Fridae

Openly lesbian Muslim activist and author Irshad Manji spoke about her faith after she had one event at a university in Yogyakarta cancelled, and another in Jakarta stopped midway where she had to leave under heavy police escort as religious extremists violently protested the event. 

Abdul Rohman, a faculty member at Indonesian Islamic University, writes in The Jakarta Post that it is imperative to foster dialogue between religious groups and gay communities, and for religious groups to reach out to them and learn how to synchronise their situation with Islam.

The Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) and Buddhist Research Society of Malaysia (BRSM) will hold a seminar titled "Homosexuality: The Controversy in the Midst of Morality and Social Value" on Aug 19 in Kuala Lumpur.

Thousands of protesters ranging from humanists/atheists to gay rights campaigners, sexual health campaigners and women rights campaigners gathered in London on Saturday against Pope Benedict XVI's 4-day visit.

Not content to promote gay hate in Africa, the archbishop of Uganda – at the African Anglican Church conference which included participation from the Archbishop of Singapore and the breakaway Anglican Church in North America – has urged hundreds of African bishops to re-evangelise to "ailing" churches in the US.

Fridae.com's Hong Kong correspondent, Nigel Collett, meets the Reverend Steve Parelli and his partner José Ortiz, of the US NGO Other Sheep, to find out.

In conjunction with international Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), representatives from various religious groups in Hong Kong are coming together to urge putting aside differences among religions on the basis of tolerance and compassion for reconciliation between religion and sexual minorities. Members of the public can attend.

Following the Aware saga in which homosexuality, religious and other issues were fierily debated on the media and on online forums, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister warns Singaporeans against mixing religion with politics.

In a grand stroke of irony, hundreds of "conservative" Anglicans opposed to ordaining openly gay clergy and who are meeting in Jerusalem this week will be in town as the city celebrates gay pride on Thursday, June 26.