Muslim Youth Urged to Examine Themselves During This Ramadan

Ghana,Africa : It is the commonest belief in the Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Hindu societies that fasting and prayer are the only channels whereby one can speak to God or communicate with the Infinite.

For example, before Jesus started his earthly ministry, he went forth into the wilderness to be alone with God that he might look into his inner heart, and note its strength and worthiness. This took him 40 days and 40 nights. He succeeded.

In the material world, we have automobiles to speed our ways, steam engines to shorten distance and airplanes to make distance easy. The same applies to spiritual development. Fasting and affirmative prayer shorten its course. Without them no spiritual development is realized. We fast to free the soul from earthly chains and bondage. We fast to gain healing power, spiritual development, spiritual inspiration, for health, purification of one's self and obtain favour and blessing from God.

The ADM, therefore, calls on all Muslims, especially the youth to use this fasting period to examine themselves deeply, as regards to their behaviours and actions to bring their passions under control, work to give shine to their souls, remove the false sense of prestige and keep their faith in Almighty Allah a living force.(more...)

FOX HAS FAITH IN RELIGIOUS FEATURE FILMS

Los Angeles: In a departure from its normal mainstream fare, 20th Century Fox is praying its new FoxFaith film productions bring in a new congregation of cinema fans as well as fill its corporate collection plates.

Acknowledging the fast-growing – and demographically desirable – number of Americans embracing Christian beliefs, 20th Century Fox will create a new division devoted to the devoted.

The new FoxFaith film division will produce a number of straight-to-DVD and theatrical releases that focus on the core values of and materials produced by evangelical Christians. Budgets for the new films will range from $3 million to around $20 million.First out of the FoxFaith stable will be LOVE'S ABIDING JOY, a western based on the novel by the Christian writer Janette Oke. It is scheduled for release on October 6.Lending economic weight to the studio’s decision was the success of 2004’s THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, a theatrical blockbuster that also sold 15 million DVDs.

Teenagers can change the world, says Tutu

Denver,USA - South African Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu looked across a sea of cheering teenagers from around the globe on Sunday, and told them not that only can they change the world, but they must."I look at you, and I am in awe," he said on the final day of an international call for peace and action called PeaceJam."You are the ones who are going to make this a better world."

The Archbishop, a 1984 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, was one of 10 Nobel laureates to address the 3 000 young people gathered from 31 countries for the 10th anniversary of the PeaceJam movement at the University of Denver. Over the three-day run, laureates urged the world's youth to not just yearn for peace, but to take action."

The fact of the matter is, Nobel laureates don't come floating down from Heaven," Tutu said on Sunday.(more...)

Gandhi's message preserves peace

By Jyoti Malhotra, Special to Gulf News

On September 11, a hundred years ago as well as today, India has a message for the world and for itself.

Malegaon, a small town in Maharashtra, India's richest state, was last week caught in the crucible of a Hindu-Muslim confrontation when a handful of bicycle bombs went off just as the town's Muslims were emerging from their Friday afternoon prayers.Forty-one people died in the bomb blasts and nearly 300 injured in the stampede that followed. And yet, 24 hours later, Malegaon's Muslims were emerging from their shell-shocked hellhole, to walk across to the Wadia hospital in the Hindu part of the town to donate blood to the wounded.

At first, the way a local resident tells it, many Hindus thought this was a mob come to take revenge. The fact that it was the exact opposite averted not only a full-blown riot, but gave hope to a nation despairing that the recent blasts in Mumbai had irrevocably strained the city's cross-religious ties.(more...)

