The worst countries to be religious

[WisdomBeing]

You know, whatever we complain about in our various countries, and i speak from the generally perceived as free world, thank goodness we have freedom of religion! This list is from 2012 though.. i wonder if religious freedom has gotten more restrictive in 2014.

The worst countries to be religious
http://www.sentinelsource.com/cnn/world/the-worst-countries-to-be-religious/article_92da5555-5eda-5041-b5b7-062deeba183b.html

Posted: Saturday, May 17, 2014 8:00 am
By Daniel Burke CNN News Service

Since 1999, the U.S. State Department has kept a list of the world’s worst abusers of religious freedom.
As the most recent report notes, it has never lacked for material, as persecutions of people of faith continue to rise around the globe.

Among the most worrying trends, according to the State Department, are “authoritarian governments that restrict their citizens’ ability to practice their religion.”

In typically bland bureaucratic language, the State Department calls these “countries of particular concern.”
But the designation can come with some teeth. Sudan, for example, where a Christian woman was sentenced to death this week for leaving Islam, is ineligible for some types of foreign aid.

Here are the State Department’s other “countries of particular concern” for 2012: in other words, the worst places to be religious.

Burma: The Burmese government puts a stranglehold on every religion except Theravada Buddhism, says the State Department.

Some government officials even enticed non-Buddhists to convert, and Muslims in the state of Rakhine, particularly Rohingya Muslims, are subject to discrimination and lethal violence, according to the State Department.

China: “The government harassed, detained, arrested, or sentenced to prison a number of religious adherents for activities reportedly related to their religious beliefs and practice,” the State Department says.

That includes jailing Uyghur Muslims, one of whom was sentenced to 10 years in jail for “selling illegal religious material,” and Catholic clergy who were arrested for not belonging to the state-run Catholic Patriotic Association.
That pales compared with the persecution of Tibetan Buddhists, according to the State Department, who suffered through “an intense official crackdowns at monasteries and nunneries resulting in the loss of life, arbitrary detentions, and torture.”

Eritrea: Just four religious groups are officially allowed to openly practice their faith in this African nation; the rest are out of luck, subject to jailing or worse.

So if you’re not an Eritrean Orthodox Christian, a Sunni Muslim, a Roman Catholic or an Evangelical Lutheran, life could be tough for you here. Harsh detentions for religious dissenters are the norm, according to the State Department.

Iran: This Muslim-majority country’s respect for religious rights has actually declined in recent years, according to the State Department.

“There were increased reports that the government charged religious and ethnic minorities with moharebeh (enmity against God), ‘anti-Islamic propaganda,’ or vague national security crimes for their religious activities,” says the department’s report.

Specifically, the government has imprisoned numerous members of the Baha’i faith and Saeed Abedini, an Iranian-American pastor who has been physically and psychologically abused, according to the State Department.

North Korea: Human rights groups provided numerous reports that members of underground churches were arrested, beaten, tortured or killed because of their religious beliefs, the State Department says.
The authoritarian nation has jailed as many as 200,000 political prisoners, according to the State Department, many on religious grounds. The country discourages any religious activity not sanctioned by officially recognized groups.

Saudi Arabia: The oil-rich monarchy doesn’t even pretend to respect religious rights for any faith other than Islam.
Sunni Islam is the official religion, and the country’s constitution is based on the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. The public practice of any other religion is prohibited, according to the State Department, and Arabian authorities beheaded a man in 2012 for engaging in “sorcery.”

Sudan: This country has been on the State Department’s list since its inception in 1999.

Sudan penalizes blasphemy and conversion from Islam, sentencing a Christian woman to death this week. It has also arrested and deported Western Christians suspected of spreading their faith.

The country’s “morality police” require strict obedience to its interpretation of Islamic law, beating and stoning women accused of acting “indecently.”

Uzbekistan: Technically, this country’s laws respect religious rights. But in practice, the Central Asian nation maintains strict control of its majority-Muslim population, according to the State Department.

“The government continued to imprison individuals based on charges of extremism; raid religious and social gatherings of unregistered and registered religious communities; confiscate and destroy religious literature, including holy books; and discourage minors from practicing their faith,” the department said in its 2012 report.
People jailed on charges of “religious extremism” have been beaten, tortured and even killed, according to the State Department.

[icy]

You know what?  The survey should have included the Tibetan Government in Exile as one of the worst to be religious considering they ban a mainstream practice of the protector Dorje Shugden and wanting to destroy it by rewriting the history of a pure lineage.  I suppose the CTA are not included in the count as they are stateless.  Nevertheless, the count should not be excluded as the protector practice forms an integral practice of Tibetan Buddhism globally. 

