The Media Project Asia

12/18/2024

The number of countries who impose heavy government restrictions on religious freedom peaked in 2022, according to a new study released on Wednesday.

While the global median score on the Government Restrictions Index (based on several factors) held steady in 2022 at 3.0 out of 10, the number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions on religion rose to 59, which accounts for 30% of the 198 countries and territories Pew Research Center studied.

That’s up from 55 countries in 2021 and marks the highest number since the Pew study began in 2007.

While the global median score on the Government Restrictions Index (based on several factors) held steady in 2022 at 3.0 out of 10, the number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government religious restrictions rose to 59, which accounts for 30% of the 198 countries and terri...

09/20/2024

Around 50 members of the Akhil Bharati Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, entered the premises of St. Peter Higher Secondary School in the Diocese of Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh this past July — and placed portraits of Hindu goddesses.

The ABVP members targeted the statues of St. Peter and Mary, demanding that they be replaced with portraits of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, who is regarded as the patron of knowledge, and Bharat Mata, which represents Mother India, on the school premises.

However, this was not the first such attack. In February, a poster telling Christian schools to remove Jesus and Mary appeared in the northeast state of Assam. Father Mathew Anchukandam, the archdiocesan vicar-general, mentioned that similar posters were discovered that month, prompting Christian schools to seek police protection and file complaints with the state government.

The enduring presence and contribution of Christian schools across India, a majority Hindu nation, highlights their pivotal role in shaping the nation’s educational landscape. Despite facing challenges and opposition, these institutions continue to provide quality education to students from divers...

09/05/2024

Palitana is a municipal town with a population of less than 100,000 in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, a western state of India. It became the first town in the world where nonvegetarian food is banned, making the selling, cooking and eating of fish, meat and eggs a punishable offense.

This decision was made in deference to the wishes of Jains, who follow Jainism, a religion founded by Vardhamana Mahavira in the sixth century B.C.E. “Ahimsa,” or nonviolence, is a cardinal principle of Jainism, which prohibits even eating root vegetables like onions and potatoes for fear of harming microorganisms.

In 2014, about 200 Jain monks went on a fast to demand the closure of nearly 250 shops selling nonvegetarian food items. Their agitation bore fruit when, in July of that year, the government, which promotes vegetarianism, took this momentous decision. However, this decision does not address the concerns of those who made a living by selling fish and meat.

Illegal bans on nonvegetarian food are increasingly being introduced in towns that attract Hindu pilgrims, like Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and Haridwar in Uttarakhand. Since it is perceived as a manifestation of tradition and culture, it is difficult to challenge it in a cour

08/12/2024

The Media Project held a meetup on July 14 in Delhi with a group of Indian journalists. The gathering of over two dozen reporters, spearheaded by TMP board member Vishal Arora with the appearance of Religion Unplugged Executive Editor Clemente Lisi, included conversations on how to better collaborate on stories and the challenges that come with covering India and Southeast Asia.

07/30/2024

News audiences have been consumed by the onrush of the Donald Trump assassination attempt, Joe Biden’s extraordinary fall and Kamala Harris’s rise. But Catholics who follow religious events got other eye-popping news July 1 from CruxNow.com, an excellent and influential journalistic outlet on church events.

(ANALYSIS) Why rake muck? For one thing, it’s biblical. Recall Scripture’s narratives about the venerated King David’s adultery and homicide or St. Peter’s multiple denials of Jesus Christ. It encourages healthy reflection on the forgiveness of sins, the ways power is misused, the dangers of...

07/19/2024

On the night of June 18, 1983, 10 women, from a 57-year-old mother to a 17-year-old student, were held in Adel Abad Prison they were executed in Chowgan Square in Shiraz, Iran, on charges that they belonged to the Baha’i faith.

Even though the Ukrainian Orthodox Church tries to stay independent of Russian officials, agents have dressed in priestly robes to get information.

While Muslim athletes from other countries can wear hijabs during the upcoming Paris Olympics, athletes from France are banned from donning the head coverings.

These were just a few of the stark examples of religious intolerance that were discussed at the fourth annual Religious Liberty Summit at the University of Notre Dame from July 9-11.

The theme of the conference, which took place at the school’s campus in South Bend, Indiana, was “Depolarizing Religious Liberty,” which still depends too much on one's race, faith or nationality. The highlight of the summit was an awards program and gala where the Religious Liberty Clinic was...

07/11/2024

Indonesia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi officially opened on Wednesday the two-day International Conference on Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy aimed at encouraging dialogue between different faith traditions.

