French athletes’ hijab ban under the spotlight as Olympics opens in Paris
The French Olympics sprinter, Sounkamba Sylla, who feared she would be unable to take part in tonight’s opening ceremony because she wears a hijab, has reached a compromise and is wearing a cap. France has imposed strict rules banning female athletes from wearing the hijab, on the grounds that France is a secular state and athletes must not wear religious symbols. French sport organisations have put in place bans on French athletes wearing headscarves at Paris 2024 and beyond, across all levels of sport, according to Human Rights Watch. Athletes from other countries are allowed to wear the hijab without restrictions. Human Rights groups have criticised the French decision saying it is discriminatory and has humiliated many Muslim athletes, and they are calling for the Olympics to bring change to France, for tolerance, non-discrimination, and the defence of fundamental human rights.
Olympics began with devotion to Zeus and is now a civil religion devoted to national pride
The Olympics, with its emphasis on national pride, flags, anthems and rituals, could be described as a form of civil religion, according to a sociologist of religion from Arizona, Prof Terry Shoemaker. He argues in The Conversation, that devotion to one’s nation-state could be seen as a form of religious allegiance, with shared rituals providing bonding as a community. And the entire summer Olympics could be interpreted as a civil religious ceremony, he says, with a global congregation meeting every four years. He quotes Frank Kühn from the University of Mainz, saying that the ancient Greeks organised the Olympic Games to demonstrate their devotion to Zeus and other deities. However, “the common faith in gods in Greek antiquity is now replaced by widely accepted patriotism.”
Assisted dying bill to be debated in the Lords today
The Lords will today debate a bill proposing assisted dying, for adults of sound mind, who have six or fewer months left to live. It is being introduced by Lord Falconer who says the current situation is a mess and offers no compassion or protection to those at the end of their lives. He has made repeated efforts to introduce bills on assisted dying and there is renewed hope that in this parliament the measure will be passed, as Sir Keir Starmer has said there are grounds for a change in the law, and MPs will vote according to their conscience. Bishops, disability groups and some medical staff have consistently objected to previous proposals. Earlier this week, the Isle of Man’s House of Keys voted to progress a similar measure allowing adults given a prognosis of 12 months or less to live, to choose to end their life. It has moved to the Legislative Council for consideration.
Kamala Harris called her pastor asking for prayer the night she decided to run for president
The Sojourners, a social justice Christian organisation, reveals that Kamala Harris called her pastor, the Rev Amos C. Brown of the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco, last Sunday night, as she prepared to announce she would run for nomination as the Democratic candidate in the US presidential race. The pastor told associate editor Mitchell Atencio about the phone call: “She said to me, ‘Pastor, I called because I want you to pray for me, [my husband] Doug, this country, and the race I am intending to run for president.’” He added: “We exchanged pleasantries, I congratulated her because she’ll be a great president, and we had prayer. She was so gracious and thankful that I took the time.” Pastor Brown has served at the same church since 1976 and said Kamala Harris has been a member for many years, attracted by its association with civil rights and a “balanced spirituality: social justice and personal fulfilment and salvation”. In the phone call he reminded her of Micah 6:8, “to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your maker”, as he said that’s what is needed in the US: “ There’s too much arrogance and egocentricity after all this Trumpism,” he said. Sojourners article is here
..Another pastor says Kamala Harris “believes Jesus and justice go together”
The Associated Press has tracked down another Baptist minister influential in Kamal Harris’s life, the Rev. Freddie D. Haynes III, who met her 30 years ago when he visited her church as a guest preacher. He told the news agency: “She has always understood that Jesus and justice go together. So, it’s not hard to see why she chose a church that has that kind of justice DNA. Her spirituality has been informed by a sense of justice for those who are othered, disadvantaged, and treated as second-class citizens”. Kamala Harris has many connections with different religious traditions which is continuing to intrigue journalists. Her mother was Indian and a Hindu, while her father was a Christian with roots in Jamaica, so as a child, she attended both a temple and a Baptist church. Then 10 years ago, she married Jewish lawyer, Douglas Emhoff. Through her adult life she has worshipped at the Third Baptist in San Francisco, which is part of the American Baptist Churches organisation. AP article is here
Southern Baptists pray for Kamala Harris to have “miraculous change of heart”
The Southern Baptists, the second largest Christian organisation in the USA which holds conservative theological and moral views, has issued an excoriating review of Kamal Harris’ religious beliefs and historical votes. The church’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Division has produced an editorial in the Baptist Press saying her track record is clear: “In the various roles she has held, Harris has protected abortion access and the destruction of preborn lives, undermined biblical marriage and sexuality, and weakened religious liberty protections. Southern Baptists should pray that Harris, should she secure the nomination, would have a miraculous change of heart and pursue policies and legislation that would advance the dignity of the preborn, strengthen the family and protect religious liberty rights”. The article Is here
Elon Musk, richest man in the world and a cultural Christian
The world’s richest person, Elon Musk, has declared himself to be a cultural Christian. In an interview with Jordan Peterson he said he believed in the principles of Christianity: “While I’m not a particularly religious person, I do believe that the teachings of Jesus are good and wise… I would say I’m probably a cultural Christian. There’s tremendous wisdom in turning the other cheek.” Musk is worth an estimated $190 billion, having founded SpaceX and co-founded Tesla among many vast business interests, and he now owns Twitter / X. He explained that he had an existential crisis at the age of 11 or 12, wondering about the meaning of life, and read many holy scriptures followed by The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which convinced him that there were no answers and the key to understanding was searching for the right question, a process he described as a religion of curiosity.
