Religious Place Names

Ibadan, Nigeria: From the Arabic word “ibada,” meaning “divine service.”

Menehune Ditch, Hawaii, USA: The menehune are little fairy-like supernatural people from Hawaiian mythology.

Islamabad, Pakistan: Islam is the Arabic word for “submission (to God).”

Saint-Isidore, Quebec, Canada: From “Isis,” the Greek form of the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess (probably “Aset” in ancient Egyptian), plus the Greek word “doron,” meaning “gift.”

Guwahati, India:  This city has had several names over its history, including Durjaya (Sanskrit = “impregnable”), and Pragyostishpur, from “pragyotish,” the Sanskrit word for “astrology.” The modern name of Guwahati is more mundane.  It comes from two Assamese words; “guwa” (“azeca nut”) and “haat” (“marketplace”).

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Tertius: (fl. 1^st century AD/CE) Tertius was the scribe used by Paul to write down his letter to the Romans.  Romans 16:22 was personally written by Tertius.

Ruvim I: Ruvim served as the Metropolitan of Montenegro from 1561 to 1569.

Sitting Bull: (b. ca 1831, Dakota Territory, USA – d. 1890; aka: Jumping Badger)  A Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux holy man and tribal cjief.  He was the main war leader at The battle of the Little Bighorn against the United States Army.  Late in his life, Sitting Bull was a convert to Roman Catholicism.

Sarah M. Brownson (b. 1839, Massachusetts, USA – d. 1876) Roman Catholic writer, literary critic.

Shahbaz Bhatti: (b. 1968, Pakistan – martyred 2011)  Pakistani politician. Roman Catholic.  He was assassinated by a Muslim who objected to his criticism of Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy laws.

He burned a Quran and twelve died.

In response to plans to build a mosque two blocks from the site of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack on New York City, Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, set off an international incident when he declared "International Burn a Koran Day" for September 11, 2011.  He planned to burn multiple copies of the Quran.  Christian church leaders quickly called on him not to do this, followed by calls from political leaders from around the world.  Jones said he might not burn the Qurans if U.S. President called him.

After traveling to New York and speaking with President Obama, Jones said "there's no longer a need to actually set fire to anything."  He declared that his church would not burn the books, "Not today, not ever."

On 20 March 2011, Jones and another pastor put the Quran on trial (International Judge the Quran Day) and burned it in front of thirty people in Gainesville.  He denied breaking his earlier pledge, saying the the pledge was about International Burn a Koran Day.

On 1 April 2011, Islamic protesters in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan attacked a United nations office. Three foreign United Nations workers, five Nepalese United Nations guards, and four of the protesters died.  Two of those killed were beheaded.  Eight-one other persons were injured in the attack.

The Quran burning was also cited as the cause of an attack at a Catholic Church in Pakistan in March, 2011.

A Pakistani Islamic court has declared a fatwa against Pastor Jones, offering $2,200,000 for his head for desecrating the Quran.

Many are blaming Pastor Jones for the violence, injuries, and deaths and he bears a large part of the blame.  The response to his action seems irrational and disproportionate to many.   U.S. President Barack OBama responded to the incident:

"The desecration of any holy text, including the Koran, is an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry.  However, to attack and kill innocent people in response is outrageous, and an affront to human decency and dignity. No religion tolerates the slaughter and beheading of innocent people, and there is no justification for such a dishonorable and deplorable act.”

The entire incident could have been avoided if Pastor Jones had iust read and obeyed Romans 12:18.

"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

News: Religious Intimidation in Pakistan

The radical group, Ideological Supremacy to Uphold Islam in the World, has been linked by police to a bombing in Kas, Pakistan. The bombing on 23 November was aimed at a video/CD shop which sold Urdu and Pashto language Islamic and Christian religious films including the Jesus Film. The shop's owner, Muhammad Taos Khan, was warned that he was "disseminating vulgarity." Well, at least we know where we stand with radical Muslims.