#it's also not exclusive to christianity! culturally muslim people exist in other countries & cultural hinduism etc...

[dykefaggotry]

the way this website balks at the term "culturally christian" is so funny to me like. oh shit you mean the religion our government and culture is structured around might impact you even if you're atheist and ESPECIALLY if you're ex-christian? noooo it's the people using it to describe a phenomenon of western culture that are wrong

[sushanttourtravels]

Top Attractions in India Geographically India stretches from the tropical lushness of the Indian Ocean coasts to the high Himalaya, with virtually every conceivable terrain between. Combine this with a history dating back thousands of years and the result is a land of incredible diversity and endless fascination. A rich melting pot of religions and languages, regional cultural and culinary traditions and festivals, splendid artistic and architectural styles. Climate- India has such a wide range of climatic factors that it’s impossible to pin down the best time to visit weather-wise with any certainty. Broadly speaking October to March tend to be the most pleasant months over much of the country. In the far south, the monsoon weather pattern tends to make January to September more pleasant, while Sikkim and the areas of northeastern India tend to be more palatable between March and August, and Kashmir and the mountainous regions of Himachal Pradesh are at their most accessible between May and September. The deserts of Rajasthan and the northwestern Indian Himalayan region are at their best during the monsoon. India is a land of festivals and fairs. Every day of the year there is a festival celebrated in some part of the country. Some festivals welcome the seasons of the year, the harvest, the rains, or the full moon. Others celebrate religious occasions, the birthdays of divine beings, saints, and gurus (revered teachers), or the advent of the New Year. A number of these festivals are common to most parts of India. However, they may be called by different names in various parts of the country or may be celebrated in a different fashion. Religion- religion seeps into every facet of Indian life. Despite being a secular democracy, India is one of the few countries in which the social and religious structures that define the nation’s identity remain intact, and have continued to do so for at least 4000 years despite invasions, persecution, European colonialism and political upheaval. Change is inevitably taking place as modern technology reaches further and further into the fabric of society but essentially rural India remains much the same as it has for thousands of years. So resilient are its social and religious institutions that it has absorbed, ignored or thrown off all attempts to radically change or destroy them. Hinduism- India’s major religion, Hinduism, is practiced by approximately 81% of the population. In terms of the number of adherents, it’s the largest religion in Asia and one of the world’s oldest extant faiths. Hinduism has a vast pantheon of gods, a number of holy books and postulates that everyone goes through a series of births or reincarnations that eventually lead to spiritual salvation. With each birth, you can move closer to or further from eventual enlightenment; the deciding factor is your karma. The Hindu religion has three basic practices. They are puja or worship, the cremation of the dead, and the rules and regulations of the caste system. Hinduism is not a proselytizing religion since you cannot be converted: you’re either born a Hindu or you’re not. Significant differences exist within this Hindu majority, arising not only out of divisions of caste, but also out of differing religious beliefs. One great divide is between devotees of the god Vishnu and devotees of the god Shiva. There are also Hindus who are members of reform movements that began in the 19th century. The most significant of these is perhaps the Arya Samaj, which rejects divisions of caste and idol worship. Hindus may come together also as devotees of a guru, such as Sai Baba. Despite its differences, the Hindu community shares many things in common. Islam- there are more than 100 million Muslims in India (approximately 12% of the population), making it one of the largest Muslim nations on earth. Muslims are a more urban community than Hindus. There are many towns and cities in northern India where Muslims are one-third or more of the population. In addition to Jammu and Kashmir and the Lakshadweep islands, where more than two-thirds of the population is Muslim, major concentrations of Muslims live in Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala states. About one-quarter of all Muslims living in India live in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Muslim influence in India is particularly strong in the fields of architecture, art and food. Buddhism- Buddhism was founded in northern India in about 500 BC, spread rapidly when emperor Ashoka embraced it but was gradually reabsorbed into Hinduism. Today Hindus regard the Buddha as another incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. There are now only 6.6 million Buddhists in India, but important Buddhist sites in northern India, such as Bodhgaya, Sarnath (near Varanasi) and Kushinagar (near Gorakhpur) remain important sites of pilgrimage. Jain- The Jain religion also began life as an attempt to reform Brahmin cal Hinduism. It emerged at the same time as Buddhism, and for many of the same reasons. The Jains now number only about 4.5 million and are found predominantly in the west and southwest of India. The religion has never found adherents outside India. Jains believe that the universe is infinite and was not created by a deity. They also believe in reincarnation and eventual spiritual salvation by following the path of the Jain prophets. Sikhs- The Sikhs in India number 18 million and are predominantly located in the Punjab. The religion was originally intended to bring together the best of Hinduism and Islam. Its basic tenets are similar to those of Hinduism with the important modification that the Sikhs are opposed to caste distinctions. The holiest shrine of the Sikh religion is the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Other- approximately 