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New clashes between Buddhist extremists and Muslims occurred in two different towns in Sri Lanka, in 2018. Triggered in part by hate-filled posts spread by nationalistic Sinhala Buddhist Facebook groups, these riots resulted in the death of one Muslim and the destruction of many buildings.... The movement known as Buddhism revivalism or Protestantism in Sri Lanka started with Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933). Known as the father of Buddhist Protestantism in Sri Lanka, Dharmapala had an anti-imperialist and nationalist agenda. Besides fighting the British, who ruled Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) at the time, Dharmapala focused on founding Buddhist schools and strengthening the...

What is Holi? Rooted in Hindu mythology, Holi also celebrates the triumph of good over evil — symbolism that correlates with the passing of winter. The Holi Festival’s history stems from the legend of a female demon and her brother, who believed was the ruler of the universe, according to CNN. His son, however, followed Vishnu, the protector of the universe, turning his back on the demon. The demon siblings plotted to kill the sun, but failed and died after Vishnu protected the son, who in turn became the king.

In Myanmar, Muslims are killing Buddhists and trying to destroy Buddhism in order to create an Islamic State. ***video only on link***

The imminent release of “Trouble No More” -- the latest installment of Bob Dylan’s Bootleg Series; this one covers his controversial 1979-81 “Christian period” -- recalls the long-gone age of high-profile rock star conversions.Dylan became a Christian, George Harrison dived into Krishna consciousness, and Cat Stevens embraced Islam, and each demonstrated, yet again, that Leftist dogma is false. The content of one’s religious beliefs does matter, and influences those who take their religions seriously.Both Harrison and Dylan were widely criticized for their sanctimony. Reviewing Harrison’s 1973 album “Living in the Material World” in New Musical Express, Tony Tyler called the...

Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. (Revelation 9:14-15)The Source of the Euphrates River is in the nation now known as Turkey, and from the mountains of what was once known as Armenia. Armenia was the first Gentile nation to officially accept Christianity, in the second century, and maintained a Christian presence even through the dark years...

Recently Duke Chapel at Duke University in North Carolina tweeted photos of yoga exercises on the floor of its majestic worship space as part of Healthy Duke Week of Wellness. Built in the 1930s as a Methodist sanctuary in the style of a Gothic cathedral for what was then a Methodist affiliated school, Duke Chapel is now nondenominational. There are Evangelicals and Catholics who critique yoga as wrong for Christians because its mantras originate in eastern religion. Setting aside that concern, should worship space be open to recreation and "profane" (i.e., secular) activities? Tai-chi? Kickboxing? Karate? Spinning? Ballroom dancing? Salsa?...

2 Timothy 4, written as Paul was facing imminent death, states this, beginning in verse 1: "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to...

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so...

Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. I will bring it forth, saith...

Welcome to Lebanon, land of the spectacular Christmas decorations. From Anfeh to Tyre - no city disappoints this time of year. (Many, many beautiful photos. Very surprising to see the extent the Lebanese go to celebrate Christmas) http://www.bananapook.com/2016/12/christmas-lebanon.html

My love for you is greater than you can conceive for before you need I AM, I AM there with the answer, I AM there with the breath of supply, My love endures through forever therefore I AM there in an instant for I never left you to begin with for you are in Me and we are one. Now take this love promised through the ages yet forever surrounds you and drink deep and allow the sounds of My waters to drown out the lies of the enemy for truly we are one and as no harm can come...

The Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross Commemorated on September 14 Troparion & KontakionThe Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord: The pagan Roman emperors tried to completely eradicate from human memory the holy places where our Lord Jesus Christ suffered and was resurrected for mankind. The Emperor Hadrian (117-138) gave orders to cover over the ground of Golgotha and the Sepulchre of the Lord, and to build a temple of the pagan goddess Venus and a statue of Jupiter. Pagans gathered at this place and offered sacrifice to idols there. Eventually after 300 years,...

