Certificates Success Bother "Marketing" Agents!

This is a curious trend in Christian countries in Europe. It became a fad in England last year, where an online store selling de-baptism certificates was an unexpected success. Now, we understand why Asian and African countries are a potential "market" for Christianity "marketing" agents! Read ahead....

The northern Italian city of Milan is experiencing a boom in the number of people who want to renounce their baptism and leave the Catholic church. A report in the Italian daily Il Giornale said the diocese had received over 200 requests in the first five months of 2009, equalling the total number received in 2008.

“As a pastor, I worry and suffer every time I have to sign, as I did this morning, when I signed five or six of these requests,” said Luigi Manganini, the priest who presides over the discipline of the sacraments of the Milan diocese.

Manganini said this upwards trend of so-called debaptisms is “worrying” because the majority of the cases are of people between the age of 40 and 50.

The act of debaptism amounts to apostasy and the applicant is thus automatically excommunicated and prohibited from taking sacraments or having a funeral in a church.



Source: worldmonitoring.co.cc

New Temple all set for grand opening at Fiji

NADI, FIJI, May 27, 2009: Nadi is fast becoming the spiritual hub for Hindus in Fiji following the construction of a second magnificent temple in the district. The one million dollar Gayatri Shaktipith Temple built by the Gayatri Pariwar of Nadi is all set to open its doors for devotees and visitors with a colourful three day inauguration ceremony due to start on Saturday June 13.

The new temple which has been constructed in a two story structure will also help boost the preaching of Hinduism in the tourist town of Nadi which already houses the Sri Siva Subrahmanya Swami Temple built in 1994 by the Devasthanam Board and believed to be the biggest Hindu shrine in the southern hemisphere. Participating devotees will start the opening program with a march procession leading up to a colourful three days of worshipping and other activities.

Source: fijidailypost.com

Pseudo-secularism at its best in Kanyakumari

The Collector of Kanyakumari has ordered the removal of Hanuman from a park. It has been removed despite protests from villagers nearby. Looks like the presence of Hanuman brings fear in the heart of Ravana (u know who it is!!)

Belgian City Plans “Veggie Days”

GHENT, BELGIUM, May 2009: The Belgian city of Ghent is about to become the first in the world to go vegetarian at least once a week. [HPI note: of course, many Indian towns and maybe cities are completely vegetarian all the time following their tradition, religion and culture. But Ghent is making an effort toward vegetarianism while immersed in a western context.]

Starting this week there will be a regular weekly meatless day, in which civil servants and elected councillors will opt for vegetarian meals.

Ghent means to recognise the impact of livestock on the environment. The UN says livestock is responsible for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions, hence Ghent’s declaration of a weekly “veggie day”.

Public officials and politicians will be the first to give up meat for a day. Schoolchildren will follow suit with their own veggie day in September. It is hoped the move will cut Ghent’s environmental footprint and help tackle obesity.

Source:BBC

'Spend Money to Improve Poor, Rather Than Conversion'

The following is a report on the stature of Dalit Christians in the Christian community. It is an irony that conversion of Dalits to Christianity occurs mainly by telling them (the Dalits) that the Hindu society has isolated them and kept them backward. Christianity which professes that it does not have any caste system, still calls these converts as Dalit Christians. Its time that the converts introspect on what they have gained by converting? As swami Dayananda Saraswati says "Save us from these saviours" Dont you think the man in the photo also seems to say the same???!!!. Now read the report...

Mr. R.L. Francis is the National President of the “Poor Christian Liberation Movement.” Unhappy with the stagnant condition of dalits who converted to Christianity, Francis is asking the Church for less proselityzing and more compassion.

Mr. Francis says that church authorities are spending millions of rupees in preaching: there are around two hundred Catholic dioceses in India and the Vatican encourages a vigorous growth. But Mr. Francis says that if Catholic Church spends more money to help the existing dalit Christians, they will have better opportunity in their lives.

Mr. France says that the church authorities have best educational institutions in India: around 22% of the nation’s educational institutions and 30% of health care facilities. Next to government, the churches are the biggest land owners in India. In spite of having enough facilities with the church yet dalit Christians’ condition is deteriorating. Dalit Christians are often illiterate in spite of having best convent schools in the church. Thousands of tribal girls are forced to do hard work with low pay and no recognition, he says.

The Poor Christian Liberation Movement regrets the behavior of Church authorities who are collecting money from national and international level. The money is not reaching fully to the effected people. Mr. R.L. Francis says,”There are no problem between Christians and Hindus. The problems come only when we interfere in the lives of others and religions. We should follow sincerely our own religion without criticizing. We must honor all the religions because all religions give salvation.”

Source: www.free-press-release.com

Aryan Invasion Theory Continues To Fail

The video below summarizes information gained from high-resolution satellite images and recent archeological discoveries corroborating historical statements in the Rig Veda and the Mahabharata and casting further doubt on the “Aryan invasion” theory.

The course of the ancient Saraswati River can now be seen to extend from the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea. Major tectonic shifts in the earth’s crust diverted its main tributaries to other rivers, and the Saraswati dried up around 1900 BCE. The Rig Veda’s many references to the Saraswati prove the greater antiquity of that scripture. The many archaeological sites along the course of the river demonstrate a cultural continuity since ancient times and give no evidence of a foreign invasion. In other words, archeology does not support the “Aryan invasion” theory.

The video also gives nice quotes from some of the many Western scholars and philosophers who, despite the vilification of the missionary-minded early Indologists, recognized the majesty of the Vedas.

Dvaraka Giant Underwater City found in India