‘The first sign of intelligence is not to talk’

Sri Sri Ravishankar has been winning over ever diverse adherents to his Art of Living mode to spiritualism. He dropped by for tea with the Indian Express Group reporters and editors — with the promise of a special 15-minute meditation at the end — took an array of questions to explain his vision for morality in the 21st century. Sportingly addressing both sceptics and believers, he emphasised on the need to come to terms with guilt and to be physically enabled to embrace spiritual understanding

ON HIMSELF: The first sign of intelligence is not to talk. The second sign of intelligence is not to talk if a question is not asked. The first kind of intelligence is of course that of God. I don’t pay any attention to popularity. Whatever I say is from my own experience. My strength is that I don’t speak anything not in my experience. I’m just natural. You can’t make me feel not at home anywhere. I’m never shy of criticism-either giving it or taking it.(more...)

One godly teen dies; hundreds find new life

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Nathan Johnson dreamed of starting a revolution for Christ.
“Today through His mighty power and glorious grace, God has brought me back to Him,” Johnson wrote in his diary in August 2005. “He has enlightened the eyes of my heart to His will in which He has with no doubt called me.... His will for me is to radically impact my school for Him.

But before he could see the revolution become a reality, Johnson's life was cut short by an automobile accident.

Despite his early death, friends and family say that God is using the tragedy to make Johnson’s dream a reality.(more...)

India, at age 59, gets 'must-do-better' lecture

International Herald Tribune
TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2006
NEW DELHI: As India entered its 60th year of independence this week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh might have been forgiven for indulging in a short bout of self-congratulation.
The nation's economy is growing rapidly, analysts cast India as an emerging superpower, and every day newspaper editorials here exude breathy triumphalism about the country's booming prospects.

Outside Old Delhi's Red Fort, on the morning of Aug. 15, the stage was set for the traditional burst of nationalistic pride. Hundreds of children, dressed in green, white and saffron, lined up in stripes to form a vast Indian flag. Crowds waving plastic banners had been waiting since dawn for the prime minister to pour forth the usual cocktail of hyperbole and patriotism in the annual Independence Day address to the nation.

Instead, Singh chose to accentuate the negative.

Recalling Jawaharlal Nehru's Tryst with Destiny speech, delivered 59 years ago, Singh reminded listeners that India's first prime minister had warned of several major challenges facing free India: the urgent need to end "poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity."(more...)

Shopping centre answers prayers

Glasgow,Scotland-A prayer room for visitors of all religions has opened in a shopping centre to "provide moments of peace and solitude" away from the crowds.

Braehead shopping centre, near Glasgow, has opened the room on the lower mall.
Operations manager David MacGregor said: "We want to do all we can to cater for visitors to the centre."
Religious leaders praised the move and described it as "a very thoughtful initiative" and a "welcome and a considerate action". (more...)

Pope: How could God 'tolerate' Holocaust?

OSWIECIM, Poland - Pope Benedict XVI walked along the row of plaques at the Auschwitz-Birkenau complex's memorial, one in the language of each nationality whose members died there. As he stopped to pray, a light rain stopped and a brilliant rainbow appeared over the camp.
"To speak in this place of horror, in this place where unprecedented mass crimes were committed against God and man, is almost impossible — and it is particularly difficult and troubling for a Christian, for a pope from Germany," he said later.
"In a place like this, words fail; in the end, there can be only a dread silence, a silence which itself is a heartfelt cry to God: Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate all this?"...(more...)

Young must research sex - Blair

Tony Blair has warned young people to take responsibility for their sexual behaviour and learn more about sex from the wealth of information on offer.
He told BBC Radio 1 - which has begun research into youth attitudes on sex - there were far more ways to discuss the topic compared to his schooldays.
The prime minister also laughed off one of the study's questions, refusing to say if he ever had a one-night stand.
He promised the survey's results would help to improve health services.
"When I was at school there wasn't any formal sex education at all," he said.
"People picked it up in all the ways, from friends, parents and so on, but I think there's a lot more information there now.
"This isn't just about formal structures, it's about networks where people are actually going to have a far better idea from talking to people what are the types of problems they may confront and how to behave responsibly, sexually." (more...)

The Da Vinci Code Mystery Revealed!

