Buddhists in Tibet continue to clash with the Chinese government. Muslims in the United States consider how far they should or shouldn't assimilate. And a look at the significance of the Judaic new year, also known as Rosh Hashanah. It's Faithful Friday, our weekly look at faiths and religions from all around the world. All that and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

In recent years, concerned with its public appearance, China has been granting more leniency to members of religious communities in the country. However, such leniency is frequently short-leashed, as Buddhists in Tibet are well aware. The Japan Times takes a look at the ongoing tension between Tibetan Buddhists and their Chinese overseers.

Headlines were made recently when a hijab-clad Muslim woman, Noor Tagouri, agreed to do a feature for Playboy, a magazine formerly (but recently) known for its lewd content. Many Muslims were displeased, but others were quick to defend Noor Tagouri. At Patheos, Muslim blogger Dilshad Ali addresses some of the more shameful and repulsive comments from members of her community and why it's important for Muslims—and members of all faiths—to oppose cyberbullying.

Meanwhile, many American Muslims are wondering how much they should try to blend in with their non-Muslim neighbors. Historically, the norm has been to try and assimilate in order to avoid persecution. But as the African American community has learned, "respectability politics" doesn't always prevent racism and sometimes actually reinforces it. Nafisa Eltahir writes more on the subject at The Atlantic.

The predominant religion in Thailand is Buddhism, not Hinduism, but that doesn't mean the latter doesn't have an influence on Thai culture. After all, Buddhism and Hinduism share some common roots (much like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). The Phuket News takes a look at the Saman Rattanaram Temple in Thailand, which showcases some of the particular ways Hinduism has influenced the country.

A few days ago, Jews celebrated their annual New Year's festival, known as Rosh Hashanah. Although the day's now passed it's not too late to familiarize yourselves with the traditions it entails. The Huffington Post provides a rundown of the holiday here.

Top image by Ibrahim Husain Meraj