3% of the population is Christian and there are also a few small Jewish communities in ex-colonial enclaves. India’s population is rich with diverse ethnic and cultural groups. Ethnic groups are those based on a sense of common ancestry, while cultural groups can be either made up of people of different ethnic origins who share a common language, or of ethnic groups with some customs and beliefs in common, such as castes of a particular locality. The diverse ethnic and cultural origins of the people of India are shared by the other peoples of the Indian subcontinent, including the inhabitants of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. People of India – The overwhelming majority of India’s population shares essentially the same physical characteristics. There is no concrete scientific evidence of racial differences within this majority, although there are ethnic and cultural differences, such as language and religion. Tribal Groups. There are also groups of people in India that have been identified by the government as tribal, meaning they belong to one of the more than 300 officially designated “scheduled tribes”. The tribal people are sometimes called hill tribes or adivasis (“original inhabitants”), and in 1991 made up about 8% (more than 65 million people) of India’s population. Members of India’s various hill tribes are thought to be indigenous and tend to be ethnically distinct. These groups typically marry within their community and often live in large, adjoining areas, which are preserved by government policies restricting the sale of land to tribe members. Major tribes include the Gond and the Bhil. Each has millions of members and encompasses a number of sub tribes. Most other tribes are much smaller, with tens of thousands of members. Very few tribal communities now support themselves with traditional methods of hunting and gathering or with shifting cultivation because of government restrictions aimed at protecting the environment. Instead, they generally practice settled agriculture. Tribal groups tend to live in rural areas, mainly in hilly and less fertile regions of the country. Less than 5 percent practice traditional tribal religious beliefs and customs exclusively, most now combine traditional religions and customs with Hinduism or Christianity. Most tribal groups live in a belt of communities that stretches from eastern Gujarât to western West Bengal. The western tribes speak a dialect of Hindi, the central tribes use a form of the Dravidian language, and the eastern tribes speak Austro-Asiatic languages. The other major concentration of tribal people is in the northeastern hills. Tribe members make up the majority of the population in the states of Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Arunâchal Pradesh. These people, many of them Christian, speak languages of the Sino-Tibetan family which are also spoken by the Buddhists who live along the Himalayan ridge, from Arunâchal Pradesh in the east, through Sikkim, northern Uttar Pradesh, and Ladakh (in Jammu and Kashmîr state). In the Himalaya particularly, isolation on the mountain flanks has led to languages so distinct that ethnic groups living within sight of each other may not understand each other. Other tribes live in southern India and on India’s island territories, but their numbers are not large. Caste – The caste system is pervasive in India. Although it is entwined in Hindu beliefs, it encompasses non-Hindus as well. A caste (jati in Sanskrit) is a social class to which a person belongs at birth and which is ranked against other castes, typically on a continuum of perceived purity and pollution. People generally marry within their own caste. In rural areas, caste may also govern where people live or what occupations they engage in. The particular features of the caste system vary considerably from community to community and across regions. Small geographical areas have their own group-specific caste hierarchies. There are thus thousands of castes in India. In traditional Hindu law texts, all castes are loosely grouped into four varnas, or classes. In order of hierarchy, these varnas are: the Brahmans (priests and scholars), the Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), the Vaisyas (merchants, farmers, and traders), and the Sudras (laborers, including artisans, servants, and serfs). The varnas no longer strictly correspond to traditional professions. For example, most Brahmans today are not priests, but professionals in a variety of industries. Dusshera- Dusshera is usually celebrated in October. The mode and the fervor vary by a great deal across the subcontinent; the celebration in Mysore is one of the most famous. Different parts of India celebrate the festival in different ways. Some celebrate it as Navaratri, some as Vijaya-Dashami, and some as Dussehra, in worship of Goddess Durga or celebrating Rama’s victory over Rawana. The celebrations vary from a day to nine days (for Navaratri) to a month (for Mysore Dusshera). On the day of the Holi, people (men and women) irrespective of caste and creed mingle together and exchange colors. The celebrations can get wild and rowdy – it is one of the few occasions of the year that the sexes are allowed to mix freely. People use tools and tricks to spray, paint and drown friends and relatives in color Pongal or Sankranti- This holy day marks the commencement of the Sun’s northern course in the Heavens, known as the Uttaraayana patha. Interestingly, this is the only festival in Hindu calendar that follows a solar calendar and is celebrated on the fourteenth of January every year (all other Hindu festivals are computed using the lunar calendar). Pushkar Camel Fair- Back in a legendary time, Lord Brahma was flying over the Rajasthan desert on his swan, when some petals fell from his hand and drifted down. Miraculously, blue lakes sprang up where the flowers touched the soft sands. Lord Brahma realized that this was the auspicious moment to perform a fire sacrifice so he landed near one of the lakes, completed the powerful ritual and, thus, laid the groundwork for the first Pushkar Fair. Ever since then, when the full moon shines on Purnima during the autumn period of kartik, the desert tribes meet to commemorate this epic event.

