Continue reading ...

 

[Image courtesy of acelebrationofwomen.org]

 

It goes without saying that sport unites South Africans. In Particular, the 2012 Olympics games is the one thing everyone is talking about more so South Africa’s exceedingly outstanding performance in various divisions.

 

Now for more on the Saudi Arabian females, representing Saudi Arabia for the first time in history, 800 meter runner Sarah Attar. This past weekend she became the first female to run the track for her country. Saudi Arabian,...

Continue reading ...

 

 

Females in Saudi Arabia are socially disabled in multiple ways- thus not because of their inability to interact but merely because of the religious and constitutional rule of law. However there seems to have been a breakthrough.

The International Olympic Committee ( IOC) announced that every country competing in the London games will include female athletes for the first time in history. Judo athlete Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani and 800 meter runner Sara Attar made Olympic history ...

Continue reading ...

Unkulunku is mythic figure to a large ethnic group-  the isiZulu culture believe he is the first ancestor of all ancestors. He is believed to be the creator of all things; under influence of Christianity. UNKULUNKU is the ethnic referral to God thus the Zulu tradition is very much in touch with biblical aspects of Christianity.

Ancestors are consulted in the Zulu tradition  when requesting something that promotes and in...
Continue reading ...

 

South African Gospel ensemble, Joyous Celebration have been nominated for four awards at this year’s African Gospel Music Awards to be held in London later this month. 

Founded by Jabu Hlangwane in 1994, the creation of the group was triggered by the release of Nelson Mandela from jail and the peaceful elections that followed. It was decided that this occasion needed to be celebrated, and it was this celebration of a country’s peaceful transition into a democracy that marked Joyous Celebr...

Continue reading ...

 

Continue reading ...

The references of men in ministry are considered flawless or at least close to that- depending on your perception thereof. Pastor ,televangelist  and Founder of World Changes Church International - Creflo Augustus Dollar , denies attacking his  15-year old daughter.
  
Dollar  was arrested last Thursday, June 8th 2012, for allegedly choking his daughter. He is one of the most protruding  African –American preachers in the Atlanta vicinity and satellite ministry across the US. He was arrested...
Continue reading ...

 

Paganism comprises several different practices. Over the past century these have experienced an vast growth in population in support of the religion.

Paganism is a modern religious tradition that is grounded on the nature of worship  and its constructed on many aspects of different religions of ethnic people. There is a great amount of Ancient Greek concepts incorporated into the religion  as their year is determined by gods and goddesses.

People of this practise believe that celebrating org...
Continue reading ...

Polygamy is a practise that entails being married to more than 3 wives simultaneously, this practice is more common among traditionalist in South Africa, such as the Bantu and Islamic religions.
 
South Africa, contrary to several countries, condones polygamous unions. Current president Jacob Zuma is an  self-proclaimed polygamist, who has been married six times , he has twenty one children  among all and recently tied the knot to his fourth wife Gloria ‘Bongi’ Ngema. Wherein he engaged in ...
Continue reading ...

 

It’s the 21^st century and there are no limits as to what anyone can do. Rappers divulging in the academic realm is just another way of proving that one can never do too much, especially if it involves enlightening a group of academics. 

American Southern Hip-hop Rapper and Songwriter Bernard Freeman, better known by his stage name ‘BUN B...

Continue reading ...

"The shackles had broken", and He brought the entire congregation to dance. Founder of Chris Hill Ministry [CHM] and Senior pastor at the Potters House: Denver Colorado, Dr Chris Hill visited South Africa recently to be a guest speaker at Rhema Bible Church’s IMPACT conference, this past weekend, were he certainly made an impact.

At his last sermon of the conference, he spoke on women. The theme was fitting as woman around the world celebrated Mothers day.  

Dr Hill spoke on how Elizabeth, wh...
Continue reading ...

 

[Haile Salassie

Rastafari- a newly established religion based on African traditions, became popular  particularly for its reggae music; followers of the religion are known as Rastafarians, Locksmen or Rasta. It  first started out as a black orientated movement and currently has approximately one million followers throughout Japan and New Zealand.

Marcus Garvey a political leader then, prophesied  that a king would be crowned in Africa and would redeem all black people who had been held...

Continue reading ...

Considering South Africa's religious diversity, it is no surprise that some people might, sooner or later, feel the need to explore places of worship that are different to their own. Whether you are one of these 'explorers', or are merely curious, these churches, temples, and mosques could be of interest to you:

Mariamman Hindu Temple, Pretoria

This temple derives its name from the goddess Mariamman, who controls infectious diseases. It is one of the oldest Hindu Temples in S. A.

Phone (012) 3...
Continue reading ...

We are all aware of the main world religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. However, most people would frown when asked about the Creativity Movement, Nation of Yahweh, Universe People, and the Church of the Subgenius. However strange, these religions do exist.

So, what exactly triggered the start of these movements? In a nutshell, most religions are started by individuals who consider themselves to be "bringers of light"; people who were sent to earth on a special mis...
Continue reading ...

A Secular Humanist’s case against religion

All religions are equally sublime to the ignorant, useful to the politician, and ridiculous to the philosopher.- Lucretius

The existence of a god or “prime mover” – whichever name needs be given this so-called “creator of worlds” – can not be denied by any atheist or scientist, as the evidence upon which one would base such a denial, is so to say, non-existent. So too is the evidence for fairies and unicorns. But alas, the unbel...

