I write in support of Imam Gamal Foude’s comments on the need for love and respect in combatting violence. With all due respect to French leaders, I think they could start by reviewing the implications of laïcité. At this time, they have much to say about “Islamic terrorism”. Worse, some of the language they are Read more
Young people — including those who are religious — do not see religious leaders as trusted adults, according to a new study. Only 8% of respondents ages 13-25 who are affiliated with a religious group say they have a trusted religious leader they could turn to if needed. In contrast, 45% said they could turn Read more
Water vapour is an important greenhouse gas and the atmosphere contains a lot more of it than it does carbon dioxide. Despite this, the role of water vapour in climate change is often misunderstood. Water vapour is thought to drive two to three times as much warming of the earth via the greenhouse effect as Read more
“Act like Wonder Woman.” At the bottom of a wooden amphitheatre, the man with salt and pepper hair puts his hands on his hips. With a Roman collar around his neck, he continues to give instructions from behind his black face mask: “Plant your feet firmly on the ground, rotate your body, and shake your Read more
France is the most rigorously secular state of the democratic world. Separation of Church and State enshrined in the famous 1905 law was the result of over a century of hostility between the Catholic Church and the French State. Mutual hostility began with the 1789 French Revolution. Until then monarchical France bathed in the glory Read more
America’s megachurches have continued to thrive over the past five years, attracting more worshippers, becoming more diverse and opening new locations. A pre-pandemic, national survey of megachurches from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research found the median megachurch draws about 4,100 attenders to its worship services, up from about 3,700 in 2015. The average megachurch Read more
It’s not what they say; it’s the way that they say it. Documents and Scripture translations annoyingly border on gaslighting women. Not the big-league, drive-her-crazy gaslighting, just the subtle cognitive dissonance that slips into relationships large and small. You know, “He loves me, he loves me not …” Cognitive dissonance includes saying one thing and Read more
Two years ago, on mature reflection, Martin Nguyen Huu Thinh decided to stop working for a company in Binh Duong province and look after his seven-month son at home so that his wife could pursue her job at a communication company. At that time his wife took home a monthly salary of 12 million dong Read more
Unlike in Western countries like New Zealand, traditional Asian cultures place a heavy emphasis on filial piety — the expectation children will support their parents in old age. Historically, filial piety played an important role when families were large, pension schemes unavailable and life expectancy was around 50 years old. Today, however, families in east Read more
In a wide-ranging interview with an Italian news agency published Friday (Oct. 30), Pope Francis addressed his relationship with his predecessor, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, saying the retired pope is “like a father and a brother to me.” Francis, who sat for the interview with AdnKronos on Tuesday (Oct. 27), said, “Our relationship is really Read more