C L O S E R

Cartoon and Koran film part of Crusader war: Taliban | Reuters

Posted on March 7th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

Cartoon and Koran film part of Crusader war: Taliban | International | Reuters

By Sayed SalahuddinKABUL (Reuters) – Afghan Taliban militants have branded the reprinting of a satirical cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad in Danish newspapers and a film on the Koran by a Dutch politician as part of a “Crusader war” against Muslims.

The Islamic movement, which is leading an insurgency in Afghanistan against Afghan and foreign troops led by NATO and the United States, also called for aid for the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel.

“We see the publication of cartoons and insult of the Holy Koran as part of the Crusaders’ war,” the Taliban said in a statement posted on the group’s Web site.

The cartoon — one of 12 that prompted riots in many Muslim countries in 2006 — was republished by a number of Danish papers last month to show solidarity with the cartoonist after three men were arrested on suspicion of plotting to kill him.

Many Muslims consider any depiction of the Prophet offensive.

Dutch right-wing politician Geert Wilders is expected to release his film, thought to be critical of the Koran, later this month. Wilders has given few details, but in the past he has called the Koran a “fascist” book that incites violence.

The reprinting of the cartoon and the planned release of the film coincide with recent incursions by Israel into Gaza, where more than 120 Palestinian civilians have been killed.

The developments have angered many in the Muslim world and prompted a series of protests in Afghanistan, where demonstrators have demanded the expulsion of Danish and Dutch troops serving under NATO’s command.

The largest protest was held on Wednesday, when participants called on the Muslim world to provide arms and funds for the Palestinians. Some even indirectly threatened to join the Taliban insurgents, who were ousted from power in 2001 but remain active in the south and east of the country.

In the statement, the al Qaeda-backed Taliban also asked for help for the Palestinians.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants global institutions who preach democracy and human rights to the people of the world to condemn these atrocities of Israel and bring it to the International Criminal Court,” it said.

Afghanistan’s Western-backed government has called the republication of the cartoon an attack against Islam, and one official has warned it would feed the insurgents.

Several other Islamic countries have demanded that the release of Wilders’ film should be stopped, and Pakistan’s foreign ministry accused the Dutch politician of “propagating the politics of hate and promoting xenophobia”.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told Dutch television on Sunday he was concerned about the repercussions Wilders’ plans may have for troops serving in Afghanistan and for Dutch people and businesses elsewhere in the world.

(Editing by Alex Richardson)

© Reuters 2008 All rights reserved

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Cartoon and Koran film part of Crusader war: Taliban | Reuters

Posted on March 7th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

Cartoon and Koran film part of Crusader war: Taliban | International | Reuters

By Sayed SalahuddinKABUL (Reuters) – Afghan Taliban militants have branded the reprinting of a satirical cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad in Danish newspapers and a film on the Koran by a Dutch politician as part of a “Crusader war” against Muslims.

The Islamic movement, which is leading an insurgency in Afghanistan against Afghan and foreign troops led by NATO and the United States, also called for aid for the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel.

“We see the publication of cartoons and insult of the Holy Koran as part of the Crusaders’ war,” the Taliban said in a statement posted on the group’s Web site.

The cartoon — one of 12 that prompted riots in many Muslim countries in 2006 — was republished by a number of Danish papers last month to show solidarity with the cartoonist after three men were arrested on suspicion of plotting to kill him.

Many Muslims consider any depiction of the Prophet offensive.

Dutch right-wing politician Geert Wilders is expected to release his film, thought to be critical of the Koran, later this month. Wilders has given few details, but in the past he has called the Koran a “fascist” book that incites violence.

The reprinting of the cartoon and the planned release of the film coincide with recent incursions by Israel into Gaza, where more than 120 Palestinian civilians have been killed.

The developments have angered many in the Muslim world and prompted a series of protests in Afghanistan, where demonstrators have demanded the expulsion of Danish and Dutch troops serving under NATO’s command.

The largest protest was held on Wednesday, when participants called on the Muslim world to provide arms and funds for the Palestinians. Some even indirectly threatened to join the Taliban insurgents, who were ousted from power in 2001 but remain active in the south and east of the country.

In the statement, the al Qaeda-backed Taliban also asked for help for the Palestinians.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants global institutions who preach democracy and human rights to the people of the world to condemn these atrocities of Israel and bring it to the International Criminal Court,” it said.

