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Loading ...Police investigate homophobia in Arab-language publication
08.15.2008 12:21pm EDT
(Berlin) An Arabic-language magazine published in Germany is being investigated because of an article that warned readers not to shake hands with gays because they can transmit disease.
The article, titled “A flesh-eating bacteria and sexual abnormality,” appeared in al-Salam, a free publication available in businesses throughout Berlin.“One never knows what kind of bacteria and germs are found on them,” it said of gay men.
The article contained quotes from people the publication said were authorities on skin diseases, and was accompanied by photographs of various skin infections.
The LGBT Association of Berlin-Brandenburg filed an official complaint with police this week.
“It is now being examined to determine whether it should be dealt with as defamation or incitement,” said association spokesperson Alexander Zinn.
Zinn also called on Germany’s large Muslim community to disavow the article.
Incitement against minorities, including gays, is illegal in Germany, but in the past similar cases were not prosecuted after Muslims complained that to do so would infringe on their religious rights.
Actually, what we know of today as the “catholic church” was originally known as the “Cult of Mary”. “CULT” is the perfect word because that is exactly what it is. They take children since nearly birth, brainwash (”indoctrinate”) them into these f*cked up fairy-tale beliefs and by the time they are old enough and mature enough to have a critical mind of their own, the brainwashing really can’t be undone 100%. Yes, Adam and Eve is a fairy tale -a silly story, created because the authors didn’t know where to begin their story book. Did Adam have a belly-button? – he couldn’t have. Are we all decendents of incest? Hardly. They would have us reject the strong science behind carbon dating to prove that humanity existed for far longer than the mere 6,000 or so years they would like us to believe – but we are supposed to believe utterly ridiculous stories like “virgin births”, people “rising from the dead”, people “living inside of whales”. Bottom line is – these people are living proof of the tremendous destructive power of brainwashing and they won’t be happy until all of us are forced to lived by there twisted stories. Just this week they are challenging the University of California for rejecting course work that was obtained at religious schools which taught them that anything other than their religious beliefs is wrong. Evolution – or, that which evolves, is a no-brainer for people who still have the capacity to think for themselves. To believe the fiction that is the Bible or the Koran is really very unhealthy. They were for a time and a place but we have allowed these “propoganda” books far too much weight because as a species, we seem to love to wallow in our own self-created theater.
‘Infringe on their religious rights’, hmmm, I wonder what the religious right would say if we founded our own ‘LGBT religion’ and declared all the straight people ’sick, evil, etc’. We would merely be expressing our religious views, wouldn’t we? I wonder how they’d like it to have hundreds of places of worship filled with people condemning them for who they are, denying them basic rights and telling their children ‘not to end op like one of those you know whats’.
But then again, they’d probably never wonder about any of these things. Self-criticism and empathy simply being beyond these people who derive their identity from hating their fellow citizens.
With few exceptions, I challenge anyone to name another institution that has done more harm to humanity in general than organized religion.
There is one thought I recently had about this idea of religion and evolution. I expect, if one looks at the history of religion and its consequences, the priests, shamen and ministers seized power from the masses. Those who chose to disbelieve and/or deny the dictated religious musings and magical incantations have been ostracized or murdered (a real historical disgrace!) It would seem that the gene pool of historical humanity has been (somewhat, but perhaps not completely) cleansed of those who were independent thinkers and questioned the powerful religious zealots, at least, probably until the seventeenth century, when the scientific method became the method of reasonable inquiry.
What are the consequences of this ritual chromosomal cleansing? To a great extent, without a doubt, it is also a working of evolution. Those who are fervently religious are truly victims of this “ritual cleansing evolution”, and have been chromosomally debilitated to only think as their powerful religious leaders have mandated. The human brain has EVOLVED through this cleaning to become equipped to REQUIRE a belief in a supreme being. Of course, this cleansing is not 100% perfect, since evolution does not really care which way the brain evolves. Only those in power cared. To some extent, the religious powers were the result of the survival of the fittest. Whenever history had the chance, some independent thinkers also became powerful and the change from a religious-based society to one predisposed to the scientific method arose. With the scientific method, and the proving of many religious ideas as fallacies (such as a flat earth or a geocentric universe or homosexuality is a choice), the swing to a scientific-based society began. A completely scientific-based society is still a ways off (say a couple of centuries or more) before the brain will be purged of its inbred need for a religious experience.
