the justices struck down a significant part of the contentious judicial reform passed in July 2023 by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Read MoreSome South African pastors are among a group who have risked their lives by preaching the gospel in places where gang violence and murder seems to be an unending cycle. These brave pastors continue to preach even though their friends, family and church members live under the threat of violence every day.
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