Afghanistan’s Western-backed government has called the republication of the cartoon an attack against Islam, and one official has warned it would feed the insurgents.

Several other Islamic countries have demanded that the release of Wilders’ film should be stopped, and Pakistan’s foreign ministry accused the Dutch politician of “propagating the politics of hate and promoting xenophobia”.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told Dutch television on Sunday he was concerned about the repercussions Wilders’ plans may have for troops serving in Afghanistan and for Dutch people and businesses elsewhere in the world.

(Editing by Alex Richardson)

© Reuters 2008 All rights reserved

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C L O S E R – testing

Posted on March 6th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

C L O S E R

Playing a little bit with a new theme. Everything should be up and running by now. If you find any mistakes or problems, don’t hesitate to mention them here in the comments.

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As you may have noticed…

Posted on March 5th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

…the website still looks a bit boring if it is online at all. I would love to say that this is caused by our plans to release a groundbreaking, thought provoking film that will provide the world with shock and awe, and that we cannot say anything more about it but we will release tiny bits of information in the coming days in order to built up the tension. However,  we will stick to our core business of blogging about religions and their believers (and the people who have problems with that).

We are are working on the problems and when you read this we have moved to another host. As soon as the technical difficulties are solved, I will try to apply a new WP theme for this site, re-arrange the links, create a new emailform and include the old RSS from Mideast youth and CloseReading again.

There is a possibility however that in the coming days this website will be inaccessible again. Don’t worry, it is just temporary. In the mean time, sorry for the inconvenience.

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Creating the moral panic: Join the Caravan of Wilders

Posted on March 1st, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

Wilders film Fitna has once again focused our attention on the significance of religious beliefs and practices in conflict. Conflicts, has been shown abundantly in all kinds of studies, rarely only have an ethnic or religious origin alone. The religious and ethnic ties vary infinitely and have to be considered together with other potential bases for collective origins such as neighbourliness, national origins, and race, religion, and financial and political interest. The potential for mobilisation is therefore usually not only ethnicity or religion but the underlying processes are common to many other kinds of mobilisation. The appearance of a conflict that is primarily religiously or ethnically determined is based upon the interplay between those other relations and ethnic sentiment in a cause-and-effect-relationship. The importance of political entrepreneurs with regard to the relation between Muslims and non-Muslims is shown in various researches.

A political entrepreneur such as Wilders can call upon people to transcend their individual interests and instead move for a more shared interest based upon group solidarity. What happens is that people like Wilders but also others try to reduce the multidimensionality of relations by making one dimension (for example religion or ethnicity) appear all-important (and all-encompassing). Wilders does this for example in Fitna by claiming to expose the fascist nature of this book (and therefore of Islam).

Once us vs. them dichotomies are formed they usually reproduce themselves since their are costs in terms of vulnerability, loss of strength, loss of sense of belonging, anomie, weakness, when leaving the ingroup while staying provides a sense of safety and belonging, and social capital. People who have defined their group as civilized, free and superior will not easily blur the boundaries with the outgroup by attributing value to other qualities. Even successful attempts to minimize communal conflict may as a byproduct reproduce community solidarity.

(more…)

5 comments.

The surprising truth about Rage Boy, America's hated poster-boy of Islamic radicalism | the Daily Mail

Posted on March 1st, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

The surprising truth about Rage Boy, America’s hated poster-boy of Islamic radicalism | the Daily Mail

By PATRICK FRENCH

Don’t you hate Islamic Rage Boy? ‘MoBlows’, writing on the Jihad Watch website, certainly does.

“I just want to put my fist down his throat,” he says. The ‘boy’ in question rose to prominence earlier this year when he was photographed at a demonstration in Srinagar, capital of Indian-administered Kashmir.

Later, he was spotted waving his fist at another camera during a protest against the awarding of a knighthood to author Salman Rushdie.

With his straggly beard and big shouting mouth, Rage Boy certainly looks like a threat.

His scary face now appears on boxer shorts and bumper stickers, and he scores more than a million results on Google.

Crazed: But the poster boy of Islamic radicalism has a very different story to tell when he’s at home with his mother

A regular spoof diary appears online in his name and he has come to stand for all that is most frightening about radical Islam.

