Tunisia, Egypt Islamists signal bigger religion role
Paris, France – After months of reassuring secularist critics, Islamist politicians in Tunisia and Egypt have begun to lay down markers about how Muslim their states should be — and first signs show they want more religion than previously admitted.
On Maldives fundamentalists’ destruction of Buddhist ‘idols’
The Maldives’ National Museum was the scene of the destruction, as a group of five men deliberately targeted artefacts from the Maldives pre-Islamic era, destroying Buddhist relics.
http://digitaljournal.com/article/319497
Muslims told Valentine’s Day can invoke wrath of God
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia –
An invitation “to be my Valentine” on February 14 is against Islamic beliefs and would incur the wrath of Allah, Muslims were told today in the official Friday sermon prepared by the federal government. The sermon warned Muslims against celebrating Valentine’s Day, which the federal Islamic authorities claimed was in breach of the tenets of their religion.
Appeals Court Holds Oklahoma’s Shari’ah Ban Unconstitutional
From Religion Dispatches magazine, 25 March 2012:
Banning halal and kosher
2011
In June this year, the lower house of the Dutch parliament passed a law requiring animals to be stunned before they are slaughtered. This would effectively ban the production of meat according to kosher rules (for Jews) and halal rules (for Muslims). The proposal, which will shortly be debated in the upper house, fits in with a recent intolerant trend in Europe against religious minorities.
Taking a knife to liberty and tolerance, by Rob Lyons, Spiked!
Morocco: Controversy over religious freedom
Two years ago …six Moroccans were arrested for having a picnic during Ramadan in protest of a law banning eating in public during Ramadan. Two years and a new constitution later, Morocco still doesn’t have provisions guaranteeing more religious freedom for its citizens.