Sunday, October 29, 2006

The primary cause of the ‘East’ v’s ‘West’ collision, a mismatched “Moral Zeitgeist”

Prof Richard Dawkins in his book “The God Delusion” describes ‘how our morality has shifted through the centuries by what he calls a “moral zeitgeist”. [Zeitgeist he explains a German word meaning ‘spirit of the times’]. Dawkins states "We do not ground our morality in holy books, no matter what we may fondly imagine. We simply do not [now, in Christian tradition] kill people for adultery, working on the sabbath, or for many other [historical] biblical offences.” In the book he also mentions the current Zeitgeist or attitudes to slavery, incest, needless suffering, free speech, cheating and killing in general.’ ‘Instead [of a biblical guide] we use our senses, intelligence and new information to change our social condition by revising our outlook on racism, gender, and crime. We no longer believe in slavery. Women now have the right to vote. We simply don't need holy books to determine our moral status.’ (1)

In the article (ref 2 below) he says, “Religious apologists will try to persuade you that, without scriptural texts, we’d have no moral compass, no guidelines for what is right and what is wrong. Anybody who advocates basing our morals on the Bible has not read the Bible with sufficient attention. It is, of course, true that you can find verses of the Bible and the Koran, which we today might regard as moral, for example the Sermon on the Mount. You can also find verses suggesting that the worst thing you can do is make a graven image or break the sabbath. Both deserve the death penalty, as does cheeking your parents. The Bible is an ethical disaster area with islands of decent morality dotted about here and there.”

’When sceptics point to particularly nasty bits of the Old Testament – for example the disgusting story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac (or his other son Ishmael according to Muslim tradition), religious apologists are apt to reply in exasperation: “Yes of course, but we don’t believe that any more. We’ve moved on.” Theologians have moved on and have rejected the nasty verses (or written them off as ‘symbolic’ or ‘allegorical’ or ‘poetic’) while accepting the nice ones literally.’ He is again I assume referring to the western Christian perspective rather than today’s ‘total world’ reality. Perhaps it would have been more appropriate and accurate if he had of said SOME theologians.

He goes on…

”This is where the shifting moral Zeitgeist comes in. Public opinion moves in a mysteriously synchronous fashion, usually in the direction of becoming more liberal and gentle, although there are temporary reversals such as the United States is undergoing at the moment. The vanguard of opinion in one generation may lag behind the most reactionary and conservative representatives of a future generation.” He then uses the following example “Abraham Lincoln was far ahead of his time – but his time was the nineteenth century, when just about everybody was racist by today’s standards. Here is what Lincoln said in 1858:”

”I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say, in addition to this, that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and ­political equality. And in as much as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.”

Again he goes on to say: “I don’t know why the Zeitgeist changes so consistently, but it does.” He continues: ‘this shift is witnessed by: newspaper editorials, books, political speeches, judges’ decisions, parliamentary or congressional debates, the patter of stand up comedians, soap opera scripts and dinner party and bar room conversations.’ What we can see from looking at these over time is a constant and mainly positive shift in what is acceptable in society as a whole. “Our rapidly decreasing tolerance of collateral damage in warfare is one manifestation and an important one”. (2)
In the book he also examples the moving Zeitgeist trend by listing the dates at which women were given the right to vote.

New Zealand 1893, Australia 1902, Finland 1906, Norway 1913, United States 1920, Britain 1928, France 1945, Belgium 1946, Switzerland 1971 and Finally Kuwait 2006.

This brings me to my main point. What most ‘enlightened’ individuals have against fundamentalist and repressive regimes and their ‘holy ordinances’, is that they are out of step with the modern worlds moral Zeitgeist. What is worse is that as well as being out of step they want the rest of us to regress to a point somewhere in the past which is not acceptable to any free thinking intelligent individual. To be fair Dawkins does say that the trend although progressive [in the sense of upward or ‘morally improving’] is a “sawtooth not a smooth improvement” and that “there have been some appalling reversals”. I put this proposition to a friend who has lived for some years in the Middle East to which she responded, ‘it’s not a matter of the west being at the point of the sawtooth and Islamic (Arab) countries being in the trough [bottom of the notch], Arab countries are a large number of notches back’.

Unfortunately this “Arab moral Zeitgeist” or perhaps “Islamic moral Zeitgeist” is being pushed on the rest of the world. A few examples from the Jakarta Post dated 27th and 28th of October 2006. Headline: “Iran veil obligation masks colourful diversity”; quote: ”By the end of August this year the Iranian police said they had handed out 64,000 warnings to women for poor wearing of the veil”. Headline: “Saudi youth bored in Islamic state”; quote: “Islamist hardliners or ‘forces of darkness’ as [young Saudi] Omran’s blog has dubbed them, have come out fighting against liberal trends in society, arguing their must be limits to change in the land where Islam was born and which contains its holiest shrines.” And in other parts of the world: Headline: ‘Iraqi, afghan and Somali women under attack - UN”; quote: “Women [in the headlined countries] are facing violence (even as targets for assassination), especially when they speak out for women’s rights a senior United Nations official [Noelene Heyzer] told the UN Security Council.’ Headline: “Australian mufti’s sermons suspended amid firestorm over women comments”; quote “he said in one of his religious speeches that immodestly dressed women [whom he stated were like uncovered meat] were inviting sexual attack. Headline: ”Polygamy issue arouses intense passions in Muslim Malaysia”; quote: “The issue of polygamy is being hotly debated in mainly-Muslim Malaysia, after the government proposed legislation that would make it easier to enter into multiple marriages – a practice some women’s group’s want banned. Muslim men here are allowed up to four wives, but activists say the practice is cruel and that it has been distorted from its original purpose during the days of the Prophet which was to protect widows and orphans.”

This leads me to the question: Is Prime Minister Badawi just another ‘Muslim Leader’ with a Skewed Anachronistic Worldview?

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (AB-PM-Mal) - CNN Talk Asia transcript (edited for clarity and brevity, abridged excerpts) CNN - posted - October 23, 2006 - Anjali Rao (AR-Interviewer)

Excerpt of an AB UN Speech: "I am afraid the schism between the west and the Muslim world will grow even deeper unless the international community is prepared to accept certain facts as the truth!"

AR: I'd like to discuss with you is the role of Islam in the world at the moment. What is it that you think the non-Muslim world is missing?

AB: What they are missing is that Muslims have not been really able to portray faithfully in their country's development, and the development of Muslim xxxx??? [Ummah???] that reflect the true teaching of Islam. Through the activities of so-called Muslim terrorists, they have created bad name for Islam, and the Muslim. And today, there doesn't seem to be any kind of understanding, enough understanding, to create a better rapport, better relations between the two. And that to me, is the cause of what we are seeing today.