But who is the real person behind the cartoon and what does he believe in? I travelled to Kashmir in search of the poster-boy of fundamentalism. (more…)

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The surprising truth about Rage Boy, America’s hated poster-boy of Islamic radicalism | the Daily Mail

Posted on March 1st, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

The surprising truth about Rage Boy, America’s hated poster-boy of Islamic radicalism | the Daily Mail

By PATRICK FRENCH

Don’t you hate Islamic Rage Boy? ‘MoBlows’, writing on the Jihad Watch website, certainly does.

“I just want to put my fist down his throat,” he says. The ‘boy’ in question rose to prominence earlier this year when he was photographed at a demonstration in Srinagar, capital of Indian-administered Kashmir.

Later, he was spotted waving his fist at another camera during a protest against the awarding of a knighthood to author Salman Rushdie.

With his straggly beard and big shouting mouth, Rage Boy certainly looks like a threat.

His scary face now appears on boxer shorts and bumper stickers, and he scores more than a million results on Google.

Crazed: But the poster boy of Islamic radicalism has a very different story to tell when he’s at home with his mother

A regular spoof diary appears online in his name and he has come to stand for all that is most frightening about radical Islam.

But who is the real person behind the cartoon and what does he believe in? I travelled to Kashmir in search of the poster-boy of fundamentalism. (more…)

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Egypt State Information Service- Culture – Cairo Film Festival rejects Denmark, Netherlands’ participation

Posted on February 28th, 2008 by .
Categories: Misc. News.

Egypt State Information Service- Culture – Cairo Film Festival rejects Denmark, Netherlands’ participation
Cairo Film Festival rejects Denmark, Netherlands’ participation

Cairo International Film Festival for Children rejected Wednesday 27/2/2008 the participation of Denmark and the Netherlands in the 2008 session to be held on March 6 through 13.

The decision was taken in response to a film and cartoons produced by the two countries mocking Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, the festival’s chairman Fawzi Fahmi said.

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Egypt State Information Service- Culture – Cairo Film Festival rejects Denmark, Netherlands' participation

Posted on February 28th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

Egypt State Information Service- Culture – Cairo Film Festival rejects Denmark, Netherlands’ participation
Cairo Film Festival rejects Denmark, Netherlands’ participation

Cairo International Film Festival for Children rejected Wednesday 27/2/2008 the participation of Denmark and the Netherlands in the 2008 session to be held on March 6 through 13.

The decision was taken in response to a film and cartoons produced by the two countries mocking Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, the festival’s chairman Fawzi Fahmi said.

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AAJ Television – Taliban warn of attacks if Dutch ‘anti-Islamic’ film shown

Posted on February 28th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

NEWS : AAJ Television: Pakistan’s Premier Channel
Taliban warn of attacks if Dutch ‘anti-Islamic’ film shown

KABUL Afghanistan’s Taliban movement warned on Thursday it would step up attacks against soldiers from The Netherlands if an ‘insulting’ anti-Islamic film by a Dutch parliamentarian is broadcast.

There are around 1,500 Dutch troops in Afghanistan as part of a 40-nation Nato-led force that is helping the government battle an insurgency led by the Taliban.

The film by far-right Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party, is ‘an insult to Islam,’ a Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, told AFP.

“We in Afghanistan will increase our attacks against Dutch forces if the film is broadcast,” he said in a telephone call from an unknown location.

“We call on the United Nations to step in and stop any such acts which creates drifts between Muslims and the rest of the world.”

The Dutch government on Wednesday warned Wilders about the dangers of broadcasting the film entitled “Fitna,” an Arabic word used to describe all things that can test faith and sometimes synonymous with evil.

1 comment.

AAJ Television – Taliban warn of attacks if Dutch 'anti-Islamic' film shown

Posted on February 28th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

NEWS : AAJ Television: Pakistan’s Premier Channel
Taliban warn of attacks if Dutch ‘anti-Islamic’ film shown

KABUL Afghanistan’s Taliban movement warned on Thursday it would step up attacks against soldiers from The Netherlands if an ‘insulting’ anti-Islamic film by a Dutch parliamentarian is broadcast.

There are around 1,500 Dutch troops in Afghanistan as part of a 40-nation Nato-led force that is helping the government battle an insurgency led by the Taliban.

The film by far-right Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party, is ‘an insult to Islam,’ a Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, told AFP.

