Posted on 04/22/2005 1:14:15 PM PDT by Red Badger
Celebrity Pentecostal preacher Runar Søgaard is under protection by Swedish police after receiving death threats. A high-profile sermon where Sögaard called the prophet Mohammed "a confused pedophile" has triggered fears of religious war.
Runar Søgaard has always managed to combine Pentecostalism and celebrity.
PHOTO: Berit Roald / SCANPIX
Carola Häggkvist Søgaard, an adored singer in Sweden, assured her Norwegian husband celebrity status.
PHOTO: Uglum, Morten
Søgaard, 37, enjoys celebrity status in Sweden after his marriage to recording star and Eurovision song contest winner Carola, even though they are now divorced.
"Even if I see Runar while he has major police protection I will shoot him to death," a radical Islamist told Swedish newspaper Expressen.
Persons connected to the Kurdish group Ansar al-Islam claim to have received a fatwa, a decree from a Muslim religious leader, to kill Søgaard.
Muslim organizations have called Søgaard's sermon, which is on sale on CD at the Stockholm Karisma Center's web site, a hateful attack on Islam and fear the type of violent conflict that scarred the Netherlands after filmmaker Theo van Gogh was killed by an Islamic extremist for a controversial film.
Islam expert Jan Hjärpe at the University of Lund told Expressen that such an assassination is a real risk, and he wondered if conflict was the motive for the sermon.
"It was a statement from an odd man in an odd sect but the effect is stronger antagonism between different groups. It becomes a pure religious polemic and is extremely unpleasant," Hjärpe told the newspaper.
Hjärpe saw the incident as a type of beginning of a religious war in Sweden. "It (Sögaard's sermon) has power and influence. It seems to have been Runar's intention to provoke and promote antagonism," Hjärpe said.
Søgaard said he fears for his life and understands that he has angered the wrong people. He received police protection after questioning by Swedish police.
Imam Hassan Moussa, head of Sweden's imam council, demanded that Christian communities repudiate Søgaard's remarks, and promised that Sweden would avoid the ugly scenes experienced in Holland.
and I'm sure in this enlightened nordic country, there is no way he's going to be allowed to pack heat for his own protection.
Rabid dogs need killing.
I'm not sure that I'd call Muhammed "a confused pedophile." I think he knew exactly what he was doing.
Just so. There is no question he was a pedophile, but it seems fairly clear that he was not the least bit confused about liking little girls. So, as a pedophile he sees quite clear. As a prophet, however, I think it's fair to call him confused, at least if his writings are to be taken into account. Makes Joseph Smith seem positively sane by comparison.
Swedish police will look into arresting this guy if they have any time left over from investigating hate speech among the six Christians left in the country.
"A confused pedophile." I like this preacher already.
This preacher has "balls". Wish more would speak up.
I'm tired of having to be politically correct all the time.
Hmmm... He commented on the fact that someone who had sex with a nine year old is a pedophile. He was charitable, and called that person "confused" (other words come to mind, but maybe that's just me...).
And people are afraid comments like this might trigger a religious war?
What if someone said slavery was evil?
What if someone said women are equal to men?
What if someone said all religions should have equal protection under the law?
What if someone said a person should be allowed to change their religion without fear of execution?
I happen to believe all of the above. I'll say it to anyone, anytime. If that triggers a religious war, then bring it on.
"Your are with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael for the Lord hads heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."
The sin of Abram caused us all a helluva mess.
I agree with what he said and I hope more Christians start saying the same thing.
Where do people get the idea that nordic countries have particularly restrictive laws on firearms? Last statistic I saw there were more guns per capita in Norway than in the US. There is a difference between keeping a registry and outlawing armssales.
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