serving the faith communities of the Goulburn Valley
Why do people who care little for jihadist ideology take up the cause? The question arises because suicide bombers who invoke Allah often know little about him. An international study assessing the data of 330 IS recruits last year revealed: the more religious knowledge the men ascribed to themselves, the less willing they were to carry out a suicide attack. What motivates those who are willing to carry such atrocities is therefore key to answering the question of prevention.
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Three far-right nationalists who staged a mock beheading to protest against the building of a mosque in Bendigo in central Victoria have been found guilty of inciting serious contempt of Muslims. Blair Cottrell, Christopher Shortis and Neil Erikson have each been fined $2,000 after they filmed the beheading of a mannequin with a toy sword outside the Bendigo council offices in 2015.
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Australia’s multiculturalism should be enshrined in law, taught in schools and protected by a new national commission, according to a new parliamentary report. The Senate Select Committee on Strengthening Multiculturalism released a report last week which also calls for plans to make citizenship requirements tougher to be dropped.
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With Japan’s population ageing and shrinking, many Buddhist priests receive less financial support from their communities, prompting some to find part-time work outside their temple duties. This pushed a Japanese company to find a new role for the humanoid robot ‘Pepper’, that of being a Buddhist priest.
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The William Cooper Legacy project will be hosting an event at the William Cooper Justice Centre – a unique afternoon of networking, storytelling and untold-history
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The time for a force for good has come.
Each of us can join in that force for a better world, and mindfulness plays a crucial role.
The Dalai Lama has laid out a strategic map for this force, focusing on the good each of us can do. There are three steps: First, gain inner composure. Second, follow an inner rudder toward compassion. Third, Act now, in whatever way we can.
This October, millions the world over will mark the 500th anniversary of what came to be called the Protestant Reformation with worship, music, festivals, gatherings, conferences, books and more. This page lists many resources for the celebration of 500 years of the Reformation.
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A Friendship café will be provided at Shepparton Police Station on evening of 23 August; it will be a safe space for young women from different cultural backgrounds, especially new and emerging communities to have a cup of tea or coffee and share a friendly conversation with other women.
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In mindful eating, we deliberately direct our full awareness to that liveliness, in the form of the bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions that arise and disappear as we eat. Most important, we do this without criticism or judgement. We bring clear attention and curiosity to the colors and shapes of our food (as if appreciating a work of art), to the changing fragrances and flavors, to the textures and even the sounds of our food.
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Can a school impose a uniform policy that does not take into account a student’s religious or cultural beliefs and practices? This issue is being considered by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Sagardeep Singh Arora, on behalf of his five-year-old son Sidhak Singh Arora, is challenging Melton Christian College’s decision not to enrol his son unless he agrees not to wear his patka, a Sikh head covering.
Uncle William Cooper (1860- 1941) was an Indigenous activist and leader of his community, who also saw the injustices of the world around him, at a time when his own people were struggling for acceptance and their place in Australian society.
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Shepparton Interfaith Network is partnering with Friends of Shepparton Art Museum (Friends of SAM), the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District and Shepparton Art Museum to present an evening on Islamic Architecture and the design of the recently constructed Islamic Museum of Australia, located in Thornbury. Heart to Heart through Art will be presented at St Paul’s African House on Thursday 14 September.
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lf you read Arabic, Persian, Hindi, Gujarati, Farsi or Chinese and are looking for either adult fiction and non fiction titles – the Shepparton Library will launch a large collection of new titles on 21 August 2017: all titles will be available to borrow.
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The 2016 census shows Australians are less religious than ever before, but one religion is maintaining its popularity, Buddhism. In this article, we look to activities of Buddhists in Australia along the Eastern Seaboard Coast.
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The Ninth Dungala Kaiela Oration – Promoting Social and Economic Prosperity in the Goulburn Valley – was held at the Rumbalara Football Netball Club, Shepparton on Wednesday 5th of July 2017. Guest Speaker was Professor Marcia Langton, Associate Provost and Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor of Melbourne University.
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In his d’var Torah, Rabbi Saperstein speaks of the “subtle shifts” we see in the narration of historical events as they appear Parashat D’varim. He notes that the differences may reflect a retrospective view of past events. Should we be surprised that our ancestral stories change over time? Is it unusual that in looking back, we see the actions of God in events where we did not see God’s presence at the time those events took place?
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Every year on 18 July — the day Nelson Mandela was born — the UN asks individuals around the world to mark Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) by making a difference in their communities. Everyone has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better, and Mandela Day is an occasion for everyone to take action and inspire change.
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Today time moves fast and our humanness is under assault in many ways. The distractions of consumer society and pop culture, the compression of time, the advance of technological powers, the intensity of life requires nothing less than the development of true spiritual practice and remembrance.
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Jews, Christians & Muslims seeking interaction and dialogue with one another in a safe environment are invited to attend the JCMA Winter Conference on the theme “Faith and Society”.
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This question about Reincarnation is one of the most frequently asked of frequently asked questions: As a Buddhist, do I have to believe in something like reincarnation I have no evidence is true? But in fact, death and rebirth are happening to us all the time.
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