I am not a believer in free-will. I think we are all a product and victim of our DNA. To some extent we all react to external forces, but those reactions are dictated by our chemical makeup and the structures the DNA has forced on us. And for a few unfortunate people, they are victims of the accidents that occur to us where we had no ability to prevent, such as car accidents, meteoric crashes, tyrants and/or abusive parents.
And I expect every religious person will never understand that they themselves are victims of the evolution they so intentionally decry, hence, the real reason why their religion seems untouchable. They do not know any better, and I doubt they could ever accept that fact either.
Chris, these same right wing fundamentalist christo-fascists actually believe everything in scripture. They believe the that the world is merely six thousand years old, that Adam & Eve were the first parents of the human race. My response to that is, if Adam & Eve were the first parents who had three children, Cain, Abel and Seth…ALL boys, then how on earth could the fundies explain exactly how the earth was populated by other humans? One could deduce that their three sons must have had incestual relations with their mother to have produced more progeny. Failing that, there are some scholars who even claim that they had as many as fifty children, a physical impossibility at best which would then imply that they too must have committed incest many times over. That said, is it no wonder why right wing fundies behave they way they do? We all know what incest implies…ergo, mutations in mental and physical abilities…something that these fundies seem to possess in droves to make them behave and think the way they do. Religion is a polite word for “cults” which is what they all are.
What do you expect from a culture that has culled the best and brightest from its race in the name of religion.
Spreading false information with no basis in fact, no information to fully back up their claim would be an infringement on their religious rights? Oh, puh-leeze.
If you are able to have concrete, hard evidence that only LGBT people are “spreading” the bacteria, then the country has every single right to come down on the publishers like two tons of bricks…not just one. This goes right along with all the crap and lies about contact with people infected with HIV and AIDS would give you the disease.
When religion is used as a shield to disguise and protect bigotry, the best protection is more religion. “Oh, do my civil rights violate your religious rights? Well, your religious beliefs violate both my civil rights and my religious beliefs!”
Human and civil rights trump religious rights, period. Religious belief is a chosen lifestyle, ours is not. Nobody comes into this world religious. I don’t care what people believe in, just don’t use it in the public or political arena and keep it in your home, where it belongs. As I said, its a choice and a personal one at that.
I can respect people who understand that their beliefs are merely stories and guidelines for one way (of many) to approach life. What I cannot respect are people who believe that these story books are the “literal word of God”. These people should have their heads examined. Sure, there are some historical accuracies – such and such lives, such and such a place existed – but supposed “virgin births”, people “rising from the dead”, people “living in whales”, a “first man and first woman”, a “God” that would encourage and support murdering innocent people for its glorification etc. etc. Great theater but no connection to reality, no matter how many times you say it, no matter how many people you brainwash into believing it or for how long. It is FICTION, and believing this kind of fiction to the point where you are hurting other people who are intelligent and objective enough to not buy into it is just plain SICK! It is hardly a wonder that organized religion has become one of the most destructive forces in the world today. It is a man-made creation and a disturbing distortion of the lessons its founders most likley wanted to achieve. It is also a sad testament to the power of humanity’s ego – to paint God in its image and likeness and then attempt to pass that off as if God itself was the originator of what are quite frequently VERY disturbing beliefs. “Original Sin?” – how bizarre is that? That we were all somehow born defective and in need of salvation from our initial state of being. Talk about screwed up! It’s a great sales pitch for religions that make their living off of selling “after-life insurance” but its a disturbing concept at its core. These belief systems refuse to grow and what is not in the process of growing is in the process of dying. Beliefs are not facts, they are merely beliefs and it doesn’t matter how many people believe them or for how long – that does NOT validate them. So much of religion these days thrives off of “negative motivation” – fear of retribution, which is very unhealthy. “Positive motivation” would make more sense – to listen, to learn, to grow in a fashion that is for the collective good – not just for the followers of one person.
