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More Guardian lunacy: Was Shakespeare a Muslim? | |||||||||||||
2004-10-24 | |||||||||||||
Sufi or not Sufi? That is the question Islam week at the Globe Theatre will link Shakespeare with a mystic Muslim sect Over in Roswell, they link him to space aliens (I am not making that up). The Roswell moonbats have better evidence though. The influence of William Shakespeare on western culture has made him arguably Britain's greatest export. Now it is being claimed that his work resembles the teachings of the Islamic Sufi sect. The argument will be put forward next month at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. It comes as part of a week of events focusing on Islam to address concerns raised by the 'war on terror' and improve understanding of the links between Islam and British culture. Concerns: death, enslavement links with British culture: Muslim/dhimmi, master/slave, hated enemy for 1000 years. While it has been suggested that Shakespeare dabbled with espionage and Catholic political activism, and quantum cosmology
Sure, he invented the airplane, too.
(by whom?) academic Dr Martin Lings will put forward this thesis in his lecture on 23 November. 'Shakespeare would have delighted in Sufism,' said Lings, who is 96 and an adherent of Sufism. 'We can see he obviously knew a lot about some kind of equivalent sect or order.'
They also reflect Phoenician and Native American religious ideas. Maybe Bill was a Carthaginian or a Navajo.
Ok, I know these dinks have to kiss Islamo ass, but do they have to be so obvious about it? | |||||||||||||
Posted by:Atomic Conspiracy |
#33 I am George Bush and I approve this message, that I issued at DC's Islamic Center on Sept. 16, 2001: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010917-11.html "...These acts of violence (WTC/Pentagon, etc attacks) against innocents violate the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith. And it's important for my fellow Americans to understand that." "The English translation is not as eloquent as the original Arabic, but let me quote from the Koran, itself: 'In the long run, evil in the extreme will be the end of those who do evil. For that they rejected the signs of Allah and held them up to ridicule.'" "The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That's not what Islam is all about. ISLAM IS PEACE." I, George Bush, really believe that "Islam is peace," and that is why I outlawed secularism in Iraq, and created a power vacuum for the Islamofascists to fill. Notice how so many people think I am a genius, even though I am a whiny, rich kid whose alcohol degenerated brain prevents me from putting 2 words together. |
Posted by: George Bush6334 2004-10-24 4:17:16 AM |
#32 This goes in the Classics! |
Posted by: Korora 2004-10-24 4:04:21 PM |
#31 This is obvious horseshit. Everyone knows that Shakespeare was a black transgendered lesbian Buddhist. And a quadriplegic. |
Posted by: Angie Schultz 2004-10-24 3:27:39 PM |
#30 Oops! How the heck did that happen?? (Glising Crater5997 = Dave D. |
Posted by: Dave D. 2004-10-24 2:51:28 PM |
#29 "Does anyone else think it strange that Islam in general seems to have no problem with ridiculous claims like this being made on its behalf?" Alas, not strange at all. I've come to view Muslims as having notions of "reality" and "truth" very different from ours. We tend to live at an evidentiary level; they appear to live at on the level of belief: they want "A" to be true, therefore "A" is true. And "A" can be damn near anything at all. I've noticed that Democrats tend to think like that, too. |
Posted by: Glising Crater5997 2004-10-24 2:50:08 PM |
#28 Even better then Zman! A 9.96! |
Posted by: Shipman 2004-10-24 2:47:52 PM |
#27 LOL Zman. Was that an oldie? I proudly swear that that little gem was a spur-of-the-moment reaction, exclusively created for alla youse at Rantburg. Something about this board brings out the Does anyone else think it strange that Islam in general seems to have no problem with ridiculous claims like this being made on its behalf? Much as they should loudly disown terrorism, one can only that think they would fervently disavow lunatic claims like the above drivel. There springs to mind the old saying; "Straining on gnats and swallowing camels whole." Somehow, Islam is able to countenance the most hideous atrocities and outrageous fabrications but remains unable to withstand even a glimpse of feminine flesh without descending into complete chaos. This singularly contradictory aspect of Islam merits close examination, being that it is indicative of an overarching philosophical malaise that taints the entire religion. Any takers on this one? |
Posted by: Zenster 2004-10-24 1:22:47 PM |
#26 Breaking news. Tomorrow Guardian's edition will present undeniable evidence that Homer was Muslim and the siege of Troy a symbol of Jihad against the Kaffirs |
Posted by: JFM 2004-10-24 12:55:58 PM |
#25 LOL Zman. Was that an oldie? I vaguely remember the response, it's me Romeo! Please pitch up the Charmin. |
Posted by: Shipman 2004-10-24 11:47:37 AM |
#24 Par for the course. Just a part of the muslim strategy of conquest and asserting superiority. Just like they assert muslims really discovered the Americas. Even Columbus's navigator was a muslim, even though there is no shred of evidence for it. Hell, the muslims couldn't even discover the Azores, but knew how to find the New World. Just as they claim the American Indians were muslim, or influenced by them in pre-Columbian times. With names like al-Gonquin, how could the Indians be anything but muslim? Everyone is born a muslim, but the unfortunate are led astray. Muslims make the same claims about the Australian Aboriginies. They even have camels down there, you know. So muslims have a historical and rightful claim to take over the Australian subcontinent. Expect to see more claims of this sort by American muslims in the next few years. |
Posted by: ed 2004-10-24 10:15:27 AM |
#23 Susan, the author of that op-ed piece was clearly not very well brought up. How utterly rude! |
Posted by: trailing wife 2004-10-24 9:53:18 AM |
#22 There is a precedent for this sort of claim. Idries Shah, probably the most well-known writer in English on Sufism, claimed that Chaucer's Caterbury Tales was based on Attar's Parliament of the Birds, a Sufi mystical allegory. He also claimed to have shown that Aesop's fables were translations of Sufi mystical parables, which was tanatmount to proclaiming that he was a heretic, since Aesop obviously predates Muhammed. Interesting claim for somebody who I think was considered to be the Sufi "pope". There was undoubtedly a lot of cross-cultural influence between Christian Europe and Muslim Spain, but by Shakespeare's time, the influences were probably very indirect. |
Posted by: V is for Victory 2004-10-24 9:48:08 AM |
#21 ENJOY READING ... http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/columnists/story/0,,1333748,00.html |
Posted by: Susan 2004-10-24 9:25:24 AM |
#20 Over in Roswell, they link [Shakespeare] to space aliens . . . . The Roswell moonbats have better evidence though. "Shakespeare is best read in the original Klingon." --Star Trek VI: the Undiscovered Country |
Posted by: Mike 2004-10-24 9:13:17 AM |
#19 The professor's contribution is "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." Macbeth Or maybe it signifies that soon bewildered students in UK universities will be required to answer questions on the similarities between Shakespeare and Islam in Drama 101. |
Posted by: Bryan 2004-10-24 8:16:06 AM |
#18 "These deeds must not be thought After these ways; so, it will make us mad." Lady Macbeth |
Posted by: True German Ally 2004-10-24 7:44:58 AM |
#17 I know something about Sufi-ism and it can legitimately claim to be the peaceful face of Islam - philosphically similar to buddhism. Wahabbists consider Sufis infidels and kill them on a regular basis. Sufi-ism <> Islam BTW, funny line Zenster. |
Posted by: phil_b 2004-10-24 6:39:59 AM |
#16 Ok, I get it. 6334 is the Bear Claw Nebula. I think this is a reference to the evil genius Rove. |
Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2004-10-24 4:24:56 AM |
#15 I'm missing the troll reference with the 6334. What's up with that? |
Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2004-10-24 4:21:47 AM |
#14 [Off-topic or abusive comments deleted] |
Posted by: George Bush6334 TROLL 2004-10-24 4:17:16 AM |
#13 The respected (by whom?)academic Dr Martin Lings Not respected by everyone, apparently. From a discussion of his book on the early life to the Prophet: Author: AbuUbaida Asslamualikum, In terms of scholarship. martin lings is not a scholar. On certain topics there is minor diffrences in opinion by scholars but when it comes to isnulting The Prophet (peace be upon him) then their is only one opinion. The person doing that must be killed. |
Posted by: Seafarious 2004-10-24 3:45:00 AM |
#12 Excellent catch, Seafarious. I've posted it at LGF with a hat tip to you. I think we are going to burn the house down on this string. First the Clark County fiasco, then the Bush assassination, now this crown jewel of moonbat self-parody. I could not make Al Guardian look more depraved or foolish if I had been editing their stories myself at Karl Rove's behest. They are truly the laughingstock of the planet, nay, the Solar System. In a thousand years, "ALGuardian" will be a standard euphemism for feces, stand-up comedians will draw roars of laughter just silently mouthing the word and tiny kindergarteners will giggle and snicker when they hear it mentioned aloud. |
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2004-10-24 3:15:20 AM |
#11 Oh my God, Zenster! That is literally the funniest thing I have ever read here. I was laughing so hard my wife thought I would hurt myself. It is superbly compact and elegant in its relevance, balance, and imagery. Little higher praise ever have I received. Methinks I shall carry it to my final days, as a treasure precious only to mineself. You too, AzCat. |
Posted by: Zenster 2004-10-24 3:02:22 AM |
#10 I wonder why the article dosn't mention Dr. Lings' other name: Martin Lings (also known as Abu Bakr Siraj Ad-Din) was born in Burnage, Lancashire, 1909. After taking an English degree at Oxford in 1932, he was appointed Lecturer in Anglo-Saxon at the University of Kaunas. His interest in Islam and in Arabic took him to Egypt in 1939, and in the following year he was given a lectureship in Cairo University. In 1952 he returned to England and took a degree in Arabic at London University. From 1970-74 he was Keeper of Oriental Manuscripts and Printed Books at the British Museum (in 1973 his Department became part of the British Library) where he had been in special charge of the Qur’an manuscripts, amongst other treasures, since 1955. Dr. Lings currently lives in England with his wife Oh, wait. I guess I don't wonder. |
Posted by: Seafarious 2004-10-24 2:55:51 AM |
#9 Hark! What bullshit through yonder window spews? Damnit! Now there's coffee all over my monitor again. |
Posted by: AzCat 2004-10-24 2:49:26 AM |
#8 Non! Le toilette, that was I! -- Bonaparte |
Posted by: mojo 2004-10-24 2:47:27 AM |
#7 Oh my God, Zenster! That is literally the funniest thing I have ever read here. I was laughing so hard my wife thought I would hurt myself. It is superbly compact and elegant in its relevance, balance, and imagery. |
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2004-10-24 2:46:40 AM |
#6 Shakespearean culture-dink overheard on the phone: "Yes, I've heard of it......" "As Chair-emeritus of the Kidneystone-Nether Wallop Shakespeare Festival, I must denounce and repudiate in the strongest possible terms this ludicrous and illiterate fantasy that the Bard himself was a........" "What's that? The Haj Amin al Husseini Memorial Foundation will donate how much?......" "Good God, er, Allah be praised, that's what I thought you said......" "Of course, we must do everything possible to acknowledge Wallih-i-Liam Sheihk Spear's role in the ummah....." "What else?......" "That isn't really my field......" "Ok, if you insist, he invented the airplane and the flush toilet and introduced golf from Arabia, too." |
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2004-10-24 2:35:42 AM |
#5 Hark! What bullshit through yonder window spews? |
Posted by: Zenster 2004-10-24 2:35:01 AM |
#4 If Ann Coulter critiqued left wing moonbats deconstructing Shakespeare, it would be something like this Rantburg thread, but not as much fun. Carry on. |
Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2004-10-24 2:32:08 AM |
#3 While it has been suggested that Shakespeare dabbled with espionage and Catholic political activism... Doubtful. Liz was kinda short with the Catholics, with good reason - they wanted her dead. Bill wasn't suicidal. |
Posted by: mojo 2004-10-24 2:17:19 AM |
#2 Lol! Methinks the main echo is occurring in that empty space betwixt her ears, lol! Vanessa, baby, this is definitely a bridge too far, heh. |
Posted by: .com 2004-10-24 1:42:02 AM |
#1 Strictly speaking, the mad donkey represents the American Democrat Party, of which Guardianistas are only advisory members. They are such righteous jackasses though, I thought it could still apply fully to them as well. |
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2004-10-24 1:35:30 AM |