Stop insulting Judaism and Christianity, Mr. President

Jewish World Review ^ | Nov. 3, 2003 | Diana West

[SJackson]

It's high time to tell the truth about the adherents — and, more importantly, leaders — of the "great religion"

I'd like to think that with Ramadan rolling around again, President Bush at least considered calling off his annual White House dinner with assorted Muslim luminaries to break their holiday fast. No other religious group — not Jews, Catholics, Protestants or even Druids — rates an official celebration like the Iftaar supper, a White House "tradition" since 2001. That was the year the United States first decided that "reaching out" to Muslims following Muslim terrorist attacks on the United States was a good idea. Three Ramadans later, a sense of dining entitlement has no doubt kicked in that's harder to buck than not.

So,the president hosted his Ramadan dinner. Believing (and having written) that this man is all that separates us from the abyss, I'm pulling for Mr. Bush to succeed. At the same time, I'm also hoping he choked a little on his official remarks, at least on the part where he called on people of all faiths to reflect on "the values we hold common — love of family, gratitude to G-d, and" — insert Heimlich Maneuver here — "a commitment to religious freedom."

Islam may have a lot of things — love of family and gratitude to G-d, as the president said, along with jihad (holy war), dhimmitude (inferior status of non-Muslims) and a corner on the suicide bombing market — but it does not have "a commitment to religious freedom." And, that goes even after excluding al Qaeda, the Taliban and the entire royal family of Saudi Arabia. Take Egypt. According to a report I first saw posted at www.robertspencer.org, a new Web site devoted to both jihad and dhimmitude, a slew of Christian converts from Islam have been arrested since Oct. 21 in Egypt — our modern (moderate?) friend and recipient of billions in U.S. aid — in a crackdown on "apostates."

As reported by the Barnabas Fund, a British watchdog group, as many as 22 Christian converts "have been taken from Alexandria to police stations in Cairo and are being beaten, interrogated and tortured." The charge? Falsifying identity papers. While it's not technically against the law in Egypt for Muslims to convert to Christianity — as it is under the sharia law of, say, Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia — it is illegal for any Egyptian to drop his Muslim name for a Christian name. "Thus," as the Barnabas Fund explains, Christian converts in Egypt are always "regarded as Muslims in the eyes of the law."

[Rummyfan]

I can only hope that this strategery of the President's is one of keeping the enemy close. But it is disturbing to see Sheik Yerbouti in the White House, and hear all these platitudes to Islam which baldly fly in the face of facts.

[stainlessbanner]

< snip >

"Preaching on Saudi state television from the holy mosque in Medina, Shaykh Salah Bin-Muhammad al-Budayr recently hailed Ramadan, concluding his sermon (according to a translation at www.imra.org.il): "O G-d, support Islam and Muslims and destroy the enemies of Islam, including Jews, Christians and atheists. . . . O G-d, deal with the Jews for they are within your power. . . O G-d, shake the land under their feet, instill fear in their hearts and make them a booty for Muslims and a lesson to others."

[Uff Da]

the Iftaar supper, a White House "tradition" since 2001

This 'tradition' obviously was started by the CLINTOOOONS...Looks as though, during wartime, this 'tradition' could be called off....

[Damocles]

Don't know who was president in your world in 2001 (remember September 11, 2001), but in mine it was George W. Bush...

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Why does the President insist on celebrating Ishtar every year?

[Maceman]

As reported by the Barnabas Fund, a British watchdog group, as many as 22 Christian converts "have been taken from Alexandria to police stations in Cairo and are being beaten, interrogated and tortured."

Whenever I read that there are over a billion Muslims in the world, I can't help wondering how many fewer there would be if people in the Muslim world were freely allowed to abandon Islam without fear of torture, imprisonment and social ostracism.

[Uff Da]

OOOOOOOoops...........I need more coffee this early in the morning.......Sorry!

[bvw]

The cataclismic turn-arounds of populations of such scale in human history are rare, not unknown -- just exceedingly rare. It is very very hard to give up all that a person has grown up with, generation on generation, even when conditions exist that would make such a change the clear rational choice without all that cultural, social and psychological inertia and baggage.

The Declaration of Independence notes a similar dynamic very well:

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

[templar]

This 'tradition' obviously was started by the CLINTOOOONS...

Who was President during Ramadan of 2001?

Maybe it's time we got rid of that knee jerk reaction that blames Clinton for everything. Bush and the Republicans have been in total charge for quite a while now.

[joyful1]

Warning! Political Correctness (PC) is killing us literally!

[lady lawyer]

It's not quite true to say that no other religion gets official attention at the White House. The Christmas decorations and celebrations are huge, like lighting the national tree. I wonder if the President makes it a point to recognize any Jewish holidays? If not, only the Jews are getting slighted.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[4CJ]

Islam may have a lot of things ? love of family and gratitude to G-d, as the president said, along with jihad (holy war), dhimmitude (inferior status of non-Muslims) and a corner on the suicide bombing market - but it does not have "a commitment to religious freedom."

Bump.

[veronica]

Actually, the Happy Ramadan bit WAS started by the Clintons. They were the first to issue a blanket "greeting" to the American Ramadanists.

[veronica]

Maybe it's time we got rid of that knee jerk reaction that blames Clinton for everything...

Thursday, December 9, 1999 Ramadan 1999 Warm greetings to Muslims across America and around the world as you celebrate the start of Ramadan, a holy month of prayer, fasting, reflection, and good works.

As far as I can tell no POTUS did this before Billy Bubbafucco.

[Teacher317]

A White House dinner to celebrate a fasting holiday? Huh?

[billbears]

Looks as though, during wartime, this 'tradition' could be called off....

forever

[kegler4]

I have no use for this dinner, but it's absurd to say that Christianity isn't recognized in an official way. It's recognized at least at Christmas and Easter and probably at other times as well.

[Valin]

Stop insulting Judaism and Christianity, Mr. President


A couple of points
1 Has anyone here ever heard of the term PR?
We have a guy (and his team) trying to deal with a bunch of thugs and murderer who have declared war on us in the name of a religion, while it the same time not pissing off 1.3 Billion followers of that religion. (get a clue folks)

2 Maybe someone could explain to me how having dinner with some Muslims is supposed to "offend" Christians and/or Jews?

3 Given all the hate being put out by much of the media in the Islamic world I'd say it's more than passed time that we went on the PR offensive.