Latest news with #Christians
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
In Indonesia, CPI(M) MP cites Salman Khurshid to counter Asim Munir's ‘Hindus and Muslims are different' remark
CPI(M) MP John Brittas took a sharp aim at Pakistan Army chief general Asim Munir during an interaction with the Indian community in Jakarta on Friday. Brittas questioned Asim Munir's claim that Hindus and Muslims are inherently different in a way that justifies division or conflict. 'Asim Munir said something about Hindus and Muslims are different. Can you ever vouch for that?' Brittas asked, challenging the idea head-on. Standing alongside senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, Brittas pointed to India's diversity as its strength. 'Salman Khurshid is here. We are all together. I am from Kerala... I am a Christian. In Kerala, we have three major religions. We coexist in harmony. That is the message of India,' he said. John Brittas added that such a statement does not reflect the reality of India, where people from different religions, including Hindus, Muslims and Christians, live together peacefully. The MP didn't hold back when speaking about terrorism and India-Pakistan relations. 'Khwaja Asif... said that they have been indulging in this dirty job of nurturing and harbouring terrorist organisations for three decades. We don't require any more evidence. It's for all of us to see who is nurturing and harbouring terrorism,' Brittas added. He was referring to an April 25 interview with Sky News, in which Asif appeared to admit Pakistan's role in supporting terrorism while also accusing Western countries of conveniently targeting Pakistan. Brittas went on to highlight New Delhi's long-standing efforts for peace despite repeated provocations. 'India wants peace... The Indus Waters Treaty gave 80% of the water to Pakistan. We had been cooperative with them... Still, Pakistan continued with the trajectory of sending across terrorists," he said. "That's why India decided that enough is enough. We want peace, but it shouldn't be at the cost of our precious lives,' the CPI (M) MP added. He also underlined the contrast between India and Pakistan, saying, 'Pakistan is a theocratic state... They chose to be a nation in the name of a religion, and they are triggered by hate. India decided on its path. Two hundred million Muslims are in India, the second-largest Muslim community after Indonesia. This reflects the real character of India,' he said. He pointed out the diversity within the Indian delegation as a reflection of India's democratic values. 'The unique nature of this delegation is that out of five political parties, three are against the ruling party, but we are here together for a mission. This represents the real culture of India,' he said. Brittas was part of an all-party delegation visiting Indonesia as part of a broader diplomatic tour of Southeast and East Asia to deliver India's side to the world in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack. The group is visiting Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. The delegation is led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha and includes members from the BJP, Congress, CPI(M), and Trinamool Congress, such as Aparajita Sarangi, Abhishek Banerjee, Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi, Salman Khurshid, and Mohan Kumar.
Malaysiakini
3 hours ago
- General
- Malaysiakini
Echoes of the gong: Kaamatan and the soul of Sabah
COMMENT | Each year, as May draws to a close, the gentle rhythm of the gong echoes through Sabah's valleys and hills, heralding the Kaamatan festival - a time of harvest, gratitude, and deep cultural reflection among the Kadazandusun-Murut-Rungus (KDMR) communities. Kaamatan, traditionally held at the end of the padi harvesting season, was once a village-scale celebration to give thanks to Bambarayon, the rice spirit. Today, while festivities are larger and more modern, the soul of the festival remains intact, especially for Christians like Mariati Bakait, an ethnic Kadazandusun who hails from Ranau. 'Kaamatan isn't just about merrymaking. It's about honouring the sacrifice that gave us life, like Huminodun's,' said the school teacher, referring to the mythic maiden who gave her body to restore life to the land during a great famine. 'Her story still teaches us what love and courage really mean,' Mariati tells Malaysiakini.
Boston Globe
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
250 years ago, religion played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. Today, clergy are resuming the fight
'All of us are deeply concerned about the preservation of democracy, because without democracy, faith cannot flourish,' said Reverend Fred Small, a community minister at Arlington Street Church in Boston. 'Christian nationalism is not a future that any of us embrace, although there are many — the majority of us — are Christians.' The group was specifically protesting the Trump administration's Advertisement Among all Christians, 51 percent disapproved of Trump's job as president in an April Advertisement The march drew inspiration from religious leaders' prominent involvement in the American Revolution and the Civil Rights movement, Lerner said. Specifically, the group called for legislative protections for vulnerable communities as the Trump administration intensifies its 'In our country, having people taken off the streets and no opportunity to defend themselves — that is not an America we have been working on for thousands of years,' Lerner said. In the American Revolution, parishioners across religious sects used scripture to 'Clergymen were using their churches to talk about how this struggle against Britain was not just a political battle over taxes and tariffs,' Lerner said. 'It was one they saw through a moral lens, a religious lens, a spiritual lens.' Churches in the South also played a Clergy drew On Friday, the group of clergy stopped several times along the 12-mile route, drawing more than 300 people throughout its march, said Rabbi David Lerner, senior rabbi at Temple Emunah. Some joined for a few miles while others committed to the long walk. Advertisement While resting in Cambridge, Small, who walked all 12-miles, said he was feeling the exhaustion. He has arthritis in one knee and was wearing a knee race under his black clerical suit. 'It is a trivial sacrifice that I'm making compared to people who are presently incarcerated in an ICE facility, or worse yet, a Gulag in El Salvador,' he said. Speakers at the march cited scripture in their speeches and said Trump's actions are antithetical to their religions. Small held a sign reading reading 'Welcome the stranger,' referencing Matthew 25:35. 'The reason we have separation of church and state is not that they should live in separate spheres, but we can do our thing — worship, have integrity — and have a moral voice and stand up for justice,' said Willie Barnett, a pastor at Great Road Church in Acton. Barnett said his participation in the march doesn't indicate partisanship, but having 'a moral voice for liberty.' Small said it was important to him to not only confine his religion to a place of worship but practice it in the world. 'Universally, all faith traditions call for justice — visiting the prisoner, comforting and uplifting those who are suffering,' he said. 'The current administration seems to preach and live a gospel of cruelty.' As the group walked toward the Longfellow Bridge to enter Boston, cars honked and people rolled down their windows, cheering. As the group approached Boston Common, rain started to drizzle. It gave way to the sun as about 100 people gathered in front of the Embrace statue, praying and listening to speeches. Advertisement Mariama White Hammond, the founding pastor of New Roots AME Church in Dorchester and former chief of energy, environment, and open space under Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, led the protesters in several songs. Barnett said the walk was encouraging. 'A lot of us as ministers right now can be discouraged about the state of the world and also what it means to lead our congregations in these times,' he said. 'There's a great community coming together, sharing experiences as we walk, and finding hope.' Emily Spatz can be reached at