TIME's movie critic Richard Corliss blogs live from the Cannes Film festival:

...Well, to resolve two mysteries at once (why the film was kept from critics and what my reaction is), it’s not very good — long (2hr.32min.) and mostly inert.

Howard and Goldsman have efficiently touched all the bases. But they haven’t found a way to replicate the book’s page-turning urgency. The games Brown plays — anagrams, the Fibonacci sequence, the art-history gamesmanship, the delving into Gnostic gospel lore, all the clues and miscues in his devious treasure hunt — are best savored by readers with a long night or a long flight ahead of them. They’re not intrinsically visual or movie-dramatic, however many car chases the Howard version cranks up.(more..)

Da Vinci Code movie a target for US evangelicals

America's evangelical Christians who see "The Da Vinci Code" as Bible bashing at its worst are taking a cue from Hollywood to attack the story.


A boycott at this point would not do any good. When you have a tsunami coming it doesn't help to build a wall," said Dr. Erwin Lutzer, pastor of Moody Bible Church in Chicago.


"I have never in my 30 years of ministry had a time when so many people are interested ... We as evangelicals welcome the debate," added Lutzer, who wrote "The Da Vinci Deception" which has been turned into a video teaching kit on the subject. (more...)

From life without limbs to life without LIMITS!

To inspire fellow Christians Nick gives a powerful testimony of how God's grace and reliance on scripture has helped overcome his disability and see his purpose through God's eyes. He reveals how his so-called birth defect is not a tragedy but an instrument to reveal the glory of God. (John 9:3) Nick deals with topics like overcoming fear & rejection, suffering, unanswered prayers, reaching the lost & forgotten and mediocre Christianity. Nick integrates his message with whatever current theme or topic that your church may be going through.

"It is truly amazing to see how many doors God is opening for my ministry. My burning desire is to give hope to people in any way I can. Even though I can't preach the Gospel at Corporate and School Speaking Engagements, I Praise God as I witness seeds being planted in every soul for His Glory."(more...)

Humanitarian groups worried about Amnesty International’s wide-sweeping abortion initiative

Konigstein, May. 05, 2006 (CNA) - A number of pro-life organizations, including the Catholic 'Aid to the Church in Need' (ACN), have raised their voices against the international human rights advocacy group, Amnesty International, and its declared intention to spread abortion rights around the world. On Friday, Father Joaquin Alliende, ACN’s international ecclesiastical assistant, said that it was “With great regret we have learned that Amnesty International has proposed advancing abortion ‘rights’ around the world as a new mission for their organization.” (more...)

Archbishop woos hoodie generation

The Archbishop of York wore a hoodie as he urged people not to judge teenagers by their choice of fashion.
Dr John Sentamu told a conference on youth work in the Church: "Ninety-nine per cent of those who wear hoodies are law-abiding citizens."

About 150 teenagers were among the 650 delegates at Monday's event at Bradford Grammar School in West Yorkshire.
"In a rapidly changing culture, many are bewildered about how to communicate with young people," Dr Sentamu said.

"There are a lot of young people here today and to me that is very telling - they play a major part in the life of the Church.(more...)

Ex-stripper does new turn -- in missionary position

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Heather Veitch, a tall, shapely blonde, made a career out of baring it all at strip clubs. Now when she walks in a club, it is just to deliver her naked truth about God.

Last month she was introduced on evangelist Pat Robertson's "The 700 Club" as a "holy hottie."
At 32, Veitch still has a girlish strain to her voice, but she has done a fair amount of living, surviving a failed, turbulent marriage; having a child at 18; spending five years in the trenches as a stripper; making four appearances in "soft porn" and fetish movies; and having a second daughter with her current husband, who has brain cancer.

"A lot of people think we are trying to get them out of the industry or we're trying to help them change, but really we're trying to have them have a relationship with God.
"We want her to change her heart, and then if she changes her life because of that, then great, but it is not a requirement," she says. "We totally go by the Bible, like, we believe that the Bible is 100 percent truth."