Ric (my, comment): With all due respect this is ‘a load of old goats knees’ and much of the teaching (or more correctly perhaps, the interpretations by later scholars) needs to be abandoned and as Dawkins explains in his book, ‘radicalism grows directly from mainstream teachings’ and unfortunately it also “teaches us not to change our minds”, even I guess in spite of new evidence or changing realities.

AR: You've also recently spoken of the humiliation that Muslims feel. Why is that an overriding emotion among the Islamic community and is it something that you yourself, as a Muslim feel?

AB: I do feel that way too. There's one thing that the west has failed to understand. That, to a Muslim, religion is very important. Religion to the Muslim is not kept at home. It is not a matter for the relatives. For the Muslim, religion is important. In the corporate sector, in his business, in the government, in whatever he does, he is very much dictated by the teachings of Islam. So really it is the interpretation of the Koran.

Ric: Exactly our (the ‘west’s’ point), we don’t want to go back to an era of non voting women and all the other crass and backward practices that many Islamic states practice today. Have the religion if you must, however don’t impose a Middle Ages lifestyle on the rest of the world or expect the rest of the world to condone your bad behaviour. You should feel humiliated, perhaps that’s a start to the process of thinking about whether as leaders (and followers) if your attitudes are appropriate for today or not.

AR: Speaking of violent reactions, there was, recently such a response to the comments made by the Pope. Are Muslims being over sensitive?

AB: Well when it comes to religion we are always very sensitive. Many people, when it comes to race, we are always very sensitive. Not just us, anybody else become very, very sensitive. The Pope need not bring it up! Why did he have to say it considering the present situation? Considering that between the Muslim group and non-Muslim group there is a state of tension, there's a state of perhaps, not perhaps, a state of unhappiness, a lack of trust and confidence. That's very important. So don't bring it up!

Ric: Surely the propensity for individuals to fly off the handle and go ‘wacky bananas’ at every adverse comment that is thrown at Muslims is a demonstration of the less than desirable levels of Emotional and Spiritual Intelligence much of the Ummah. Perhaps its time to educate the followers in a more adult (rather than a moralistic parent or fractious child) approach to life, i.e. recite less and understand more. By the way can you tell the city dwelling Arabs that they are not in the desert anymore and when they recklessly fire the guns in the air that “what goes up must come down” and they are risking the death of their neighbours and their children every time they do it… I mean how smart are these people! I don’t suppose this is covered in the Qur’an however I could be wrong.

AR: Prime Minister you recently met with George W Bush. One of the things I know you were talking with him about was the desire to really create global peace. But you said that your approaches to it differed. How important is it for heads of state to really be in step in order to achieve that?

AB: Well I think it's important, …if we want global peace, then it must be all of us, [we] must more or less have the same ideas of how to do it. If it's not exactly the same, the ideas must be compatible.

…When I was with him, I spoke as a Muslim, as a man from the East, a Malay, as a leader of a Muslim country, as the chairman of OIC. And I would like to reflect our feelings, our concerns and views on many things.

Ric: Please… I implore you, can you not just speak as a global human being and get the Ummah to move a bit further along the moral Zeitgeist… PLEASE

AR: Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew says that the Chinese population here is systematically marginalized. He's now sent you a letter explaining his comments. What do you want to hear from him? …and …Are you saying that his accusations are groundless?

AB: I will know what I can hear when I read his letter. But certainly I wouldn't want him to raise an issue like that [Marginalisation of the Chinese]. No, he doesn't have to. Yes, it's groundless. And it is an issue that can cause unhappiness to many people. Why? Some may even regard it as tantamount to interfering with what we are doing. The Chinese in Malaysia are doing well. They are better off than the indigenous people, than the Malays.

Ric: No criticism again, control the press… yes and the world I suggest will continue to interfere welcome to the 21st century, no man (or country) is an island etc…

AR: That's what he was saying though wasn't it, that because they're so successful that's why they're marginalized.

AB: No, they have been so successful because we give them opportunities to be successful. We allow their people, we allow their children to go to Chinese school, vocational school, to learn Mandarin. And they practice their cultures. Their Chinese New Year is celebrated not only by them, but also by the Malays, the Indians who are the Malays the Muslims, the Hindus. We have respect, mutual respect. That is growing in Malaysia, that's true.

Ric: Is PM Badawi inadvertently showing his true colours here when he refers to his own Chinese citizen’s as “their people” “ALLOW their children”, “their culture” and “them”? What a disgraceful thing for the leader of “Malaysia Truly Asia” to say and what terrible attitudes does it witness.

AR: You have said that freedom of press has its boundaries and that unbridled freedom could also lead to the chaos and suffering for everybody. (Yes it's true I still hold to that view.) In what sense? Why would there be such chaos and suffering?

AB: Because press can be irresponsible, can incite feelings, can also create mistrust, can also create a state of tension. What happens is, for example, you remember the caricature of Prophet Muhammad? Yes, nobody forgets about it, you see how the Muslims feel about it. If I have the same thing here in Malaysia, my god, you know what is going to happen!

Ric: Dear PM Badawi, the press doesn’t create tension, badly raised, backward and bigoted individuals of low moral and ethical standards carry the tension with them always… and what’s more, these individuals will use any excuse to lash out, particularly if they can get away with their anti-social behaviour in the name of god.

AR: But then where are you going to draw the line between freedom of expression and clamping down?

AB: The drawing of the line comes from an understanding of those people who are in the press, understanding of our society, of our sensitivities. That is very important, they understand the society, our cultures, our values, our sensitivities and political sensitivities. That's very, very important. If they understand, they'll know what to say and what not to say. And there are occasions when the press did something which many of us thought, oh my god what has happened? We have to deal with it. We have to deal with it, we have to cope with it, we have to understand but they cannot be doing that all the time. We can't, because I want to say there is no such thing as absolute freedom. The degree of freedom that one exercises varies from one country to another. This is the truth. (3)

Ric: Oh dear, oh dear… so disappointing and this from what is touted as worlds most shining example of what a Muslim nation can become.