[nurulamiraazhari]

Aspired Malaysian

31st August 1957. The day Malayan people celebrated the nations freed from colonization that has been ongoing for hundred years since 1511 when the Portuguese conquered Malacca City. The journey of getting independence from the British government is the hardest journey ever. Refreshing our memory, when the people of Tanah Melayu seeks independence from the British government, the first requirement needed for us to get an independent is: all races should be getting citizenship as Malayans’ people.

Now, why is such a requirement needed for a country to be independent?

An independent country is a country that has stability in the ruling system and a harmonious society. During the year 1946, we could see that most of the Malayan people were against the concept mentioned by Britain’s people of giving citizenship towards Chinese and Indian as both of them aren’t the natives of the land. In the content of the Malayan Union, it is said that the “Jus Soli” system will be applied to all people causing Malayan’s people to worry about their status in their homeland. Few factors of Malayan Union were opposed by the people at that time were:

· Sultan’s regimes will be losing their power.

· The Malayans’ civilizations might extinct.

· Citizenship given is considered as being too liberal

This resulted to protest by most of Malayan’s people at that time and eventually Malayan Union were canceled and it was later changed to ‘Persekutuan Tanah Melayu 1948’ which was considered as the starter for a more efficient system towards getting an independent. Now that we have reached 63 years of being a freed country without any colonisations, do you think we have reached the harmonious as a multicultural country?

Are we the ‘Harmonious Malaysia’ as said by the foreigners?

The question of Malaysia being a harmonious multiracial country is a never-ending discussion. There are so many aspects to look into whenever it comes to the topic of different races. As Malaysian itself, I could consider myself as someone who is intercultural as I have friends from different races, and being a friend with them upgraded my knowledge on the variety of humans living concepts. However, the racial issues in Malaysia are increasing daily every year. Most of the issues arise are because of religions and traditional stuff. As happened in 2019, the community of Chinese caused a scene by stating a controversial issue regarding ‘Jawi’ wording. They have been questioning as the reasons why ‘Jawi’ were used in so many places or signboards in Malaysia. Other than that, Malay’s people questioned the building of a large Buddhism temple and opposed strongly the language usage of Bibles in the Malay language as it could bring atheism believes towards Muslim people. In the year 1981, the government declared ‘Alkitab’ (bible title in the Malay Language) as an illegal book to be sold or buy. Meanwhile, the Indians strongly opposed the concepts of Muslim people slaughtered animals especially cows during Eid-Adha celebrations. There are also issues regarding tattoos carved by the Ibannese and Bidayuh that caused madness toward Muslims as it could influence Muslim people to carved tattoos on their body parts too.

What are the cons of having a multiracial country?

Now, most of the issues that existed were connected to religious stuff. Thus why there goes the saying, religion is not associated with the person practicing it. Any religion is beautiful and complete thus look upon the religion, not the person of the religions. There is a journal article written in 2019 by Muhamad Faisal and Muhamad A’arif that discussed the religious issues that occurred between different races from 1980 – 2005. The journal is well written as it goes in-depth as to why Malaysia failed to have a harmonious living among different races. The main factor would be different religious beliefs and traditions. On the issues discussed in the article are:

1. Islam as an exclusive religion

2. Religion freedom

3. Jurisdiction of the court

4. Religion ‘houses’

5. Language issues

6. Islamic country

Per my reading from this article, my opinion is that acceptance and tolerance between religions is a hard thing to do. Religions and culture are two different things. Culture could be defined as norms according to an individual lifestyle while religion includes beliefs, customs, and principles of a live hold by a person. As to why issues related to culture was always associated with religions.

One of the main issues discussed in the article is jurisdiction of court; how is Civil and Syariah’s court are different in roles? A couple was accused of having sexual activity. But, an issue occurred when the guy is Chinese while the girl is a Malay. Both of them come from different religions. The Civil court decided to give the rights of judgment towards Syariah’s Court. From there, Islamic law was used against the girl only, as it was unfair to hold punishment towards the boy. This caused an issue whereby the girl’s parents wanted the guy to receive the same punishment as their daughter but it failed to happen. Thus why some of Malaysians had difficulties in accepting multi-racial family members

Other cases involving different religions mentioned in the article happened in 2002. Whereby one of the spouses of an Indian couple convicted to Islam which leads them to divorce. Now, the main issue here is, what will be the fate of the child? Is the child considered as Muslim or not? The father, an Indian convicted to Islam without the knowledge of his wife resulting in his wife demanding the custody of her child. However, following the laws of Syariah’s Court, the child is a Muslim as stated by Article 12(4) Federal Constitution. The decision was criticized by the human rights organizations and the non-Muslim organizations due to dualism happened regarding religions of the child.