[Big Uncle]

Burma: The Burmese government puts a stranglehold on every religion except Theravada Buddhism, says the State Department.

Some government officials even enticed non-Buddhists to convert, and Muslims in the state of Rakhine, particularly Rohingya Muslims, are subject to discrimination and lethal violence, according to the State Department.

I feel embarrassed as a Buddhist to see a Buddhist country act in such a manner. No wonder the earthquakes are destroying ancient temples and holy Buddhist statues. By the power of the imbued blessings, the damaged done on these reflect the state of the nation's Buddhist practice. It is very obvious to me and I hope the holy Sangha realize this as well and someone put a stop to the persecution. Buddha's way is a path of peace and not a path of violence.

[fruven]

I wholeheartedly agreed. To oppress others and furthermore restricting religious is totally non-Buddhist. Calling one Buddhist is just hiding behind something good to justify harming others. This the worst kind of karma. The path of harm and violence will not yield peace and harmony. Sorry to say this is a fact. Nothing good will come out from continuing penalize people from having religious freedom.

[Klein]

Burma: The Burmese government puts a stranglehold on every religion except Theravada Buddhism, says the State Department.

Some government officials even enticed non-Buddhists to convert, and Muslims in the state of Rakhine, particularly Rohingya Muslims, are subject to discrimination and lethal violence, according to the State Department.

I feel embarrassed as a Buddhist to see a Buddhist country act in such a manner. No wonder the earthquakes are destroying ancient temples and holy Buddhist statues. By the power of the imbued blessings, the damaged done on these reflect the state of the nation's Buddhist practice. It is very obvious to me and I hope the holy Sangha realize this as well and someone put a stop to the persecution. Buddha's way is a path of peace and not a path of violence.

I think none of us are attained enough to conclude that the earthquake was a result of this. Whatever it is, Buddhists always practise loving kindness and compassion. I agree with Big Uncle that it is not right to stop others from their own faith. This is totally against Buddha's teachings and is driven by personal agendas.

I am surprised that the senior holy monks in Burma do not say something to stop this kind of inhumane activities. Or is it because the ruling political party does not even consider the holy monks' advice?

[cookie]

No country or government or anyone for that matter should restrict any other person from practicing any religion that develop good virtues and benefits to others. If the teachings (no matter what religion) teaches one to be a better person and not to harm others, why stop or restrict that religion. There are many other things in the name of development or progress, that we have introduced to the world , which are more harmful  e.g weapons .
Unfair or simply baseless restrictions or bans of these sort are used mainly to give a handful of people power to control others; totally  selfish reason to hold on to that power. It is the attachment to the worldly concerns of power,fame,gain and pleasure that results in people taking advantage or destroying others in such a manner. With the motivation to reduce or eliminate such deluded minds, we really ought to work harder in our practice to generate boddhicitta and achieve enlightment to be of benefit to others. Dorje Shugden practice is the most suitable for this degenerate era of the Kali Yuga. Those who have this precious teaching must work very hard on these teachings to transform their minds to benefit others.

[buddhalovely]

This goes back to the debatable statement of 'Religion causes conflict'. Religion was not meant to be intersected with politics and ruling. It is a basis of strategic regulations to living a selfless and bountiful life that entails meaning, not exclusion or destruction by self-proclaimed power. It is usually the person in charge ie. 'the man', to be blamed, and the government. Silly how the minority can rule over the majority, believing that they are the only people that can develop 'structure'. But people fail to realize, if power was taken away, it would just be a group of people legalizing their decisions, as if only their voices matter and as if it could be generalized to the population's decisions. Where's the human rights? What about 'the nation deserves to speak'?

[WisdomBeing]

Religion is meant to help people be at peace and find happiness yet the biggest wars in history were caused by differences of religion. The biggest wars today are caused by religion. isn't it ironic. People use religion to control people, as part of a political strategy when it should be its opposite. If only people can practice the correct tenets of each religion, we would have peace in the world today.

[bambi]

I support what you said wisdombeing. So true... People use religion to control people.. How silly is that?
And to make things worse, they use religion to be cause of war! People should never be forced into religion. There goes religious freedom! Just like how HHDL ban DS and use it to 'control' His people and in return force other people to follow. No way! You may silence me but you will never stop me from my practice no matter what happens.

