Via Muslim News we have the text of Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg’s greeting ahead of next week’s Eid festival:
I offer my warmest greetings and best wishes for all Muslims on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.
I know this is a very special time for family and friends coming together as you join in spirit with the millions gathered in Mecca to uphold the traditions of one of your most sacred feasts.
As Muslims in the UK celebrate Eid al-Adha, we are reminded of the contributions that Muslim communities have made to our religious and cultural heritage.
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20 Comments
It is exactly what Nick Clegg should be saying. I am pleased to read it.
According to Wikipedia, the feast of Eid al-Adha commemorates “the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.”
It is one of the most revolting stories of the Old Testament/Koran – probably the prime example of why no one should even think of drawing their moral code from these ancient texts.
Anyone who encourages this sort of thing should be ashamed.
Clegg must have been trying out his new Platitude-O-Matic.
Laurence: Well, I didn’t know that. Crikey. Still, I suspect that the reason it became a big festival is more to do with it lending itself to cooking a sheep/goat and having a big nosh up. Most big religious festivals seem to come back to that.
The end of that story is that God tells Abraham not to at the last minute, as Abraham has shown that he would be willing to do so.
It’s a little strong, granted, but it shows that God values obedience – although I really hate putting it like that – but not as much as he values human life.
It’s also an excellent festival. Glad to see that Clegg isn’t scared to step out of his comfort zone.
Ah yes, unwavering obedience, that cornerstone of liberalism.
Laurence & Iainm,
isn’t the point of this history that his ‘willingness’ ultimately doesn’t lead to Abraham committing the blood sacrifice; that there is a higher code which is more important than taking and fulfilling orders; that all human beings have their weaknesses, doubts and imperfections; that the freedom to think for oneself is the best protection against unnecessary harm?
The story behind this festival is a beautifully liberal parable which belongs to the whole of the western tradition and is wholly worthy of celebration, so it’s good to see Clegg piping up (though he could have done a bit more to show how he identifies with it).
“The end of that story is that God tells Abraham not to at the last minute.”
But what if God had decided to go through with it? Would that have made it OK? If you can work out the answer to that question then you will realise that it’s time to throw away the sacred texts and work out the answers for yourself.
Andy is right – at one level it’s just a meal. But the underlying message is horrible. It’s the same with the Jewish Passover – when God killed everyone except for the Jews – a sort of Holocaust in reverse. While the Christian message is all about redemption through blood sacrifice.
The whole edifice of religion is irredeemably barbaric.
Eid al-Adha is an important festival to Muslims around the world, however distasteful you may find its origins. Just as Easter celebrations are not always understood by non-Christians, but non-the-less recognised as an important date in the Christian calender.
At this time of year, animals, usually sheep, are sacrificed and the meat mostly given away and distributed to the poor, to neighbours and friends, its a time of sharing and extending friendships.
The act symbolises the willingness to give up things that are of benefit to us or close to our hearts, in order to strengthen ties of friendship and help those who are in need. The symbolism is in the attitude – a willingness to make sacrifices in our lives in order to stay on the ‘straight path’ In other words, doing good to others, and sharing with those less fortunate than ourselves. Might even be a lesson there in modern day Britain, about giving more to charities.
It is right and proper that political leaders recognise important festivals of all faiths, and I welcome Nick Clegg’s message in that spirit.
isn’t the point of this history that his ‘willingness’ ultimately doesn’t lead to Abraham committing the blood sacrifice; that there is a higher code which is more important than taking and fulfilling orders; that all human beings have their weaknesses, doubts and imperfections; that the freedom to think for oneself is the best protection against unnecessary harm?
The story behind this festival is a beautifully liberal parable which belongs to the whole of the western tradition and is wholly worthy of celebration, so it’s good to see Clegg piping up (though he could have done a bit more to show how he identifies with it).
That interpretation might have been forwarded by some modern Christian and Jewish theologians rightly embarrassed and ashamed of the more main-stream one, but if you think that is how it was meant in its original context or how it is understood in modern Islam (or by the majority of Jews or Christians for that matter) then please pass me some of whatever it is you’re smoking, because it is strong stuff indeed.
The unpalatable fact is that Islam is fundamentally hostile to and incompatible with liberalism in any of its guises and anyone who values liberal principles at all has no business pandering to it, even out of a naive sense of cultural relativism or blind political correctness, which is what Clegg is doing.
Or maybe he is being more subtle than I’m giving him credit for. With just a little bit of a tweek part of what he said starts to look more reasonable:
“As Muslims in the UK indulge in ritual animal sacrifice in celebration of absolute obedience to a celestial tyrant, we are reminded of the contributions that Muslim communities have made to our religious and cultural heritage.
That’s a bit more like it, no?
I strikes me that the story of Abraham and Isaac was invented by priests at an unknown time and in an unknown place as an explanation for the suppression of human sacrifice. Looked at in that way, the festival doesn’t sound so bad.
Now that would be a leader to die for!
I guess you’re right Sesenco. God is against human sacrifice on balance, but there’s no way that’s going to stop him making a really sick joke about it at the expense of Abraham and Issac. It’s really not so bad.
Iainm,
if there are multiple different interpretations then you are forced to choose, which provides a demonstration of free will.
This is entirely political, as the conservative doctrine of blind unthinking loyalty is sufficiently undermined by the importance placed on individual action.
Therefore the Abrahamic god is the god of the godless: a god good for atheists, doubters and unbelievers – faceless, nameless, inescapable; a mercy!
Laurence,
don’t you find sick jokes funny (when they aren’t at your expense)?
Yes, but there are limits. Limits I say.
Less so on the night before the morning after, it would seem…
Are you two related in any way?
I think I read somewhere that Nick Clegg shares 98% of his genetic material with Oranjepans.
The biggest difference is a heavy injection of caffeine. Falling out of your tree can be a major wake-up call.