Magic Statistics

A crazy German is trying to find an Islamic venue where he can read publicly from Salmon Rushdie's The Satanic Verses.  No takers as yet.  I wonder why.

A top German journalist aims to foster understanding between Muslims and Christians by using an Islamic centre for readings of a book that sparked riots and book-burnings in the Muslim world and sent its author into hiding.

I think the lead-off sentence from the Reuters report is a tad misleading.  Christianity had nothing directly to do with the controversy over The Satanic Verses.

Germany's largest network of mosques has rejected Guenter Wallraff's proposals for readings of Salman Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses', which many Muslims see as an affront to the Prophet Mohammad. But Wallraff is undeterred and says he will seek backing for his plan in Muslim Turkey.
. . .
Wallraff, 65, has been denounced on radical Islamist websites for his proposal. He now only leaves home in disguise and with a police escort; an experience not unfamiliar to the man whose book he defends.

The Turkish Islamic Union, which pays imams in its German mosques, rejected Mr Wallraff’s proposal, saying that "such an event would not facilitate the integration of Muslims in Germany".  An understandable view, given that the "event" would almost certainly be followed by rioting.

Previous related posts:

• A German prophet without honour
• German legislator urges Muslim women to remove head scarves, receives death threats
• Mosque where 9/11 planned still shelters Islamists
• Turkish child brides in Germany

Robert Mugabe engineered a trumped-up adultery lawsuit against Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube, as a result of which the archbishop resigned his position.  Shortly thereafter, Ncube quickly discouraged rumours that he might run for president against Mugabe next year.

Mugabe's scheme has managed to intimidate his most formidable and internationally respected opponent.  But that’s not enough.  The evil dictator wants Ncube utterly humiliated.

An extraordinary top-secret document, leaked to me by an operative in Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), reveals that President Mugabe is not satisfied with just the resignation of the Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, after he became a victim of a notorious government-inspired 'honey trap'.

Ncube, a strenuous critic of the Mugabe regime and recently revealed in The First Post to be a possible opposition candidate for President, is to have his reputation ground into the dust by means of a string of carefully orchestrated scandals.

Reporter Moses Moyo says he has received by fax a memorandum from the office of the Director-General of Zimbabwe’s CIO, outlining the series of scandals.  (The document has been posted here).

The same woman who lodged the adultery allegation against Abp Ncube is to be persuaded to file a second lawsuit, claiming that she contracted AIDS from the archbishop.  The next step is to plant a story that Ncube has fathered two children by a married woman.  The fourth and final stage is to link him with the pregnancy of a girl who died in 2005 following a failed abortion.

Mr Moyo’s source believes the plot will proceed, despite the fact that it has now been leaked.

Previous related posts:

• Will Ncube run against Mugabe for president?
• Mugabe’s church has turned against him
• Mugabe threatens Catholic bishops
• Archbishop Pius Ncube: Mugabe’s most defiant opponent

Last Saturday, I blogged about Muslims in Kano state, Nigeria, attacking Christians over vague rumours of blasphemy against Islam.  The local police thought they had the situation under control.  They were wrong.

At least nine Christians were killed, churches set on fire and businesses and homes destroyed in the Tundun Wada area of Kano State, Nigeria, over the weekend.

The violence was committed by Muslim youths and followed unspecified allegations that Christians had blasphemed the prophet Mohammed.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports that according to sources on the ground, not a single Christian church, house or business has been left undamaged. Furthermore, an unknown number of people were injured and displaced during the violence.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has received reports indicating that, in an attempt to disguise the true extent of the violence and injuries, the authorities in Tundun Wada have evacuated Christians and other non-Muslims to neighboring Bauchi State.
. . .
Kano is a notoriously volatile state where regular bouts of anti-Christian violence have usually resulted in massacres. Speaking on behalf of the Christian community following the violence, CAN National Secretary Eng. Samuel Salifu said: “We are pleading for the government to step in. I am directly telling President Yar’Adua because this may be a very good litmus test for his administration.”

International Christian Concern lists four different reported causes for the outbreak of anti-Christian violence.

In response to the atrocities inflicted on Christians, the Government of Nigeria has leapt into action.  It has promised a big gabfest meeting to be held “soon”.

The Federal Government yesterday said it would soon convene a national religious conference to address the constant religious crisis bedevilling the nation.  The Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, disclosed this at the 47th Independence Anniversary Celebration Interdenominational Church Service at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.

I can’t help thinking that the vice-president’s first name encapsulates the confab’s chances for success.

“The President has asked me to use this occasion to plead with religious leaders, Christians and Muslims to preach and teach that people should learn to live together in peace and harmony. The religious intolerance that we have observed is coming up again must be addressed. We implore the religious leaders to preach peace and harmony.

I’ve been following religious news from Nigeria for a good while now and, as far as I can see, the Christians don’t appear to have a problem with religious tolerance.

Previous related posts:

• Nigerian Muslims terrorise Christians over cartoon rumour
• Nigerian state requires all students to wear Muslim dress
• Nigerian Taliban

The Anglican Diocese of Montreal is going down the same treacherous path as the Diocese of Ottawa.

At its synod meeting ten days from now, the Diocese of Ottawa will consider a motion requesting the bishop to allow same-sex blessings (SSBs).  Now it emerges that the Diocese of Montreal will consider an almost identical motion at its synod meeting a week later.

Those motions will come forward despite the fact that General Synod rejected a motion to allow SSBs in the Anglican Church of Canada.

The text of Montreal’s proposed motion can be found on the very last page of the Motions, Memorials and Petitions section of the Convening Circular.

Be it resolved that this Synod request that the Bishop grant permission for clergy, whose conscience permits, to bless duly solemnized and registered civil marriages, including marriages between same-sex couples, where at least one party is baptized; and that the Bishop authorize an appropriate rite and make regulations for its use in supportive parishes.

A related story on page 1 of the October issue of the diocesan newspaper, Montreal Anglican, fails to explain why the instigators feel free to offer a motion in apparent contradiction with the General Synod vote.  It does include this interesting tidbit, however.

One diocesan official said he understands several other diocesan synods will be considering similar motions this fall. One reason is to try to head off a tendency for clergy favourable to gay marriage to react to the Winnipeg [General Synod] decision by blessing same-sex couples on their own anyway, without supervision by their bishops.

Let me get this straight.  In order to prevent priests from offering SSBs behind the bishop’s back, a motion challenging a General Synod decision will be presented.  Shouldn’t Montreal Synod first pass a motion repudiating General Synod’s authority as the Anglican Church of Canada’s highest decision-making body?

Moreover, that “reason” contains an implied threat.  If the motion is voted down, renegade priests could act behind the bishop’s back regardless.

To top it off, the unnamed “diocesan official” suggests connivance among Anglican pro-homosexual activists to subvert General Synod’s decision on this issue.

Do these folks care whether the Anglican Church of Canada remains an accepted member of the Anglican Communion?

h/t: Anglican Network in Canada Newsletter, 1 October

Cross-posted at Anglican Essentials Canada Blog.
 
Previous related posts:

• Ottawa Diocese to consider motion at odds with General Synod decision
• SSBs consistent with doctrine, but not allowed anyway