Finally as writing this I heard on Australia Network – Insiders – Presented Barry Cassidy, a comment by one of his panellists that the area of where the Australian's, nasty, female “meat” hating, [Egyptian) mufti’s mosque is, Lakemba (Sydney), enjoys the lowest literacy rate, highest unemployment rate and the highest rate of violence in Australia… so I ask which is the chicken and which is the egg?

www.caliibre.com

Refs:
http://richarddawkins.net/article,230,Review-of-The-God-Delusion,
Jim-Walker--NoBeliefscom (1)
http://richarddawkins.net/article,180,Collateral-Damage-
Part-2,Richard-Dawkins(2)
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/23
/talkasia.badawi.script/index.html (3)

The primary cause of the ‘East’ v’s ‘West’ collision, a mismatched “Moral Zeitgeist”

Prof Richard Dawkins in his book “The God Delusion” describes ‘how our morality has shifted through the centuries by what he calls a “moral zeitgeist”. [Zeitgeist he explains a German word meaning ‘spirit of the times’]. Dawkins states "We do not ground our morality in holy books, no matter what we may fondly imagine. We simply do not [now, in Christian tradition] kill people for adultery, working on the sabbath, or for many other [historical] biblical offences.” In the book he also mentions the current Zeitgeist or attitudes to slavery, incest, needless suffering, free speech, cheating and killing in general.’ ‘Instead [of a biblical guide] we use our senses, intelligence and new information to change our social condition by revising our outlook on racism, gender, and crime. We no longer believe in slavery. Women now have the right to vote. We simply don't need holy books to determine our moral status.’ (1)

In the article (ref 2 below) he says, “Religious apologists will try to persuade you that, without scriptural texts, we’d have no moral compass, no guidelines for what is right and what is wrong. Anybody who advocates basing our morals on the Bible has not read the Bible with sufficient attention. It is, of course, true that you can find verses of the Bible and the Koran, which we today might regard as moral, for example the Sermon on the Mount. You can also find verses suggesting that the worst thing you can do is make a graven image or break the sabbath. Both deserve the death penalty, as does cheeking your parents. The Bible is an ethical disaster area with islands of decent morality dotted about here and there.”

’When sceptics point to particularly nasty bits of the Old Testament – for example the disgusting story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac (or his other son Ishmael according to Muslim tradition), religious apologists are apt to reply in exasperation: “Yes of course, but we don’t believe that any more. We’ve moved on.” Theologians have moved on and have rejected the nasty verses (or written them off as ‘symbolic’ or ‘allegorical’ or ‘poetic’) while accepting the nice ones literally.’ He is again I assume referring to the western Christian perspective rather than today’s ‘total world’ reality. Perhaps it would have been more appropriate and accurate if he had of said SOME theologians.

He goes on…

”This is where the shifting moral Zeitgeist comes in. Public opinion moves in a mysteriously synchronous fashion, usually in the direction of becoming more liberal and gentle, although there are temporary reversals such as the United States is undergoing at the moment. The vanguard of opinion in one generation may lag behind the most reactionary and conservative representatives of a future generation.” He then uses the following example “Abraham Lincoln was far ahead of his time – but his time was the nineteenth century, when just about everybody was racist by today’s standards. Here is what Lincoln said in 1858:”

”I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say, in addition to this, that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and ­political equality. And in as much as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.”

Again he goes on to say: “I don’t know why the Zeitgeist changes so consistently, but it does.” He continues: ‘this shift is witnessed by: newspaper editorials, books, political speeches, judges’ decisions, parliamentary or congressional debates, the patter of stand up comedians, soap opera scripts and dinner party and bar room conversations.’ What we can see from looking at these over time is a constant and mainly positive shift in what is acceptable in society as a whole. “Our rapidly decreasing tolerance of collateral damage in warfare is one manifestation and an important one”. (2)
In the book he also examples the moving Zeitgeist trend by listing the dates at which women were given the right to vote.

New Zealand 1893, Australia 1902, Finland 1906, Norway 1913, United States 1920, Britain 1928, France 1945, Belgium 1946, Switzerland 1971 and Finally Kuwait 2006.

This brings me to my main point. What most ‘enlightened’ individuals have against fundamentalist and repressive regimes and their ‘holy ordinances’, is that they are out of step with the modern worlds moral Zeitgeist. What is worse is that as well as being out of step they want the rest of us to regress to a point somewhere in the past which is not acceptable to any free thinking intelligent individual. To be fair Dawkins does say that the trend although progressive [in the sense of upward or ‘morally improving’] is a “sawtooth not a smooth improvement” and that “there have been some appalling reversals”. I put this proposition to a friend who has lived for some years in the Middle East to which she responded, ‘it’s not a matter of the west being at the point of the sawtooth and Islamic (Arab) countries being in the trough [bottom of the notch], Arab countries are a large number of notches back’.

Unfortunately this “Arab moral Zeitgeist” or perhaps “Islamic moral Zeitgeist” is being pushed on the rest of the world. A few examples from the Jakarta Post dated 27th and 28th of October 2006. Headline: “Iran veil obligation masks colourful diversity”; quote: ”By the end of August this year the Iranian police said they had handed out 64,000 warnings to women for poor wearing of the veil”. Headline: “Saudi youth bored in Islamic state”; quote: “Islamist hardliners or ‘forces of darkness’ as [young Saudi] Omran’s blog has dubbed them, have come out fighting against liberal trends in society, arguing their must be limits to change in the land where Islam was born and which contains its holiest shrines.” And in other parts of the world: Headline: ‘Iraqi, afghan and Somali women under attack - UN”; quote: “Women [in the headlined countries] are facing violence (even as targets for assassination), especially when they speak out for women’s rights a senior United Nations official [Noelene Heyzer] told the UN Security Council.’ Headline: “Australian mufti’s sermons suspended amid firestorm over women comments”; quote “he said in one of his religious speeches that immodestly dressed women [whom he stated were like uncovered meat] were inviting sexual attack. Headline: ”Polygamy issue arouses intense passions in Muslim Malaysia”; quote: “The issue of polygamy is being hotly debated in mainly-Muslim Malaysia, after the government proposed legislation that would make it easier to enter into multiple marriages – a practice some women’s group’s want banned. Muslim men here are allowed up to four wives, but activists say the practice is cruel and that it has been distorted from its original purpose during the days of the Prophet which was to protect widows and orphans.”

This leads me to the question: Is Prime Minister Badawi just another ‘Muslim Leader’ with a Skewed Anachronistic Worldview?

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (AB-PM-Mal) - CNN Talk Asia transcript (edited for clarity and brevity, abridged excerpts) CNN - posted - October 23, 2006 - Anjali Rao (AR-Interviewer)

Excerpt of an AB UN Speech: "I am afraid the schism between the west and the Muslim world will grow even deeper unless the international community is prepared to accept certain facts as the truth!"

AR: I'd like to discuss with you is the role of Islam in the world at the moment. What is it that you think the non-Muslim world is missing?

AB: What they are missing is that Muslims have not been really able to portray faithfully in their country's development, and the development of Muslim xxxx??? [Ummah???] that reflect the true teaching of Islam. Through the activities of so-called Muslim terrorists, they have created bad name for Islam, and the Muslim. And today, there doesn't seem to be any kind of understanding, enough understanding, to create a better rapport, better relations between the two. And that to me, is the cause of what we are seeing today.

Ric (my, comment): With all due respect this is ‘a load of old goats knees’ and much of the teaching (or more correctly perhaps, the interpretations by later scholars) needs to be abandoned and as Dawkins explains in his book, ‘radicalism grows directly from mainstream teachings’ and unfortunately it also “teaches us not to change our minds”, even I guess in spite of new evidence or changing realities.