"My goal is that I know that never again will a stripper -- or anybody -- feel like God is not for them. That's my goal," Veitch says, but she adds: "I would love them not to dance, because I know it is damaging and it is hard."(more...)

World Youth Day Themes Picked!

VATICAN CITY, (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI has selected the themes for World Youth Day for the next three years.The events in 2006 and 2007 will be at the diocesan level. The 2008 event, in Australia, will be international.

In 2006, young people of the world will reflect on verse 105 of Psalm 119: "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path."

The theme chosen for 2007 is from the Gospel, John 13:34: "Love one another, as I have loved you."

The World Youth Day to be held in Sydney from July 15-20, 2008, will focus on the theme taken from the Acts of the Apostles (1:8): "You will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses."(more...)

'Miracle' monk grabs show ahead of Greek Orthodox Easter

ATHENS (AFP) - The discovery that Vissarionas Korkoliakos remains largely preserved -- along with his monastic robes and book of Gospels -- is being hailed as a "sign", in a country strong on religious tradition that loves miracles.
"Even (his) soft parts are intact," exclaimed the region's senior cleric, Bishop Nicholas of Fthiotis, as the Greek Orthodox Church officially deemed the event a "celestial sign, a message for our people and our time."
As word got out, thousands have flocked to the monastery near the central town of Lamia, where the body was put on display in a special glass case last month.
"We just witnessed a miracle," one woman told the Eleftherotypia daily. "This man is a saint."
"After all these years, you can still make out his Adam's apple and the veins in his feet," added a man.
Given the fervor, the church decided to keep the corpse on public view, drawing criticism from some clerics who fear the monk's exposure will lead to commercial exploitation and have called for his reburial.(more...)

SPIRITUAL REVIVAL IN GERMANY TRIGGERED BY BENEDICT XVI

BERLIN, April 19 (CNA) - The German newspaper Handelsblatt is reporting that Pope Benedict XVI has triggered a spiritual revival in his native country, which he will visit for the second time in September.

In a special edition for the first anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI's pontificate, the German daily noted that in visiting his native country twice in such a short period of time, the Pontiff has set off a spiritual awakening among many Germans.

The article in Handelsblatt points out that the September trip is "not an official visit, but rather a visit to the roots of his life." While there exists among Germans a general euphoria about havi ng the Pope so close, the article adds that "there is another perspective that many previously thought impossible and that must be pointed out: this 79 year-old wise man could spark in this moment a revival in the Church in Germany." (more...)

God is Hot!

© EditieNL.nl:For many years churches all over the world were having a tough time to sort out the reasons for a tremendous decrease in the number of visitors attending church services.Moreover it was felt that the younger generation had no more interest in god. But as for now,things seems to have taken a complete turnover.

Editie NL,the most popular commercial broadcast channel of the Netherlands has put up its findings on air last day.They infact conducted a survey among the younger generation for the 5 greatest priorities in their life today.And Strange enough,they were startled to find religion topping the list(more...)

God or the girl?

God or the girl is all about a choice that four young people have to make in their life.The question is a startling one and is a new addition to the trends the new generation youth are putting forward.It is being portrayed as a real life documentary and is being aired on the A&E Channel as a documentary series.

This five-part documentary series follows four young men through the emotionally wrenching final weeks that lead up to the most important decision of their lives - whether to become Catholic priests or not. Traveling with his brother to the Catholic celebration of World Youth Day in Germany, Joe also looks forward to reconnecting with Anna, the love of his life. In Columbus, Dan leads his youth group of high schoolers in protest prayer outside an abortion clinic, sparking a conflict with pro-choice college students. Mike is thrilled to see soul mate and girlfriend Aly, but her visit exacerbates tensions with his mentor, Father Pauselli. And Steve makes a nerve-wracking journey home, finally telling his best friends about his aspirations toward the priesthood(more...)

