China, in one of the most ludicrous displays of totalitarianism in history, has restricted Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without permission from the government. Based on a statement that was given from the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the ruling, which will be applicable as of March 2015, stringently states the processes an individual must follow in order to reincarnate is “an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation.” Source
Month: March 2016
Mexico: Evangelical Christian beaten and imprisoned after he refused to convert to Catholicism
A Christian man was beaten and imprisoned in Mexico in what has been described as “the latest instance in a long trend of persecution”. Lauro Nunez, from Chachalacas in the Oaxaca region, was attacked by a mob on Easter Monday as he attempted to return to his village to visit his family. He had previously been expelled from his home for his evangelical Christian faith. Source
Why promising God will bless you if you tithe misses the point about giving
There’s a change machine in my local supermarket. Drop in a pound’s worth of coppers – the irritating one and two pence pieces that just weigh your pocket down and that you hardly ever spend – and you get a shiny £1 coin back. It’s a great idea, and one that seems to have been ripped off by Perry Noble’s NewSpring church in South Carolina. The megachurch pastor has a reputation for controversy, and it’ll be interesting to see how many eyebrows his current project raises. Because the church is encouraging its members to tithe – give 10 per cent of their income – by offering a 90-day money back guarantee. Source
PRIEST ABUSE: Altoona, PA scandal fallout hits community
ALTOONA, Pa. — A grand jury report that found two former bishops helped cover up the sexual abuse of hundreds of children by more than 50 priests in a Pennsylvania diocese has prompted a sitting judge to resign from a Catholic school board and the current bishop to remove cathedral banners that celebrate former bishops. Source