COLUMN A

COLUMN B

1.2.1

Following the model of the Holy Trinity, humanity should have a relationship of mutual respect and love

A

Traditional Hinduism

1.2.2

A    sacred    text    consisting    of    a collection of laws and teachings

B

Torah

1.2.3

While there are several paths to God, the proper performance of domestic and temple rituals is obligatory for all

C

Islam

1.2.4

Religious stories in which deep truths about life are revealed

D

Kitáb-i-Aqdas

1.2.5

Two religious groups parted ways because of political differences

E

Christianity

1.2.6

A holy religious occasion

F

Myth

G

Qur’an

H

Ritual

UNIQUE (AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS) RELIGIOUS RITUALS AROUND THE WORLD

Throughout the world, believers adhere to practices that strike outsiders as bizarre, but seem completely reasonable to the faithful.
The religions most familiar to Westerners – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam – have their fair share of unusual rituals, too: simulating the eating of flesh and the drinking of blood (Communion in Christianity), performing surgical procedures on infants and children (Bris, Khitān, Judaism and Christianity), and attempting to restore sight and hearing solely by touch or prayer (Faith Healing – Christianity).
Piercing your body with hooks as a sign of devotion (Hinduism), tossing a baby from the top of the tower to make him healthier (Hinduism and Islam), and having your car blessed with holy water and flowers may sound strange (and dangerous
– Buddhist priests), but who’s to say they’re any weirder than the religious rituals we’ve come to accept at home?

[Extract taken from bootsnall.com. Accessed on 05 April 2020.]

IN SOUTH AFRICA, THE WORLD’S RELIGIOUS LEADERS GATHER FOR DIALOGUE AND ACTION

Cape Town, South Africa – Without doubt, one of the highlights for religious leaders gathered here for the Parliament of the World’s Religions was a speech by a secular political leader: former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Addressing the thousands of representatives gathered from the world’s major faith groups, the 81-year-old former political prisoner said the religious institutions played a major role in bringing about the end of apartheid in South Africa.

‘Without the Church and religious institutions, I would never be here today’, said President Mandela, explaining that it was Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish religious groups that were instrumental in providing him and other young blacks with an education – and later in giving comfort to political prisoners and their families.

President Mandela went on to say that, “Religion will have a crucial role to play in guiding and inspiring humanity to meet the enormous challenges we face in the next century”.

[Extract taken from onecountry.org. Accessed on 05 April 2020.]

CHRISTIAN RESPONSE NEEDED AGAINST THREATS TO REMOVE CHRISTMAS AND GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAYS
by Adv. Nadene Badenhorst

The recent proposal by the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) to remove Good Friday and Christmas as public holidays on the SA calendar, has, triggered criticism around the country.
According to the SALRC, an advisory statutory body responsible for identifying and revising laws that are at odds with the Constitution, ‘There is an element of prejudicial treatment in that the two main Christian holidays are declared as paid public holidays and adherents of other religions who celebrate other faith-based holidays are disadvantaged in that their holidays are not declared public holidays and they do not have an automatic benefit of pay on those days.’ The SALRC accordingly suggests that either these holidays be reviewed, or that equal weight be given to holidays of other faiths.
One could only imagine the impact on our already suffering economy if, in the name of equality, we are to give a public holiday to every group in our society! It simply does not make sense for almost 80% of the (Christian) population to take a day off for a religious holiday that is observed by less than 20%.
What the SALRC seems to overlook also, is that section 2(2) of the Public Holidays Act specifically provides that ‘any public holiday shall be exchangeable for any other day which is fixed by agreement or agreed to between an employer and employee.’ In other words, the same Act that provides for two Christian public holidays on the national calendar, gives non-Christian employees the right to, instead of Good Friday Christmas, request paid leave on another day (e.g. Ramadan for Muslims, or Diwali for Hindus).
… It is hard to accept that these holidays serve to ‘deepen religious divides.’

[Extract taken from gatewaynews.co.za. Accessed on 05 April 2020.] 

