Johannesburg, Aug 30 (ANI): Married Hindu nurses at Durban's Addington hospital would soon be allowed to use 'bindis' on their forehead.

Peggy Nkonyeni, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for health, said that Hindu nurses at the Addington hospital should be allowed to use the symbolic red dots after the hospital in a revised dress code had prohibited married Hindu nurses from wearing their traditional red 'dot', cultural strings, nose rings and studs.

According to News 24, Nkonyeni was quoted as saying that the government shall respect and protect religious and customary rights at all times, and that she respected the 'dot' as it symbolised the marital status of a Hindu woman.

The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for health said that it was a serious concern that the management was tolerant of cosmetic powder on the whole face, but intolerant when other women exercised their customary and religious rights by placing a powdered dot on their forehead.

"The revised dress code is an internal matter and the department was not consulted when this dress code was developed," said Nkonyeni, and added, "As a government institution we cannot be seen to be infringing on constitutional rights of individuals, especially the staff".

Nkonyeni said, "Just as we respect the right of married women to wear their wedding rings, we also believe that similar treatment and respect must be accorded to Hindu women wearing their dots."

Meanwhile, the department has instructed the hospital management to discuss the issue with the affected staff members and find a solution. (ANI)

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (0)

London, Aug. 30 (ANI): The Vatican has said that "Christianophobia" must be fought with the same determination as anti-Semitism or Islamophobia.

The Mirror quoted Vatican Foreign Minister Archbishop Dominique Mamberti as saying that the deaths of 13 people in Orissa, India, there is a need for promoting religious freedom as a vital part of international relations and human dignity.

"In order to promote this dignity in an integral way, so-called 'Christianophobia' should be combated as decisively as 'Islamophobia' and anti-Semitism," he said.

His comments came as thousands of people, most of them Christians, sought shelter in makeshift government camps, driven from their homes by religious violence. It was alleged that Hindu mobs burnt over a dozen churches and attacked Christians after a Hindu leader was killed.

Mamberti said the events in India made the issue of religious liberty today all the more pressing.

While Hindu groups accuse Christian priests of bribing poor tribes and low-caste Hindus to change their faith, the Christians say lower-caste Hindus convert willingly to escape a complex caste system.

Pope Benedict has also condemned the violence against Christians in Orissa and deplored the killing of the Hindu leader.

Italy's foreign ministry said it would summon India's ambassador to demand "incisive action" to prevent further attacks against Christians. (ANI)

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (0)

New Delhi, August 30 (ANI): Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari on Saturday said books play a very important role in our lives. They enlighten, motivate and educate people.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the "Delhi Book Fair' 2008" at the Pragati Maidan here.

Many publishers are participating in the weeklong book fair.

Ansari said that the books and literature of good quality should be promoted, and people, especially children, should be encouraged to read such books for overall development.

He said book fairs provide easy access to a variety of books and publications. (ANI)

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (0)

Melbourne, Aug 30 (ANI): A website with a name like Puresextucson.com is advertising classes about sex, but in a 'Godly way'.

Created by a Tucson Baptist pastor, the site claims "God wants you to have great sex."

Pastor Jeremiah McDuffie of The Element Community Church said the Web site is tied in to a series of sermons he plans to deliver on consecutive Sundays starting Sept. 7 on the issue of sex.

Ultimately, he hopes to open up dialogue on a subject he says is too often regarded as taboo in houses of worship. Yet it's also at the root of so many issues he hears about from worshippers and others who seek him out for pastoral counselling, he said.

"Sex wasn't invented in a dark alley behind a porn shop. It's part of God's design," The Daily Telegraph quoted McDuffie's website, as stating.

McDuffie admitted that mailers sent to 35,000 Tucson homes to promote the sermons have generated some complaints.

"The negative calls we've had were basically from people saying this was a subject we shouldn't be dealing with in church, that it's inappropriate,'' said McDuffie, who confesses he was once a porn addict.

McDuffie said that he hopes the sermons will help open an honest dialogue on a subject that is often considered taboo in houses of worship. (ANI)

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (0)