Saturday, December 3, 2022

This Week in Religion - Use of Swastika among Asian faith groups sparks clashes

Lead story

Sheetal Deo and her husband, Sanmeet Deo, hold a Hindu swastika symbol in their home in Syosset, New York.

Editor's note:

In the West, seeing a swastika often evokes the horrors of Nazi Germany during World War II and continues to stoke fear and hate today. But that association is not universal. The equilateral cross with its legs bent at right angles is a millennia-old sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism that represents peace and good fortune. Some in the U.S. are trying to save the swastika from Hitler’s corruption while others say it is beyond redemption. Reporter Deepa Bharath on The Associated Press’ Global Religion Team tackled this sensitive debate in her latest in-depth piece. She spoke to an array of experts and those with personal experiences, like a Hindu family that was asked to remove their Diwali swastika decoration from their home, a Holocaust survivor’s response to learning about the symbol’s sacred history and Jewish leaders wary of its legacy and the trauma it can continue to cause.

A portrait of Holly Meyer, Religion News Editor at The Associated Press.
 

Religion News

What does healing look like to survivors of the US Indian boarding school system?

‘A big aspect of the healing is going to be a sincere, heartfelt apology by the different denominations that participated,’ said one survivor. By Emily McFarlan Miller/Religion News Service

Prayers go on, sometimes out of sight, in prep football

The Supreme Court decision prompted speculation that prayer would become an even bigger part of the game-day fabric, though that hasn’t seemed to be the case. By Larry Lage/The Associated Press

Rabbi Eli Chitrik’s phone buzzes. A woman is about to show up to pick up her two sandwiches made in a kosher kitchen set up for Jewish World Cup fans.  By Mariam Fam/The Associated Press

A biography of Ruth Bell Graham explores an icon of evangelical womanhood 

Graham opposed the women’s rights movements even as she benefited from some of its gains by becoming a public figure sought after as a speaker and writer in her own right. By Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service

A tribes woman prays during a sit-in demonstration rally to demand of recognizing Sarna Dharma as a religion in Ranchi, capital of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, Oct. 18, 2022.

Clinging to ancient faith, India tribes seek religion status

The government does not legally acknowledge their faith — a fact that is increasingly becoming a rallying point for change. By Sheikh Saaliq/The Associated Press

 

Commentary and Analysis

Each time I wear it to mourn someone I’ve loved, my dress becomes more steeped in love and history. By Jana Riess/Religion News Service

Combatting antisemitism isn't just about 'calling it out' – it's about helping people understand what antisemitism is in the first place. By Dov Waxman for The Conversation

Catholics disagree over how to adapt the church's doctrine and practices, especially marriage, to different cultures. By Joanne M. Pierce for The Conversation

Chaplains have always provided spiritual care outside traditional houses of worship, but their significance is growing as Americans' religious identities change. By Wendy Cadge for The Conversation

 
Cardinal Joseph Zen speaks to members of the media. He is wearing a mask. There are several microphones in front of him.

Cardinal Joseph Zen, left, speaks to members of the media at the West Kowloon Magistrates's Courts after the verdict session in Hong Kong, Friday Nov. 25, 2022. The 90-year-old Catholic cardinal and five others in Hong Kong were fined after being found guilty Friday of failing to register a now-defunct fund that aimed to help people arrested in the widespread protests three years ago. (AP Photo/Anthony Kwan)

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  • This Week in Religion is a publication of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a collaboration among the Religion News Service, The Associated Press and The Conversation U.S.
  • The three news organizations work to improve general understanding and analyze the significance of developments in the world of faith.
 
 

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