All posts tagged: Pray

As Jerusalem holy sites reopen, Jews, Muslims and Christians flock to pray

As Jerusalem holy sites reopen, Jews, Muslims and Christians flock to pray

Published by Sam Flores

JERUSALEM (RNS) — Thousands of Jews, Muslims and Christians flocked to the Old City of Jerusalem on Thursday (April 9) to pray at the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the day after a two-week ceasefire was announced in the war between the United States, Israel and Iran. On Feb. 28, Israeli authorities closed all three holy sites to everyone but the clergy who work there, out of fears that Iranian missiles or a siren-triggered stampede could harm large numbers of worshippers. Some Muslim and Christian leaders had demanded that Al-Aqsa and the Holy Sepulchre be open to the public, despite there being no bomb shelters in the immediate vicinity. But on Thursday, for the first time in 40 days, Old City merchants opened their shops in the hopes of making a few sales, while local people and some tourists appeared more interested in reaching the holy sites than buying jewelry or souvenirs — which included hats with images of President Donald Trump and the words “Make Israel Great Again.” …

‘Muslims can pray without fear but I may be arrested for giving Easter sermon’

‘Muslims can pray without fear but I may be arrested for giving Easter sermon’

Published by Sam Flores

A Christian preacher has claimed that he is scared to deliver a public Easter sermon for fear of being rearrested. Dia Moodley, a 58-year-old evangelical pastor, was arrested for “inciting religious hatred” in November last year after giving a street sermon in Bristol that criticised Islam and transgender ideology, according to his legal counsel. The father of four claims that Avon and Somerset Police interviewed him under caution and asked him why he had chosen to preach near Bristol city centre, where he knew Muslims would be present. He also claimed that police had questioned whether it was right for him to criticise transgender ideology. Having refrained from preaching during Christmas for fear of being rearrested, Mr Moodley is planning to deliver a public sermon in Bristol on Saturday for the first time since his detention as he believes it is his “Christian duty”. Dia Moodley was arrested for ‘inciting religious hatred’ last November in Bristol. He fears a repeat this weekend “I’ve been arrested for something which is absolutely ludicrous. I did nothing [wrong], …

My mom, the cult leader: ‘She told us what to wear, when to pray, how we would have sex. We were prisoners’ | Religion

My mom, the cult leader: ‘She told us what to wear, when to pray, how we would have sex. We were prisoners’ | Religion

Published by Sam Flores

Sarah Green realised things weren’t right in the religious community where she was raised when her mother forced three of its members to live in a locked shed. All three were women, disowned by their husbands, and forced to live off scraps of food. Her mother, Deborah Green, said they had been judged by God and this was their punishment. One of the women, an old family friend called Maura, was made to wear a white sackcloth dress and renamed Forsaken. The other two women were renamed Barren and Despised. Sarah is a strong, striking woman with a keen sense of irony and a joyous cackle of a laugh. But now she’s in tears. “I felt sickened to my gut. Even though I’d been groomed and my mom told me, ‘I’m God’s oracle, so therefore I hear what God wants for everybody, and this is what they have to go through because they’re sinning’, it didn’t make sense to me.” She sniffs back her tears. “Sorry, I’m getting emotional. So when they locked the people …

During all-night vigil, Muslim students pray, connect and unite in solidarity for Palestinians

During all-night vigil, Muslim students pray, connect and unite in solidarity for Palestinians

Published by Sam Flores

(Fort Worth Report) — In the early morning hours of March 7, the sky above the Dar El-Quran mosque was pitch black. Most of North Texas was asleep. But in a grassy field behind the building, a few dozen students from the University of Texas at Arlington gathered under the gleam of floodlights. Young men in the group sat together on the ground, singing a floating melody in Arabic — a nasheed, or Muslim worship hymn. It was not long past midnight, and the students were just over halfway through their vigil. They were pulling an all-nighter, not to cram for a college exam but to observe Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month. The practice of praying between the obligatory sunset and sunrise prayers is referred to as Qiyam al-Layl — Arabic for “standing in the night.” “I feel very connected to Allah when I’m with a community of people who are focused on ibadah, or worship,” nursing student Zahara Mohamedou said. The qiyam was her first. Although she enjoys the community of a mosque, she lives …