The conference, held by the Leimena Institute and co-sponsored by the Indonesian government at Jakarta’s Shangri-La Hotel, features 50 speakers and 200 invited guests from as far as the United States, Austria and Jordan. Overall, the conference, which concludes Thursday, aims to reaffirm the importance of interfaith dialogue to help resolve conflicts.

“In this case, there are three agenda items in which Indonesia always works actively with the international community, namely strengthening tolerance, promoting inclusivity and encouraging interfaith collaboration,” Marsudi said in her keynote address before a packed crowd inside the hotel’s ballroom.

Indonesia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi officially opened on Wednesday the two-day International Conference on Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy aimed at encouraging dialogue between different faith traditions. The conference hopes to strengthen the country’s respect for religious...

07/06/2024

Imagine a world where AI is omnipresent. It occupies your home, your car, your workplace, your pocket. Even your mind. Every aspect of your daily routine is seamlessly integrated with this sophisticated technology.

It anticipates your needs, completes your thoughts, deciphers your emotions, plays your favorite songs, drafts your emails and even suggests your next meal. It serves as your personal assistant, confidant, entertainment hub and your lover. Life becomes smooth, convenient and tailored to your every whim.

But something crucial is missing. A sense of unease begins to take root. Interactions feel hollow, conversations lack depth and relationships become superficial and transactional. The more we rely on AI, the more we find ourselves yearning for something it cannot provide: authenticity, meaning and opportunities to connect on a fundamentally human level.

(ANALYSIS) The more we rely on AI, the more we find ourselves yearning for something it cannot provide: authenticity, meaning and opportunities to connect on a fundamentally human level. This is where the church reenters the scene, not as a relic of the past, but as a symbol of the present, a sanctu

06/28/2024

Millions continue to suffer religious persecution globally, with wars and civil conflicts exacerbating already existing ills in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the U.S. State Department documented in its 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom.

The report on 199 countries and territories attempts to present a nonbiased overview of persecution by governments, extremists and members of society, relying on information from government officials, religious groups, nongovernmental organizations, journalists, human rights monitors, academia, media and others.

Millions continue to suffer religious persecution globally, with wars and civil conflicts exacerbating already existing ills in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the U.S. State Department documented in its 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom. The report attempts to present an over

06/20/2024

Manipur is witnessing renewed violence, with the latest escalations being reported from Jiribam district, an area that borders Assam’s Cachar district, after a Meitei farmer’s death was attributed to a Kuki-Zo armed group.

Recently, two individuals from the Hmar-Mizo tribal communities, which are part of the larger Zo tribe, were reportedly killed, and 48 houses and a church owned by tribals were destroyed, displacing more than 800 tribal and 220 Meitei residents.

The immediate cause of the outbreak is believed to be the retaliatory violence by some individuals from the Meitei community against the Hmar-Mizo community following the murder of a 59-year-old Meitei farmer. The suspects in this killing have not been identified, though there are unverified suspicions pointing to Kuki-Zo “militants.” This has sparked a vicious cycle of violence and counter-violence.

Manipur is witnessing renewed violence, with the latest escalations being reported from Jiribam district, an area that borders Assam’s Cachar district, after a Meitei farmer’s death was attributed to a Kuki-Zo armed group. Two people from the Hmar-Mizo tribal communities, which are part of the l...

05/30/2024

As India gears up for the largest national elections ever conducted on the planet, the Christian community, although a minority, faces unique challenges that underscore the significance of its political representation.

The issues range from religious persecution to the enforcement of anti-conversion laws, with the recent unrest in the Christian-majority state of Manipur spotlighting the urgent need for Christian voices to be heard.

Making up approximately 2.3 percent of India’s population, the Christian community is an integral part of this Asian nation’s pluralistic society. However, this community often finds itself navigating a complex landscape of religious freedom and cultural integration. Despite constitutional protections, incidents of persecution continue to surface, making the political empowerment of Christians not just beneficial but necessary for safeguarding their rights.

As India gears up for the largest national elections ever conducted on the planet, the Christian community, although a minority, faces unique challenges that underscore the significance of its political representation. The issues range from persecution to the enforcement of anti-conversion laws, wit

05/21/2024

Marshall Allen, a former ProPublica investigative reporter who relentlessly took on the U.S. health care system and fought for the rights of patients facing unfair medical bills, died Sunday at a hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He was 52.

The cause was a heart attack, said Sonja Allen, his wife of 29 years.

Guided by his Christian faith, Allen approached his stories with the moral conviction that doctors, hospitals, drugmakers and health insurers could be less wasteful and more transparent and humane.

