The YAZDIS and India

taus melek

The Yazidis live far away from India in Iraq, Iran and Turkey. Even though they have legends connecting them to the east, the idea of a link with India appears ridiculous at first sight. But history has wheels within wheels and sometimes reality turns out to be vastly different from common belief.

The Yazidis speak a northern dialect of the Kurdish language, which some call a separate language with the name Ezdiki. Their religion, Yazidism, is also called Sharfadin (the religion of the cultured folks). Reviled as devil worshippers for centuries by their Muslim and Christian neighbours, they have endured over 70 genocides in which millions died and most others were compelled to abandon their culture.

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Shepparton’s new Reverend hails from South Africa

Rev. Jerome FrancisReverend Jerome Francis vividly remembers a protest in his home town in South Africa, marching down the street alongside fellow university students, all of them scared for their lives. His friend threw a stone and was bundled off into a police van. At any moment, he knew he could have been arrested or killed. That was many years ago during apartheid, a world away from where he is today.
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Paganism and Interfaith in the UK

PentagramPaganism – it is a word that can be understood in a number of different ways. Dictionary definitions vary quite widely from suggesting that Paganism is “the label used to identify those who do not believe in a divine” to “a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions.” Both are extremely broad and neither really helpful in providing an understanding of ancient or modern Paganism.
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Church leaders call for accurate information as well as prayers to overcome coronavirus

Scanning for CoronavirusAs a mass quarantine continued in Wuhan and surrounding provinces in China, church leaders from around the world called for accurate information and education, as well as a sense of solidarity related to the coronavirus outbreak. The death toll in China has surpassed 908, and the number of confirmed cases is now more than 40,171. There are also more than 200 cases of infection outside China.
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Judaism: Teaching Consent to Our Kids: A Lesson in Kavod (Respect)

Parent and ChildAs a parent and a Jewish educator, there are a few topics about which I am especially passionate – those where my knowledge as an educator align closely with my experience as a parent raising young children in today’s world. For example, a few that I take very seriously are my job to use car seats safely, to read to my kids every day, and to coach social-emotional skills because I know how much each of those things matter in raising healthy adults.

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Buddhist Meditation in Shepparton: 29 February 2020

Buddhist Meditation Shepparton
The Buddhist Association of the Goulburn Valley is cordially inviting you to attend the next Meditation Session which will be held on Saturday 29th of February 2020 from 10.00 am to 11.00 am at the Shepparton Senior Citizens Centre (132 Welsford St, Shepparton VIC 3630). In this article, we include one narrative on How to Meditate every Day.

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Buddhism: A new look at the Heart Sutra

Flowers Zen teacher Norman Fischer looks at the famed Heart Sutra and explains why compassion and emptiness go hand in hand. Plus, Thich Nhat Hanh offers his new translation of the Heart Sutra, which teaches the transcendent wisdom that frees us from fear, wrong perceptions, and suffering.

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