Citing the need for stricter security practices following the murder of two Israeli Security Force (ISF) officers in occupied East Jerusalem in mid-July, the Israeli government ordered the installation of metal detectors and security cameras at the entrance of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound – the third holiest site in Islam – and barred the entranceContinue reading “Through the Lens: The Fight for Al-Aqsa”
Tag Archives: religiousfreedom
The Land of Liberty and Discrimination Against Atheists
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances” – Constitution of the United States of America, 1st Amendment.Continue reading “The Land of Liberty and Discrimination Against Atheists”
Human Rights: Who Cares?
Why should I care about human rights? What difference does it make to me in Scotland? We’ve always had human rights, right? These are questions which no one asks, or at least, no one has ever asked me. Yet when you ask people on the street about whether they support human rights, they will likelyContinue reading “Human Rights: Who Cares?”
The Religious Clothing Debate
The religious clothing debate has never been a discussion with easily agreed upon conclusions, and has been featured even more than usual in the public eye recently due to the controversy surrounding France’s ‘burkini ban’ over summer, as well as female non-Muslim chess players in Iran being told they could face fine or even arrestContinue reading “The Religious Clothing Debate”
Burkini: Liberation by Oppression or Oppression by Liberation?
A woman on holiday is publicly confronted by locals and forced to leave the beach, another is confronted by state officials in a public place and forced to change her clothing, while others are fined for failing to wear ‘an appropriate outfit’. Unimaginable in a country like France? No. Such instances have been happening onContinue reading “Burkini: Liberation by Oppression or Oppression by Liberation?”
Christianity and the Middle East: A History of Cohabitation, a Present of Persecution, a Future of U
For as long as humans have been able to communicate, there has been belief. Whether it is stone age burials with objects to help someone in the next life or the recent beliefs of modern day Humanism, our capacity to discuss ideas and beliefs has been ever-present. The United Nations (UN) recognizes the vast amountContinue reading “Christianity and the Middle East: A History of Cohabitation, a Present of Persecution, a Future of U”
Does Religious Freedom Limit the Freedom and Rights of Others?
In many historically Christian countries in the West, religious freedom or religious liberty can be very different depending on what religion one follows. In recent years there have been many high profile cases involving religious freedom and restriction of this freedom in Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. In someContinue reading “Does Religious Freedom Limit the Freedom and Rights of Others?”
The Living Stone: A Case of Religious Unfreedom in Guiyang, China
“The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 Around the time of Advent in 2015 as many Christians around the world made preparations for Christmas, the Living Stone House Church in Guiyang city, the capital of Guiyang province located in the south-western region of the People’s Republic ofContinue reading “The Living Stone: A Case of Religious Unfreedom in Guiyang, China”
Religious Oppression and the Muslim Brotherhood: Egypt in Focus
The Egyptian government has struggled to consolidate its power since the fall of Hosni Mubarak; the Muslim Brotherhood now dominates the newly elected government. The fact that a religious political organisation is the dominant political power has brought unwelcome consequences for religious minorities in Egypt. Coptic Christians represent the single biggest religious minority in theContinue reading “Religious Oppression and the Muslim Brotherhood: Egypt in Focus”
Protocol Magazine 