AR: You've also recently spoken of the humiliation that Muslims feel. Why is that an overriding emotion among the Islamic community and is it something that you yourself, as a Muslim feel?

AB: I do feel that way too. There's one thing that the west has failed to understand. That, to a Muslim, religion is very important. Religion to the Muslim is not kept at home. It is not a matter for the relatives. For the Muslim, religion is important. In the corporate sector, in his business, in the government, in whatever he does, he is very much dictated by the teachings of Islam. So really it is the interpretation of the Koran.

Ric: Exactly our (the ‘west’s’ point), we don’t want to go back to an era of non voting women and all the other crass and backward practices that many Islamic states practice today. Have the religion if you must, however don’t impose a Middle Ages lifestyle on the rest of the world or expect the rest of the world to condone your bad behaviour. You should feel humiliated, perhaps that’s a start to the process of thinking about whether as leaders (and followers) if your attitudes are appropriate for today or not.

AR: Speaking of violent reactions, there was, recently such a response to the comments made by the Pope. Are Muslims being over sensitive?

AB: Well when it comes to religion we are always very sensitive. Many people, when it comes to race, we are always very sensitive. Not just us, anybody else become very, very sensitive. The Pope need not bring it up! Why did he have to say it considering the present situation? Considering that between the Muslim group and non-Muslim group there is a state of tension, there's a state of perhaps, not perhaps, a state of unhappiness, a lack of trust and confidence. That's very important. So don't bring it up!

Ric: Surely the propensity for individuals to fly off the handle and go ‘wacky bananas’ at every adverse comment that is thrown at Muslims is a demonstration of the less than desirable levels of Emotional and Spiritual Intelligence much of the Ummah. Perhaps its time to educate the followers in a more adult (rather than a moralistic parent or fractious child) approach to life, i.e. recite less and understand more. By the way can you tell the city dwelling Arabs that they are not in the desert anymore and when they recklessly fire the guns in the air that “what goes up must come down” and they are risking the death of their neighbours and their children every time they do it… I mean how smart are these people! I don’t suppose this is covered in the Qur’an however I could be wrong.

AR: Prime Minister you recently met with George W Bush. One of the things I know you were talking with him about was the desire to really create global peace. But you said that your approaches to it differed. How important is it for heads of state to really be in step in order to achieve that?

AB: Well I think it's important, …if we want global peace, then it must be all of us, [we] must more or less have the same ideas of how to do it. If it's not exactly the same, the ideas must be compatible.

…When I was with him, I spoke as a Muslim, as a man from the East, a Malay, as a leader of a Muslim country, as the chairman of OIC. And I would like to reflect our feelings, our concerns and views on many things.

Ric: Please… I implore you, can you not just speak as a global human being and get the Ummah to move a bit further along the moral Zeitgeist… PLEASE

AR: Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew says that the Chinese population here is systematically marginalized. He's now sent you a letter explaining his comments. What do you want to hear from him? …and …Are you saying that his accusations are groundless?

AB: I will know what I can hear when I read his letter. But certainly I wouldn't want him to raise an issue like that [Marginalisation of the Chinese]. No, he doesn't have to. Yes, it's groundless. And it is an issue that can cause unhappiness to many people. Why? Some may even regard it as tantamount to interfering with what we are doing. The Chinese in Malaysia are doing well. They are better off than the indigenous people, than the Malays.

Ric: No criticism again, control the press… yes and the world I suggest will continue to interfere welcome to the 21st century, no man (or country) is an island etc…

AR: That's what he was saying though wasn't it, that because they're so successful that's why they're marginalized.

AB: No, they have been so successful because we give them opportunities to be successful. We allow their people, we allow their children to go to Chinese school, vocational school, to learn Mandarin. And they practice their cultures. Their Chinese New Year is celebrated not only by them, but also by the Malays, the Indians who are the Malays the Muslims, the Hindus. We have respect, mutual respect. That is growing in Malaysia, that's true.

Ric: Is PM Badawi inadvertently showing his true colours here when he refers to his own Chinese citizen’s as “their people” “ALLOW their children”, “their culture” and “them”? What a disgraceful thing for the leader of “Malaysia Truly Asia” to say and what terrible attitudes does it witness.

AR: You have said that freedom of press has its boundaries and that unbridled freedom could also lead to the chaos and suffering for everybody. (Yes it's true I still hold to that view.) In what sense? Why would there be such chaos and suffering?

AB: Because press can be irresponsible, can incite feelings, can also create mistrust, can also create a state of tension. What happens is, for example, you remember the caricature of Prophet Muhammad? Yes, nobody forgets about it, you see how the Muslims feel about it. If I have the same thing here in Malaysia, my god, you know what is going to happen!

Ric: Dear PM Badawi, the press doesn’t create tension, badly raised, backward and bigoted individuals of low moral and ethical standards carry the tension with them always… and what’s more, these individuals will use any excuse to lash out, particularly if they can get away with their anti-social behaviour in the name of god.

AR: But then where are you going to draw the line between freedom of expression and clamping down?

AB: The drawing of the line comes from an understanding of those people who are in the press, understanding of our society, of our sensitivities. That is very important, they understand the society, our cultures, our values, our sensitivities and political sensitivities. That's very, very important. If they understand, they'll know what to say and what not to say. And there are occasions when the press did something which many of us thought, oh my god what has happened? We have to deal with it. We have to deal with it, we have to cope with it, we have to understand but they cannot be doing that all the time. We can't, because I want to say there is no such thing as absolute freedom. The degree of freedom that one exercises varies from one country to another. This is the truth. (3)

Ric: Oh dear, oh dear… so disappointing and this from what is touted as worlds most shining example of what a Muslim nation can become.

Finally as writing this I heard on Australia Network – Insiders – Presented Barry Cassidy, a comment by one of his panellists that the area of where the Australian's, nasty, female “meat” hating, [Egyptian) mufti’s mosque is, Lakemba (Sydney), enjoys the lowest literacy rate, highest unemployment rate and the highest rate of violence in Australia… so I ask which is the chicken and which is the egg?

www.caliibre.com

Refs: http://richarddawkins.net/article,230,Review-of-The-God-Delusion,
Jim-Walker--NoBeliefscom(1)
http://richarddawkins.net/article,180,Collateral-Damage-
Part-2,Richard-Dawkins(2)
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/23/talkasia.badawi.script/index.html(3)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

The Battle for Saudi Arabia & Malaysia and the Club of… Doom

The title of this post refers to two books I have read within the last week or so. Both books deal with the issue of ‘Islamic fundamentalism’ that increasingly troubles the thinking and globally aware people of the world. I make the distinction of ‘thinking and aware people’ as unfortunately much of the worlds population is tragically so confined by their oppressive governments through various degrees or combinations of poverty, limited access to education and censorship that what is happening outside their immediate vicinity is of little or no interest to them. Unfortunately these people will only know their fate when it is too late for them to do anything about the onslaught of violence. As sad as the state of the aforementioned group is, there is another large group of individuals that is of greater concern; those that know what is going on and choose either out of fear, smugness, or worse, complicity, to close a blind eye to the victimisation and brutality being committed on others by various religious factions in the name of their god and his prophets.

