Religion News Selection 13 (Apr 2 - 9)
(09 April 17)by Greg Spearritt
Religion News Selection
April 2 - 9, 2017
A
selection of religion news stories from Australia.
(Research: Greg Spearritt)
Inclusion here does not endorse the veracity or quality of any particular item
– it just means
I found it worth reading and reflecting on (even if badly conceived or poorly
written).
If you\’re after the
unexpurgated (and reasonably unbiased) version,
see Religion News Australia which
appears weekly on our website.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Ali ’an enemy of intolerance’
Apr 4 - Anti-Islam campaigner Ayaan Hirsi Ali praised by panellists after her
speaking tour cancelled amid security concerns.
Fred Nile hopes to replace Mark Latham on
Sky News Outsiders program (Sydney Morning Herald)
Apr 6 - Conservative firebrand Fred Nile fancies himself as a TV star.
EDUCATION
Imam Shaikh Mohammad Tawhidi wants some
Muslim schools ’shut down’ (news.com.au)
Apr 6 - A VOCAL critic of Islam who has called for the closure of Muslim
schools in Australia has found an unlikely supporter.
Also:
As a Jewish parent, I’m horrified by calls
to ban Islamic schools (Sydney Morning Herald)
Apr 9 – (Opinion: Kerri Sackville) As a Jewish person, I am constantly reminded
of my minority status, and the lack of understanding of my culture.
INTERNATIONAL STORIES
Islam
Muslims protesting against Governor misled
by conservatives, key Islamic organisation says (ABC
News)
Apr 4 - Indonesia’s biggest Islamic organisation says Muslims protesting
against Jakarta’s Christian Governor are being misled by religious
conservatives.
Judaism
Censored in Israel, praised by Merkel: the
novelist who is a ’threat to Jewish identity’ (The Guardian, Australia)
Apr 9 - A year ago, the Israeli novelist Dorit Rabinyan was at the centre of an
unexpected storm.
Religious Violence
Why suspicion over St Petersburg metro
attack is likely to fall on Islamist groups (The Guardian, Australia)
Apr 4 - For many years in the 1990s and 2000s, terror attacks hit Russia with
alarming frequency, as the Chechen independence movement, which morphed over
time into an Islamist terror group, targeted trains, planes and subway
stations.
Women in national security: how Feriha
Peracha de-radicalised nearly 200 potential terrorists (Sydney Morning Herald)
Apr 5 - When clinical psychologist Feriha Peracha was asked by the Pakistan
Army in 2009 to drive up to the Swat Valley and profile 12 young Islamist
radicals, she was terrified.
Muslim man dies in India after attack by
Hindu ’cow protectors’ (The
Guardian, Australia)
Apr 5 - A Muslim man has died in western India after he was attacked by
hundreds of Hindu cow protection vigilantes, the latest attack in a spate of
mob killings in the name of the revered animal.
Outrage after Malaysian MP condones rapists
marrying their victims (The Age,
Melbourne)
Apr 6 - Bangkok: A member of Malaysia’s ruling coalition has sparked outrage
in his majority Muslim nation by saying girls as young as nine are
"physically and spiritually" ready for marriage.
Aung San Suu Kyi denies ethnic cleansing of
Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (The
Guardian, Australia)
Apr 6 - Myanmar’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, said ethnic cleansing was too
strong a term to describe what was happening in the Muslim-majority Rakhine
region, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
Other
Dalai Lama’s emotional reunion with guard
who aided flight from Tibet (The
Guardian, Australia)
Apr 4 - The first time they met, Indian paramilitary guard Naren Chandra Das
was ordered not to talk to the bespectacled young soldier he was escorting near
the Chinese border in a top-secret mission.
Outrage in UK after Cadbury drops Easter
reference for egg hunt (Sydney Morning Herald)
Apr 5 - London: Some US conservatives, including President Donald Trump, warn
that secular elites, pursuing an agenda of political correctness, have played
down religion as part of a so-called war on Christmas.
God, guns, and abortion: Neil Gorsuch to
quickly make his mark on high court (The Guardian, Australia)
Apr 9 - As the partisan argument rages over the confirmation to the supreme
court on Friday of Donald Trump’s nominee, Neil Gorsuch, the stakes of that
argument are only now becoming clear.
ISLAM
Hirsi Ali attacks Muslim critics (The Australian)
Apr 4 - The controversial anti-Islam campaigner has accused Australian Muslim
women of “carrying water” for extremists.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: fighter for freedom or
just a help for Hanson? (The
Guardian, Australia)
Apr 4 – (Opinion: Gay Alcorn) Ayaan Hirsi Ali has visited Australia at least
five times as far as she can remember.
I didn’t sign the petition against Ayaan
Hirsi Ali – I’d prefer to debate her myself (Sydney Morning Herald)
Apr 4 – (Opinion: Ruby Hamad) When I heard Ayaan Hirsi Ali was again doing a
speaking tour of Australia, with requisite appearance on Q&A, my reaction
was more eye-roll than outrage.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Australia needs programs
to ’assimilate’ Muslim migrants (Sydney Morning Herald)
Apr 5 - Controversial anti-Islam activist and former Dutch politician Ayaan
Hirsi Ali says authorities need to more effectively "assimilate"
Muslim migrants in Australia and prevent Islamists and would-be extremists from
arriving.
