Posted on 03/30/2006 2:39:43 AM PST by MadIvan
MUSLIMS in Albania's northern city of Shkoder are opposing plans to erect a statue to Mother Teresa, the ethnic Albanian Catholic nun in line for elevation to sainthood by the Vatican.
The dispute is unusual for Albania, where religion was banned for 27 years under the dictator Enver Hoxha, and "mixed" marriages are the norm.
Seventy per cent of the population are liberal Muslims, the rest are Christian Orthodox and Catholic. But Muslim groups in Shkoder rejected the local council plan for a statue, saying it "would offend the feelings of Muslims".
"We do not want this statue to be erected in a public place, because we see her as a religious figure," said Bashkim Bajraktari, Shkoder's mufti, a Muslim religious leader.
Several residents said they felt there was an underground effort to treat Shkoder as a Catholic town, ignoring its majority Muslim community.
Shkoder's Muslims recently protested against crosses being erected on prominent hilltops around the city.
Well then join us over at The Sietch. :)
Regards, Ivan
I just did!...........
the mullah always think they are holy. by the word from their mouth, they are always right...
I am offended by Muslims being Muslims!
I don't particularly like Beheadings, sentencing christians to death for being christians, shooting women in the back of the head in a soccer stadium, and professing that their religion is a peaceful religion.
Mother Theresa hurt no one.
Who did our soldiers go to war for in the balkins, These Muslim Ingrates?
Only behead those that dare resist being raped, actually. That's about as "liberal" as they get.
Funny how NATO wasn't concerned with "offending" the Orthodox Christians when they bombed Belgrade on Easter Sunday (repeating what Hitler had done in 1941).
Why the nerve of those Christian Serbs , not just allowing the mussies to destroy their homes, steal their land and business' and blow-up churches and graveyards! Why the nerve of the Serbs FIGHTING back and hurting the poor albanian muslims FEELINGS!!!
Our military under clinton supported those who would enslave us or kill us, if given even half a chance.... muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo.
bump^
From: http://www.tiranatimes.com/
News:
Muslim Community rejects opposition to Mother Theresa’s statue
TIRANA, March 21 – The head of the Albanian Muslim Community, the only official organization representing all Albanian Muslims, said on Monday opposition to placing a statue of Mother Teresa at the entrance of the northwestern city of Shkodra did not represent its official stance. Community leader Selim Muça also said placing the bust is within the powers of authorities and would not damage religious harmony in Shkodra. “Mother Teresa is the honor of our nation and we respect all distinguished figures of our nation” Muça said, adding the bust “does not damage religious harmony.” >>
It would be sheer nonsense.
Yet, when Albanians appropriate Mother Theresa or Skenderbey it is called history.
Mother Theresa was born in Skopje, Macedonia in 1910. Albania was created in 1912 and Macedonia was not part of it.
Her father was a Tzintzar, not an Albanian. Mother Theresa made her career in India. Albanians may be proud of her because of her maternal lineage, but she can not be a distinguished figure of Albanian nation . She can be only distinguished figure of Shqip people. And this is not the same. German J.S. Bach can not be Austrian national figure, although Austrians can be proud of him as an example of German genius.
Appropriation of Mother Theresa as an "Albanian national figure" is an example of brazen theft of history.
I object to Albanian Muslims...actually, any Muslims, come to think of it.
Uh-oh. Don't be calling Mother Theresa a liar:
“By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus.”
Good catch, Gerald. Perhaps the original article was lifted from Serbianna or the NYT.
F-117A, good point. The two biggest heroes of Albania are both Christian: Mother Theresa and Skanderbeg.
Skanderbeg, the biggest hero of Albania was not only Christian, he was not not an ethnic Albanian at all.
He was a Serb, born of Serb father and Serb mother. His lineage on both sides is Serb one. His wife was a Serb also. His sister was married to Serb nobleman. And Northern Albania was his realm.
All this is on historical record, long before Albania and Albanian rabid nationalism were invented.
Yes.
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