Worshippers pray outside Al-Aqsa amid closure on al-Quds Day | US-Israel war on Iran

Worshippers pray outside Al-Aqsa amid closure on al-Quds Day | US-Israel war on Iran

Published by Sam Flores

NewsFeed Muslim worshippers prayed in the streets outside Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa compound as Israeli authorities kept holy sites closed amid the Israel–Iran conflict. Restrictions during Ramadan have left the mosque largely empty, drawing condemnation from Arab and Islamic countries. Published On 13 Mar 202613 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share plus2googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Source link

20 Years of EAT, PRAY, LOVE

20 Years of EAT, PRAY, LOVE

Published by Jenni Sidey

Welcome to The Best of Book Riot, our daily round-up of what’s on offer across our site, newsletters, podcasts, and social channels. Not everything is for everyone, but there is something for everyone. 20 Years of EAT, PRAY, LOVE: Reflecting on the Book That Launched a Thousand Stunt Memoirs  It’s arguably one of the most popular (and most parodied) memoirs of all time. It rocketed Elizabeth Gilbert to the rare, elite position of “celebrity author” and inspired countless readers to go on their own life-changing journeys. 6 of the Best New Book Releases Out February 24, 2026 This week’s releases include a tale of mothers and daughters in the South by Tayari Jones, short stories by Lauren Groff, Cleopatra, and more. Listen Up: 3 Amazing February Fantasy Audiobooks for Your TBR! Hello, readers! I thought I would share some of my favorite recent fantasy audiobooks, because I want to make sure everyone gets a chance to enjoy them. The three books below are all a fantastic time, including one that I have been calling an …

Why fewer Latin Americans claim religion — but still pray and believe

Why fewer Latin Americans claim religion — but still pray and believe

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — The number of Latin Americans who say they are not affiliated with a religion has long been steadily increasing. And over the past decade, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, the percentage of those known as “nones” roughly doubled in Argentina (to 24% in 2024), Brazil (15%) and Chile (33%); tripled in Mexico (20%) and Peru (12%); and almost quadrupled in Colombia (23%). But for many, that label doesn’t mean a rejection of faith. Across Brazil, Colombia and beyond, people continue to pray, meditate and participate in rituals drawing from Christian, Indigenous, African and Eastern traditions in deeply personal ways, so-called nones told RNS. Their beliefs and practices may reveal a blind spot of such surveys in how they rely on Christian and Western frameworks to define what counts as religion.  For Camile Coutinho, a 28-year-old dietitian who lives near Rio de Janeiro, a typical week involves attending a Sunday service at a Baptist church, taking part in ritual baths and cowrie-shell divination with a Umbanda priestess, and going to Deeksha …

Protestant Pastor in Mexico Arrested and Expelled from Community for Refusing to Pray to the Saints – OpentheWord.org

Protestant Pastor in Mexico Arrested and Expelled from Community for Refusing to Pray to the Saints – OpentheWord.org

Published by Sam Flores

Cross overlooking Parral, Mexico Credit: Diana Vargas, unsplash.com Earlier this year, a protestant pastor in Mexico was briefly arrested and then forced to leave Santiago Malacatepec, Oaxaca where he pastored and lived. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports that in November last year, Pastor Mariano Velásquez Martínez was given the position of mayordomo in the community. Typically this is given to a faithful member of the Roman Catholic Church because it involves organizing and facilitating Roman Catholic festivals in the community. But Martinez pastors a small evangelical church in the community called Iglesia Camino Nuevo y Vivo.  Not surprisingly, he wasn’t keen on accepting the position. But he agreed after being told he would only need to provide flowers and candles for the various ceremonies. But things changed on January 15, 2026. A fellow mayordomo told Martinez that he needed to light the candles during a ceremony. He was also instructed to kneel and pray before the statue of St. James the Apostle. When Martinez stated this is not what he agreed to, his concerns were ignored. …