“We in Afghanistan will increase our attacks against Dutch forces if the film is broadcast,” he said in a telephone call from an unknown location.

“We call on the United Nations to step in and stop any such acts which creates drifts between Muslims and the rest of the world.”

The Dutch government on Wednesday warned Wilders about the dangers of broadcasting the film entitled “Fitna,” an Arabic word used to describe all things that can test faith and sometimes synonymous with evil.

1 comment.

Wired.com TED 2008: How Good People Turn Evil, From Stanford to Abu Ghraib

Posted on February 28th, 2008 by .
Categories: Misc. News.

TED 2008: How Good People Turn Evil, From Stanford to Abu Ghraib

By Kim Zetter

As an expert witness in the defense of an Abu Ghraib guard, Philip Zimbardo had access to many images (NSFW) of abuse taken by the guards themselves. Some of these images have never been published before. For his TED presentation he put together a short video of some of the pictures. The sound effects in the video were added by Zimbardo. Many of the images are explicit and gruesome, depicting nudity, degradation, simulated sex acts and guards posing with corpses. Viewer discretion is advised.
Courtesy Philip Zimbardo
Monterey, California — Psychologist Philip Zimbardo has seen good people turn evil, and he thinks he knows why.

Zimbardo will speak Thursday afternoon at the TED conference, where he plans to illustrate his points by showing a three-minute video, obtained by Wired.com, that features many previously unseen photographs from the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq (disturbing content).

Salon.com published 279 photos and 19 videos from Abu Ghraib in March 2006, one of the most extensive documentations to date of abuse in the notorious prison. Zimbardo claims, however, that many images in his video — which he obtained while serving as an expert witness for an Abu Ghraib defendant — have never before been published.

Zimbardo conducted a now-famous experiment at Stanford University in 1971, involving students who posed as prisoners and guards. Five days into the experiment, Zimbardo halted the study when the student guards began abusing the prisoners, forcing them to strip naked and simulate sex acts.

His book, The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil, explores how a “perfect storm” of conditions can make ordinary people commit horrendous acts.

He spoke with Wired.com about what Abu Ghraib and his prison study can teach us about evil and why heroes are, by nature, social deviants.

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Muslim TV evangelist preaches Allah of love – Telegraph

Posted on February 27th, 2008 by .
Categories: Misc. News.

Muslim TV evangelist preaches Allah of love – Telegraph
By Carolynne Wheeler in Cairo
Last Updated: 3:35am GMT 26/02/2008

He is handsome and charismatic, and his velvety voice makes young women swoon. But his young female fans mostly wear headscarves, and while his gatherings look more fitting for a rockstar, they involve lessons from the Koran.

Moez Masoud, a 29-year-old Egyptian party-goer-turned-preacher, is sweeping the Middle East with his moderate Islamic message to love not just Allah but also others – and to play a full part in the modern world.

Muslim evangelist Moez Masoud
Mr Masoud provokes debate over contemporary issues

His views are controversial among more conservative imams both in Egypt, where he is based, and further afield.

But his television shows have garnered an audience of millions across the Middle East, his website attracts thousands of hits, and he fills hotel ballrooms and lecture theatres whenever he appears in public.

“I’m just about everyday things, you know? It’s about keeping it real,” said the young televangelist, as he prepared for an event at a Cairo hotel where he was to discuss how romantic love and marriage relate to Islam.

His message carries weight among his mostly educated and middle-class young fans, because – perhaps like many of them – he too has previously succumbed to temptation. (more…)

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Protected: Leerlingen bedreigd na rol in anti-Wildersfilm – Dagblad De Limburger – Limburgs Dagblad

Posted on February 27th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

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IkhwanWeb – Muslim Brotherhood Denounces Geert Wilders’ Upcoming Film, Calls for Peaceful Reactions

Posted on February 27th, 2008 by .
Categories: Misc. News.

IkhwanWeb

Right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders (who is known for his hostility toward Islam and the Qur’an) is said to be broadcasting an anti-Islam movie by next month in Holland. In his own words, wilders will try in his film to convince the public that Islam is a backward religion and the Qur’an “a terrible and fascist book that inspires people to do awful deeds.”Despite the flagrant violation of freedom of belief in Wilders’ speeches and his movie, Muslim Brotherhood statements called for avoiding riots and violent reactions and concentrating instead on a constructive dialogue with non-Muslims to refute the claims of Geert Wilders or anyone who misunderstands Islam.