Amongst my own friends and relatives, discussion of religious issues can bring an instant and disappointing retort of, ‘don’t tell me anymore, I am comfortable where I am’. Two illustrative quotes; “don’t spoil my religious belief with the facts” and “don’t rob me of my god”. So you may think I should be more diplomatic and politically correct particularly amongst my own family and perhaps follow the advice of one family member that I “should respect the beliefs of others”. This is an old appeasers argument put forward by those trying to protect perceived sovereignty over their own areas of existence that inadvertently often commit ‘sins’ of omission in under its umbrella. On a small scale, as within families and friends, I guess other than being personally disappointing it is no big deal. Unfortunately on a world scale this ‘don’t disturb me I am comfortable’ attitude leads to disasters such as Darfur and Iraq. I highlight the two books reviewed below in the hope that it will stimulate/awaken a need in some to take a more proactive and responsible approach towards the wellbeing of the world community as a whole.

The first book “The Battle for Saudi Arabia” by As’ad Abukhalil (Seven Stories Press) is an exposé on Saudi Arabia’s “bizarre government and fanatic ideology”. A particularly troubling aspect of the Saudi aggression is, as As’ad puts it, the fact that “the United States leads a decades-long foreign policy that supports Saudi Arabia and protects it from criticism and embarrassment.” He goes on; “Oil and other self-serving interests steered previous U.S. administrations away from their hollow slogans about democracy and human rights, including that of Jimmy Carter, the self-described human rights president, who never directly acknowledged the Saudi governments corruption, cruelty and abuse.”

Particularly interesting sections of this easy to read book cover, the unholy alliance between the corrupt and perhaps immoral Saudi royal family and the dangerous and fanatic Wahhabi sect of supposedly ‘pure Islam’. Another highlight explains the relatively recent oil wealth driven ‘globalization of Wahhabi Da’wah’. Da’wah is the “Islamic call, or the effort to win converts and adherents.” As’ad also states in this section “Islam was [is] bound to clash with territorial nationalism because its scope is not limited to one piece of land.” The Saudi religious/cultural arrogance is perhaps fuelled by the fact that as he states “Arabs have often interpreted the verse in the Qur’an (and you have the best peoples evolved for humankind) to imply their ethnic superiority over other peoples”, [also] perhaps because “the Prophet was an Arab and the Qur’an was revealed, according to Muslims, by God in the Arab tongue.”

There is much to be learnt from this book that covers a broader range of issues than I can mention here. From my perspective it is a must read for all those that value their and their children’s future’s if only on the basis of “know thy enemy”. Why enemy… because they are the most dangerous nation on earth regardless of what the god bothering, war-mongering George may consider as being his personal axis of evil.

The second book “Malaysia and the Club of Doom” by Syed Akbar Ali (Self Published) is an interesting look from a Malaysian perspective at Islam and its effects on the overall health of the nations in which it is practiced. This is an important view as Malaysia is often seen as a great example of how and Islamic inspired population can successfully adopt a democratic government and succeed in the modern ‘economically globalised’ world.

The chapter headings give an introduction to the books direction, 1 Failed States, 2 Pakistan – A Failed State, 3 Can Malaysia Become a Failed State, 4 Muslim Violence is So Predicable, 5 Denial – The Fuel of Falsehood, 6 Throwing Up New Hatreds Against Non Muslims, 7 The Hatred of Dogs and House Lizards 8 Failure Written in Stone, 9 Some Advice to the Leaders and Politicians, 10 The Ummah [Islamic Community] is Lawless 11 Falsely Accusing the Qur’an: A Clash of Fools 12 Doom, Doom and More Doom

The author Syed starts out by asking the question - What are Failed Nations? He then goes on to explain how Islamic countries can rightly be called failed states. Some of the criteria he uses are: ”technologically less advanced”, “generally characterised as poor”, “economies dependent on export of primary products”. He also says that a failed state shows the following symptoms: 1 Restrictions on free flow of information, 2 Subjugation of women, 3 Inability to accept responsibility, for individual or collective failure, 4 Basic unit of social organisation is the extended family or clan, 5 Domination by a restrictive religion, 6 Low valuation of Education, 7 Low prestige assigned to work.

In the same chapter he explains that as well as the criteria and symptoms above: ‘Often an Islamic Country may also suffer violence either from within its own borders against its own people or violence imposed from outside.’ “Another distinct feature of Islamic Countries is that the people are always walking around in fear of suffering embarrassment from breaching some religious rule or other. They always seem to suffer a guilty conscience. Generally Muslims are an unhappy lot. And on top of it all the ‘Islamic Country’ suffers the fit [in the sense of a trance] that it is somehow still blessed by God and that its inhabitants, especially its religious leaders, will go to heaven.” (Also sounds a bit Catholic to me!)

Syed is particularly astute in his condemnation of the adverse effects of the “Arabization process” and on the culture of the Arabs themselves. He’ states: ”Today the vast majority of Arab countries – which most definitely form the remnant of the ‘Islamic Civilisation’ – are Failed States. The Arab Human Development Report 2004 produced by the United Nations Development summarises all Arab states as: lacking freedom and good governance, suffering acute corruption, marginalizing segments of their population like women and minorities and also that Arab governments suffer a crisis of legitimacy. This means their governments do not represent the will of the people.” “The Arab countries are failures… all the 22 members of the Arab League today are basket cases.”

Syed uses a number of statistics to justify his conclusions, here are a couple: “Oil rich Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Kuwait and Qatar collectively produce goods and services (mostly oil) worth $430 billion; Netherlands alone has a higher annual GDP while Buddhist Thailand produces goods and services worth $429 billion.” “Fifty-seven Muslim majority countries have an average of ten universities each for a total of less than 600 universities for 1.4 billion people; [whereas] India has 8,407 universities [and] the US has 5,758 universities.” “Over the past 105 years, 1.4 billion Muslims have produced eight Nobel Prize Laureates while a mere 1.4 million Jews have produced 167.” His conclusion is that Muslims suffer because they refuse to keep pace with the times. He also goes on to say that it is not Islam that is the problem it is the fact that many so called religious leaders do not understand the true tenants of Islam, rather they follow the Hadith and Fiqh which he also seems to see as merely the words of men as against the Qur’an which is the word of god.