Holy Land's Christians caught in midst of conflict

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (Reuters) - A 76-year-old Greek Orthodox monk is beaten up by villagers, his carefully tended olive trees are uprooted and his isolated West Bank monastery is defaced with graffiti depicting nuns being raped.
The land of Jesus's birth is not always an easy place for Christians to live in 2006.
The population of Christians in the Holy Land, particularly in the Palestinian territories, is dwindling as more and more leave for a better life abroad, turning the community into a tiny minority squeezed between Muslims and Jews.
The traditional merchant class, heavily dependent on tourist money, has suffered a recession since a Palestinian uprising began in 2000 and Israel walled off Bethlehem with a barrier.
The Israelis say it is designed to stop suicide bombers and Palestinians call it a land grab.
"(Christians) are suffering from both Islamic extremists and Israeli security concerns," said Canon Andrew White, a former Middle East envoy for the Archbishop of Canterbury, the leader of the Anglican Church.(more...)

Nothing's Impossible

By Roselle Ambubuyog,Newsbreak Contributing writer
My long-term goal is to become established in the business sector so I can easily get in touch with people and groups that can provide financial assistance needed to initiate or promote projects for the disabled.
When I was choosing what to specialize in, I looked for a field that would not limit me to a particular industry. Since I prefer practical applications, the feasible options were math finance, operations research, and actuarial science, a science that uses mathematical and statistical methods to measure risk. I took electives in the last one and found that though most topics were on insurance (life, non-life, health, retirement benefits, etc.), other discussions on stocks, bonds, financial forecasting, and such were also relevant. I found that there are no clear-cut, formulated insurance policies for the disabled in the Philippines, unlike in other countries.
When I turned 18, my parents wanted me to get insured. We found none willing to insure any disabled person. An agent from PruLife of the United Kingdom offered to help, but the most he could get for me was a five-payment annuity, something like a pension fund. There were no riders like the double indemnity fund for accidental death. It was obviously not sufficient to meet my insurance needs, but it was all that was available(more...)
The writer was a participant in the Ayala Young Leaders Congress in February 2000, and is a master in applied math majoring in actuarial science at UP-Diliman. She graduated summa cum laude from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2001 and was class valedictorian. She has been blind since the age of six.

Are you living in a culture of death?

Dear Friends,It may sound strange but we are indeed living in a culture of death.A clean example is cited below...

Saving the Earth with Ebola

Professor Pianka said the Earth as we know it will not survive without drastic measures. Then, and without presenting any data to justify this number, he asserted that the only feasible solution to saving the Earth is to reduce the population to 10 percent of the present number.
He then showed solutions for reducing the world's population in the form of a slide depicting the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. War and famine would not do, he explained. Instead, disease offered the most efficient and fastest way to kill the billions that must soon die if the population crisis is to be solved.
Pianka then displayed a slide showing rows of human skulls, one of which had red lights flashing from its eye sockets.
AIDS is not an efficient killer, he explained, because it is too slow. His favorite candidate for eliminating 90 percent of the world's population is airborne Ebola ( Ebola Reston ), because it is both highly lethal and it kills in days, instead of years. However, Professor Pianka did not mention that Ebola victims die a slow and torturous death as the virus initiates a cascade of biological calamities inside the victim that eventually liquefy the internal organs.
After praising the Ebola virus for its efficiency at killing, Pianka paused, leaned over the lectern, looked at us and carefully said, “We've got airborne 90 percent mortality in humans. Killing humans. Think about that.”
With his slide of human skulls towering on the screen behind him, Professor Pianka was deadly serious. The audience that had been applauding some of his statements now sat silent. (more...)

Eyeing Vatican Tie,China may let Dalai Lama Visit

BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China may approve a visit by the Dalai Lama, as long as he abandons dreams of independence for Tibet, and establish ties with the Vatican if it breaks ties with Taiwan, the top official on religious affairs was quoted on Monday as saying.
The remarks by Ye Xiaowen, director of the cabinet's State Bureau of Religious Affairs, come just weeks before a summit in Washington between Chinese President Hu Jintao and his U.S. counterpart, George W. Bush, a devout Christian who prodded China to allow greater religious freedom when he visited last November.