Jim, I say to you with a kind and open heart: One does NOT NEED religion to purvey kindness and love and all the ideals to which they aspire. I applaud your actions of goodness and kindness. Unfortunately, too many religious people (from all faiths) use their faith to exclude others, to incite hatred and to make the members fear. It is these people to whom we have to educate the world about and how to stop their bigotry, hatred and evil (in the name of God, nonetheless.) If any religion is correct, then all are correct. The same is ture if one that is false. I have a difficult time accepting an absent, invisible and silent deity. If a deity creates evil presences, and allows them to flourish, then it is not much of a god; it is really an evil god. Remember the slogan form the late 1980’s: “Silence = Death”. This applies to any deity as well. A silent god is a dead god. If he/she/it exists, then let it appear before all mankind and surely make himself and his policies known, without any ambiguity. I don’t expect he/she/it will appear anytime soon, cause it does not exist. Remember the KISS rule. Keep it simple, stupid. No deity is the simple fact, and so far, undisputed.
Jim – Nobody was asking or even suggesting that you “yield your faith” – a frequent over-reaction to these kinds of posts. What I stated in my response at least, was that those who seek to force their beliefs onto people either through political means or through intimidation, are they themselves a cause for concern. I have always believed that “if it works for you – then good for you”. But as much as you have a rite to pursue those beliefs IN your life, I have just as much a rite to keep your beliefs OUT of my life if I so choose. Besides, it is quite clear from your first few sentences that you already possess a lot more objectivity that the people referenced in the main article.
These bible stories (or mythologies if you will) are lessons and parables or symbolism to help one examine one’s heart and life and relations to those around one’s self.
they are not meant to be taken literally, they are for thought and reflection.
I find my church welcoming and calming. At lesst in a church all are welcome young, middle-aged and old and are as family to me. My church welcomes gay and straight. Our church feeds the needy, etc and belives in social justice and trying to be environmentally conscious.
I don’t concern myself with what others want to believe or not believe, I am not out to convince them in any way.
You have your cup of tea and I will have mine so to speak.
I will stick to what my heart tells me to do, to treat others kindly the way I hope to be treated. God lives in my heart, thoughts and actions and is just as a guiding light for my life. God can not be seen, God is a resource, a conscience, an inner strength, an inner peace and calm, a sense of right and wrong in how others are treated and in how I take care of myself. God is in not a religion or a physical building. The church and service serves as a place for meditation for me along with other people. To me that is good, to others that is dangerous. I will continue on in my heart this way, and will not yield my faith to any social or political system of the day regardless of what the prevailing culture of the day would have us do. Even if the physical structure of my church is removed, my faith is as a “steady flame” and is what propels me every day and helps me to get done what I need to get done in my everyday life, even when I would like to quit at times and “burrow into the sand”.
Human rights should trump religious rights every time. This should extend to “defamation” and “incitement” as well, or ancient religious texts will have a hold over us forever.
All freedoms cannot always co-exist equally. When freedom of religion butts up against the freedom of gay people (or anyone for that matter) to live safely and equally with others – then those are the people whose freedoms must pervail. We’ve seen in this country what has happened when Fundamentalist Christians have used “freedom of religion” to spread their hatred and division – I can only hope that Germany’s government will stop this before it spreads. Look what’s happened in France because of the booming population of Muslims there. If your belief system violates the civil rites of other citizens, then the expression of those belief systems are what should be curtailed – not the civil rites of other people. Your freedom of religion does not supercede another persons right to live a safe and productive life. As these belief systems and the divisive rhetoric that invariably goes along with them spead – the end result with be nothing less than chaos. As long as these weak willed governments allow these disruptive belief systems to flourish unchecked – they are inviting anarchy into their societies. WAKE UP! These are MYTHOLOGIES and no matter how many people you brainwash into believing them to be true or for how long you do it, they will REMAIN mythologies. Running any government or society around weird (and often downright sick) mythologies is DANGEROUS for the long term well being of all involved. I support people practicing whatever mythology they want, to a point, that is their rite – however, they do NOT have the rite to attempt to FORCE other people to live by them, either through legislation or intimidation. Have radical Muslims and Fundamentalist Christians taught us nothing about the perils of letting them have too much power and influence? Hatred, division and death often follow -whether that be a gay person being hung in Iraq or a Matthew Shepard beaten to death in our own country. They are quite adept at “hating in the name of God” because they have painted God in THEIR image and likeness – with all of humanities petty frailties. GLBT people are not the people to be feared, but rather, people who have been brainwashed since birth into believing utterly ridiculous stories from thousands of years ago that make absolutely no sense today are those who should be causing the most concern. ENOUGH!