Posted on: Saturday, May 21, 2005
FAITH BRIEFS
Buddhist temple marks 20th year
Advertiser Staff
The Thai Buddhist Temple of Pearl City will have its 20th anniversary celebration next month.
The event will be June 26 at Kapi'olani Park.
Information: 218-8803.
The Ko'olaupoko Baha'i Community and the Windward Baha'i School are sponsoring talks by marriage and family therapist Jamie Rose Marghi and Academy of the Pacific head of school Mollie Sperry on "The Virtues Project: Bringing Out the Best in Our Children and Ourselves," 7 to 9 p.m., June 2 at Lanikai Elementary School Learning Center.
The Virtues Project is an international effort to create a culture of character in schools and youth programs. It has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and was honored by the United Nations during the International Year of the Family as a model global program. The talk is free and light refreshments will be served. Information: 223-6343.
A Hindi-language film was pulled from theaters in Northern India after Sikh religious leaders condemned it for denigrating their faith, the movie's producer said yesterday.
"Jo Bole So Nihal" angered Sikh communities in Punjab and Haryana states because of its title and scenes depicting a Sikh character being chased by scantily clad women. The highest decision-making body of the Sikh religion demanded a name change for the film and the removal of the offending scenes.
Producer Ponty Chadha said the filmmakers didn't intend to offend Sikh viewers. "As a true Sikh, I wouldn't dream of hurting Sikh religious feelings," Chadha said.
Chadha, however, said no changes would be made to the movie. "That is why I have withdrawn the film from theaters in Punjab and Haryana."
An American Muslim organization, reacting to controversy generated by the alleged desecration of the Quran, has offered to give a free copy of the holy book to any American.
The giveaway, which, depending on demand, could go as high as 100,000 copies, comes after a recent controversy over a Newsweek article alleging that the text was flushed down a toilet. The allegation has come into question and Newsweek has printed a retraction.
"We want to turn a negative image into a positive one," said Altaf Ali, the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Florida director, at a press conference on Wednesday at the Nur-ul-Islam mosque in Cooper City, Fla. "America's image is taking a beating, and it's affecting us all, of different faiths."
Those who call the council's national toll-free line, (800) 78-ISLAM, can get a free copy of the holy book, Ali said. Local Muslim communities around the country will be asked to underwrite the campaign.
Atheists are gathering in San Francisco this weekend to discuss ways to organize and make godlessness more palatable to others. It's the first "All Atheist Weekend," a gathering of five San Francisco Bay Area chapters of nonbelievers.
"We feel very threatened by what's going on in this country, but we realize that we can't just sit here in a corner by ourselves," said Jim Heldberg of San Francisco Atheists. "If we do, the religious right is just going to run us over."
Several studies have shown that a growing number of people don't consider themselves affiliated with any religion. But the number joining atheist groups hasn't increased much over the years.
Baha'i groups sponsor talks
Film that angered Sikhs withdrawn
Free Quran offer to Americans
Atheists to study plan of action
