The Temple Mount is the most important historical and archeological site in the State of Israel. It is also the site most holy to the Jewish people: Jews have yearned to return to it throughout all the generations, mentioning it in all their prayers.
Story here . . . . .
The Temple Mount History
FYI – The United Nations, The International Baccalaureate, and Pantheism.
One would suppose the UN would be committed to cultural and religious diversity, eschewing the establishment of a global religion, given the fact it has representatives from countries around the world. But as it turns out, the UN has long had an interest in a global government and universal religion.
Story here . . . . .
Bulgaria: Religious Freedom.
The constitution ( Bulgarian ) provides for freedom of religion, and other laws and policies contributed to the generally free practice of religion. However, the constitution designates Eastern Orthodox Christianity as the “traditional” religion, exempting it from having to register in court as required for all other religious groups.
The government generally respected the religious freedom of registered religious groups. There were some concerns
The Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Program.
Rejecting any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution (A/RES/60/7) condemning “without reserve” all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief, whenever they occur.
Story here. . . . .
Russia: Some more banned lit. on the list.
557. Magazine “Awake!” From April 8, 1998, publisher).
558. Magazine “Awake!” From December 8, 1998,).
559. Magazine “Awake!” From February 22, 1999,).
560. Magazine “Awake!” From September 22, 1999,).
561. Magazine “Awake!” From October 22, 2000).
562. Magazine “Awake!” In April 2008,).
563. Magazine “Awake!” In January 2009,).
564. Magazine “Watchtower proclaims the kingdom of Jehovah” from May 15, 1998).
565. Magazine “Watchtower proclaims the kingdom of Jehovah” from October 1, 1998).
Russia: More banned literature on list.
532. The brochure “What God Require of Us?»).
537. Magazine “Watchtower proclaims the kingdom of Jehovah’s” Who really believes the Bible? “On 10/15/1998).
538. Magazine “Watchtower proclaims the kingdom of Jehovah’s Witnesses” Why Christmas is celebrated even in Asia? “On 12/15/1999 izd.).
539. Magazine “Watchtower proclaims the kingdom of Jehovah’s” How to find true happiness? “On 03/01/2001 ed. Wachtturm Bibel -).
540. Magazine “Watchtower proclaims the kingdom of Jehovah’s 15.01.2007, ed. Wachtturm Bibel -).
541. Magazine “Watchtower proclaims the kingdom of Jehovah” 3/1/2007, Vol. Wachtturm Bibel ).
542. Magazine “Watchtower proclaims the kingdom of Jehovah’s 15.03.2007,)
543. Magazine “Watchtower proclaims the kingdom of Jehovah” 4/1/2007,).
556. The brochure “What God Require of Us?”).
Russia: more banned lit.
522. Brochure “You can be the friend of God!”).
523. Brochure “The Jehovah’s Witnesses who are they? ).
524. Brochure “The End of false religion is near!” 9).
525. The brochure “How can blood save your life?”).
526. The brochure “will someday be a world without war»).
527. The brochure “A government that will bring paradise»).
528. Brochure “spirits of the dead»).
529. The brochure “A book for all»
530. The brochure “Enjoy life on earth forever!»).
531. The brochure “What is the meaning of life).
Jehovah’s Witnesses in Egypt.
British Activists Sue to Weaken Abortion Drug Safety Laws.
FYI – Iraq tourism hangs in balance at Babylon.
The words “tourism” and “Iraq” don’t often get used in the same sentence these days, but if a new project to help preserve the historic ruins of Babylon pays off, archaeologists and officials say the country could soon be back on the international travel map.
So far, 2011 has been a good year for Babylon. Work funded by a $2 million U.S.
The Holocaust: dealing with the past.
China rebuffs Vatican on religious freedom.
A new Gallup poll on evolution.
A new Gallup poll on public opinion about evolution hints at a slightly higher rate of acceptance of evolution in the United States over the years. Asked in December 2010 “[w]hich of the following statements comes closest to your views on the origin and development of human beings,” 38% of the respondents. . .
Story here. . .
FYI – China, Russia quit dollar.
St. Petersburg, Russia – China and Russia have decided to renounce the US dollar and resort to using their own currencies for bilateral trade, Premier Wen Jiabao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced late on Tuesday.
Story here. . .
U.S. Department of State releases religious freedom report.
Story here. . . .
TURKMENISTAN: Religious freedom survey, November 2010
Jwitness.wordpress.com — As of November 2010, eight Jehovah’s Witnesses had been jailed for refusing military service, while two more were serving suspended sentences. None of the sentenced Jehovah’s Witnesses were included in the prisoner amnesties proclaimed by President Berdymukhamedov in 2009 or 2010. Instead, the then five prisoners of conscience were before the May 2010 amnesty sent to a labour camp for alleged violations of prison rules. Jehovah’s Witnesses think this was to make them ineligible amnesty.
Story here
Not a Witness.
In a rare letter sent to Armenian media, and ArmeniaNow in particular, on Tuesday the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization said the man suspected of murdering his parents “is not a Jehovah’s Witness, has never been one and has nothing to do with Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
Surb Hovhannes (St. John) Church priest Ter Shmavon Ghevondyan says in any country where there is a traditional church, other religious organizations are considered to be sects.
“A sect is a sect no matter how hard you try not to call it one. They act like petty looters during a disaster, looters who want to get as much as they can during the time of trouble,” he says.
Story here
FYI – The Search for Purpose in the Universe.
Many scientists and philosophers have claimed that Earth is an ordinary speck of dust adrift, without purpose or significance, in a vast cosmic sea. Yet current astronomical evidence seems to suggest just the opposite. We now know that a rare and finely-tuned array of factors makes Earth suitable for complex life.
Info here. . .
Ex-employee accuses Oak Park of religious discrimination.
Shawnya Robinson, a Jehovah’s Witness, claims that the village fired her because she couldn’t perform two job responsibilities due to her religious beliefs, namely voter registration and domestic partner registration, after she was transferred to a new job in the clerk’s office.
Story here. . .
TAJIKISTAN: Jehovah’s Witness unregistered worship.
“Because all of this we live in uncertainty and fear, and cannot worship openly,” the Jehovah’s Witness lamented. Because of the ban fellow believers in Khujand are trying to survive on private jobs. “Our believers are known in the society and they are not employed in the public sector,” the Jehovah’s Witness said. Recently a member of their community working for a state school left his job, under the pressure of law-enforcement agencies. The Jehovah’s Witnesses do not want to discuss the details of this, due to fear of state reprisals. jwitness.wordpress.com
Story here. . .
FYI – NASA’s Fermi Telescope Finds Giant Structure in our Galaxy.
WASHINGTON — NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has unveiled a previously unseen structure centered in the Milky Way. The feature spans 50,000 light-years and may be the remnant of an eruption from a supersized black hole at the center of our galaxy.FYI – First Church Teaches Evolution.
Religious Life
Submitted by First Church of Christ
First Church has organized this program for its intrinsic interest and to demonstrate that faith communities can and need to embrace the discovery and tools of science if we want to be involved in their application in human society.
Story here. . .