Offending the Usual Suspects

Please do head over to Richard's blog, Linen on the Hedgerow, and read his latest post which has offended the usual suspects.His tongue-in-cheek suggestions to Catholic school pupils compelled to visit a non-Christian place of worship have drawn charges that he is a bigot and a racist from some sensititve souls.

I don't know whether Richard is a litigious man (I would be if I could afford it), but I would guess that being accused of being a racist is a libel, actionable, and could be pursued in Court.

I should not be necessary to state that objecting to a false (non-Catholic) religion is 'racist' only to the perceptions of the intellectually challenged, and that it is no more 'racist' than disliking Quakerism, or curry, or roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, or Wagner. I dislike them all.

As for 'bigotry', in the sense of total unswerving commitment to what one regards as the truth, I am all for it.

A British Muslim friend of mine, born in Pakistan, remarked to me many years ago that Allah created life at various levels: vegetable, animal, and human. He added (and immediately lost my respect) that Allah created a lower form of human life, the hubshi (black men and women) who exist to serve the non-hubshi.

Now that was racism, and he ceased with immediate effect to be a friend.

Accepting Diversity

Picture it: the valley of Elah and the two opposing armies, of the Israelites and of the Philistines. Between them stand the two champions, David and Goliath. There is a hush, punctuated only by the the cries of the waiting vultures.

David steps forward. He throws his sling and stones to the ground and speaks.

"I had it in mind to say, 'This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that God saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is God’s, and he will give you into our hand.'"


A vulture sharpens its beak.


"Come on, I thought, this is no way to resolve diversity between two cultures. I have an idea that each of us, Philistine and Israelite, has spiritual riches to share with the other.


"Let's talk about this. I can see that you are hurting. Your body-language tells me that. I propose that we sit down together, share a flask of wine, speak openly of our perceived differences, and resolve them.


"Then, if you wish, I can personally arrange for your circumcision. We will set up a commission for inter-faith dialogue, make a covenant of brotherhood, and our two peace-loving peoples will live peaceably together as the multicultural Nation of Phisrael."


The waiting jackals look bored and begin to fight amongst themselves.


And Goliath spake.


"%$#$%&!" he roared. And he smote David and laid him low. And the army of the Philistines slew the army of the Israelites, their women, their children, old and young, until there was none left."

And how do you feel about that, Best-Beloved?

Tolerance

Tolerance is nothing more than cowardice resulting from lack of certainty of one's own convictions.

Religious Intolerance - HUH!

(Thanks to Love in the Ruins for the lead to this story.)

So Dorota Rabczewska, a young Polish singer, will be prosecuted in Poland for insulting religious feeling. Please note, 'religious feeling', and not 'the Catholic Church'.

She said, silly girl, that the Bible was written by drunks and people who liked herbal cigarettes.

If this is not insulting, what is?

If I chose, as a resident in Poland, to insult the religious feelings of Catholics, Jews, Muslims (Tatars have been here for over 600 years) or Protestants, I would, rightly, face the same treatment.

I am a Catholic. If someone came into my house and insulted my God, my Church, my Saints, or my Scriptures, I would, as my strength permitted, ....you can use your imagination.

Have a nice day!