[Matibhadra]

The article quoted in the original post just offers a list of countries not serving US interests, or not open to US neocolonialism. It has nothing to do with ”lack of religious freedom”, which is just another pretext to justify ongoing US interventionism, wars, and domination. It is a shame that some Buddhists allow themselves to be so naively deceived by such a primitive anti-humanity hatred and war propaganda.

The only exception on the list is Saudi Arabia, which is both a US strategic ally and the worst violator of religious freedom worldwide -- and also the financial supporter of Muslim extremists and terrorists acting in China, Myanmar (disrespectfully called ”Burma” by Western hatred propaganda media), Sri Lanka, etc., and hell bent on imposing their sharia law on everyone, beheading those not converting to Islam, etc.

Now, instead of falling prey to dirty Western hatred propaganda tricks, we Buddhists would better look at the dire situation of our fellow Buddhists in countries such as India, where just a few days ago a Buddhist Dalit leader was gruesomely burnt alive by some ”high-caste” thugs because of his Buddhist activities, with the full protection of the Indian authorities.

There is even a video where the dying Buddhist leader identifies the perpetrators. If you cannot do anything else, please at least sign the petition (please see link at the bottom).

At 2:30 am on 17th May six people from a ‘higher caste’ tried to kill my father, Sanjay Khobragade, a Dalit rights activist. They set him on fire. With over 94% burns on his body, my father passed away while at the Civil Hospital in Nagpur, Maharashtra on 23rd May. Today, the six accused individuals are free and my mother Devakabai is in custody. She is being framed for burning my father with the help of Mr. Raju Gadpayle, our neighbour. The police have accused my mother of being in a relationship with Mr. Gadpayle, but this is not true. Not one person in our entire Dalit hamlet believes this theory; we all know that by killing my father, the ‘higher-caste’ community wanted to set an example that Dalits should not speak up.

The story about my mother and Raju has been made up to protect the six accused who have powerful political connections with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. From his hospital bed my father identified Madhuri Tembre-Village head; Krushipal Tembre- Block Level General Secretary-BJP; Prakas Rahangdale; Bhaulal Harinkhede; Punaji Thakre and Hemant Thakhare a.k.a Tanu Thakre as the perpetrators.

The police never came when we called them on 17th morning. It was only on 18th May that they registered a case of attempted murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and the six accused were put in custody. Legally, the case should have been registered under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. They were kept under judicial custody and were let-out the next day. The bail was granted to them only on 27th May.

Meanwhile, my mother and I were picked up by the police from the Nagpur Civil Hospital on 19th May. On the way to the police station the male officers slapped and verbally abused my mother in front of me. They had no concrete evidence to link her to the crime. Raju Gadpayle was picked up from his house that evening without even being given a reason. In a case like this it is mandatory to have an inquest report and formally document the case; this wasn’t done either. My mother and Raju are still being kept in police custody, in the same lock up. They have testified in court saying they have been tortured. The police are forcing them to admit that they killed my father!

It is evident that the police and District level administration are all conspiring to cover up this case of Dalit atrocity. They want to keep us quiet and have therefore constructed it into a case of domestic dispute. I write to you today to help bring justice to my family and ensure that my mother is not forced to take the blame for this heinous crime.

The six people from the ‘higher’ Powar Caste murdered my father because of a community dispute that has been going on for three years. He had been leading the demand of the Dalit residents of our village Kavalewada, Maharashtra to build a Buddhist community center for Dalits. The land in question is a place where we have celebrated the rituals of our community for years. The ‘higher caste’ community does not want this and instead wants to build its own temple there. For three years now, we have been insulted and abused by the ‘higher-caste’ people over this issue. They even burnt down my father’s tea stall last year. We are still fighting that case.

The events of 17th morning were planned because the Powar Community had heard that the impending ‘No Objection Certificate’ to build the community center was going to come through in favour of us Dalits. When Madhuri Tembre and others came to our house in the wee hours of 17th May, they doused my father with petrol, as he slept. He awoke when he felt the petrol on his body; he saw all six clearly as they set him on fire. He was later able to name them to the police and to his friends and family.

I want to ask this: Why has the police not taken cognizance of my father’s report and filed it under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act? Why are my mother and Raju being framed instead of action being taken against the six accused, eventhough my father has named them in a testimony on video? Does being Dalit mean that my family deserves no justice?

We have all just elected a new government on the promise that it will bring development to our country. As a nation, we cannot develop until caste atrocities like this continue and until law enforcers continue to protect the powerful. I ask all of you to join me and my mother in ensuring that this case is not covered up. By signing this petition you are not just standing behind the Khobragade family but also raising your voice against all caste-based atrocities. You will be paving the way to make sure that atrocities against Dalits are treated seriously for the crimes against human rights that they are.

