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.