DEBATES CONTINUE OVER RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

Durban – African Christian Democratic Party president Reverend Kenneth Meshoe has told Christians to reject any attempts by the government to scrap Good Friday and Christmas as public holidays on the South African calendar.
‘These are two of the holiest days for Christians. Not only that, they are two days that impact on business. There are many who may not be Christians, but ensure that they go to church on these two days.’
He said if the government moved to scrap these two public holidays, they would be showing the nation that they were not taking them into consideration.
President of the Hindu Council of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, Ashwin Trikamjee said although he was not Christian, he did not support the idea that these two holidays should be removed.

[Extract taken from iol.co.za. Accessed on 15 December 2019.] 

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is as if it were a niche containing a lamp; the lamp is [enclosed] in glass, the glass [shining] like a radiant star: [a lamp] lit from a blessed tree – an olive-tree that is neither of the east nor of the west, the oil whereof [is so bright that it] would be well-nigh give light [of itself] even though fire had not touched it: light upon light! Allah guides unto His light him that wills [to be guided]; and [to this end] Allah propounds parables unto men, since Allah [alone] has full knowledge of all things.”“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is as if it were a niche containing a lamp; the lamp is [enclosed] in glass, the glass [shining] like a radiant star: [a lamp] lit from a blessed tree – an olive-tree that is neither of the east nor of the west, the oil whereof [is so bright that it] would be well-nigh give light [of itself] even though fire had not touched it: light upon light! Allah guides unto His light him that wills [to be guided]; and [to this end] Allah propounds parables unto men, since Allah [alone] has full knowledge of all things.”

[Source: The Quran 24:35] 

SOUTH AFRICA DECLARES ‘FEMICIDE’ A NATIONAL CRISIS
by Thuso Khumalo

The South African government has declared gender-based violence a national crisis. According to a new government report, a woman is murdered every three hours in South Africa, and many are assaulted and raped before their death.
“Enough is enough. A lot has been said, but still there are no changes,” Nomakhosazana Xaba said. “It’s been years. We are brutally victimised each-and-every day, every second. Am I next? It’s fearing to live.”
The latest wave of outrage was sparked by the recent murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana. The 19-year-old University of Cape Town student was raped and killed inside a post office by an employee while she was trying to collect a parcel.
The latest crime statistics released by the Police reveal the depth of the crisis: Nearly 3,000 women were murdered between April 2018 and March this year. This translates to seven per day.
However, many of these female victims are brutally assaulted and raped before being murdered. In many cases, their bodies are disposed of in the bush or in shallow graves or burned beyond recognition.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently convened an urgent joint session of parliament to find a solution to gender-based violence.
The action plan he presented includes setting up a $68 million fund, beefing up the criminal justice system, improving the legal and policy framework around sexual offences and other forms of GBV, and empower women economically.
‘Those who are found guilty of such crimes should not be eligible for parole,’ Ramaphosa said. ‘And if sentenced to a life sentence, this must just mean what it is, life in prison.’

[Extract taken from www.voanews.com˃africa. Accessed on 08 January 2020.] 

PROTESTERS OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT DEMAND ACTION ON FEMICIDE, NOT JUST WORDS

Ongoing protests against femicide and gender-based violence have forced President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government to relook laws on how convicted abusers, rapists, and murderers should be punished.
Outside parliament, in Cape Town, where hundreds of protesters gathered to demand action against gender-based violence, the call for harsher punishment for perpetrators and more action from the government reached a crescendo.
This comes after a week of protest, pickets, and social media campaigns following the arrest of a 42-year-old man for the rape and murder of UCT first-year student Uyinene Mrwetyana.

[Extract taken from mg.co.za. Accessed on 21 November 2019.] 

16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM FOR NO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN

It is a worldwide campaign to oppose violence against women and children. Its aim is to raise awareness of the NEGATIVE impact that violence and abuse have on women and children and to rid society of abuse permanently.
The 16 Days of Activism Campaign is held from 25 November to
10 December every year. However, the success of the campaign rests on our daily individual and collective actions to safeguard our society against this cycle of abuse.
Gender-based violence stems from the low status of women in the home and society. It happens when men abuse POWER and positions of authority to CONTROL women and children.
The vision of Parliament confirms Parliament as the institution that transforms the entire society to be based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights, which include women’s and children’s rights. With regards to this, Parliament has already made strides in passing legislation aimed at ending this scourge in society.

[Extract taken from www.parliament.gov.za. Accessed on 15 December 2019.]