Many Christians are unaware that the true spirit of reverence which Muslims display towards Jesus and his mother Mary spring from the fountainhead of their faith as prescribed in the Holy Quran. Most do not know that a Muslim does not take the name of Jesus , without saying Eesa alai-hiss-salaam i.e. (Jesus peace be upon him).
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Greater Shepparton City Council is excited to bring back a much-loved event for the community to celebrate, with the Carols by Candlelight performance taking place this year in a COVID safe manner.
The annual celebration, which traditionally takes place in the Queens Gardens, will be a completely online event this year for families and friends to enjoy from the comfort of their homes on Sunday 20 December.
The night before a show in New Zealand in November of 1993, Tina Turner had a rollicking party with her band and dancers. The men in the band dressed in drag and serenaded Tina, lip-syncing to her own songs; everyone drank and ate into the wee hours of the morning. You can imagine what happened the next day: she woke up in no shape to perform. To top it off, there was a severe rainstorm, and the show was outdoors. “There was no question of my cancelling that show,” she writes. “My fans had paid to see me perform, made sacrifices to get tickets, traveled to the venue, and were willing to stand in the rain without shelter.” Instead, Turner, a practitioner of Soka Gakkai Nichiren Buddhism, began chanting the signature mantra of Nichiren Buddhism—Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo (known as the daimoku)—in order to “turn poison into medicine.”
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V/Line has unveiled a new design on one of its trains that aims to educate travellers about the diversity of Aboriginal groups across Victoria. The names of Victoria’s 38 Indigenous language groups can be seen weaved throughout the colourful piece.
Gunai and Yorta Yorta artist Dixon Patten designed the work, which is mainly featured along the outside of the train’s windows.
The artist behind a new design featured on a V/Line train says he hopes it will cause Victorians to “stop and reflect”. The symbolic work references dozens of different Indigenous groups across the state. V/Line says the work has been unveiled as part of their Reconciliation Action Plan.
It is that time of year again. The time of year as a Muslim where I am asked by co-workers and friends, “What are you doing for Christmas?” “Why are you not decorating?” and “Will you be attending any Christmas parties?” Usually my response is always the same, “I don’t celebrate Christmas.”
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are well recognised as the asrham of Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna and The Mother. There are formally established Centres of the Ramakrishna Mission in Australia: these exist for the welfare of the world.
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You are invited to decorate the Community Christmas Tree of Remembrance with messages written on cards to family members, friends and pets who have passed in the last 12 months to include them in the spirit of Christmas. For Christmas 2020, the Community Christmas Trees are located at the Shepparton Library and the Mooroopna Library.
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The eight-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. The Atrium at Federation Square, Melbourne, will be live-streaming the Menorah lighting each evening commencing Thursday, 10 December from 7:30pm.
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The German government has officially apologised after its consulate in Melbourne refused 82 years ago to accept a letter of protest from the Australian Aborigines’ League about the Nazi persecution of the Jews. On Sunday 6th of December 2020, Felix Klein – the Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Anti-Semitism – issued the historic apology via video link on behalf of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government.
Buddha Weekly magazine has interviewed book author Kimberly Brown about her work and her book, Steady, Calm, and Brave: 25 Practices of Resilience and Wisdom in a Crisis. For over a decade, Kimberly Brown has offered classes and retreats that emphasize the power of compassion and kindness meditation to reconnect us to ourselves and others.
Hannukah approaches, commencing 10 December 2020. There are many traditions surrounding Hannukah, including foods. During Hannukah, the Jewish people traditionally serve holiday dishes cooked in oil to commemorate the miracle of a single vial of oil lasting eight days. But oil as the Hanukkah food of choice was not always so.
Sangam Kala Group Australia Inc in association with Victorian Multicultural Commission, State Govt of Victoria & City of Kingston presents a Virtual Spirit Harmony Multicultural Festival Australia which will be broadcasted via multiple social media channels from 4th-6th December. Enjoy cross-cultural diverse stage performances, fun & acts by Australian, Indian & all singers, dancers, actors, musicians and health lovers.
On 6 December 1938, William Cooper and a delegation from the Australian Aborigine’s League, marched to the German Consulate in Melbourne to stand up for the Jews of Europe being persecuted under the Nazi regime.
They stood up for the rights of others whilst not having any rights of their own.
Join the William Cooper Legacy Project on the 82nd anniversary to commemorate this momentous occasion – an online event on Sunday 6 December, from 2 – 3.30pm, online event.
If the predictions are true and this summer proves to be extraordinarily hot, more people than ever before will be working from heated-up homes instead of air-conditioned office buildings.
It is crucial to develop concrete ideas for how the urban population can safely navigate the summer.
The long-term goal for livable cities in line with SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) must be green-blue infrastructure, which not only benefits climate change adaptation and mitigation (SDG 13) but also gives us space for leisure and recreation, and ultimately contributes to human health and well-being (SDG 3).
The World Council of Churches will host an online prayer service on World AIDS Day, observed this year on 1 December. The Prayer Service is available for download and reading during the livestreaming.
For the sake of future generations, the Dalai Lama tells journalist and activist Franz Alt, we must develop a sense of universal responsibility — for the earth and all humanity. Working together as one is the only way we’ll survive the climate crisis.
Two thousand years ago, a rabbi named Ben Zoma outlined the difference between a grateful and un-grateful guest.
As he explains, a grateful guest who comes to dinner will say, “How much trouble did my host take for me! How many kinds of wine did he bring before us! How many kinds of cuts [of meat] did he bring before us…and all the trouble that he took for me!” However, an ungrateful guest will say, “How little trouble did this household take…I ate only a loaf of his bread. I drank only a cup of his wine. He went to all this trouble only to provide for his wife and children” (Tosefta Berachot 6:2).
Family Violence and Violence Against Women is a major social and human rights issue in our society. In Australia, one in three women will experience some type of intimate partner abuse at some stage in their life. Family Violence has an enormous impact on women and their children, eroding their mental, physical, emotional and financial well being.
Preventing and responding to family violence requires action from all sectors of our society – including faith communities. In particular, faith leaders can play an important role in raising awareness and emphasising equality and respect toward women.
faithSAFE is an online resource designed to assist faith communities in taking a primary prevention approach to the issue of family violence and violence against women.
‘Faith Communities Supporting Healthy Family Relationships‘ is a Participatory Action Research project established by the Multifaith Advisory Group based on recommendations 163 and 165 of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence. It is funded by Multicultural Affairs within the Department of Premier and Cabinet and is being implemented in partnership between University of Melbourne and the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health.
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When I opened model Halima Aden’s Instagram story it was like watching a landmark moment in history — hijab history that is. As I continued to read her confessions and revelations about being the first hijabi model, I couldn’t believe what I was reading. She was blowing the lid on something deeper than a disdain of the pressures associated with the fashion industry. She was tackling her highly praised — and criticised — public journey with her hijab and setting the record straight.
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