Posts
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Christian must die ~ clerics
25mar06
KABUL - Muslim clerics are demanding an Afghan man on trial for converting from Islam to Christianity be executed, a move slammed as sickening by Prime Minister John Howard.
The Prime Minister [Tony Blair] during his speech "Not a clash between civilisations, but a clash about civilisation" spoke forcefully about the problems of terrorism.
The talk given to the Foreign Policy Centre and Reuters also included his praise of the Holy Qur'an.
Clerics have warned that if the Afghan Government caves into Western pressure and frees him, they will urge people to "pull him into pieces".
The case against Abdul Rahman, 41, has stirred international protests, including from Australia, and angered President George W. Bush.
Mr Howard said he would personally protest to the Afghan Government.
"This is appalling. When I saw the report about this, I felt sick, literally," Mr Howard said.
"We are putting the lives of Australian soldiers on the line. This is outrageous. The idea that a person could be punished because of their religious belief and the idea they might be executed is just beyond belief."
"The most remarkable thing about reading the Koran – in so far as it can be truly translated from the original Arabic - is to understand how progressive it is. [Says Tony Blair.}
But in Afghanistan even moderate clerics such as Abdul Raoulf have called for Mr Rahman's execution.
"I speak with great diffidence and humility as a member of another faith. I am not qualified to make any judgements. But as an outsider, the Koran strikes me as a reforming book, trying to return Judaism and Christianity to their origins, rather as reformers attempted with the Christian Church centuries later. It is inclusive. It extols science and knowledge and abhors superstition. It is practical and way ahead of its time in attitudes to marriage, women and governance," he said.
[That would be yer Tony Blair again.]
The cleric who was jailed three times for opposing the hard-line Taliban said: "Rejecting Islam is insulting God. We will not allow God to be humiliated. This man must die."
He added that under the guidance of the Qur'an, the spread of Islam and its dominance over previously Christian or pagan lands was "breathtaking". [Uh huh. it's Tony.]
Diplomats have said the Afghan Government was searching for a way to drop the case, and on Thursday authorities said Mr Rahman was suspected of being mentally ill and would be psychologically examined to see if he was fit to stand trial.
"Over centuries it founded an Empire, leading the world in discovery, art and culture. We look back to the early Middle Ages, the standard bearers of tolerance at that time were far more likely to be found in Muslim lands than in Christian," he declared.
But three Sunni preachers and a Shiite from four popular Kabul mosques said they didn't believe Mr Rahman was insane.
"I speak with great diffidence and humility as a member of another faith. I am not qualified to make any judgements.
"He is not crazy. He went in front of the media and confessed to being a Christian," said Hamidullah, chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque.
Understand how progressive it is. Understand how progressive it is. Understand how progressive it is.
"The Government is scared of the international community. But the people will kill him if he is freed," he said.
Not a clash between civilisations. Not a clash between civilisations. Not a clash between civilisations.
Mr Raoulf, who is a member of the country's main Islamic organisation, the Afghan Ulama Council, agreed: "The Government are playing games. The people will not be fooled."
It is inclusive. It is inclusive. It is inclusive.
"Cut off his head!" he exclaimed, sitting in a courtyard outside Herati Mosque.
And way ahead of its time and way ahead of its time and way ahead of its time.
"We will call on the people to pull him into pieces so there's nothing left."
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AGENCIES
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,18589427%255E663,00.html/
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http://jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/ :
Christian must die ~ clerics
25mar06
KABUL - Muslim clerics are demanding an Afghan man on trial for converting from Islam to Christianity be executed, a move slammed as sickening by Prime Minister John Howard.
The Prime Minister [Tony Blair] during his speech "Not a clash between civilisations, but a clash about civilisation" spoke forcefully about the problems of terrorism.
The talk given to the Foreign Policy Centre and Reuters also included his praise of the Holy Qur'an.
Clerics have warned that if the Afghan Government caves into Western pressure and frees him, they will urge people to "pull him into pieces".
The case against Abdul Rahman, 41, has stirred international protests, including from Australia, and angered President George W. Bush.
Mr Howard said he would personally protest to the Afghan Government.
"This is appalling. When I saw the report about this, I felt sick, literally," Mr Howard said.
"We are putting the lives of Australian soldiers on the line. This is outrageous. The idea that a person could be punished because of their religious belief and the idea they might be executed is just beyond belief."
"The most remarkable thing about reading the Koran – in so far as it can be truly translated from the original Arabic - is to understand how progressive it is. [Says Tony Blair.}
But in Afghanistan even moderate clerics such as Abdul Raoulf have called for Mr Rahman's execution.
"I speak with great diffidence and humility as a member of another faith. I am not qualified to make any judgements. But as an outsider, the Koran strikes me as a reforming book, trying to return Judaism and Christianity to their origins, rather as reformers attempted with the Christian Church centuries later. It is inclusive. It extols science and knowledge and abhors superstition. It is practical and way ahead of its time in attitudes to marriage, women and governance," he said.
[That would be yer Tony Blair again.]
The cleric who was jailed three times for opposing the hard-line Taliban said: "Rejecting Islam is insulting God. We will not allow God to be humiliated. This man must die."
He added that under the guidance of the Qur'an, the spread of Islam and its dominance over previously Christian or pagan lands was "breathtaking". [Uh huh. it's Tony.]
Diplomats have said the Afghan Government was searching for a way to drop the case, and on Thursday authorities said Mr Rahman was suspected of being mentally ill and would be psychologically examined to see if he was fit to stand trial.
"Over centuries it founded an Empire, leading the world in discovery, art and culture. We look back to the early Middle Ages, the standard bearers of tolerance at that time were far more likely to be found in Muslim lands than in Christian," he declared.
But three Sunni preachers and a Shiite from four popular Kabul mosques said they didn't believe Mr Rahman was insane.
"I speak with great diffidence and humility as a member of another faith. I am not qualified to make any judgements.
"He is not crazy. He went in front of the media and confessed to being a Christian," said Hamidullah, chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque.
Understand how progressive it is. Understand how progressive it is. Understand how progressive it is.
"The Government is scared of the international community. But the people will kill him if he is freed," he said.
Not a clash between civilisations. Not a clash between civilisations. Not a clash between civilisations.
Mr Raoulf, who is a member of the country's main Islamic organisation, the Afghan Ulama Council, agreed: "The Government are playing games. The people will not be fooled."
It is inclusive. It is inclusive. It is inclusive.
"Cut off his head!" he exclaimed, sitting in a courtyard outside Herati Mosque.
And way ahead of its time and way ahead of its time and way ahead of its time.
"We will call on the people to pull him into pieces so there's nothing left."
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AGENCIES
http://www.heraldsun.news.com
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http://jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwat