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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Nobel laureate speaks out in defence of Islam |
| 2004-07-09 |
Shirin Ebadi tells religious conference that Islam accepts human rights, saying its misinterpretation has led to violence BARCELONA - Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi has spoken out against violence and terror at the opening of a world religious conference and defended Islam, saying it was misinterpretation of the faith that has led to violence. Good catch, now let’s hear about some way of changing things. ’It’s the misinterpretation of Islam, not Islam itself, that has led to the religious violence and terrible treatment of women that we see in many Islamic countries.’ - Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi Ms Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer, is one of more than 7,000 people from various religious backgrounds who have convened in Barcelona this week for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, a gathering that aims to discuss the role of religion in world affairs. Barcelona, what a coincidence. ’Terror, violence, torture and humiliation of people in any society is something totally unacceptable,’ she said during the parliament’s inaugural ceremony on Wednesday. Fine, what’s your plan for ending it? ’As a Muslim woman, I declare that Islam is a religion that accepts human rights and has nothing against democracy. It’s the misinterpretation of Islam, not Islam itself, that has led to the religious violence and terrible treatment of women that we see in many Islamic countries,’ she added in an interview later. ’My hope is that people realise that they’re not the only ones that have the truth; others can also be right. Religious violence takes place only when someone thinks that they are right and all others are wrong. Once we start solving religious-based differences, we start understanding that religions have much in common.’ And this explains the death fatwa on apostasy exactly how? Ms Ebadi, a lawyer, writer and professor who has been recognised internationally for her support of women’s, children’s and refugees’ rights, had harsh words for Western leaders too. ’No country has the right to attack another country under the excuse of human rights. You can’t send human rights alongside bombs; human rights can only be achieved through democracy,’ she said, alluding to last year’s US-led invasion of Iraq. Note the complete absence of any plan by her for establishing democracy in Iraq. Merely disapproval for America having done so themselves. Especially telling is this little backhand: "No country has the right to attack another country under the excuse of human rights." How many million Iraqis are not around to protest this farcical statement because they are rotting in mass graves? Her belief that ’human rights are a common point between all the religions of the world’ is one of the themes running through the parliament. ’It’s our goal to show that the religions of the world, though different from one another, are not antagonistic toward one another,’ said Mr William Lesher, the chairman of the parliament’s council. ’We need to be humble about our past errors and forgiving of the errors of others.’ Humble doesn’t seem to enter the equation very often in Ms. Ebadi’s neck of the woods. In fact, that seems to be a lot of the problem. Groups of Islamic fanatics with eggshell egos have acquired automatic weapons under the delusion that it makes them an army. In many ways the Arab street is similar to an American black ghetto. Without a constant rage of humiliated seething, life loses its meaning. Interchange whiteman or Jew as needed. Bill Cosby did all of America (black and white alike) a big favor when he delineated exactly why modern black youth are rushing headlong into a social dead end. It is this same sort of admonitory voice that is desperately needed in the Arab world. Few examples spring to mind of more moderate Muslims who are willing to take extremists to task. While that is easily attributable to sensationalist media, the hugely imbalanced quotient of violent Arab and Islamic males still commands attention. Ms Ebadi is a founder of Iran’s Society of Defenders of Human Rights and has spent time in prison for her activities. She was awarded the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize. The parliament is organised around a series of workshops and discussion sessions where representatives from world religions talk about issues like refugees, Aids and peaceful solutions to international conflicts. Participants include Christian theologian Hans Kung and Muslim leader Tariq Ramadan. -- AP It’s amazing how this woman is able to reconcile the following: ’No country has the right to attack another country under the excuse of human rights.’ and: ’human rights are a common point between all the religions of the world’ Words almost fail me to see see this sort of surrealistic drivel hawked off as a bold statement when it remains uncontaminated by the remotest hint of solutions, plans or proposals to address the problem. |
| Posted by:Zenster |
| #14 DUMBASS PETE WIPE YOUR MOUTH AFTER YOU TAKE A CRAP AS YOU OBVIOUSLY TALK SHIT THROUGH IT. |
| Posted by: Antiwar 2004-07-09 6:32:50 AM |
| #13 This is the same Islamo-facist bitch that was telling the U.S. that we need to be more like Iran with respect to our treatment of women. She is in cahoots with the mullahs and probably with the Saddam lovers. I think you will notice that no Catholic or Anglican Bishop or Rabi was mentioned in the article. Looks like a group of religious scholars (not practitioners) getting together to bash Judeo-Christians. Anyone want to bet they come out with a statement that blames Christians, Jews, or both for the world’s problems? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2004-07-09 6:28:43 PM |
