Post by ppyenews on Sept 30, 2006 20:54:18 GMT -5
Welcome to ‘Talkback Topic’ – I’m Phillip Pye.
I’m probably like a lot of ‘Anglo-Saxon’ middle-aged men who were raised in English speaking countries with what we consider as Christian beliefs. In that I mean recognising Holy Days such as Christmas and Easter in particular. On such occasions most of us seem to gather with friends and family, preferably ‘in peace’. On such days, if an enemy invaded our space and privacy we would be horrified at their lack of respect. “How dear they – on Christmas Day and all” many would say.
Well other cultures have similar days. At this time of year in the ninth month of the Calendar the people who have been raised with Muslim beliefs do a similar thing. The Month of Ramadan is when it is believed the Holy Quran "was sent down from heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of Salvation" It is during this month that Muslims fast. It is called the Fast of Ramadan and lasts the entire month. Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation.
During the Fast of Ramadan strict restraints are placed on the daily lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. At the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar. In the evening following the iftar it is customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and friends. The fast is resumed the next morning.
Just before 9pm last Friday night about 400 innocent Muslim people were at their ‘Mosque’ in the Perth suburb of Mirrabooka and were observing ‘Ramadan’ in their usual peaceful manner when a shot was fired through a window on the second floor of the building, narrowly missing women and children. A witness has stated that he observed a green Jeep Cherokee four-wheel drive parked across from the mosque and saw a flash and heard a gunshot. Following the blast the gunman fled the scene in a green Jeep Cherokee four-wheel-drive parked across the road. Nobody was injured in the incident. In the wake of the shooting there was bedlam in the mosque, Apparently Children were screaming, and Mothers were running. Police attended and found that a shot had actually gone through the upper window and had lodged in the wall. No one was injured in the shooting.
Ameer Ali, who heads the Government's Islamic advisory committee, said that while this was the first shooting in an Australian mosque, others had been ransacked and worshippers' cars had been vandalised. He suggested an ongoing debate on the threat of radical Islam was encouraging violence and intimidation against Muslims. Mr Ali said "This is a criminal act, but my question is: where do the criminals get the courage to do this?" and "It comes from what our leaders say in public, so I think our leaders share some responsibility for these acts."
Irrespective of whoever the culprit(s) may be, it is a callous act and one that ‘ASIO’ and the ‘Australian Federal Police’ have quickly got involved in with. This is not the sort of act that we as Australians are used to have happening. We hear about it in the news and expect it not to be happening in our own backyard. The fact is it is, and if it is someone from ‘The middle-east’ bugger-off and take your war with you and if it is someone from our own community – ‘Shame on you’ – How would you like it if it was done to you on Christmas Day?’
I’m Phillip Pye
I’m probably like a lot of ‘Anglo-Saxon’ middle-aged men who were raised in English speaking countries with what we consider as Christian beliefs. In that I mean recognising Holy Days such as Christmas and Easter in particular. On such occasions most of us seem to gather with friends and family, preferably ‘in peace’. On such days, if an enemy invaded our space and privacy we would be horrified at their lack of respect. “How dear they – on Christmas Day and all” many would say.
Well other cultures have similar days. At this time of year in the ninth month of the Calendar the people who have been raised with Muslim beliefs do a similar thing. The Month of Ramadan is when it is believed the Holy Quran "was sent down from heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of Salvation" It is during this month that Muslims fast. It is called the Fast of Ramadan and lasts the entire month. Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation.
During the Fast of Ramadan strict restraints are placed on the daily lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. At the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar. In the evening following the iftar it is customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and friends. The fast is resumed the next morning.
Just before 9pm last Friday night about 400 innocent Muslim people were at their ‘Mosque’ in the Perth suburb of Mirrabooka and were observing ‘Ramadan’ in their usual peaceful manner when a shot was fired through a window on the second floor of the building, narrowly missing women and children. A witness has stated that he observed a green Jeep Cherokee four-wheel drive parked across from the mosque and saw a flash and heard a gunshot. Following the blast the gunman fled the scene in a green Jeep Cherokee four-wheel-drive parked across the road. Nobody was injured in the incident. In the wake of the shooting there was bedlam in the mosque, Apparently Children were screaming, and Mothers were running. Police attended and found that a shot had actually gone through the upper window and had lodged in the wall. No one was injured in the shooting.
Ameer Ali, who heads the Government's Islamic advisory committee, said that while this was the first shooting in an Australian mosque, others had been ransacked and worshippers' cars had been vandalised. He suggested an ongoing debate on the threat of radical Islam was encouraging violence and intimidation against Muslims. Mr Ali said "This is a criminal act, but my question is: where do the criminals get the courage to do this?" and "It comes from what our leaders say in public, so I think our leaders share some responsibility for these acts."
Irrespective of whoever the culprit(s) may be, it is a callous act and one that ‘ASIO’ and the ‘Australian Federal Police’ have quickly got involved in with. This is not the sort of act that we as Australians are used to have happening. We hear about it in the news and expect it not to be happening in our own backyard. The fact is it is, and if it is someone from ‘The middle-east’ bugger-off and take your war with you and if it is someone from our own community – ‘Shame on you’ – How would you like it if it was done to you on Christmas Day?’
I’m Phillip Pye