The Vatican appears to disapprove of Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith’s statement of July 25, that it is right to give to Buddhism the “foremost place” in the Sri Lankan constitution and that it is not right to declare Sri Lanka a secular state. The Vatican Radio’s website carries a story from Colombo dated August 4, in which a group of Sri Lankan Catholics are quoted as saying that the new Sri Lankan constitution should be a secular one and that giving a special constitutional status to Buddhism is a violation of human rights. Cardinal Ranjith ,who is Colombo’s Archbishop, had said...

Pope Francis I is poised to be more than a very popular pontiff graced with humility and an approach of love and gentleness, two words he often uses. He could rise to become a symbol of holiness beyond the Catholic Church, as the Dalai Lama is a symbol of enlightenment beyond Tibetan Buddhism. Pope Francis has designated 2016 a Holy Year of Mercy, beginning on December 8 of last year. The specifically Catholic aspect of this announcement is that the Church will be "a witness of mercy," but for those of us who aren't Catholic, there's a universal message voiced...

40 Sins that WILL send you to Hell... UNLESS you repent and are saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and which is a faith that follows Him. (Jn. 10:27,28) Short summation: Sin is defined in the Bible as the breaking of God's Law. (1Jn. 3:4) God has given us both good things and good laws, which are to our benefit when obeyed. But we have broken God's good laws and misused His good things, to our own hurt and that of others. It is sin which separates man from God (Is. 59:2), who will not dwell with...

Directly after the Paris attacks, the usual suspects posted a famous quotation from the Dhammapada: In this world Hate never yet dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate. This is the law, Ancient and inexhaustible. This is a legitimate quote -- or as legitimate as any quote from the Buddha. (Although it's kind of a horrible translation. What the Pali verse really says is more like "hate can't be dispelled with more hate, it can only be dispelled by ceasing to hate.") It's usually quoted, however, by man-bun Buddhists who think of Buddhism as Upper West Side liberal pacifism with incense...

(The link is to a map supposedly showing the spread of world religions through time. Conveniently, It fails to show that Palestine, North Africa or the Middle East was Christianized prior to Mohammed, or, in fact, ever. This is the BS the machine is spreading as fact.) Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are five of the biggest religions in the world. Over the last few thousand years, these religious groups have shaped the course of history and had a profound influence on the trajectory of the human race. 

President Vladimir Putin, former KGB agent of a once-atheist nation, rebukes America, a once-Christian nation by saying that by forsaking traditional Christian values and putting same-sex marriage on the same level as traditional marriage with a man, woman, and children, the nation is forsaking God and believing in Satan and will be led into degradation and chaotic darkness. At the height of the Cold War, it was common for American conservatives to label the officially atheist Soviet Union a “godless nation.” More than two decades on, history has come full circle, as the Kremlin and its allies in the Russian...

At the level of sweeping stereotypes, most Westerners tend to think of India and its dominant religion, Hinduism, as bastions of tolerance. Ever since the Beatles traveled to an ashram to study meditation, there’s been a chic about Indian spirituality as the ultimate in “all paths lead to the same place.”One might profitably ask Christians in today’s India, however, whether those stereotypes have anything to do with their reality. The answer you’re likely to get is, “Are you kidding?”In truth, India’s small Christian minority has felt under the gun for a long time, and they say things have become considerably...

... Findings from PRRI's American Values Atlas, which draws on 40,000 interviews among a random sample of Americans, provides the most in-depth portrait to date of attitudes on same-sex marriage by religious affiliation. ... All Americans [percentages]... Strongly Favor 25 Favor 29 Oppose 18 Strongly Oppose 20 White Evangelical Protestant [Baptist, Methodist, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Church of Christ]... Strongly Favor 10 Favor 18 Oppose 27 Strongly Oppose 39 White Mainline Protestant [Baptist, Methodist, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Church of Christ]... Strongly Favor 28 Favor 34 Oppose 16 Strongly Oppose 14 ...