MB first deputy-chairman Muhammad Habib said in a statement to Ikhwanweb that the Muslim Brotherhood promotes dialogue because Islam is a religion of dialogue. “We value freedom because it is an obligation on every human being. However, there is a difference between freedom and deliberate offense. Therefore, we completely reject any attempt to provoke Muslims, and we expect western societies to respect Muslims just as we respect them,” he stated.

Habib maintained that if the Dutch movie contains any incitation of hatred against Muslims, then it might negatively affect world stability as it would be a bulwark against peaceful coexistence among human beings. But violence should be evaded no matter what happened, he said.

Mahmoud Ezzat (the movement’s secretary-general) underlined the responsibility of Muslims everywhere to represent the truth about their religion. “We ought to rally all freedom lovers worldwide to stand up for truth”, he said.

Ezzat resumed, “there must be a stance against such hostile actions through, for instance, media campaigns which voice Muslims’ feelings. NGOs and human rights organizations should also have a positive response.”

MB executive bureau member Muhammad Mursi confirmed the above and pointed out that freedom of expression does not entail freedom of offending others. On the contrary, differences among human beings necessitate fruitful communication and respect of the other.

For this reason, Muslims in Holland should use all peaceful means to expose the fallacies of Wilders’ movie, Mursi continued. Like Ezzat, he believes they can best make their voices heard through the media, Human Rights organizations, NGOs, as well as national and international courts. In addition, they should not violate their countrys’ laws and refrain from violence which only breeds violence, he confirmed.

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Protected: Jihad tegen Wilders – Binnenland – Telegraaf.nl

Posted on February 27th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

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Protected: nu.nl/internet | Aparte website voor Koranfilm Wilders

Posted on February 27th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

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Protected: nu.nl/internet | Aparte website voor Koranfilm Wilders

Posted on February 27th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

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AFP: Egypt ‘monitoring attacks on Islam ahead of Dutch TV film’

Posted on February 24th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

AFP: Egypt ‘monitoring attacks on Islam ahead of Dutch TV film’

CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt on Friday deplored what it called gratuitous attacks on Islam and said it was closely monitoring plans by a Dutch filmmaker to release an anti-Koran film.”It is regrettable that European lawmakers and politicians use gratuitous methods to gain electoral votes by attacking the sacred values and religions of others,” foreign ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said in a statement.

Dutch far-right deputy Geert Wilders has said he will be airing on television in the Netherlands in March a controversial anti-Islam film called “Fitna” (Ordeal), which accuses the Koran of inciting people to murder.

Such politicians, Zaki said in reference to Wilders, “focus their hatred on Islam” and plan to broadcast a film undermining Islamic symbols.

These acts “feed hatred against Muslims and encourage extremism and confrontation instead of opting for dialogue based on mutual respect,” Zaki said.

Egypt is monitoring the situation “very closely,” he added, but also noted the “comprehension” of the Dutch authorities over Cairo’s concerns.

Wilders said in November that the film will show his view that the Koran is “a horrible and fascist book” that inspires people to commit “awful acts.”

“I hope that it will open people’s eyes to the fact that the Koran should be banned like ‘Mein Kampf'” by Adolf Hitler, he told the Dutch news agency ANP.

This month Egypt banned the sale of four European newspapers for printing pictures deemed offensive to Islam and summoned the ambassador of Denmark, where the press published cartoons that have enraged the Muslim world.

At least 17 Danish newspapers republished a controversial cartoon earlier this month, featuring the Prophet Mohammed wearing a turban that looked like a bomb with a lit fuse.

The cartoon was one of 12 drawings first published in September 2005 by the Danish Jyllands-Posten newspaper that sparked bloody riots across the Islamic world.

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AFP: Egypt 'monitoring attacks on Islam ahead of Dutch TV film'

Posted on February 24th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

AFP: Egypt ‘monitoring attacks on Islam ahead of Dutch TV film’

CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt on Friday deplored what it called gratuitous attacks on Islam and said it was closely monitoring plans by a Dutch filmmaker to release an anti-Koran film.”It is regrettable that European lawmakers and politicians use gratuitous methods to gain electoral votes by attacking the sacred values and religions of others,” foreign ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said in a statement.