A case of a child’s questioning their religions has happened once. Nadrah’s or real name, Maria Hertogh, was a controversy during the year 1950 as her Dutch parents demanded custody of her when she was 14 years old. She was born by a Dutch parent in Jawa, later adopted by Aminah and Mohammad, a Malay couple, and brought up to Kemaman, Terengganu. It was a tough battle because her foster parents wanted Nadrah as she was raised as a Muslim and married to a Muslim guy. The court session happened in Singapore, which at that time was part of Tanah Melayu. Maria Hertogh biological parents won the case and they flew back to her homeland in Holland. She passed away at the age of 72 years old.

Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and, Sikhism (MCCBCHS) was established in August 1984. Non-Muslim has established this community as a medium for them in voicing out their opinions which are:

1. Islam Civilizations as main courses in University should be reconsidered as the lecturer has been delivering bad words on other religions.

2. Existed laws that prohibited the non-Muslim in using words or books of their religion.

3. Mass communication policy that has limited the medium for other religions to get their slot.

4. Non-Muslim speakers having difficulty in entering Malaysia due to immigration policy.

5. Selangor Islamic Family Law Enactment 1989, article 67 and 70 that have been said, is forcing the non-Muslim to accept Syariah’s laws. (Islamochristina: 1990 dalam Zulkipli Abdul Ghani:1998).

The current prime minister at that time, Tun Sri Dr Mahathir has agreed to look upon the objection and a meeting was set up. The meeting consists of 12 members from MCCBCHS and Tun Sri Dr Mahathir on 10th April 1990.

Are religions the main point of racism?

Have you seen any advertisement when it comes to National Month? There are so many ads made by Petronas, Tenaga Nasional Berhad and, other brands as well. Do you remember an advertisement that goes “Ikan dilaut, asam didarat”? The advertisement was produced by Petronas, a tale between Suparjo and Raju. In the video, we could see that Suparjo and Raju are having a hard time adjusting lives as neighbors because of different races and religions. Cultural sensitivity happened when Raju’s wife offered a cup of tea to Suparjo’s wife but they are fasting. Perhaps, the wife could decline the offer nicely but instead, she went on saying “Puasalah!” harshly. One night, Suparjo sing a song that goes “~Ikan di laut, asam di darat, dalam periuk, bikin muafakat~”. Raju heard that and was shook to know his neighbors is his long-lost child’s friend.

From this video, we could conclude that as we are growing older, we are bound to see things differently. We are having trust issues, we insisted on trusting someone easily and we limited our communication towards some people. When we were a child, we were friends with everyone. I am a good friend to my Indian friend, his name is Looga. I played with him every single day without getting bored. As both of us growing up, we realize the world is nice only in our imaginary world.

Political people makes us, Malaysian seems like we are racist towards each other. Whereby every single day, we could see everyone was eating the same breakfast, the national breakfast, nasi lemak, or ‘roti canai’. What kind of traditional food did you wish to eat in Malaysia? Everything is complete in this country. A plate of dumplings could be seen in any Chinese restaurant! Do you wish to eat ‘roti tisu’ at mamak? Granted! Oh dear, it seems like you want to eat ‘rendang’? Granted!

Noticed how the language we used is similar to each other? The usage of tag behind our words such as “Can-lah” or “Come-lah” depicts the code-mixing between Malay Language and the English Language of Malaysians.

There are also content from social Media that are relatable to us as Malaysians and as Asians. Twitter users named @TypicalMalaysian used a tagline “Cause that’s who we are” to suit with his content of writing about typical stuff happening in Malaysia. By reading the content, we might laugh because some of the content tweeted by the account are relatable. A local YouTuber, JinnyBoyTv produced videos that relate to things happening in Malaysia too. Harith Iskandar, the comedian often makes a joke on how Crime Investigation Series in Malaysia would be.

Religions are not the main cause of racial issues happening in Malaysia.The thinking and personality of an individual played a big role in adapting to cultural differences. Mentioned in Wawasan 2020, one of the points to achieve by the year 2020 is producing a liberal Malaysian. Liberal is defined as acceptance and willingness to accept behaviors or different opinions; open to new ideas.