Continue reading ...

We are approaching the end of October, which means...it's almost Halloween. While some are excited about these festivities, others are dreading it. Every year, on the 31st of October, groups of people gather to commemorate this event. Halloween is acknowledged worldwide,whether it is celebrated or hated.

Despite its popularity, Halloween is still a greatly misunderstood holiday. What exactly is Halloween all about, anyway? Is it the anniversary of Satan's birthday, or a feast for dead people?...

Continue reading ...

Hindus are no longer just Hindus. Oh no! They are either part of Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, or Smartism. You aren't a Buddhist; you must be a Mahayana or Theravada practicee.

Religious denominations are subgroups within religions, each having their own distict tradition, culture, and values. The concept of different denominations within religions is not a new one. Denominations have been prominent for quite a while, and it seems they are here to stay. This issue poses the question: Whic...
Continue reading ...

There's no question about it: psychic medium John Edward has taken the world by storm!

John visited South Africa recently and intrigued audiences of all ages in Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal, and Johannesburg. He also has a t.v. show about his experience in our country, called "John Edward: Spirit of South Africa", which still airs on Sundays on SABC 3.

It is clear that John's visit to S.A. caused a lot of controversy. As usual, sceptics were quick to jump into accusation mode, dubbing Mr Edward a ...
Continue reading ...

Is there a link between religion and the business world?

Although it would not seem likely, there is an apparent link between faith and finance. Many financial advisers feel that it is of high importance to address the issue of religion with prospective clients. However, this should be done with all necessary caution. 

Religion and ethics are parallel to each other, and ethics are prominent in the financial world, too. Religion provides companies with useful strategies for reaching financial go...
Continue reading ...

Who would have thought that religion and ecology could be so closely linked?

Nature is something that has stood the test of time; it has been with us forever, and will continue being there, if we respect and treasure it. This is one of the common goals between world religions: to protect the earth.

However, this sacred veneration is often misinterpreted as "worship", and is thereby labelled as evil or sin. Some argue that God created nature, so nature should not be given any credit; it all stem...
Continue reading ...

Source: eldertomoser.wordpress.com
 

I read with interest the results of a religious poll from GEM’s front page 3 weeks ago, half of all people that vote in the poll said that religion gave meaning to their life. Religion is a difficult topic to discuss at the best of times but I’d like to tell you very briefly what makes religion real to me. The academic world is one that may encourage religious debate but does not seem to adequately encourage religious growth. I’m (or at least would l...

Continue reading ...

Prayer is more than just reciting a few meaningful lines; it is an immediate interaction with God. When we pray, we merge with our creator. That is why some people firmly believe that prayer gives them strength.

There are so many different ways to pray; it can become completely overwhelming. The most important thing to remember when praying, is that you are not doing it to impress anyone. Your creator knows who you truly are, therefore pretending to be someone else would be inappropriate. Pra...
Continue reading ...

 

Where do we go when we die?

Do we go to Heaven, the Summerlands, or the Spirit World? Do we even physically go anywhere? If there is a heaven, what does it look like?

These are all definitely unanswerable questions. Unfortunately, death is an issue that we do not have much knowledge about. In order to find out more about the afterlife, we rely on scriptures and stories about near-death experiences. The fact is that we cannot fully believe any of these stories; therefore we trust our own judge...

Continue reading ...

Marriage has always beel closely linked to religion. A couple gets married in some or other religious building, in the presence of a religious leader and congregation. However, lately marriage seems to be less religious.

It is inevitable that Christians, for instance, marry in a church, but what about atheists? Do they even get married at all? The answer is simple: yes, they do. Non-religious people choose to have secular weddings involving the exchange of vows in front of witnesses, with a f...
Continue reading ...

Last week we asked you What Religion means to you.

50% said it gives meaning to their life.

25% said that religion meantnothing to them and that it's a waste of time.

While the other 25% said religion was about god, no more, no less

Do you agree with what people have been saying? What did you vote for? What motivated your vote?

Tell us in the comments section below

Continue reading ...

Do angels exist? If so, what role do they play in religion?

These ethereal beings are present in four major religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Zoroastrianism, as well as minor religions such as Spiritualism. Each of these religions view angels in a different light (excuse the pun) and different people within the same religious groups also have contradicting views about angels.

It is no surprise that some people claim to have seen one or many angels during their lifetimes, and therefo...

Continue reading ...

An integral part of religion is worship, either done as some sort of ritual or ceremony which most often takes place in an organised manner. This week, I shall examine Buddhist "worship".

Buddhism is an atheistic religion (believe it or not), because it does not acknowledge a God. It rejects the notion that religion has to involve a Higher Being or Supreme Creator. rather, Buddhists believe that, by debating about the existence of a God, the search for true enlightenment is frustrated. However...
Continue reading ...

There are two issues that people are reluctant to discuss, and religion is one of them.

Religion is such a vast topic, and it would be a shame not to elaborate on it. We live in a pluralistic world with at least five major religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. In Africa, of course, there is also the dominant African Religion.

Considering the wide spectrum of accepted beliefs, why then do people suddenly go mute when someone mentions the word 'religion'? The answer to ...
Continue reading ...