Allen, who spent 10 years of his career reporting for ProPublica, was a fierce advocate for transparency and fairness in health care, guided by his strong faith and belief in honesty and integrity. He died died this past Sunday at a hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He was 52.

05/09/2024

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05/07/2024

The Russian military’s need to replenish its ranks for what appears to be a long-term war against Ukraine and its Western allies has resulted in Indian men being lured to Moscow with the promise of work, only to discover that they have been forced to enlist in the army.

Even though Russian President Vladimir Putin has justified the invasion of Ukraine partly as a defense of the Moscow-oriented Orthodox church, leaders of both Ukrainian Orthodox factions are fiercely denouncing the Russian invasion, as is Ukraine’s significant Catholic minority.

The Russian military’s need to replenish its ranks for what appears to be a long-term war against Ukraine and its Western allies has resulted in Indian men being lured to Moscow with the promise of work, only to discover that they have been forced to enlist in the army. Russian President Vladimir ...

04/30/2024

Mohammed Soheb is a farmer in the northern Haryana state’s Nuh district, India’s least developed region. With a majority Muslim population, Nuh had been known for Hindu-Muslim harmony until July 2023, when a nine-day spate of communal violence disrupted that harmony. The unrest seemed to fit a pattern often seen in Hindu-Muslim relations in India.

For Nuh’s Muslim community, the violence followed a period of perceived discrimination, a discrimination they feel has been rooted in government attitudes towards Muslims since India gained independence from Britain in 1947.

Despite its proximity to the capital, New Delhi, Nuh has lagged in development indicators like education, healthcare and infrastructure. Soheb, among others, has tried highlighting these issues, aiming for betterment.

Mohammed Soheb is a farmer in the northern Haryana state’s Nuh district, India’s least developed region. With a majority Muslim population, Nuh had been known for Hindu-Muslim harmony until July 2023, when a nine-day spate of communal violence disrupted that harmony. The unrest seemed to fit a p...

04/25/2024

During his 2,454 days in captivity — between strategic moves among 20 or more hiding places in Lebanon — journalist Terry Anderson was often allowed by Hezbollah leaders to read a Bible.

Armed pro-Iran militants seized the Associated Press correspondent on March 16, 1985, then jammed him into the trunk of a Mercedes-Benz. This took place during a painful time in his personal life, and Anderson was already asking hard questions about his Catholic faith.

Anderson pleaded with his guards to get him a Bible. When they did that, he read it from cover to cover 50 times while in captivity. Early on, he also learned that a Catholic priest — Father Lawrence Jenco — was a hostage. During their time together, Jenco heard Anderson's first confession in 25 years.

“I still had plenty of questions about the Bible,” Anderson told me during a 1999 global conference for Christian journalists in Chichester, England. Then, after Jenco was released, “I was locked up with a seminary professor.”

(ANALYSIS) During his 2,454 days in captivity — between strategic moves among 20 or more hiding places in Lebanon — journalist Terry Anderson was often allowed by Hezbollah leaders to read a Bible.

04/24/2024

As India’s nearly one billion voters get ready to pick their national government in general elections, a months-long process, Bollywood — India's largest film industry — is experiencing a notable increase in support for the government that’s currently in power.

With nearly a dozen releases timed strategically around the electoral period, Indian cinema is amplifying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party's Hindu nationalist political agenda. The slew of new films — ahead of the vote in the world’s largest democracy — are helmed by major production houses that rely on storylines that overtly either promote Modi and his government’s policies or target rival politicians.

With nearly a dozen releases timed strategically around the electoral period, Indian cinema is amplifying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party's Hindu nationalist political agenda. The slew of new films — ahead of the April 19 national elections — are helmed by major production houses that...

04/15/2024

Since a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake last year killed more than 53,000 people and displaced some 3 million residents according to Turkey’s Interior Ministry, recovery has been slow.

Buildings, unstable and deteriorating, await bulldozing. Broken concrete forms piles where families used to live. People — bodies unidentified or unfound — remain missing.

Ramazan Arkan, minister for a church that received financial support from One Kingdom, helped pull people from the rubble after the Feb. 6, 2023, quake.

“Everywhere smelled like death,” Arkan recalled. “When we were in the camp providing food for people that first week, maybe every five minutes there was some scream and people crying. They’d heard the news that their mom or dad or somebody is dead.”

More than a year later, the city is quiet, often only disrupted by the sound of construction equipment.

Since a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake last year killed more than 53,000 people and displaced some 3 million residents according to Turkey’s Interior Ministry, recovery has been slow.  More than a year later, the city is quiet, often only disrupted by the sound of construction equipme