I ask the District Collector, of Gondia Amit Saini and Superintendent of Police Deelip Sedke to:

1. File this case under the Schedule Caste/Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989

2. Immediately release my mother, Devakabai and Raju Gadpayle

3. Take cognizance of my father's dying declaration on video where he names the six accused and do a fair and just investigation of the case

4. Make this investigation report public

https://www.change.org/en-IN/petitions/my-mother-didn-t-kill-my-father-dc-amit-saini-investigate-the-murder-of-dalit-rights-activist-sanjay-khobragade?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=72105&alert_id=YnuWIuwntZ_j%2F9jt2ES4x8KXn%2BxjyNnmMO%2Ff1Db0V7LnIrrJaUNwMBGQ3EnR%2FFzqD7Ni3b9X4Qd

[angelica]

All countries should practice freedom of religions. Religions supposed to guide us to become someone better, give us a peace of mind and help us to deal with our daily life.

By controlling and convert one religion will not help. The stronger the restriction, the more one would like to practice and do it. Cos many people will have the feeling that things that you have not own is the best. It also make them more curious to find out and to want it more. Even the government can impose rules to force all to convert to the same religion, but this is only manage to do it on the surface, deep in their heart, they might not give in to it.

[kris]

I agree with @icy that they should include Tibetans in Exile... but then again, CTA is not a country. I think for Tibet, it is just no freedom. period. CTA controls their citizens by keeping them ignorant so that they can be easily manipulated. This is indeed a very sad news, because CTA is willing to sacrifice the nation advancement for their own advantage

I always felt the government should encourage their people to be spiritual and kind to others. Any religious who teach kindness to others should be promoted. (Religious which asked you to bomb others should not be encouraged at all).

[Matibhadra]

Considering that the boring list quoted in the original post mainly contemplates the usual targets of US war and hate propaganda, such as Myanmar (which they disrespectfully call by its colonial name of ”Burma”), China, Iran, North Korea, and Sudan, and for the sake of diversity, why not to add the closest friend and accomplice of US terrorist machine?

Israeli vandals hit mosque, church in occupied lands

Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:0PM GMT

The first attack took place on Tuesday in the town of Fureidis, in the northern part of the occupied territories, when the vandals sprayed slogans on the mosque’s walls reading that they must be closed.

The tires of several nearby vehicles had been also cut.

In another attack, Israeli assailants vandalized a church on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. According to the church officials, the extremists damaged crosses there and attacked clergy.

The incidents are described as the so-called “price-tag” attacks.

Israeli extremists say the “price-tag” attacks are carried out against any Israeli policy to reduce the presence of settlers and settlements on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in northern occupied territories, an Israeli man was arrested on charges of threatening Roman Catholic Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo of Nazareth, and members of his faith.

In a letter, the suspect said all Christians, “except Protestants and Anglicans,” must leave by May 5 and that if Marcuzzo and his community do not obey, they would all be “killed by the heavens.”

The local Catholic Church issued a statement in reaction to the acts of vandalism, saying, “There is a grave and increasing frequency of what are called 'price tag' attacks, which, in the absence of any real response, are becoming a dangerous phenomenon, threatening one and all.”

The Church also called for “a thorough and serious investigation of those who incite, on an almost daily basis, against those who differ from them in opinion or belief.”

http://presstv.com/detail/2014/04/29/360632/israeli-vandals-attack-mosque-church/

[rossoneri]

Thank you for sharing. Very fortunate not be born in those mentioned country whereby you do not have the freedom to even practice what you think is right for you. It shows how our world is degenerating. Especially in Burma whereby it enticing non-Buddhist to convert, this is very un-Buddhist. And it is definitely sending a wrong message to the world.

[Q]

There's a country named Eritrea?? RISK must have missed it out.

The Burma report may be a little misconstrued... yes there is violence between the Muslims and Islam in the country, but there is more to it than just fight between two religious groups. It's complicated... just like the DS issue, it's complicated to the point that reporters don't really understand the real problem behind it. Why do you think it's so difficult to catch the DL with the DS ban? Because there is not clear cut rule that we can point at except for good argument, and when it comes to that level, whoever debates and talks the best, wins.

Well, the list is just a list... of course these are the worst where death and injury can occur just for practicing a different faith, but there is no ideal country where practicing one's religion is totally free unless people themselves change.