Posted on 09/24/2008 11:59:47 AM PDT by forkinsocket
A GRIEVING family from Sheffield have been told they can't bury their stepfather on a Saturday - because he was not Muslim. Retired steel erector Harold "Charlie" Lemaire, from Woodseats, died last week aged 75 from pneumonia.
His stepdaughter Jean Maltby, from Greenhill, wanted the funeral to be held this Saturday so family who live outside the city - including her brother Stephen, now living in Dorset, and relatives from the Isle of Man - could attend.
But when her funeral director called City Road Cemetery to arrange a memorial service in the chapel followed by burial, he was told the funeral would not be allowed on a Saturday - because the family was not Muslim.
Today Sheffield Council confirmed it does not offer funerals at the weekend except to Muslims, in line with the rules of the Islamic faith that the dead must be buried as soon as possible.
But Abdool Gooljar, president of the Sheffield branch of the Society of Islam, said the council should try to meet the needs of every resident of the city.
"The last thing we want to do is cause more upset at the time of bereavement, and I would urge a re-think so everybody has the right to bury their dead when they want," he said. "I, firstly as a Muslim and secondly as a citizen, do not want preferential treatment.
"We are living in a multi-faith, multi-cultural society and we should endeavour to meet the needs of every citizen in this city."
Martin Green, senior bereavement services manager for Sheffield, said the council's policy was in line with that of others around Britain.
"The council recognised the specific cultural and religious needs surrounding burial and has been offering an extended burial service to the Muslim community," he said.
"This degree of flexibility is in line with services offered by major cities throughout the UK.
"The service was reviewed and agreed last year in consultation with representatives of other religious communities, a cross section of elected members, and local funeral directors."
But Ms Maltby said she felt it was unfair to offer weekend funerals to one religion and not to others. "It should be one rule for everyone - and I don't think the people of Sheffield realise the council has made this decision," she said.
"It goes against the council's policy of equal rights. They are making a service available to one sector of the community and not another. Having the funeral on a weekday is going to make it really difficult for some of our family to make it. I don't think the majority of people would have Saturday as a preference, but for us it would be the most convenient."
Ms Maltby's funeral director, Michael Fogg, added: "I believe a service offered to one section of society should be given to everyone. Mr Lemaire was a citizen of Sheffield who deserves this service from the council."
Maybe Brits need to walk their dogs in the Muslim grave yards.
The only one in the entire world.
So I guess I need to convert to Latvian Orthodox to get the girl, then to Judaism for the jokes, then to islam for the weekend burials.
Just so I don’t get buried next to a dentist, I guess.
You’d better ice that knee, quick.
England already mooselimb?
When a Muslim dies in our community, the men of the faith show up at the funeral home and wash the body to prepare it for burial. They then take the body to a secret location and bury it. I asked the funeral guy why it was a secret and he said “No casket”.
I have no sympathy for them. They brought and encouraged the sobs to go there. Then they give in to them, kiss their asses, and worship them. And despite all this, the second that the muslims can kill them and get away with it, they will.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, the same thing is happening over here. Inch by inch they are pushing forward.
Even today the fools and idiots are doing everything in their power to elect one President of the U.S.
“in line with the rules of the Islamic faith that the dead must be buried as soon as possible.”
Hear that, Osama?
Muslims are quite agreeable when they comprise only 1% of the population. He will sing a different tune when they reach 20%.
Or let their pigs root in the graveyard.
What are you? An anti-Dentite?
This will happen here in the US because we too like the British Empire and the Roman Empire before them have lost the will, and probably the capacity to safeguard our borders. Sadly neither candidate will address this issue. British sharia ‘community courts’ featured here on FR a few days ago is another indicator of how the British have lost their national identity. It should be a warning to us. But, it may be too late.
But Abdool Gooljar, president of the Sheffield branch of the Society of Islam, said the council should try to meet the needs of every resident of the city.
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Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
How liberal of him....
/s
he said. “I, firstly as a Muslim and secondly as a citizen, do not want preferential treatment.
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ROFLMBO
Well no actually. Contrary to popular belief, most Muslims are as reasonable as the next person, it’s just a minority of crackpots who give them a bad name.....
>> Well no actually. Contrary to popular belief, most Muslims are as reasonable as the next person, it’s just a minority of crackpots who give them a bad name..... <<
It’s just a HUGE minority; they are culturally dominant in the West Bank, Gaza, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Muslim Nigeria, Oman, Libya, Egypt... But yes, it’s true that the more peaceable Muslim countries get much let press and export their ideologs more commonly. But even Indonesia, India, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, etc. have their sizeable Islamofascist populations.
Looks like the Brits are suffering from premature capitulation.
Let me get this straight. If a mus. dies in your area the family can just come in to the funeral parlor, put the dead body in their car and drive off? No one ask where are you taking the body? What are you going to do with it?
Can Catholics do this? Can we drive off with granny’s body in the back of the VW to places unknown?
Most places allow the family to care for, and in many places, bury the body. The tradition of a funeral home is actually pretty recent in American history. Prior to a few generations ago, nearly everyone would have cared for their own dead. In many places around the world, they still do.
Many Jewish people take care of their own dead, using something called the chevra kadisha, a burial society.
See: Bereavement in Judaism *pops*
I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think that a coffin is required in a Jewish burial, and if one is used, it must be very plain and simple. Step 6, under "Preparing the body" says that "The coffin (aron) (if there is a coffin) is prepared by removing any linings or other embellishments. Emphasis mine.
"Green" burials don't use coffins, or use cardboard or coffins made from scrap or recycled materials. Some of the "green" cemeteries don't allow embalming, iirc. If they don't use a coffin, they use a shroud.
An interesting book on the subject is Jessica Mitford's The American Way of Death.
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