Slavery – what a lot of fuss about nothing
Moral relativism should not guide our foreign policy
Times Comment
David Aaronovitch
February 27 2007
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Philosophy of Religion
If anyone fancies a bit of intellectual exercise, see if you can do a Dawkins and show what is wrong with the pro-God arguments presented here:
BBC Radio 4
Today Program
27/02/07
0844 The University and Colleges Christian Fellowship is putting on a series of lectures and debates about God.
Listen | Permalink
BBC Radio 4
Today Program
27/02/07
0844 The University and Colleges Christian Fellowship is putting on a series of lectures and debates about God.
Listen | Permalink
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Jewish blood libel back in the news
It's not often I'm rendered speechless. But the idea that a Jew could raise the medieval blood libel at a time of rising anti-semitism, using confessions extracted in medieval prisons as evidence...
Professor outrages Jews with book claim
Telegraph
08/02/2007
A Jewish academic has shocked Italy by stating that Jews murdered Christians during the Middle Ages so that their blood could be used in ritualistic ceremonies. The details were revealed in yesterday's Corriere Della Sera newspaper which published extracts of the book by Professor Ariel Toaff, Easter of Blood. European Jews and ritual homicides. Last night his claims were denied by leading Jewish figures including his father Elio, once chief rabbi of Rome.
In the book, Prof Toaff describes the multilation and crucification of a two-year-old boy to recreate Christ's execution at Pesach, the Jewish Easter. The festival marks the fleeing of the Jews from Egypt and Prof Toaff says Christian blood was used for "magic and therapeutic practices."In some cases the blood was mixed with dough to make the azzimo, unleavened bread, eaten at Pesach. He says the acts took place in northern Italy, around the city of Trento in German-speaking areas that border modern-day Austria.
Prof Toaff bases his book on confessions he says came from Jews captured and put on trial for the practice, which took place from 1100 and 1500. He writes that several confessed to the crucifixion of Christian children and that they were executed.
However, the claims were condemned by Jewish leaders in Rome. Their declaration read: "There has never existed in the Jewish tradition any ritual involving human blood. It is improper to use the declarations extracted under torture hundreds of years ago to construct theories as original as they are aberrant."The only blood split in these stories was that of many innocent Jews killed for unjust accusations."
However, Prof Toaff, who teaches at the Bar Illan University near Tel Aviv, responded: "This declaration is a disgrace, before judging they should have read my book and then saved themselves the bother."
Professor outrages Jews with book claim
Telegraph
08/02/2007
A Jewish academic has shocked Italy by stating that Jews murdered Christians during the Middle Ages so that their blood could be used in ritualistic ceremonies. The details were revealed in yesterday's Corriere Della Sera newspaper which published extracts of the book by Professor Ariel Toaff, Easter of Blood. European Jews and ritual homicides. Last night his claims were denied by leading Jewish figures including his father Elio, once chief rabbi of Rome.
In the book, Prof Toaff describes the multilation and crucification of a two-year-old boy to recreate Christ's execution at Pesach, the Jewish Easter. The festival marks the fleeing of the Jews from Egypt and Prof Toaff says Christian blood was used for "magic and therapeutic practices."In some cases the blood was mixed with dough to make the azzimo, unleavened bread, eaten at Pesach. He says the acts took place in northern Italy, around the city of Trento in German-speaking areas that border modern-day Austria.
Prof Toaff bases his book on confessions he says came from Jews captured and put on trial for the practice, which took place from 1100 and 1500. He writes that several confessed to the crucifixion of Christian children and that they were executed.
However, the claims were condemned by Jewish leaders in Rome. Their declaration read: "There has never existed in the Jewish tradition any ritual involving human blood. It is improper to use the declarations extracted under torture hundreds of years ago to construct theories as original as they are aberrant."The only blood split in these stories was that of many innocent Jews killed for unjust accusations."
However, Prof Toaff, who teaches at the Bar Illan University near Tel Aviv, responded: "This declaration is a disgrace, before judging they should have read my book and then saved themselves the bother."
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Dispatches - Undercover Mosque
There was a brilliant bit of investigative reporting on Channel 4 a couple of weeks ago, Dispatches - Undercover Mosque.
The truly astonishing thing is the lack of reaction there has been since the broadcast. It is sensational material - I cannot recommend a viewing highly enough - and yet, nothing in the papers, nothing in the news, no comments from MP's. Nowt.
--------------------
You Tube - Undercover Mosque
--------------------
Documentary Exposes Radical Muslim Rhetoric
Interview with Daniel Pipes
Fox News: Hannity & Colmes
February 1, 2007
--------------------
Dispatches - Undercover Mosque
Channel 4
Broadcast: Monday 15 January
A Dispatches reporter attends mosques run by organisations whose public faces are presented as moderate and finds preachers condemning integration into British society, condemning democracy and praising the Taliban for killing British soldiers.
Prime Minister Tony Blair recently described tolerance as 'what makes Britain Britain' but in this extensive investigation Dispatches reveals how a message of hatred and segregation is being spread throughout the UK and examines how it is influenced by the religious establishment of Saudi Arabia.
