Ritual Sacrifice? Not on My Street, Some Belgians Say

Wall Street Journal ^ | January 4, 2007 | Mary Jacoby

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

BRUSSELS -- At a slaughterhouse here last week, Mohamed Mimoun wrestled a sheep between his legs and took a number. He gasped: It was a two-hour wait to sacrifice his animal for Eid al-Adha, an important Islamic religious festival.

"I should have done this at home, like everyone else," he moaned.

That would have saved Mr. Mimoun a long wait in drenching rain, but it would have been against the law. Killing an animal at home to eat it is legal in Belgium. But a 1988 law expressly forbids the ritual slaughter of animals at home.

Living cheek by jowl in Brussels with the many bureaucrats who run the European Union, Muslims in the city turned an estimated 25,000 sheep toward Mecca this year and cut their throats to celebrate the story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to God. Eid al-Adha commemorates God's reprieve which allowed Abraham to kill a ram instead of his son. While some, like Mr. Mimoun, head to official slaughterhouses, many Muslims, fearing long waits, kill their sheep illegally in their backyards and basements instead.

Whether at a slaughterhouse or at home, the practice raises the ire of animal-rights activists. For years, they have held anguished protests against the manner in which the sheep are slaughtered, arguing that the sheep should be stunned first to lessen their pain. "It's not normal to have thousands of sheep slaughtered like this in the middle of a major European city," says Ann De Greef, a Belgian animal-rights campaigner.

On his way to the slaughterhouse, Mr. Mimoun was fined by a policewoman for transporting a live sheep in the closed trunk of his Toyota. By law, it should have been in the back seat.

[theDentist]

Hey Belgium, just remember, for now they're just practicing on those sheep...

[wideawake]

"It's not normal to have thousands of sheep slaughtered like this in the middle of a major European city," says Ann De Greef, a Belgian animal-rights campaigner.

Get used to it, hippy.

Or wake up.

Your choice.

[nctexan]

"Mr. Mimoun was fined by a policewoman for transporting a live sheep in the closed trunk of his Toyota. By law, it should have been in the back seat.

Was it EU law or muslim law... I believe it to be the latter: The sheep had to ride inside, but his wife could have been in the trunk.

[Psycho_Bunny]

I'm guessing the only countries on Earth having running water, electricity, toilets and a need to enforce laws against the ritual sacrifice of animals also have populations of Our Friends From The Religion Of Peace.

Pigs are too good for islam.  I wonder why there are humans that believe in it.

[workerbee]

I bet dinner parties in Brussels are a riot -- all those Euros behind closed door, where you just know the PC mask comes off faster and more angrily than ever.

[USF]

When I read the article, the EUrabian mohamMADans and their ritual raping had come to mind first.

...just remember, for now they're just practicing on those sheep.

Now that's an image I didn't need in my head...

[blam]

Anything to get blood all over their hands.

[Cicero]

The article doesn't mention which son Abraham offered to sacrifice, perhaps because it conflicts with the story in the Bible. According to Muslims, Ishmael was the chosen son. Here's an extract from a Muslim sermon given this past month:

---

‘Eid Al-Adha’ is a symbol of obedience. It signifies submission to Allah. On this day, we commemorate together the acts of obedience and submission performed by Prophet Abraham and his family when he was commanded to take Hajar and their son Ishmael to an uninhabited, barren, distant land and leave them there alone. He submitted and obeyed. When Hajar realized what was happening, she cried out, “Abraham! Are you going to leave us in this valley where no people live?” She repeated the question yet she received no answer, so she asked him, “Did Allah order you to do this?” He replied, “Yes.”

So she said, “Then Allah will not let us perish.” Thus she submitted. Furthermore, when his son Ishmael became older, Abraham received a command from his Lord to sacrifice him. He submitted and so did his son. The family of Abraham was a family of obedience and submission. They were tested and tried again and again, but the result was always submission and obedience. Both ‘Eid al-Adha’ and ‘Eid al-Fitr come after performing a pillar of Islam and an act of obedience. Hence ‘Eid Al-Adha and ‘Eid al-Fitr are annual reminders that this life is a test and we must be obedient if we wish to be successful.

[wastedyears]

Obedience directly contradicts freedom.

I'm aware of that fact, is the rest of our country?

[Lijahsbubbe]

Anything to get blood all over their hands.

Yes, they love to touch blood and death. Did you see how fast they tore open Saddam's coffin?

[Old Professer]

"On his way to the slaughterhouse, Mr. Mimoun was fined by a policewoman for transporting a live sheep in the closed trunk of his Toyota. By law, it should have been in the back seat."

Did it weigh over 80 pounds?

[Parmy]

You have to remember that the son Abraham was to sacrifice wasn't the son that Abraham fathered from which Arabs are decended.

[CottShop]

wonder how long it will be before that starts here? Probably already is in some communities http://sacredscoop.com

[Paleo Conservative]

"I should have done this at home, like everyone else," he moaned.

[GovernmentIsTheProblem]

"At a slaughterhouse here last week, Mohamed Mimoun wrestled a sheep between his legs..."

I had to stop reading at that point!

[OB1kNOb]

"Mr. Mimoun was fined by a policewoman for transporting a live sheep in the closed trunk of his Toyota. By law, it should have been in the back seat."

Mohamed Mimoun wrestled a sheep between his legs...

Ya' just can't make this stuff up! LOL!

[jnygrl]

An article in our local paper entirely devoted to this...I'll see if I can link it.

Whole section of the newspaper entitled "Values"...two cover page stories are about Muslims (Eid and the pilgrimage to Mecca).

[jnygrl]

Found it:

Muslisms pick sacrificial animals at Paterson slaughterhouse
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDUwNDU2

[CottShop]

thanks jnygrl- will read that later- might do a report on it on my site- will see how prevelent this is becomming in America- if it's getting bad, then I'll probably do a report.