In later chapters he looks at everything from, poor hygiene factors, an ill-founded dislike of lizards and dogs, illegitimate use of fatwas, an ‘inherited’ Arab aversion to hard work, the predictable violence of Muslims due to their feelings of hopelessness and denial, the intrusive over zealous moral squads and their intrusion into the private lives of others, legalised short tem sex only marriages, to the turmoil created by growing radicalism in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Syed is branded in Malaysia as a liberal however he says he is a “hardcore conservative fundamentalist Muslim” and that it is others, the so-called ‘religious’ interpreters that are being liberal in not sticking to the teachings of the Qur’an. What he is saying is best summed up by this quote; “The Qur’an is almost entirely different from what is preached by religious scholars. We can see many examples throughout this book. Too often what they teach is not found in the Qur’an at all. That is why I [he] keep[s] saying that religion and Islam are not the same. Islam is a ‘deen’ or way of life based on science and reason whereas religion has so many illogical shades and flavours.” It is a pity he has not addressed some of the more distasteful areas of the Qur’an and suggested how they can be overcome much as the Christians through the reformation have overcome the immoral and violent versus in the bible. Maybe in his next book.

I recommend both these books to anyone concerned regarding the adverse effects that ‘Wahhabi style dogma’ I having on the rest of the ‘civilised’ world. Malicious Stone Age thinking religious fanatics a raising their voices in France, England, Asia and many other places that they have migrated to for a better life, in an attempt to reduce us all to their level of hopelessness and moral poverty. I guess it is a global case of misery enjoys company.

‘No its not my business’, ‘I am comfortable and will leave to the diplomats or military’… that won’t work… take the initiative get involved, even if it is through joining the discussion… SAY NO TO RELIGIOUS TYRANNY. Oh and beware of the Christian religious right in the US (and other places) as well, they are just as dangerous as this bunch of freaks.

By the way how quickly can the downward trend occur?

Until the 1980s Malays in Malaysia identified themselves first as Malays, second as Muslims and third as Malaysians. Recent polls have disclosed a fundamental shift: 73% identify themselves first as Muslims, 14% as Malaysians and 13% as Malays. (*)

www.caliibre.com

Refs:
The Battle for Saudi Arabia by As’ad Abukhalil (Seven Stories Press)
Malaysia and the Club of Doom by Syed Akbar Ali (Self Published)
*http://www.malaysia-today.net/Blog-n/2006/10/muslim-anger-on-rise.htm

Friday, October 13, 2006

Genocide in Darfur: Sudanese Government funding of the Janjaweed and the rest of the world’s shameful complicity!

U.S.A.

US retirement funds invest in companies doing business in Sudan. The California Public Employees Retirement System, or CalPERS, the US’s largest public retirement fund, is one of the biggest investors (2005) at a total of $7.5 billion, according to the Conflict Securities Advisory Group, a private firm that specializes in terrorism risk research for investors. Close behind is the California State Teachers Retirement System with $5.8 billion. Retirement funds in Florida, Alabama, Michigan, and Kentucky are the next biggest investors, but in dozens of states retirement systems have similar investments.

RUSSIA

Russia, a G8 member, has an arms-for-oil deal with Khartoum, according to Global Policy Forum, an international policy monitor and advocacy group with ties to the United Nations. In early 2002, the Russian oil company Slavnest signed a $200 million deal to develop untapped oil fields in central Sudan in exchange for Sudan’s right to manufacture Russian battle tanks, making Moscow a chief source of Sudan’s arms, according to organization.

CHINA

China, whose booming economy is driven by oil, became a major investor in the North African nation’s exploding oil industry, which pumped 345,000 barrels of crude per day in 2004, according to the U.S. Energy Administration. Sudan has at least 563 million barrels of underground crude oil. Companies from AUSTRIA, CANADA, FRANCE, QATAR, KUWAIT, MALAYSIA and SWEDEN also have oil-producing facilities in Sudan, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). (1)

Because the Sudanese government is funding the Janjaweed, companies that substantially aid the government must be seen as complicit in the Sudanese attempt at genocide.

Some of the companies involved: ABB (Switzerland), Petro­China (China), Sinopec (China), Tatneft (Russia), Alcatel (France), Siemens AG (Germany), Alstom Power (France), Bharat Heavy Electricals (India), Harbin Power Equipment Company (China), Lundin Petroleum (Sweden), Nam Fatt Company Bhd (Malaysia), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (India), PECD Bhd (Malaysia), Schlumberger Technology (US) and Kuwait Petroleum Corp. (Kuwait) (2)

After much public pressure - May 17th 2006, “the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) board announced that it would not permit its fund managers to buy shares in nine companies that do business in Sudan.” However, “CalPERS will continue its current policy of ‘constructive engagement’ with companies in its portfolio that have ties to Sudan, CalPERS Investment Committee Chair Charles P. Valdes said in a CalPERS press release. Such engagement ‘means identifying companies that have a presence in Sudan, determining the impact of their business on human rights, and demanding that they respond to our concerns.’” (3) What a crock — divest now!

What can you do for the oppressed in Darfur, check your super fund and ask them to divest any holdings in companies that do business with the Sudanese Government.

…and

Arab League members show their distain for the ‘Civilised World’ again

“The Arab League said in a statement, members of US Congress had signed a letter sent to Amr Moussa (The Arab League's secretary-general) in which they supported the Arab states’ pledge to fund the African Union (AU) mission in Darfur but only as a temporary measure before a U.N. force takes over. The AU agreed in September to extend its mission in Darfur until December 31, with logistical and material support from the United Nations and funding from Arab states but the congressmen voiced concern that no Arab nation had fulfilled its pledge to support the African force. An Arab League spokesman told Reuters that as of Thursday, only Qatar had contributed.” (Reuters October 13 2006) (4)

What a useless, grubby, ineffective organisation the Arab League is!!!

Oh well I guess their wealthiest member is too busy building Mosques and Wahhabi touting boarding schools.

www.caliibre.com

Refs:
http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=10720 (1)
http://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/storydetail.cfm?ID=3127 (2)
http://blog.issproxy.com/2006/05/calpers_makes_sudan_divestment.html (3)
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article18090 (4)

The Saudi Money Trail – the tragedy continues!