RELIGION & SOCIETY
Scientology-linked drug rehab centre sued
over $150,000 sniffer dog bills (The
Age, Melbourne)
Apr 5 - A private security company that provided round-the-clock sniffer dogs
to a secretive drug rehabilitation facility linked to the Church of Scientology
is suing over more than $150,000 in unpaid debts.
Terrorist or hipster — what does a beard
mean? (ABC News)
Apr 6 – (Opinion: Cherine Fahd) The way someone looks — the size of their nose
or the abundance of body or facial hair — is an amusing topic of dinner
discussions in my Lebanese–Australian family.
From the Archive…
Religion News Australia 2017 – 13 (Apr 2 - 9)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 12 (Mar 19 – Apr 2)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 11 (Mar 11 – 19)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 10 (Mar 5 - 11)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 9 (Feb 26 – Mar 5)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 8 (Feb 19 - 26)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 7 (Feb 12 - 19)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 6 (Feb 5 - 12)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 5 (Jan 29 - Feb 5)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 4 (Jan 22 - 29)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 3 (Jan 15 - 22)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 2 (Jan 8 - 15)
Religion News Australia 2017 – 1 (Jan 1 - 8)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 49 (Dec 25 - 31)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 48 (Dec 11 - 25)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 47 (Dec 4 - 11)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 46 (Nov 27 - Dec 4)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 45 (Nov 20 - 27)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 44 (Nov 13 - 20)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 43 (Nov 6 - 13)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 42 (Oct 30 - Nov 6)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 41 (Oct 23 - 30)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 40 (Oct 16 - 23)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 39 (Oct 9 - 16)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 38 (Oct 2 - 9)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 37 (Sept 25 – Oct 2)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 36 (Sept 11 - 18)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 35 (Sept 4 - 11)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 34 (Aug 28 – Sept 4)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 33 (Aug 21 - 28)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 32 (Aug 14 - 21)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 31 (Aug 7 - 14)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 30 (Aug 1 - 7)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 29 (July 24 - 31)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 28 (July 17 - 24)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 27 (July 10 - 17)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 26 (June 26 – July 10)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 25 (June 19 - 26)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 24 (June 12 - 19)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 23 (June 5 - 12)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 22 (May 29 – June 5)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 21 (May 22 - 29)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 20 (May 15 - 22)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 19 (May 8 - 15)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 18 (May 1 - 8)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 17 (Apr 24 – May 1)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 16 (Apr 17 - 24)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 15 (Apr 10 - 17)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 14 (Apr 3 - 10)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 13 (Mar 27 – Apr 3)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 12 (Mar 20 - 27)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 11 (Mar 13 - 20)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 10 (Mar 6 - 13)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 9 (Feb 28 – Mar 6)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 8 (Feb 21 - 28)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 7 (Feb 14 - 21)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 6 (Feb 7 - 14)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 5 (Jan 31 – Feb 7)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 4 (Jan 24 - 31)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 3 (Jan 17 - 24)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 2 (Jan 10 - 17)
Religion News Australia 2016 – 1 (Dec 27 – Jan 3)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 48 (Dec 20 - 27)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 47 (Dec 13 - 20)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 46 (Dec 6 - 13)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 45 (Nov 29 – Dec 6)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 44 (Nov 22 - 29)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 43 (Nov 15 - 22)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 42 (Nov 8 - 15)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 41 (Nov 1 - 8)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 40 (Oct 25 – Nov 1)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 39 (Oct 18 - 25)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 38 (Oct 11 - 18)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 37 (Sept 27 – Oct 11)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 36 (Sept 20 - 27)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 35 (Sept 13 - 20)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 34 (Sept 6 - 13)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 33 (Aug 30 – Sept 6)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 32 (Aug 23 - 30)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 31 (Aug 16 - 23)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 30 (Aug 9 - 16)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 29 (Aug 2 - 9)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 28 (July 26 – Aug 2)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 27 (July 19 - 26)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 26 (July 12 - 19)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 25 (July 5 - 12)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 24 (June 28 – July 5)
Religion News Australia 2015 – 23 (June 21 - 28)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 22 (June 22 - 29)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 21 (June 15 - 22)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 20 (June 8 - 15)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 19 (June 1 - 8)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 18 (May 25 – June 1)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 17 (May 18 - 25)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 16 (May 11 - 18)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 15 (May 4 - 11)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 14 (April 27 – May 4)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 13 (April 20 - 27)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 12 (April 12 - 20)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 11 (Mar 30 – April 12)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 10 (Mar 23 - 30)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 9 (Mar 16 - 23)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 8 (Mar 9 - 16)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 7 (Mar 3 - 9)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 6 (Feb 23 – Mar 3)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 5 (Feb 16 - 23)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 4 (Feb 9 - 16)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 3 (Feb 2 - 9)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 2 (Jan 26 – Feb 2)
Religion News Australia 2014 – 1 (Jan 4 - 26)