Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Follow me - Uncle Kracker
Judge dies in Turkey court attack
A gunman has shot dead a prominent judge and wounded four others in an attack on Turkey's highest court in the capital Ankara.
...
The attacker was apparently carrying papers that identified him as a lawyer - though it is not known if these were genuine - and made it past security guards undetected.
He reportedly shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is great) as he fired his weapon.
You can read the whole report here.
I wish i could say more - but with you-know-what on Friday, time is of essence! In any event, what i want to do is to share an article i read in the M'sian papers today - by the well-known Marina Mahathir - regarding "Followers". You can read it here.
Here are some excerpts to whet your appetite:-
"A FRIEND was relating how after her daughter had read the Da Vinci Code, she had wanted to read the Bible. Which is not in itself a bad thing except that she was concerned that an impressionable young mind would not be able to differentiate fact from fiction. Also it seemed that perhaps what was needed is a Da Vinci Code-type book for Muslims to spark off the same level of interest in young people in their own religion.
Except that if anyone tried to write a similar thriller based around Islam, they’d be hounded and pilloried and threatened with death, thousands would riot in protest and people who would never have been able to read the book either because they are illiterate or can’t afford it would have died.
Such is the difference between our religions. While there are many Christians who are upset about the book and movie, they are countering it with seminars and other educational events to balance what is being said in the book, even if the book is only fiction. There have not been Da Vinci Code-related riots or deaths thus far. Which speaks volumes for the adherents of the faith.
...
The point is that people’s impressions of a religion are often related to the behaviour of its adherents. Some religions are thought of as simply kooky because its followers behave strangely. Some are viewed as benign and peaceful because its followers resolutely will not harm a fly.
But when people, supposedly in the name of religion, riot, burn and kill, it can’t help but give the impression of a religion that advocates this, no matter how much we point out that nowhere in religious texts itself does it say you should do this. And unfortunately we get the whole spectrum, from men who publicly insult women on a daily basis without censure to the real crazies."
I must say that apart from the last 3 paragraphs of her article (of which i do not disagree), the article echoes my sentiments really well - and in a much better manner! ;-)
OK. Wasted enuf time oredi...
A gunman has shot dead a prominent judge and wounded four others in an attack on Turkey's highest court in the capital Ankara.
...
The attacker was apparently carrying papers that identified him as a lawyer - though it is not known if these were genuine - and made it past security guards undetected.
He reportedly shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is great) as he fired his weapon.
You can read the whole report here.
I wish i could say more - but with you-know-what on Friday, time is of essence! In any event, what i want to do is to share an article i read in the M'sian papers today - by the well-known Marina Mahathir - regarding "Followers". You can read it here.
Here are some excerpts to whet your appetite:-
"A FRIEND was relating how after her daughter had read the Da Vinci Code, she had wanted to read the Bible. Which is not in itself a bad thing except that she was concerned that an impressionable young mind would not be able to differentiate fact from fiction. Also it seemed that perhaps what was needed is a Da Vinci Code-type book for Muslims to spark off the same level of interest in young people in their own religion. Except that if anyone tried to write a similar thriller based around Islam, they’d be hounded and pilloried and threatened with death, thousands would riot in protest and people who would never have been able to read the book either because they are illiterate or can’t afford it would have died.
Such is the difference between our religions. While there are many Christians who are upset about the book and movie, they are countering it with seminars and other educational events to balance what is being said in the book, even if the book is only fiction. There have not been Da Vinci Code-related riots or deaths thus far. Which speaks volumes for the adherents of the faith.
...
The point is that people’s impressions of a religion are often related to the behaviour of its adherents. Some religions are thought of as simply kooky because its followers behave strangely. Some are viewed as benign and peaceful because its followers resolutely will not harm a fly.
But when people, supposedly in the name of religion, riot, burn and kill, it can’t help but give the impression of a religion that advocates this, no matter how much we point out that nowhere in religious texts itself does it say you should do this. And unfortunately we get the whole spectrum, from men who publicly insult women on a daily basis without censure to the real crazies."
I must say that apart from the last 3 paragraphs of her article (of which i do not disagree), the article echoes my sentiments really well - and in a much better manner! ;-)
OK. Wasted enuf time oredi...
# posted by imissw : 4:16:00 pm
