I was rather shocked to read that Mike Freer MP (Finchley and Golders Green) was theatened at a local Mosque where he was holding a constitency surgery. There is a report on the BBC website :-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15508697
Whilst I am not a member of the Mike Freer fan club, what happend is deplorable. What must be pointed out before any knee jerk reaction is that Freer was at the website as a guest of the Mosque. It appears that an extremist group entitled "Muslims against the Crusades" organised the action. It is clear that this extremist group does not understand or practice the religion they claim to follow. Mike Freer was a guest of the Mosque authorities and as such, under the laws of Islam should have been treated with respect by anyone who claims to follow the religion. Furthermore it is repeated that one of the protestors called Freer a "Jewish Homosexual Pig". To use such language in a Mosque is totally shocking. Again it displays a horrible lack of understanding of tenants of Islam. The Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) commanded that all followers of the book (ie Muslims, Christians and Jews) should be treated with respect. To use the term "Jewish" and "Pig" as an insult in a Mosque is to defy the teaching of the greatest Islamic prophet.
As to the other claims, that Freer is personally responsible for the deaths of thousands of Muslims. This is clearly complete nonsense. There are many circumstances in which I would support a dignified protest against Mike Freer, but I would never condone a protest at a place of worship, when Freer was doing his job helping local constituents. Whatever you may or may not think about Mike Freer, he must be allowed to do his job and help local people. This group of fanatics, who have no respect for Islamic teachings or traditions, have done nothing other than put people off the religion they pretend to support. It is another tenant of Islam that in a foreign country, you should obey the law and act with dignity and respect. You should set a good example to people to show that Muslims are decent people who follow a dignified religion. The vast majority of Muslims in the UK do. People such as this, who bring their faith into disrepute, should be ostracised by their community, until such time as they start acting in accordance with the teachings of their religion and start leading by example.
All Muslims are duty bound by their religion to encourage everyone they meet to convert to Islam. By taking such action in a mosque, these people have made many people think that a mosque is a place to be feared and avoided, not a place of peace and learning. I urge every reasonable and decent Moslem in the UK to explain why taking this action is doing the work of Satan rather than God, by demonising the mosque in the eyes of the general British public.
It is clear that the Mosque authorities are reasonable, decent people. This is obvious, because they invited Mike Freer. I urge the British public to recognise that this is the case and that the people who threatened Freer are a tiny group of troublemakers. There are enough troubles in the world, without idiots like them carrying on like this.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15508697
Whilst I am not a member of the Mike Freer fan club, what happend is deplorable. What must be pointed out before any knee jerk reaction is that Freer was at the website as a guest of the Mosque. It appears that an extremist group entitled "Muslims against the Crusades" organised the action. It is clear that this extremist group does not understand or practice the religion they claim to follow. Mike Freer was a guest of the Mosque authorities and as such, under the laws of Islam should have been treated with respect by anyone who claims to follow the religion. Furthermore it is repeated that one of the protestors called Freer a "Jewish Homosexual Pig". To use such language in a Mosque is totally shocking. Again it displays a horrible lack of understanding of tenants of Islam. The Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) commanded that all followers of the book (ie Muslims, Christians and Jews) should be treated with respect. To use the term "Jewish" and "Pig" as an insult in a Mosque is to defy the teaching of the greatest Islamic prophet.
As to the other claims, that Freer is personally responsible for the deaths of thousands of Muslims. This is clearly complete nonsense. There are many circumstances in which I would support a dignified protest against Mike Freer, but I would never condone a protest at a place of worship, when Freer was doing his job helping local constituents. Whatever you may or may not think about Mike Freer, he must be allowed to do his job and help local people. This group of fanatics, who have no respect for Islamic teachings or traditions, have done nothing other than put people off the religion they pretend to support. It is another tenant of Islam that in a foreign country, you should obey the law and act with dignity and respect. You should set a good example to people to show that Muslims are decent people who follow a dignified religion. The vast majority of Muslims in the UK do. People such as this, who bring their faith into disrepute, should be ostracised by their community, until such time as they start acting in accordance with the teachings of their religion and start leading by example.
All Muslims are duty bound by their religion to encourage everyone they meet to convert to Islam. By taking such action in a mosque, these people have made many people think that a mosque is a place to be feared and avoided, not a place of peace and learning. I urge every reasonable and decent Moslem in the UK to explain why taking this action is doing the work of Satan rather than God, by demonising the mosque in the eyes of the general British public.
It is clear that the Mosque authorities are reasonable, decent people. This is obvious, because they invited Mike Freer. I urge the British public to recognise that this is the case and that the people who threatened Freer are a tiny group of troublemakers. There are enough troubles in the world, without idiots like them carrying on like this.
5 comments:
Amazing. After three years, the Barnet Eye finally writes something sensible. Keep taking the tablets
But it's three years since Mike Freer DID anything sensible.
[It goes without saying that the whole of Barnet condemns the disgraceful actions taken against Mr Freer. Which is why I'm moving on...]
Incidentally, has Mike Freer ever made an economics comment? Is he a 'Plan A' man, or a 'Plan B' one?
Well said Rog. Every political and religious group have their extremists. What is sad is that usually these people justify their actions by using God as their backup.
This is particularly unfortunate because it took place in a place of worship. Anti-Semitism and Homophopia in one fell swoop. Not a pretty sight.
Barnet Times:
Finchley protest gains little support against local MP
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