The Dalai Lama said last month he wanted to go to China to visit Buddhist landmarks and witness the economic progress the Asian powerhouse has made in recent years.

more....

In Africa, Islam and Christianity are growing - and blending

LAGOS, NIGERIA – At first, it seems a surprising sight: inside a two-story mosque in sub-Saharan Africa's largest metropolis hangs a life-size portrait of Jesus Christ.

Yet worshipers at "The True Message of God Mission" say it's entirely natural for Christianity and Islam to co-exist, even overlap. They begin their worship by praying at the Jesus alcove and then "running their deliverance" - sprinting laps around the mosque's mosaic-tiled courtyard, praying to the one God for forgiveness and help. They say it's akin to Israelites circling the walls of Jericho - and Muslims swirling around the Ka'ba shrine in Mecca.

This group - originally called "Chris-lam-herb" for its mix-and-match approach to Christianity, Islam, and traditional medicine - is a window on an ongoing religious ferment in Africa. It's still up for debate whether this group, and others like it, could become models for Muslim-Christian unity worldwide or whether they're uniquely African. But either way, they are "part of a trend," says Dana Robert, a Boston University religion professor.
more....

Pope John Paul II’s first statue unveiled in Chennai,India

Chennai, Apr.2 (ANI): A twenty-two feet tall statue of Pope John Paul II was unveiled in the premises of the Sculpture mission at Besant Nagar here on Sunday to mark his first death anniversary.
Costing Rs. four lakhs, the statute is created by eminent sculptor and Karate expert Shihan Hussaini.The statue was completed and mounted on the pedestal six days after he died, making it the world’s first statue after his death.
Sculptor Shihan Hussaini, a post graduate student of the Government College Of Fine Arts, Chennai, who shot to fame with his theme statues of Kalpana Chawla, Brigand Veerappans capture and the Jailed Shankaracharya Jeyandra Saraswati, said it is a personal tribute to the miraculous powers of the Pope which saved his life on three occasions.
more...

Great hunger for the Gospel

Wei who courageously shared her faith,"I started working among universitystudents in 2003, not long after I returnedfrom my studies overseas. In myuniversity, there are seven to eight cellgroups which meet, with approximately30 students in each. We do not want to get into trouble so we hold our meetingsoff campus. There are many groups ofChristian undergraduates meeting in othercampuses as well. We all keep in contactwith each other, even though it’s a loosenetwork. On occasions when we havecombined training sessions, we gather outin the suburbs or in a village".

When these students find the Lord, lifebecomes meaningful for them. Wherepreviously they were merely living tofulfill their parents’ hopes and dreams,they now experience a greater purposefor their lives. Most of those I know aresincere in their faith and are not just“culture Christians” (intellectuals who areinterested in Christianity merely for itscultural worldview and not so much as apersonal faith).

Fashion graduate chooses to live a Jain saint's life in Chennai

Chennai, March 28 (ANI): Believe it or not , Sharmaila, a graduate who holds a diploma in Fashion technology has now decided to relinquish worldly pursuits. She has joined a Jain Ashram in Chennai.

Sharmaila, 25, belongs to Jain community. She made up her mind to lead life in this fashion after meeting and listening to the sermons of Jain spiritual Guru Thatva Darhnathji in Chennai.

Belonging to a Marwari Jain family of Rajasthan, Sharmaila holds a diploma in fashion technology besides her Bachelor's degree. After initial resistance the family submitted to her decision.

"All are inquisitive about my reason of leaving the Samsara (or, the general way of living a life) and joining Ashram. There are two reasons...one being it is too difficult to live in this Sansar (society). Secondly, in the present society the happiness is illusory. It is not the real happiness. I am very happy and content," said Sharmaila.