Have you watched a movie entitled “The Journey” which was released in 2014 produced by Astro Shaw? The movie consists of many intercultural values and sentiments. One of the scenes taken from the movie, the Chinese man, Uncle Chong visited his old middle school best friend, Fatimah. Though they have been apart for years, the bond they had remained strong. A good movie to watch for us to increase our thinking in accepting differences.

Racial issues are on-going problem in Malaysia. A multiracial country with diverse traditions and religions will always face problems regarding racial stuff. One of the ways to help us enhancing our ability in becoming a liberal Malaysian is by accepting differences. Differences are bound to make us looks different from others and thus why Malaysia is a unique country in other ways.

A harmonious Malaysia could be defined by sharing the same foods, behaviors, language spoken, and acceptance. As the future generation that could lead the country, we are expected to set a benchmark on changing the way intercultural has always been.

Budi Bahasa kan Budaya Kita :)

Happy National Day.

References

Muhamad Faisal Ashaari & Muhamad A’riff Khushairi. (2019). Isu-isu agama dalam hubungan antara kaum di Malaysia. BITARA International Journal of Civilizational Studies and Human Sciences 2(1): 87-98. Taken from https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Isu-isu-Agama-dalam-Hubungan-Antara-Kaum-Di-Ashaari-Khushairi/299f712afb9aa4245df4da1b396dd326ff378ab9

Mohdjamil. (2009, August 08). Nadrah's Tragic Story. Retrieved August 22, 2020, from

https://mohdjamil.com/2009/08/12/nadrahs-tragic-story/

PeKhabar. (2018, March 31). Penubuhan Malayan Union. Retrieved August 22, 2020, from https://pekhabar.com/h-i-d-s-penubuhan-malayan-union/

Zulkiple Abd Ghani. 1998. Kebangkitan Islam, etnisiti dan respons non-Muslim. dlm. Abdul Ghafar Hj Don, Berhanundin Abdullah & Zulkiple Abd Ghani (pnyt.) Dakwah Kepada Non-Muslim di Malaysia, Konsep, Metod dan Pengalaman. Bangi, Selangor: Jabatan Dakwah dan Kepimpinan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

[mideastsoccer]

Achieving religious harmony in a world of fear and populism

By James M. Dorsey

 A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Stitcher, TuneIn and Tumblr.

 Edited version of remarks made at the Inter-Religious Organization Singapore, 1 October 2018

 This is a tough time for men and women of the cloth, at least those whose message is one of peace, tolerance, mutual respect, equality and inter-faith dialogue.

 Underlying the rise of populism, nationalism, protectionism, fear of the other, anti-migrant and anti-foreigner sentiment, and hate speech is an erosion of the norms of debate. Articulation of hate speech has become permissible, if not fashionable. Often blunt and crude language employed by leaders, politicians and some people of the cloth help shape an environment in which civility has been lost.

 Intolerant, racist and supremacist have risen in significance even in democratic societies that project themselves as open, tolerant guarantors of equal rights irrespective of nationality, ethnicity, religion, colour or sexuality. Suppressing those voices through laws and bans drives hate speech and racism underground, it doesn’t erase or eradicate it. Countering it with a message of tolerance and mutual respect won’t erase it either but can help shape an environment in which those principles become dominant again.

 Let’s face it, prejudice is a fact of life. Its inbred in whatever culture each of us adheres to and whatever education at home and in schools that we have enjoyed, irrespective of how conservative or liberal our family and societal backgrounds are. We all were raised on implicit or more explicit notions that our culture is best or by implication other cultures are not as good.

 In other words, prejudice is not the issue, its how we deal with it, how we manage it. The problem arises when we lose our sense of relativity, when we adopt an absolutist approach, the high way or no way. It arises when pluralism is thrown out the window and we abandon the notion that our world is populated by a multitude of equally valid faiths, worldviews and belief systems.

 To quote Mahatma Gandhi, a deeply religious Hindu, who said in 1942: “I believe with my soul that the God of the Qur’an is also the God of Gita and that we are all, no matter by what name designated, children of the same God. My whole soul rebels against the idea that Hinduism and Islam represent two antagonistic cultures… To ascent to such a doctrine is for me a denial of God.”

 In the battles in the late 1940s and 1950s over a proposed national ban in India on the slaughter of cows, Gandhi declared himself a worshipper of cows whom he regarded with the same veneration as he viewed his mother. Yet, Gandhi, went on to say that “the Hindu religion prohibits cow slaughter for the Hindus, not for the world. The religious prohibition comes from within. Any imposition from without means compulsion. Such compulsion is repugnant to religion.”