The worldwide export of Wahhabi Islam

‘The worldwide export of Wahhabi Islam began in 1962, when Saudi Arabia's ruling Saud family founded the Muslim World League in Mecca to promote "Islamic solidarity." The Sauds were seeking to counter the fiery pan-Arab nationalism of Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was calling for the Saudi monarchy to be overthrown. The family also saw the export of Islam, which they call "Dawah," as a sacred duty as their land was the birthplace of Islam. By 1982, the Saud family was feeling threatened by the Islamic revolution begun by Shiite Muslim leader Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran and the extremism of some of its own citizens, who had temporarily seized the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 1979. Again, the family turned to Dawah. King Fahd issued a directive that "no limits be put on expenditures for the propagation of Islam," according to Nawaf Obaid, a Saudi oil and security analyst. Saudi Arabia now had the money: Its oil revenue had skyrocketed after the 1973 oil embargo. King Fahd used the cash to build mosques, Islamic centers and schools by the thousands around the world. Over the next two decades, the kingdom established 200 Islamic colleges, 210 Islamic centers, 1,500 mosques and 2,000 schools for Muslim children in non-Islamic countries, according to King Fahd's personal Web site. In 1984, the king built a $130 million printing plant in Medina devoted to producing Saudi-approved translations of the Koran. By 2000, the kingdom had distributed 138 million copies worldwide. Exactly how much has been spent to spread Wahhabism is unclear. David D. Aufhauser, a former Treasury Department general counsel, told a US Senate committee in June (2004) that estimates went "north of $75 billion."’ (Washington Post Thursday, August 19, 2004) (1)

‘Interference’ in Cambodia

‘In a police raid in May 2003 on Cambodian the al-Mukara Islamic School three foreign-born men affiliated with the school and the Saudi charity that ran the institution were arrested; a Cambodian teacher at another Islamic school was detained a few weeks later. All were charged with “international terrorism and with links to Jemaah Islamiyah.” At the time according to General Sok Phal, chief of Cambodia’s intelligence and security agencies, money sent from Saudi Arabia to sustain the school was being used to conduct Jemaah Islamiyah and al-Qaeda support activities. Apparently $10,000 wire transfers would appear in the school’s Cambodian bank account on a monthly basis, only to disappear shortly thereafter.’

‘There was at the time a significant flow of aid from the Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia to Cambodia’s Muslim population. The focus of the money in the predominantly Buddhist country is the Cham community which makes up about 6 percent of Cambodia’s population and which has its own language, culture and whose religion is Islam. Accompany some of the aid was radical Islamic proselytizing and recruiting drives that even led some Cambodians to training camps in Afghanistan. The money that flowed into Cham communities also sponsored pilgrimages to Mecca, build mosques and Islamic schools, and provided other religious and social services. A number of Saudi Arabia’s quasi-state-run charities also brought in clerics that preached Wahhabism, Saudi Arabia’s austere, fundamentalist form of Islam. Among the Saudi charities in Cambodia was the al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, which had allegedly laundered money to al-Qaeda in Southeast Asia and whose offices in at least 11 countries were designated by the U.S. Treasury (and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) as supporters of terrorism. The majority of Chams traditionally belong to the Shafi’iyah branch of Sunni Islam, however Wahhabi quickly became the second largest and most rapidly growing sect. Dakwah (the activity of propagating Islamic values), to some a fundamentalist Islamic movement, has also made significant inroads in Cambodia.’ (The American Prospect Online Edition January 1 2004) (2)

The Saudi Fifth Column On USA’s Campuses

‘The Saudis have steadily infiltrated American educational institutions with vast infusions of cash. At the same time they look to steer college curricula and public opinion – especially about the Middle East – toward their Wahhabist goals. Money the Saudis are pouring into our (US) universities in the form of gifts and endowments is alarming: King Fahd donated $20 million dollars to set up a Middle East Studies Center at the University of Arkansas; $5 million was donated to UC Berkeley’s Center For Middle East Studies from two Saudi sheiks linked to funding al-Qaeda; $2.5 million dollars to Harvard; $8.1 million dollars to Georgetown; $11 million dollars to Cornell; $1.5 million dollars to Texas A&M; $5 million dollars to MIT; $1 million dollars to Princeton. Rutgers received $5 million dollars to endow a chair. So did Columbia, which tried to obscure the money’s source. Other recipients of Saudi largesse include UC-Santa Barbara, Johns Hopkins, Rice University, American University, University of Chicago, Syracuse University, USC, UCLA, Duke University and Howard University, among many others.’ (FrontPageMagazine.com April 5, 2004) (3)

More than $27 million in "suspicious" transactions

‘A 2003/4 US federal investigation into the bank accounts of the Saudi Embassy in Washington identified more than $27 million in "suspicious" transactions, including hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to Muslim charities and to clerics and Saudi students who were being scrutinized for possible links to terrorist activity, according to government documents obtained by NEWSWEEK at the time. The probe also uncovered large wire transfers overseas by the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan. The transactions eventually prompted the Saudi Embassy's long time bank, the Riggs Bank of Washington, D.C., to drop the Saudis as a client after embassy officials were "unable to provide an explanation that was satisfying," according to a source familiar with the discussions.’ (Newsweek April 12, 2004) (4)

Central mosque of Rome

‘The huge central mosque of Rome was built, almost entirely with Saudi money. To be more precise, I should say that the mosque of Rome was built with the money of the Saudi Royal Family. And to go even more in depth, I should add that there is a Crown Prince from the Saudi Royal Family who has taken charge of the whole operation. As far as my knowledge, the Rome central mosque is the largest in Europe. Speaking of Europe, the Saudis fund Islamic Centres from Britain to Switzerland. If we want to look at Eastern-Europe, Bosnian Muslims, the so-called "Bosniaks" have received huge amounts of money from Saudi charities and if we keep looking east, the same Saudi charities fund Kossovan’s and Chechens. Both Western Europe and Eastern Europe are full of Saudi-funded charities: the typical name would be "Islamic Relief".’ (Octavio Johanson, on Daniel Pipes Feb 1, 2005) (5)

Turkeys Justice and Reconciliation Party - political interference in a secular state

‘Turkeys Justice and Reconciliation Party (Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi, AKP) swept to victory in Turkey's parliamentary elections on November 3, 2002. Since being elected AKP leaders have blurred the distinction between business and politics. More troubling yet is the pattern of tying Turkish domestic and foreign policy to an influx of what is called Yesil Sermaye, "green money," from wealthy Islamist businessmen and Middle Eastern states. Where goes the AKP? Is leader Erdoğan's party a threat to Turkish secularism, or the product of it? Does the AKP represent an Islamist Trojan horse? Today, in private conversations and in the National Assembly, many Turkish officials discuss green money and AKP financial opacity as the new threat. Money buys the short-term popularity necessary to initiate long-term changes, be they in Turkey's foreign or domestic policy. Under apparent Saudi influence, such changes will likely further erode Turkish secularism. If the AKP is able to translate money into power and power into money, then the main loser will be Turkish secularism. As an executive with one of Istanbul's largest firms said, "The AKP is like a cancer. You feel fine, but then one day you start coughing blood. By the time you realize there's a problem, it's too far-gone."’ (Middle East Quarterly - Winter 2005) (6)