Sharmaila' has decided to spend the rest of her life fully dedicated to the worship of God while staying in the Ashram. "When we came to know that one of our sisters is going to be a Saint (or taking Diksha), it felt great. For, it is one in a thousand who opts for Dikshayati.

Afghan Chrisitan Convert is released

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- An Afghan man threatened with the death penalty for converting to Christianity has been released from prison, senior Western diplomats said Tuesday. His whereabouts were not immediately known.

Abdul Rahman had been held by Afghan authorities for his conversion from Islam to Christianity, punishable by death in Afghanistan, which follows Islamic law. Many Muslim clerics in the country called for his death, and said even if he were freed his life would be in danger.

Ahead of his release, Rahman requested asylum in a Western country, according to the United Nations. He has lived in Europe at times.

"Mr. Abdul Rahman has asked for asylum outside Afghanistan," a statement from the office of U.N. Special Representative to Afghanistan said Monday. "We expect that this will be provided by one of the countries interested in a peaceful solution to this case."

Local clerics had written to President Hamid Karzai, asking him to prevent Western nations from interfering with their religious practices and customs.

About 1,000 people demonstrated in Mazar-e-Sharif Monday, chanting "Death to America" and "Death to George Bush."

Afghan on trial for Christianity

An Afghan man is being tried in a court in the capital, Kabul, for converting from Islam to Christianity. Abdul Rahman is charged with rejecting Islam and could face the death sentence under Sharia law unless he recants.He converted 16 years ago as an aid worker helping refugees in Pakistan. His estranged family denounced him in a custody dispute over his two children.
It is thought to be Afghanistan's first such trial, reflecting tensions between conservative clerics and reformists.

Conservatives still dominate the Afghan judiciary four years after the Taleban were overthrown.
The BBC's Mike Donkin in Kabul says reformists, like the government under President Hamid Karzai, want a more liberal, secular legal system but under the present constitution it is hard for them to intervene.

Observers say executing a converted Christian would be a significant precedent as a conservative interpretation of Sharia law in Afghanistan.

But it would also outrage Western nations which put Mr Karzai in power and are pouring billions of dollars into supporting the country.

Youth Teleconnect With Pope to Pray Rosary

VATICAN CITY, March 13, 2006 (Zenit.org).- University students from 12 cities in Europe and Africa united via a satellite connection to pray the rosary with Benedict XVI. The fundamental truth of the Christian faith is that "God is love," the Pope told the students in an address Saturday.
The Holy Father gave copies of his first encyclical "Deus Caritas Est" to some of the young people.

"In this way, symbolically," he said, "I wish to give it to all university students of Europe and Africa, with the hope that the fundamental truth of the Christian faith -- God is love -- will illuminate the way for each one of you, and through your testimony shine for your fellow students."
"This truth on the love of God, origin, meaning and end of the universe and of history was revealed by Jesus Christ, with his word and with his life, especially in his passion, death and resurrection," Benedict XVI said.
"It is the foundation of Christian experience that, as leaven, is able to make the whole of human culture ferment so that it will express the best of itself and cooperate in the growth of a more just and peaceful world," he said.
The Holy Father was heard by thousands of university students of Rome, gathered in Paul VI Hall, and by students in Bonn, Germany; Dublin, Ireland; Fribourg, Switzerland; Madrid, Spain; Munich, Germany; Salamanca, Spain; St. Petersburg, Russia; Sofia, Bulgaria; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Antananarivo, Madagascar; Owerri, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya. The Pope and those gathered in Rome could also see the young people of the various countries who were leading the mysteries of the rosary. He said the event was "a beautiful gesture of the communion of the Catholic Church."

Podcasting!!The new era

Those of who are into media very much might have already realised the importance of podcasting in today's technological world.Infact,it has been observed that it is the religious world who are the early birds into it realising the importance of it for evangelisation.

It’s estimated that 75 percent of all owners of digital music devices will be using them to receive podcasts by 2010, and the podcasting audience could approach 60 million people by then, according to The Diffusion Group.