Dutch far-right deputy Geert Wilders has said he will be airing on television in the Netherlands in March a controversial anti-Islam film called “Fitna” (Ordeal), which accuses the Koran of inciting people to murder.

Such politicians, Zaki said in reference to Wilders, “focus their hatred on Islam” and plan to broadcast a film undermining Islamic symbols.

These acts “feed hatred against Muslims and encourage extremism and confrontation instead of opting for dialogue based on mutual respect,” Zaki said.

Egypt is monitoring the situation “very closely,” he added, but also noted the “comprehension” of the Dutch authorities over Cairo’s concerns.

Wilders said in November that the film will show his view that the Koran is “a horrible and fascist book” that inspires people to commit “awful acts.”

“I hope that it will open people’s eyes to the fact that the Koran should be banned like ‘Mein Kampf'” by Adolf Hitler, he told the Dutch news agency ANP.

This month Egypt banned the sale of four European newspapers for printing pictures deemed offensive to Islam and summoned the ambassador of Denmark, where the press published cartoons that have enraged the Muslim world.

At least 17 Danish newspapers republished a controversial cartoon earlier this month, featuring the Prophet Mohammed wearing a turban that looked like a bomb with a lit fuse.

The cartoon was one of 12 drawings first published in September 2005 by the Danish Jyllands-Posten newspaper that sparked bloody riots across the Islamic world.

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Protected: AD.nl – Buitenland – Protest bij Nederlandse ambassade

Posted on February 20th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News, Public Islam.

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Protected: AD.nl – Buitenland – Moslimgroep eist verbod film Wilders

Posted on February 20th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

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Protected: Quotenet – ‘Knorbert wordt niet geslacht’

Posted on February 20th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

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Balkenende en geloof – Hour of power voor de scheiding kerk-staat?

Posted on February 20th, 2008 by .
Categories: Misc. News.

UPDATED (zie onderaan)

Afgelopen zondag was MP Balkenende in het programma Hour of Power. Hij sprak daarin over zijn eigen geloof en hoe dat geloof één van zijn belangrijkste drijfveren vormt.

Je moet koersvast zijn in dit vak en die kracht ontleen ik in belangrijke mate aan mijn geloof. Voor mij geldt in de politiek nog iets anders dan opiniepeilingen en verkiezingen; voor mij gaat het om bij te mogen dragen aan de kwaliteit van samenleven. Dat is de essentie en daarin geeft het geloof mij een geweldig houvast en een richtsnoer.

[…]
Ik heb in mijn werk als Minister-President heel veel kracht ontleend aan mijn geloof. Het is geen gemakkelijk vak. Het is een aanslag op je gezinsleven; het kost veel tijd, want je bent zeven dagen per week en 24 uur per dag premier. Je maakt mooie dingen mee en je maakt moeilijke dingen mee. Je staat wel eens alleen in dit vak, maar het geloof heeft mij geweldige kracht gegeven.

Verschillende weblogs hebben zijn optreden opgepikt en met name Godvoordommen is daarbij (zoals gebruikelijk valt mij op) één van de eerste (en ik hobbel er weer achteraan… valt mij ook op). Later hebben onder meer Lucaswashier.nl, Geenstijl.nl, Religieus Peil, Dit kan niet waar zijn, Zinfo, Geencommentaar.nl, Tammeblog, Bagagedragers, Hypi Grumiaux, Snouck Hurgronje blog, Wees Waakzaam en natuurlijk De Zwijger dat ook opgepikt. De laatste heeft er zelfs een hele campagne van gemaakt om te protesteren tegen Balkenendes optreden in dit programma. Waar vallen bijna al deze weblogs nu over? (more…)

3 comments.

'I don't hate Muslims. I hate Islam,' says Holland's rising political star | World news | The Observer

Posted on February 19th, 2008 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

‘I don’t hate Muslims. I hate Islam,’ says Holland’s rising political star | World news | The Observer

Geert Wilders, the popular MP whose film on Islam has fuelled the debate on race in Holland, wants an end to mosque building and Muslim immigration. Ian Traynor met him in The Hague

* Ian Traynor

This article appeared in the Observer on Sunday February 17 2008 on p40 of the World news section. It was last updated at 00:06 on February 17 2008. (more…)

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