Many thanks to JLH for the translation:
Two Events in One Day and a Strange Connection
by Andreas Unterberger
December 21, 2011
In Vienna, Islam expert Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff’s conviction for denigration of religious doctrines was upheld by the higher court. In Saudi Arabia, 42 Ethiopian Christians were thrown into jail because they had prayed. The two instances do not have so little to do with each other as it appears at first glance.
A diseased form of justice is limiting freedom of expression in Austria in a completely novel way. All of a sudden, true statements about Islam — that the “prophet” Mohammed had sexual relations with a nine year-old-girl, which in the eyes of most Austrians is child abuse — are being punished by law. And the prosecutor’s office — which has absolutely no time to review the great scandals of this land — has for this trial performed eager and intensive preparations.
Much worse defamations of Christianity and its founder, on the other hand, have been regularly met with no punishment. Mostly under the pretext of artistic freedom. And with that, a large proportion of local cultural journalists have complacently covered Christians with scorn.
The arrest of Christians in Saudi Arabia on the same day because of a mere prayer demonstrates what intolerance predominates on the side whose honor our justice system is so heroically defending. And it is this very country which has been allowed to establish an inter-religious dialogue center in Vienna. With Foreign Minister Spindelegger leading the way. This means of course that Saudi Arabia in the eyes of the foreign ministry is the most important Islamic land. Only with the Saudis does one conduct such a dialogue.
And the purpose of this institution? It is supposed to further religious freedom, said the Saudi foreign minister at the ribbon-cutting. Apparently the motto is: chutzpah triumphs.
Yesterday’s two events show what this religious freedom signifies. Christians are convicted. In Saudi Arabia as in Austria. In neither case do we hear a word of protest or concern from Christian politicians of this land. If in fact there are any such politicians.
In this sense full of bitterness: Merry Christmas (so long as this wish too does not count as an insult to Islam, in which case of course, I would withdraw it immediately).
5 comments:
Yes, it's that bad.
As reported by "The Telegraph", in Britain a Christmas show [Jonathan Ross' Christmas broadcast] was cut to remove material for possibly being offensive to some Christians.
If this had been a broadcast intended for Austria, and Austrian law was consistent, which is very very doubtful, the writer, Tim Minchin, would have been up for charges.
Here is some of his material:
* He describes Christ as a "zombie" and a "telepathic vampire"
* "Jesus lives forever, which is pretty odd, but not as odd as his fetish for drinking blood"
*...
and so it goes.
The term 'fetish' is interesting because saying that Mohammed had a 'fetish' for little girls is, as we now know, punishable in Austria.
Or maybe delivering the 'excess in opinion' as a comedy song-and-dance would have been more palatable to Austrian authorities.
It is also interesting to read theLeft's indignation of the Tim Minchin being pulled:
"He [Peter Fincham, ITV’s director of television] did this because he’s scared of the ranty, s--- stirring, right-wing press, and of the small minority of Brits who believe they have a right to go through life protected from anything that challenges them in any way."
I know that one incident occurred in Britain and one in Austria but it is interesting how the European Left defends free speech when it comes to denigrating Christianity, a religion which it associates with right-wing s****.
Merry Christmas to all!
I wonder if Tim Minchin is related to the bbc news reader/tv presenter Louise Minchin.
"I wonder if Tim Minchin is related to the bbc news reader/tv presenter Louise Minchin."
Apperently not, according to this
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_Louise_Minchin_TV_presenter_and_Tim_Minchin_related
No.....Louise is an English lady born in Hong Kong to a father who was a major in the British army. her natural name is Grayson, she is Minchin by marriage. Tim was born in the UK but to Australian parents who took him back there to grow up.
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