| #12 Her prattle rings hollow when she weasels in anti west/American blather. Her saying that islam is being misrepresented by islamic people doesn't do it for me. It's fake, Rbr's know it. It's the inability for islamic people to say that which is the problem. It's either true or fake Mz Ebadi. Not misrepresented! Islam is great for antique, tribal societies that live in the past. But it is not compatible with a "live and let live" modern society. Free the muslims, bring down the pillars. As far as I can tell it's the only way. People that will speak out aginst islam in those places that hold tight to it are just a day away from being murdered. Thus the Barcelona location for the conference. |
| Posted by: Lucky 2004-07-09 1:52:06 PM |
| #11 Mike, It is true that at one time, Shirin was anti Mullarchy but in the past 6 months or so, virtually everything she has said was not only 'its all a mistake in interpretation' but also she has added liberal doses of anti US and anti semitic crap. She has also criticized the people protesting the Mullahs. Here is a link from last Dec by a persian anti Mullah http://www.faithfreedom.org/oped/Potkin31212.htm |
| Posted by: mhw 2004-07-09 12:30:07 PM |
| #10 And Nick Berg's killers just misunderstood Islam. Allanu akbar. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2004-07-09 10:39:27 AM |
| #9 yep, Nick Berg just misunderstood Islam |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-07-09 10:31:41 AM |
| #8 "It’s the misinterpretation of Islam, not Islam itself, that has led to the religious violence and terrible treatment of women that we see in many Islamic countries" oh. that clears things up. now I feel better. It's all simply a misunderstanding. |
| Posted by: PlanetDan 2004-07-09 10:14:50 AM |
| #7 Don't be so rough on Shirin Ebadi, she's one of the people working on the inside in Iran to bring down the turbans. (See here and here.) I'm not a Moslem, but I have no problem if a modified, Protestant-Reformation version of Islam, one which rejects burkhas and suicide bombings, arises in opposition to Wahabbi fascism. Verlaine's right: Ebadi's off base when she criticizes us for acting in self defense. On the other hand, if we're going to get a nonlethal version of Islam to become the dominant model, it's going to be people like Ebadi who bring it about. |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-07-09 8:53:37 AM |
| #6 [Off-topic or abusive comments deleted] |
| Posted by: Antiwar TROLL 2004-07-09 6:32:50 AM |
| #5 Great comments, Zenster. Does the distinguished laureate know we attacked Iraq out of common sense self-defense considerations, perceiving an unmanageable and intolerable threat there? The tremendous human rights gains that will result are incidental -- though not incidental to American values or instincts. And we have every right to act aggressively in self-defense, thank you very much. Scharansky and Sakharov were courageous dissidents, strangers to pseudo-pacifist moral narcissism and the general sort of b.s. she's spouting. I'm sure she's got some guts and is vastly better than the islamofascist mullahs, but she's not even on the waiting list of clear-eyed visionary dissidents, sorry. |
| Posted by: Verlaine 2004-07-09 1:52:57 AM |
| #4 I think I will send her a bag of pork rinds in appreciation of her intelect. Infact I think we should send her a whole live Pig! |
| Posted by: FlameBait93268 2004-07-09 1:48:15 AM |
| #3 What a crock of shit. How come when they come to the West they're all, "Pleease, let us do what we want, and join us in the multicultural paradise of Benetton". But go to their countries and suddenly it's, "Yeah, mothafucka, we do have a monopoly on truth. Accept it or die. I say, f*ck that. Let them have reciprocal treatment. Iranians have no rights in this country. Saudis have no rights in this country. Egyptians have no rights in this country. You want a moskkk? Let me see a church or synagogue in Riyadh. This cannot be a one-way street. |
| Posted by: BH 2004-07-09 1:34:51 AM |
| #2 HP, it's the Islamists who seek religious genocide. That's something more like the Nazis than what America stands for. I comprehend your hatred and understand the sense of urgency you feel. Killing on a mass scale is in no way merited by a long shot. Iran proliferating nuclear weapons is one of the only potential short-term triggers for the very beginnings of such a scenario, and we're not quite there yet. And yes, you are completely right. Europe is going to take some major body blows before coming to it's senses. This is World War and everyone is rearranging deck chairs. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-07-09 1:21:19 AM |
| #1 All I can say to this moonbeam idiot is: It ain't the misinterpretation of islam that's killing people all over the world. It's motherfuckers that practice islam, as a whole, that are killing people. This bitch isn't standing up to the radicals....she'd rather piss and moan about, "invading another country" and "humiliating" people. If they'd take care of their business, we wouldn't have to. islam DOES call for the killing of everyone who's not a muslim. We are in a world war.....the world just hasn't understood that yet. As soon as the bombs start blowing up in paris, bonn, etc..... Maybe then they will begin to catch on. These filthy muslims must be killed....every goddamn one of 'em. Do we have the will to survive? For, to survive means we MUST destroy those filthy muslim pigs. |
| Posted by: Halfass Pete 2004-07-09 12:51:40 AM |