The Roman Catholic Church, not usually noted for using multimedia, projection, and other tools, has actually been out front in adopting podcasts, with Vatican Radio launching its service in July 2005. Catholic Insider, a podcast series by Dutch priest Roderick Vonhögen, claims 10,000 to 15,000 weekly listeners.

Thus from the above details we can clearly see that signs are shown that it could be the next buzzword for the techy world and those who are to evangelising can surely make use of the new technology.

Proud to say,Jesus Youth has been able to enter this world much early foreseeing the importance of it for spreading the message of hope.Thanks to the dedicated team esp Shelton chettan who is behind the making, stressing out valuable time out of his work in an advertising company and not neglecting the works he has in Rex Band too.

For listening to Youth Vibes follow the link:
http://www.jesusyouth.org/podcast/index.php

For more online news of podcasting please check the sites below:

Catholic Podcasting Makes Waves-BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4734807.stm
Podcasting could be a revolution
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4566059.stm

Creation!
A New Creation

Is Bollywood a Media for Evangelisation?Well decide for yourself...

MUMBAI (AFP) - A song and dance movie with an
AIDS' message is set for release across India after an unlikely collaboration between the country's Roman Catholic Church and the Bollywood film industry. The film -- seen as the Indian Catholic Church's first foray into the commercial movie world -- was the brainchild of a priest disturbed by the depiction of risk-free extramarital sex on Indian television serials.

Rev Dr Dominic Emmanuel, who has twin roles as executive producer and spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese, New Delhi, said the Church had not previously gone beyond making documentaries in India.

"We thought why not make a film that is a popular medium? It is watched by peasants, workers, doctors, teachers and people from all faiths and classes." The Hindi-language film, with trademark Bollywood songs, dance and melodrama, includes an HIV-positive character and is titled "Aisa Kyon Hota Hain" (Why does this happen?") Bollywood heroine Rati Agnihotri plays the lead role of a woman who singlehandedly raises her son after finding her husband cheating on her. Her son does not believe in love and commitment and the film deals with their relationship after he discovers he is HIV-positive. The film -- made for 20 million rupees (450,000 dollars) -- will be released across India, a country with the second highest number of people with HIV behind South Africa.

India's health ministry said in May last year that the official number of HIV-positive people in the country was 5.13 million although volunteer health groups said the figure was too low.
"If Coke and Pepsi can market their products by using Bollywood stars, why can't the Church use the medium to get their message across?" said director Ajay Kanchan.

Even our Pope uses an iPod!!!

Hi Friends, Check out this latest news.Guess the Pope himself will now check out the latest Christian Podcasts on the net.Cool!!!

Please visit http://www.dailybreakfast.com/ for more details.

March 5 Pope Benedict visiting Vatican Radio last Friday

Help Pope Benedict with his new iPod Nano!

"Remember I went to Vatican radio almost exactly a year ago to tell them about podcasting? This weekend, the Pope himself has started to listen to podcasts! When Pope Benedict XVI visited the headquarters of Vatican Radio last friday for their 75th birthday, the people that work over there offered him an iPod Nano, preloaded with podcasts and music. The back was engraved with the words "To His Holiness, Benedict XVI" in Italian. Since Vatican Radio offers podcasts in eight different languages, the Pope now has the technological capability himself to plug in and listen to these podcasts. "
This is a podcast by father Roderick Vonhögen, catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Welcome to this new Blog

Dear Friends, Welcome to this blog!!!The main purpose of this site is to recreate the positivity of life.In this site will be listed in the future the many ways we can share this positivity...mainly the basic positives in life,the truth,light and way to abundant life. I hope u have already guessed that whom i am focusing on.Well,media has often been obstacle to me to know what is right and what is wrong.But the same media i am trying to use now to be a stepping stone..Do keep this initiative in your prayers and keep visiting!!!Till then take care.