http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/magazine/19Religion-t.html

Nanna

This piece has prompted a lot of reaction, Nanna. This next one suggests a Chinese solution to the religious "problem" and so, in sensitivity to our non-monotheistic friends

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/03/us/03prayerbook.html?em&ex=1188964800&en=ed6875b947feb814&ei=5070

Now the [US] nation’s largest Jewish movement, Reform Judaism, is preparing to adopt a new prayer book that was intended to offer something for everyone — traditionalists, progressives and everyone else — even those who do not believe in God.

The changes reveal a movement that is growing in different directions simultaneously, absorbing non-Jewish spouses and Jews with little formal religious education while also trying to appeal to Jews seeking a return to tradition.

Traditional touches coexist with a text that sometimes departs from tradition by omitting or modifying some prayers and by using language that is gender-neutral. References to God as “He” have been removed, and whenever Jewish patriarchs are named — like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, so are the matriarchs — like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. The prayer book took more than 20 years to develop and was tested in about 300 congregations. ...

The Reform movement, which originated in Germany in the 19th century, claims 1.5 million members in 900 congregations in North America. There are about 5.2 million Jews in the United States, according to the National Jewish Population Survey, conducted from 2000 to 2001.

Well, I dunno...as a fixer-upper of various technical problems, I am unsure that goats will do the trick. Glad that SAS' symbol isn't Odin...

Goats sacrificed to fix Nepal jet

Nepal's state-run airline has confirmed that it sacrificed two goats to appease a Hindu god, following technical problems with one of its aircraft.

Nepal Airlines said the animals were slaughtered in front of the plane - a Boeing 757 - at Kathmandu airport.

The offering was made to Akash Bhairab, the Hindu god of sky protection, whose symbol is seen on the company's planes.

The airline said that after Sunday's ceremony the plane successfully completed a flight to Hong Kong.

"The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights," senior airline official Raju KC was quoted as saying by Reuters. ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6979292.stm

Nanna

Q.E.D.

For me humans are more important than animals...

Jacek

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6981326.stm

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has become the patron of South Africa's Barbecue (Braai) Day, saying the pastime is a unifying force in a divided country. …

"We have 11 different official languages but only one word for the wonderful institution of braai: in Xhosa, English, Afrikaans, whatever," he said.

Originally written by Arthur Borges on August 23, 2007 6:18 PM "Bridging The Religious Divide" has been one of TC's most popular threads, so popular that its size has again become unwieldy for the system. So I've frozen Divide (2) and Welcome to Divide (3).

Indeed, seen politically 'Bridging The Religious Divide' has survived two coup attempts and is in its 3rd term, a rare feat. This could be attributed to the nature of issues at debate; neither too hot to burn themselves out nor too cold to freeze into a standstill (as has happened to some threads). Its title is inviting as opposed to isolating so we should expect more diverse participation as more are beckoned to have their say.

Nashon

Another Hindu god (this time in India) is in the news (as reported by Pakistan's The News):

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=72430 Premier Manmohan Singh on Friday put on hold the half-billion-dollar plan to dredge sandy shoals in a strip of sea between India and Sri Lanka after Hindus objected, saying the formation was created by the god Ram. According to the Hindu epic Ramayana, the islands were built by an army of monkeys to allow Ram to cross the Palk Strait that separates India and Sri Lanka and rescue his kidnapped wife.

Time for an "According to the Vatican." Snippets from http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9f4ea546-5da4-11dc-8d22-0000779fd2ac.html:

On the cobblestones outside the great 8th century mosque in Córdoba, once the largest mosque in the western world, Mansur Escudero, a Spanish convert to Islam, unfolds his prayer mat and kneels down to pray.

Muslims are not allowed to pray inside. The Roman Catholic Church, custodian of the building since the 13th century, says it would "confuse" Christians to see Muslims worshipping there. Mr Escudero has lobbied the Vatican to transform the Córdoba mosque into an ecumenical place of worship, - "a symbol of religious tolerance and co-existence," he says - but his campaign has not met with success. ...

"Reconquest? For what, and for whom?" asks Tolba Sidi Mohammed, a translator from Mauritania who lives in Granada. "Most Muslims who have settled in Spain have come fleeing hunger, or political persecution, or both. So the idea that we are bent on reconquering Spain is absurd," he says.