Gutless behaviour, or perhaps even worse, sinister deeds in the US Congress

Behaviour ‘The disgraceful scuttling of a new bill in the US House of Representatives must be a worry to many Americans. “H.R. bill 609” would have amended the Higher Education Act of 1965 and required America's colleges and universities to report any donations received from Saudi Arabia. The new bill, was put before one chamber of Congress by Congressman Dan Burton [R-IN], and would have required US colleges and universities to report such donations through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), a publicly available and searchable database. According to an aide to Congressman Burton, the amending bill made it past committee and when presented on the House floor was about to be put to a voice vote where a simple "yea" or "nay" vote would have led to its passage. George Miller [D-CA], as leader of the Democratic caucus stated his side had no objections to the bill just before a vote was held. But when the voice vote was requested, someone from the floor said "no," thus requiring a roll call vote where each representative would be recognized on how he voted on the matter. In what should have been a shoo-in, the amendment was voted down at the last minute on a roll call vote 306 to 120. Miller himself, who raised no objections to the amendment moments earlier, voted down the bill when his identity could be linked to its passage along with the rest of the House. This illustrates the sway of Saudi money – even in the US Congress, the "voice of the people."’ (American Thinker April 20, 2006 - On March 29th, 2006) (7)

US says funds flow in from Saudi Arabia to Somalia

‘Funds are flowing to support the Islamic Courts movement that seized the capital Mogadishu this month (June 06), said a senior U.S. official on Thursday (27th). The State Department's point person on Africa, Jendayi Frazer… "I don't want to say the Saudi government is supporting any particular (Islamic) court but I do know that there is money coming in from Saudi Arabia," Frazer told the House of Representatives International Relations Committee. "There is money coming in from Yemen and arms from Eritrea and other places", she said, adding that some of the funds came from Somali businessmen based in Saudi Arabia. Hard-line cleric Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, who is on a U.S. list of al Qaeda associates and was named head of the Council of the Islamic Courts last weekend, had showed "aggression" toward the United States, she said. Frazer defended U.S. policy and said the main goal was to ensure Somalia did not become a haven for terrorists, in addition to boosting the credibility of the [UN backed] transitional government, which is too weak to enter the capital.’ (Reuters - June 29, 2006) (8)

India finds Pakistani and Saudi money behind July 11 Mumbai serial train blasts

‘In the first indication that the blasts, which killed at least 163 people and injured 464, could be foreign funded, police today (July 31) claimed they had seized 37,000 riyals (approx USD10,000) sent from Saudi Arabia through “hawala” (a money transfer system) to Faizal Sheikh, a key Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative, arrested last week in the case. Though the money was sent by Faizal's brother, who lives in Saudi Arabia, anti-terrorist squad officials said that what was suspicious is that part of the money came a day before and remaining amount a day after the blasts. "Of the total money, 25,000 riyals were sent a day before the blasts, and 12,000 Riyals came a day after," ATS Chief K P Raghuvanshi told reporters here [India]’. (India Daily Jul. 31, 2006) (9)

Now something very worrying in Singapore!

Along with the warm political ties, the economic and trade relations between Singapore and Saudi Arabia have also been strengthened in the past year. Saudi Arabia is Singapore's largest trading partner in the Middle East with bilateral trade growing by over 50 percent to reach 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2005. It is also Singapore's largest foreign investor from the Middle East. (English People’s Daily – Xinhua April 14 2006) (10)

Saudi Education Ministry officials are intending to travel to Singapore to boost educational ties between the two countries, Arab News reported. Singapore's Minister of Education showed, during a seminar attended by students from Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, that they want to build a relationship at the school level with Saudi Arabia. Singapore authorities are eager to boost some of Middle Eastern students in Singapore's government-funded and privately run educational system. (MENA FN Aug 10 2006) (11)

www.caliibre.com


Refs:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A13266-2004Aug18? (1)
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewPrint&articleId=8137 (2)
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=12833 (3)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4661093/ (4)
http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/20032 (5)
http://www.meforum.org/article/684#_ftn53 (6)
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=5428 (7)
http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2006/06/29 (8)
http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/12295.asp (9)
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200604/14/eng20060414_258435.html (10)http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093123245 (11)

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Religious Nutter Notes October 2006

Muslim taxis refuse to carry guide dogs (Melbourne Australia)

‘Muslim taxi drivers are refusing to transport guide dogs and passengers carrying alcohol. "I don't refuse to take people, but it's hard for me because my religion tells me I should not go near dogs," driver Imran said. Victorian Taxi Association had appealed to the mufti of Melbourne to allow Muslim cabbies to carry guide dogs. “Dogs are considered unclean by many Muslims”.’ (1)

Let's go to 'Jesus Camp' [Documentary] - “Evangelical Christians are here to save the day”

“The filmmakers go beyond the camp to visit an Evangelical home-schooled household, where the only thing worse than a non-believer is the fanged beast known as science. It's like the Batman to their Joker. The Evangelicals do not believe in global warming, evolution, the separation of church and state, or dirty, stinking liberals. They feel with Bush in charge, their way of life will soon dominate America. At the camp, they touch and pray to a cardboard cutout of Bush, and await the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court with bated breath. The President is their savior, and they sleep soundly in the knowledge that he takes a meeting with an Evangelical leader every week for guidance.”

“It comes down to this: these are children. Impressionable, innocent, incredibly camera-aware, loving, ready-to-please children. They have not chosen this way of life; it's being legally programmed into them for the benefit of adults who are afraid they might lose their moral standing without a backup generation to replace them. Where is the line? Condemn this way of life, and you're branded an America-hating witch. Celebrate this culture of indoctrination, and it sets a dangerous precedent.” (2)

The ‘Exclusive Brethren’ Australia

“A wealthy and exclusive religious cult, which has been blamed for destroying families is operating in at least six private schools in Queensland with the help of government funding. The Exclusive Brethren, which has been exposed in recent months for its controversial forays into politics in both New Zealand and Australia, is also actively scheming to ensure John Howard is re-elected as Prime Minister in next year’s federal poll. Mr Howard revealed [recently] that he had met with members of the Exclusive Brethren, saying “it’s a free country… and like any other group they are entitled to put their views to the Government”. (3)

United Islam Youth (Indonesia) reported for hacking Banyan tree

“The Jakarta administration filed a complaint with the Jakarta Police on Monday afternoon against youth organization United Islam Youth (Persis) for allegedly cutting down a 100-year-old banyan tree Sunday near Harmoni Central Busway station in Central Jakarta. The group defended their action by saying they did it for a cause, that is, to diminish the misleading belief about it being a sacred tree. Such a perception could corrupt moral and religious faith, the group said.” (4)

It’s a sick world we live in

www.caliibre.com

Refs:
http://au.news.yahoo.com/061007/2/10ttm.html (1)
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?
at_code=364545&no=321317&rel_no=1 (2)
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/16190/exclusive-brethren-fanatics-get-public-funds (3)
http://www.thejakartapost.com/Archives/ArchivesDet2.asp?FileID=20061003.C01 (4)