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who is Savannah Chrisley? Todd and Julie Chrisley daughter that pushed for pardon
Todd and Julie Chrisley are out from behind bars after President Donald Trump pardoned the two on tax evasion and fraud charges. On May 30, the whole Chrisley family came together to speak, including the couple's biggest advocate, their daughter Savannah. Savannah Chrisley has made a name for herself in her quest to get her parents pardoned. But her actions went a bit beyond the usual sphere of writing a petition to the president for a pardon. Savannah Chrisley was vocal to the media and even took to the stage at the Republican National Convention in 2024 to plead her parents' case and of them being "persecution" by a "two-faced judicial system" that persecutes "Christians and conservatives that the government has labeled extremists or even worse." The plea apparently was heard by Trump and he called Savannah Chrisley personally to tell her in a social media video on May 27, to tell her about her parents' pardon. Here's everything to know about the former reality star from Tennessee and her quest to free her parents. The former reality television star is Todd and Julie Chrisley's middle daughter. Chrisley is mostly known for her appearances in "Chrisley Knows Best," "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test," and "Sharknado: The 4th Awakens." Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, the 27-year-old reality TV star lives in Middle Tennessee where in addition to podcasting, she also works in real estate. She won Miss Tennessee Teen USA in 2016 and placed in the top 15 at Miss Teen USA 2016. This year she was revealed as the "Afghan Hound" on the "Wizard of US" night of "The Masked Singer." After Trump's announcement of Todd and Julie Chrisley's pardon, Savannah reported getting ready for their return. "We're getting some clothes together for mom and dad, getting their room put together upstairs, and I'm just speechless. I can't thank you guys enough for sticking with my family along the way and for loving us and supporting us," she said. On May 28, Julie and Todd were back in the Nashville area. Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty in June 2022 of committing tax evasion and defrauding community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. Julie Chrisley was also convicted of obstruction of justice and wire fraud. In November 2022, the couple was originally sentenced to 12 and seven years in prison, respectively. They also received an order of 16 months probation from U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta, news outlets reported. A few weeks ago, the Chrisleys were further ordered to turn over $30,000 held in an Alabama trust fund to help pay for their $17 million judgment after their guilty verdict. Todd was sentenced to 12 years at Florida's Federal Prison Camp Pensacola while Julie received a seven-year sentence at Kentucky's Federal Medical Center in Lexington. The two began their prison sentences in January 2023. While Trump mentioned trying to get Julie and Todd Chrisley out by May 28, which happened. The couple was released from their respective federal prisons in Florida and Kentucky that day and were on the "way home to Nashville," according to the family's legal representation. The Chrisley family moved from Atlanta to Nashville in 2015. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Todd, Julie Chrisley daughter Savannah Chrisley pushed for pardons
Int'l Business Times
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Texas Lawmaker Mocks Politicians' Morals in Vote on Ten Commandments in Classrooms: 'Maybe Try Following Before Mandating'
A Texas lawmaker mocked the morals of his fellow legislators during a vote on displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms across the state. State Rep. James Talarico pressed his Republican colleagues on their bill requiring public school classrooms to have the holy text hung on their walls on Saturday, chiding how several of the rules were seemingly being broken or have been broken by lawmakers. The Democrat noted that they were holding their deliberations on Saturday and their vote on Sunday violated the Ten Commandments, as the Fourth Commandment calls on Christians to keep the Sabbath "holy" by not working. Saturday is the Sabbath for Jewish individuals, and Christians honor it on Sunday. @jamestalarico Republicans passed the bill on the Sabbath… breaking the 4th Commandment. Maybe they should try following the Ten Commandments before mandating them. SB 10 will force every public school teacher in the state of Texas to put up a poster of the Ten Commandments in their classroom. ♬ original sound - James Talarico "It's ironic isn't it?" state Rep. Candy Noble, a Republican sponsor of the bill, laughed. "You're saying that you'd rather tell people to follow the Ten Commandments than follow it yourself?" Talarico replied. Although Noble defended the displaying of the Ten Commandments as a way to honor "our historical, educational and judicial heritage," Talarico pressed further into other holy rules enshrined in the scripture. "The Ninth Commandment is 'Thou shalt not bear false witness.' Are you aware of any legislators who have lied about anything?" Talarico asked, prompting laughter from the gallery. "The Seventh Commandment is 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.' Do you think that members of the legislature should focus more on trying to follow the Ten Commandments rather than telling others to follow them?" he continued. Talarico shared a clip of the exchange to TikTok , where it has since garnered more than 9.6 million views. In the caption, he wrote, "Maybe [Republicans] should try following the Ten Commandments before mandating them." The bill was ultimately passed by a 82-46 vote in the Texas House Sunday with an amendment that the state will bear the costs of any future legal challenges to the law, KXAN reported. The bill now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. He previously expressed support for the bill in posts to social media. Originally published on Latin Times