Dispatches has investigated a number of mosques run by high profile national organisations that claim to be dedicated to moderation and dialogue with other faiths. But an undercover reporter joined worshippers to find a message of religious bigotry and extremism being preached.
He captures chilling sermons in which Saudi-trained preachers proclaim the supremacy of Islam, preach hatred for non-Muslims and for Muslims who do not follow their extreme beliefs - and predict a coming jihad. "An army of Muslims will arise," announces one preacher. Another preacher said British Muslims must "dismantle" British democracy - they must "live like a state within a state" until they are "strong enough to take over."
The investigation reveals Saudi Arabian universities are recruiting young Western Muslims to train them in their extreme theology, then sending them back to the West to spread the word. And the Dispatches reporter discovers that British Muslims can ask for fatwas, religious rulings, direct from the top religious leader in Saudi Arabia, the Grand Mufti.
Saudi-trained preachers are also promoted in DVDs and books on sale at religious centres and sermons broadcast on websites. These publications and webcasts disseminate beliefs about women such as: "Allah has created the woman deficient, her intellect is incomplete", and girls: "By the age of 10 if she doesn't wear hijab, we hit her," and there's an extreme hostility towards homosexuals.
The investigation reveals that the influence of Saudi Arabian Islam, Wahabism, extends beyond the walls of some mosques to influential organisations that advise the British government on inter-community relations and prevention of terrorism.
The Dispatches reporter attends talks at mosques run by key organisations whose public faces are presented as moderate and mainstream - and finds preachers condemning the idea of integration into British society, condemning British democracy as un-Islamic and praising the Taliban for killing British soldiers.
Undercover Mosque features interviews with moderate British Muslim figures who are speaking out against the influence of Saudi Arabia's extreme brand of Islam, which is seeking to overturn Islamic traditions of diversity and peaceful co-existence: "We are losing our children to extremists," says Haras Rafiq of the Sufi Muslim Council. Dr Al Alawi of the Islamic Heritage Foundation also warns: "If this continues, you will have extremist mosques in every corner of the UK. You will not have moderate Muslims walking on our streets anymore."
The truly astonishing thing is the lack of reaction there has been since the broadcast. It is sensational material - I cannot recommend a viewing highly enough - and yet, nothing in the papers, nothing in the news, no comments from MP's. Nowt.
--------------------
You Tube - Undercover Mosque
--------------------
Documentary Exposes Radical Muslim Rhetoric
Interview with Daniel Pipes
Fox News: Hannity & Colmes
February 1, 2007
--------------------
Dispatches - Undercover Mosque
Channel 4
Broadcast: Monday 15 January
A Dispatches reporter attends mosques run by organisations whose public faces are presented as moderate and finds preachers condemning integration into British society, condemning democracy and praising the Taliban for killing British soldiers.
Prime Minister Tony Blair recently described tolerance as 'what makes Britain Britain' but in this extensive investigation Dispatches reveals how a message of hatred and segregation is being spread throughout the UK and examines how it is influenced by the religious establishment of Saudi Arabia.
Dispatches has investigated a number of mosques run by high profile national organisations that claim to be dedicated to moderation and dialogue with other faiths. But an undercover reporter joined worshippers to find a message of religious bigotry and extremism being preached.
He captures chilling sermons in which Saudi-trained preachers proclaim the supremacy of Islam, preach hatred for non-Muslims and for Muslims who do not follow their extreme beliefs - and predict a coming jihad. "An army of Muslims will arise," announces one preacher. Another preacher said British Muslims must "dismantle" British democracy - they must "live like a state within a state" until they are "strong enough to take over."
The investigation reveals Saudi Arabian universities are recruiting young Western Muslims to train them in their extreme theology, then sending them back to the West to spread the word. And the Dispatches reporter discovers that British Muslims can ask for fatwas, religious rulings, direct from the top religious leader in Saudi Arabia, the Grand Mufti.
Saudi-trained preachers are also promoted in DVDs and books on sale at religious centres and sermons broadcast on websites. These publications and webcasts disseminate beliefs about women such as: "Allah has created the woman deficient, her intellect is incomplete", and girls: "By the age of 10 if she doesn't wear hijab, we hit her," and there's an extreme hostility towards homosexuals.
The investigation reveals that the influence of Saudi Arabian Islam, Wahabism, extends beyond the walls of some mosques to influential organisations that advise the British government on inter-community relations and prevention of terrorism.
The Dispatches reporter attends talks at mosques run by key organisations whose public faces are presented as moderate and mainstream - and finds preachers condemning the idea of integration into British society, condemning British democracy as un-Islamic and praising the Taliban for killing British soldiers.
Undercover Mosque features interviews with moderate British Muslim figures who are speaking out against the influence of Saudi Arabia's extreme brand of Islam, which is seeking to overturn Islamic traditions of diversity and peaceful co-existence: "We are losing our children to extremists," says Haras Rafiq of the Sufi Muslim Council. Dr Al Alawi of the Islamic Heritage Foundation also warns: "If this continues, you will have extremist mosques in every corner of the UK. You will not have moderate Muslims walking on our streets anymore."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)