 On a visit in 1942 to a German camp populated by Indian prisoners of war captured from the British during fighting in North Africa, Subhas Chandra Bose, a deeply religious leader of the Indian independence movement, reportedly warned inmates that “if you use religion to unite yourself today, you leave the door open for someone to divide you later using the same sentiments.”

 Recent history validates Bose’s warning, not only in India and Pakistan, but across the globe expressed in Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and anti-Shiism, just to name a few, as well as in conflicts, wars and brutal repression in places like Syria, Yemen and the north-western Chinese province of Xinjiang.

 Many of you represent faiths with multiple sects, legal schools and interpretations – proof that your belief system in the narrow context of that system is open to multiple interpretation. Some of those interpretations may be intolerant, anti-pluralistic, supremacist. They too are a fact of life, like it or not. Countering them depends on the social environment one creates, a sphere within which men and women of the cloth have an important role to play as well. It is also a function of the social and economic policies implemented by governments.

 Indeed, the key is not suppression, what is suppressed doesn’t go away, at best it goes into hibernation, only to re-emerge at some point in the future. The key is containment, communities and societies that make discriminatory, racist, supremacist expressions socially taboo. That key is not enforcement by force of law but by social custom and an environment in which those expressions are continuously challenged in public debate, social settings and individual encounters. I am not talking about political correctness that stifles debate.

 Leaving aside those whose beliefs are absolute and intolerant of any other view, a majority of people gravitate towards the middle. It’s what some call moral shock or what former trader Nassim Nicholas Taleb dubbed black swans coupled with economic, social and societal uncertainty and political manipulation that drives people towards more literal, absolutist, intolerant beliefs.

 It is those circumstances in which normally tolerant communities and societies become more amenable to those beliefs. It’s what allows men like Slobodan Milosevic or Bashar al-Assad to turn societies where inter-communal relations and inter-marriage were the norm into wastelands in which one community tries to exterminate the other.

 Think of Bosnia Herzegovina in the 1990s that seemingly transformed overnight from a beacon of harmony into a hell or the tensions in multiple countries ranging from Bahrain to Nigeria or the tenth parallel that journalist Elizabeth Rush aptly described as the fault line cutting across Africa and Asia between more strident forms of Islam and Christianity.

 The last two decades have witnessed a renewed hardening of fault lines, not just ones between strands of Islam and Christianity, but across the board. This latest round started in 2001 with the moral shock of the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington and subsequent attacks across Europe as well as in Asia and Africa that continue until today. 9/11 was the death knell of multi-culturalism and the cradle of the latest wave of Islamophobia and rising anti-Semitism.

 The economic financial crisis of 2008/2009 with its decimating effect on the lower and middle classes, the flourishing of jihadism, the impact of heinous attacks close to home and the fear, a human being’s most irrational emotion, that generated the breeding ground for populism, nationalism, protectionism and the return to primordial, absolutist beliefs propagated by multiple sources, including men and women of the cloth.

 To be sure, the groundwork for this pre-date 9/11, fuelled by some strands of Christianity, massive Saudi funding across the globe of ultra-conservative strains of Islam, and the use of religious intolerance by leaders and governments because it served a political purpose.

 Pakistan illustrates what this can produce. The tolerant and live-let-live types live in a bubble, primarily in Pakistan’s three foremost cities, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The gravity of society has shifted towards intolerance, anti-pluralism and supremacism. Ultra-conservatism has been woven into the texture of segments of society and the culture of some institutions of the state. It is a world in which absolute truth rules supreme, discrimination based on an absolute truth is anchored into law, competence is determined not exclusively on the basis of merit but on what faith one adheres to, democratic freedoms are curtailed. Mob lynching becomes acceptable, violence against minorities the norm, and anti-blasphemy the tool.

 It’s a trend that is not unique to Pakistan and not unique to the Muslim world. It is a trend that is nurtured by the rise of populism, nationalism, authoritarianism and autocracy visible across Western societies, the Muslim world and Israel, in other words irrespective of cultural-religious roots.

 In most, if not all of these countries, significant segments of the population have no real stake in society. Intolerance, anti-pluralism, racism and supremacism fuel the perception of disenfranchisement and marginalization that often produces a sense of not having anything to lose. It is some combination of religious ultra-conservatism, exclusivist ethnic and nationalist sentiment, and lack of a stake that creates breeding grounds for militancy and extremism.

                            Men and women of the cloth working in Singapore are in many ways privileged. While Singapore regulates hate speech or expressions it believes would undermine harmony, it has been successful in ensuring that all segments of the population have a stake in society – perhaps the most important factor in combatting discrimination, racism and supremacism as well as militancy and extremism.