The eleven Hindu heritage MPs in the Commons
In earlier bulletins we listed the Jewish and Sikh MPs elected to parliament on 4 July. Now we have the list of Hindu MPs, compiled by reporter Naomi Canton. Of the 11 Hindu heritage MPs in the new Parliament, five are Labour and six are Conservative. Six were re-elected and five were elected for the first time. Nine of the 11 Hindu heritage MPs are Indian-origin, one, Uma Kumaran (Lab Stratford and Bow), is of Sri Lankan Tamil roots and one, Sureena Brackenridge (Lab Wolverhampton North East), is of Fiji-Indian descent. Uma Kumaran is one of five Hindu MPs who took their oath on the Bhagavad Gita. The others were Shivani Raja (Con Leicester East), Rishi Sunak (Con Richmond and Northallerton), Kanishka Narayan (Lab Vale of Glamorgan) and Bob Blackman (Con Harrow East), who swore on the King James Bible as well. Five Hindu heritage MPs affirmed rather than took the oath. Sureena Brackenbridge, who is agnostic; Dr Neil Shastri-Hunt (Con Solihull West & Shirley), who is atheist; Gagan Mohindra (Con South West Hertfordshire); Seema Malhotra (Lab Feltham and Heston); Navendu Mishra (Lab Stockport); and Lisa Nandy (Lab Wigan). Priti Patel (Con Witham) who was re-elected and is standing to be the next Conservative leader, was raised a Hindu, but she took her oath on the King James Bible, despite frequently being seen at Hindu temples in the UK.
Church vote of no confidence in vicar after congregation plummets to five
Members of St Leonard’s Church, near Wendover Woods in Buckinghamshire, have passed a unanimous vote of no confidence in their vicar, but the church authorities say the vote is not legally binding and he is not obliged to leave. The Rev Christopher Haywood arrived at the church three years ago, but is reported to have caused distress by refusing to hold a funeral for a churchwarden, failing to reply to people wanting baptisms and waiting for months before discussing burials with families. The congregation plummeted to just five and the members have complained that the church has gone from being a central point in village life to being viewed as insular and detached”.
Teacher dismissed for showing painting of Prophet Mohammed settles legal action
A university teacher in the US who was dismissed after showing a depiction of the Prophet Mohammed in her classroom, has settled a religious discrimination lawsuit against Hamline university. AP reports that Erika López Prater had shown a 14th-century painting depicting the Prophet Mohammed receiving a revelation from the angel Gabriel. She had warned the students in advance, but one complained and the teacher’s contract was not renewed. The college described her action as Islamophobic, a charge it later withdrew. Ms Prater sued on the grounds of defamation and religious discrimination. The terms of the settlement are not known. The case caused a wide public debate, with criticism of the college’s response and support shown to the teacher.
UNESCO gives Nepal one last chance to repair the Buddha’s birthplace
UNESCO has decided not to put the birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini in Nepal, on its list of heritage sites in danger, in order to give authorities in Nepal more time to restore the famous gardens and temple that are falling into disrepair. AP reports that Lumbini was made a World Heritage Site in 1997 but deterioration of key features showed an “alarming state of conservation” amid accusations that warnings and suggestions for repair had been ignored. This reprise is said to be Nepal’s last chance to make amends.
Sacred gardens: the tranquil places where many feel closer to their creator
In a turbulent world, the calm of sacred gardens surrounding cathedrals and churches is proving irresistible. People are increasingly seeking out these tranquil, sustainable oases, in a range from small churchyards to large gardens next to bishops’ palaces. The number of sacred gardens in the UK has increased constantly, with thousands now in existence. Styles vary considerably from traditional formal beds to lush wildlife settings, as well as labyrinths such as the one in Norwich Cathedral cloisters, which is designed to encourage contemplation while walking the paths. Many sacred gardens are members of the Quiet Garden Movement, a network of outdoor spaces designed for prayer and contemplation inspired by the way in which Jesus sought quiet, natural places to pray. And many are in Cathedrals where carefully planted flowers and trees provide colour and interest all year round. Angela Youngman reports for us here