 Singapore demonstrates messages of tolerance and inter-ethnic and inter-faith harmony can and will be heard in a political and social environment that fosters mutual respect and dialogue.

 There is however one caveat. Peace and harmony in society requires peace and harmony at home. The divisions and animosity between different religions and ethnicities at large are reflected in divisions and animosity within faith groups.

 Tolerance, mutual respect and dialogue starts in one’s own community and its message is as credible as one practices it without exception. That probably requires a redefinition of the concept of absolute truth. That’s a tough order, but no one claims that ensuring that a peaceful and harmonious existence and future would be easy. It also is a litmus test of one’s sincerity.

 Dr. James M. Dorsey is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, co-director of the University of Würzburg’s Institute for Fan Culture, and co-host of the New Books in Middle Eastern Studies podcast. James is the author of The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer blog, a book with the same title and a co-authored volume, Comparative Political Transitions between Southeast Asia and the Middle East and North Africa as well as Shifting Sands, Essays on Sports and Politics in the Middle East and North Africa and just published China and the Middle East: Venturing into the Maelstrom  

[atticusblog2016-blog]

New Post has been published on Atticusblog

New Post has been published on https://atticusblog.com/nokia-phones-india-launch-likely-in-first-week-of-june/

Nokia Phones’ India Launch Likely in First Week of June

The Nokia 6, Nokia 5 and Nokia three are the various maximum eagerly anticipated smartphones within the marketplace proper now, but HMD Global – which holds the rights to the Nokia logo name – has so far been mom approximately the Nokia Android phones’ India launch. However, fanatics might not have to wait too long, as resources at HMD Global tells Gadgets 360 that the corporation is planning to host a Nokia launch occasion in India in the first week of June. The Nokia logo loved a large following within the Indian market in the 2000s, earlier than Android phones and iPhones took over the reigns for market supremacy.

Nokia telephones’ India launch

According to the resources, HMD Global is still undecided on whether or not to release all four telephones – the Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3, and the brand new Nokia 3310 function cellphone – on the equal occasion, or maintain separate activities. This selection is predicted to be taken by way of May give up. If the organization makes a decision to preserve separate activities, it may launch of the Nokia phones within the first week of June, while the ultimate two might be released at a later date.

Nokia 6, Nokia 5 and Nokia three are predicted to be priced around Rs. Sixteen,000, Rs. Thirteen,000 and Rs. 10,000, respectively, going by way of the expenses introduced at MWC 2017. The Nokia 3310 (2017) feature telephone, then again, is expected to release in India at roughly Rs. 4,000.

For Nokia phones, India a proof of concept

HMD Global held a Nokia event earlier this week, wherein the agency’s Chief Product Offer Juho Sarvikas spoke to Gadgets 360 about the importance of the Indian marketplace for the agency. He stated, “If we will win the hearts and minds of the Indian customers with our tale, then I have no concerns approximately our worldwide story.”

He did no longer dismiss the possibility of a 4G-enabled function cellphone inside the destiny both, and started the boom of 4G in India with the access of Reliance Jio has made the phones with the upgraded community a “thrilling area” with “a variety of opportunity to innovate.” However, he did no longer difficult if this kind of plans is underneath development at Nokia in the intervening time. Feature phones will stay important to the Nokia plans for India because the agency sees capability in u. S . For such merchandise. India changed into the primary studies market for Nokia, Sarvikas had said at the occasion.

Nokia Lumia 920 Cases

Up until a closing couple of years, Nokia had regarded very a great deal a business enterprise of the past while as compared to rivals such as Samsung and Apple. However with its Lumia variety of cell telephones, the tech large has made a terrific come again and controlled to win over a whole lot of clients. With makes, the Lumia phones so famous is a combination of an exquisite interface, stylish layout and a good array of functions.

If you very own a Nokia Lumia 920 then you definitely possibly concept approximately shopping for a case for it. Below is a list of 5 incredible cases for the Lumia 920 which can be to be had proper now.

Five Excellent Cases for the Nokia Lumia 920

1. Worldshopping Black Magnetic Flip Leather Case – This is a totally clever and elegant searching case. Its simple black leather exterior gives it a completely commercial enterprise-like appearance which fits the Lumia 920 flawlessly. It’s a magnetic turn case which offers get right of entry to all the main ports on the smartphone even if the case is closed making it very handy whilst charging. As a brought bonus it additionally comes with a loose cleansing cloth.

2. Nokia ‘Angry Birds’ Case – This is a very simple ‘pouch’ fashion case for the Lumia 920 that incorporates a pull tab for easy accessibility. What makes this situation attractive is the thoroughly used ‘Angry Bird’ photo on the end of the pull tab. This is a remarkable case if you want something this is amusing however does not pass overboard with the idea.

3. Black Piel Frama iMagnum – If luxurious is what you’re after then you definitely can not move incorrectly with this superbly hand-crafted case made in particular for the Lumia 920. The cut of the case permits the use of the digital camera which it method it is not best lovely however realistic too. Because it is home made it does come with a reasonably excessive rate tag however as the saying goes ‘you get what you pay for’

4. Red Black Soft Rubber Lumia 920 Case – With its hanging crimson and black colorations scheme and very rigid layout, this situation may not attraction to all and sundry but what it objectives to do it does very well. Offering 2 degrees of protection, this case is best if you’re liable to dropping your telephone loads.

Pros and Cons of Mobile Satellite Phones

Phones with international insurance including iridium 9555 are the in thing these days in particular for those who want to be in the desolate tract for some mind-blowing adventures. However, this isn’t always for regular use. While this will be advisable to other people with the severe way of life and incredible jobs, this sort of smartphone isn’t for the average person. While regular cell phones may be used on the streets, at home, inner cars and in the office, they’re generally unattainable in high seas, desert, mountains and other faraway areas. In such areas where coverage is restrained, a satellite phone may be your fine buddy.

Advantages of Satellite Mobile Phones

Iridium 9555 gets and can provide phone calls through a satellite tv for PC that orbits the earth. Maintaining such a sophisticated communications method is especially technical that is why the prices are quite high due to its preservation requirements. However, if you’ll test its advantages, its prices for the offerings is all really worth it. Satellite cellular phones have a more potent signal and subscribers won’t need to revel in dropped calls. Another accurate aspect about satellite tv for PC mobile phones is that they’re equipped with voicemail with signs and incoming cellphone quantity so users will nevertheless recognize if they have called looking forward to them in a place with low sign power.

Because of its strong sign, you preserve contact with pals and circle of relatives at home even as you’re in your hunting experience or on your journey and extra importantly, you may ship messages or name government proper away throughout emergencies. No, be counted where you are as long as there may be a clear line of sight to satellites within the sky, you may get signal and ship out your emergency calls while you want to.

Disadvantages of Satellite Phones

Satellite telephones additionally have its percentage of dangers. For one, such type of cellular telephones best paintings whilst there may be a right away sight of line to the sky, consequently, they do not paintings within the buildings or in covered areas. Satellite phones additionally discover it difficult to get insurance near tall homes or in the course of horrific climate so it is not really helpful for one to shop for this sort of cell phone for everyday use. Iridium 9555 phones are also larger than the standard mobile telephones, therefore, they are no longer handy and they may be an inconvenience to carry around. Per minute expenses of this form of the smartphone is also higher compared to regular phones.

What Are the Features of Indian Culture?

India is widely known for its way of life. Every person in this country respects its way of life. A person, who follows it, has were given a respectable photograph in the society. Indian society is designed in keeping with the requirements of subculture. It is cherished now not best via Indians but additionally via other people of the world. Its supremacy, divinity, and influence were unfolded to every and every nook of the sector. It is an identity of each ancient and modern India. Now we are able to analyze its salient functions in the following modes.

• Castes

India is characterized via one of a kind cases. People of different castes own one of a kind residing well known. Even human beings of different castes live existence with exclusive standards and values. Each caste has its separate rituals and traditions of marriage and other secular ceremonies. The meals conduct of various castes is distinct as some prefer non-vegetarian meals at the same time as a few decide upon vegetarian food.

• Languages

Hindi is the national language of India. People of every state have their personal language. People of any country are free to speak the language in their very own choice. There are 18 languages of the USA and each of them has their personal dignity and prestige.

• Religions

India is characterized through four religions i.E. Hinduism, Muslim, Sikhism and Christians. Each faith has its own rituals and traditions. The dressing types of one of a kind religions are specific. The women of Hindu religion put on sarees. Today there is a trend of Indian sarees online. The extremely good varieties of Indian sarees online are available. The women of Muslims and Sikhs put on salwar suits with dupattas. The ladies of Christians put on robes. These salwar fits and robes also are to be had on-line in a tremendous variety.

• Respect

Respect is one of the characteristics of the Indian way of life. In this use women and antique human beings have a decent function. Even the feature of respect is involved in personal or professional lifestyles of a character. Man does as a lot of efforts or paintings to earn admire within the society. Not, most effective girls and antique persons, all and sundry were given appreciate from others as the feeling of brotherhood lies a few of the Indians.

• Unity and Integration

Despite various states, religions and languages, human beings of this u. S . A . Are united and included collectively with the sensation of oneness. They are helpful to each other on the time of happiness and sorrows. All of them have a spirit to like their use.