by Natasha Tynes | Jan 25, 2006 | Jordan, my nation, Media watch, Religion
Reporters Without Borders voiced concern today about the Jordanian parliament’s call yesterday for the punishment of the cartoonist that drew 12 caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed that appeared in the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten on 30 September and were reprinted in the Norwegian publication Magazinet on 10 January.
"Islam forbids any representation of the Prophet and we realize that these cartoons may upset some people, but it is not acceptable for the parliament of a supposedly democratic country to call for the cartoonists to be punished," the press freedom organization said.
"Those who so desire may bring a complaint against the newspaper, but politicians should under no circumstances should call for direct reprisals against journalists," Reporters Without Borders continued. "The cartoonists have already received death threats and these new statements put them in further danger."
In a statement yesterday, the Jordanian parliament said the cartoons "constitute a cowardly and reprehensible crime" and urged the Norwegian and Danish authorities "to express their condemnation and disapproval of this hateful crime and to punish the perpetrators and instigators."
Source: [RSF]
I fully understand how these cartoons enraged believers, as their sole purpose seems clearly bent on stirring controversy and ridiculing some people’s beliefs. It’s clear people feel strongly about this, and rightly so. Actions hailed by one group as an "act of free speech" are condemned by the other as blasphemy. However, for Jordan’s parliament, condemnation is one thing (and here the most prudent thing for a legislative body), but calling for outright punishment is — like the RSF said — "not acceptable for the parliament of a supposedly democratic country."
I hope parliamentarians are not seeking inspiration from Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa, which called for the killing of Suleiman Rushdie over his controversial book The Satanic Verses! Moving from a body that gives voice to the people’s concerns to a congress bent on holy revenge is a dangerous step in the wrong direction.
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 5, 2005 | Jordan, my nation, Religion
AMMAN: Jordan’s King Abdullah II insisted on December 5 that Jerusalem must be an open city for Jews, Muslims and Christians during talks with Theophilos III, the new Greek Orthodox patriarch of the Holy City. "Jerusalem must be open to the followers of the three monotheistic religions," state-run Petra news agency quoted the king as saying. The Jordanian monarch also urged "Christian religious leaders to unite their efforts and speak in one voice to the West about the challenges that face the Christian Arab presence in Jerusalem", the agency said.
Source: [Middle East Times]
I personally have a great deal of admiration for His Majesty’s continual efforts to spread religious tolerance in the volatile Middle East. I will reiterate what I said in an previous post: In light of what many might be currently interpreting as a religious conflict, such initiatives are extremely essential to promote peace and deconstruct stereotypes.
UPDATE: On the same topic, there is a well-written commentary in the Daily Star entitled "A Palestinian Christian appeals for a shared Jerusalem." Here is one highlight:
We hold fast to our vision when someday, Christians, Muslims and Jews,
Israelis and Palestinians — all people — will be able to freely
celebrate our diverse but equally sacred feasts. We pray for a
religious awakening of justice and reconciliation that puts an end to
occupation and oppression, suicide bombings and drive-by shootings,
terrorism and counter-terrorism, targeted assassinations and incursions.
Source: [The Daily Star]
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 1, 2005 | Jordan, my nation, Religion
Nas drew my attention to the following news item that was published in the Jordan Times last week:
AMMAN (Petra) — The government has given its consent to a request by the Coptic Orthodox bishop in Amman for the establishment of a church court for the Coptic community in Jordan. The court, chaired by Bishop Anba Abraham, is to be housed at the Coptic Patriarchate in the Abdali neighborhood.
The story grabbed me mostly because I was not aware that the Coptic community in Jordan was so sizeable that it would need its own court. Also, I wonder what would this court be in charge of? I assume it would handle marriage and divorce cases, but what about inheritance? Will Copts be able to handle issues like inheritance through this court instead of following the Sharia-based inheritance law that is currently applied to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike?
A prominent Jordanian lawyer told me years ago that Christians in Jordan could avoid having their inheritance divided according to Sharia, which gives female siblings half the share that their male siblings receive, by referring their case to a Christian court. I wonder if this is feasible? Can anyone shed some light on this matter?
by Natasha Tynes | Apr 15, 2005 | Jordan, my nation, Religion
An Amman Islamic court has ruled in favor of Christian widow Siham Qandah, revoking legal custody from her children’s Muslim uncle and ordering him to repay misspent funds withdrawn from their orphan trust accounts.
Judge Mahmud Zghl handed down his verdict in Amman’s Al-Abdali Sharia Court against Abdullah al-Muhtadi, who has been fighting a seven-year legal battle to wrest custody of his underage niece and nephew from their Christian mother. “I still can’t believe it!” Qandah said, laughing and crying. “I am so happy; I am just speechless. I can’t even describe my emotions.”
Source: [Asia News]
I have been following this story for a while now and I’m glad it is over. I’m happy to see the children reunited with their mom. I believe the verdict was just and fair.
by Natasha Tynes | Apr 3, 2005 | Jordan, my nation, Religion
I have to admit, the news of the Pope’s death disheartened me. May his blessed soul rest in peace. He was a champion of peace and solidarity, something that gained him worldwide respect. The next Pope will certainly have big shoes to fill.
It is worth noting that when Pope John Paul II came to visit Jordan he stopped by my hometown of Madaba. He actually passed by my tribe’s neighborhood, Al-3zeizat as proud Madabains cheered and
clapped.
He also visited Mt. Nebo, the location Hubby and I chose to get married. Here is
another rare picture [not ours] of that visit to the mount that overlooks the Dead Sea.
As an update, when digging through our prayer link, the Pope is speaking glowingly of Jordan during his 2000 pilgrimage:
Today I am in Jordan, a land familiar to me from the Holy Scriptures: a land sanctified by the presence of Jesus himself, by the presence of Moses, Elijah and John the Baptist, and of saints and martyrs of the early Church. Yours is a land noted for its hospitality and openness to all. These are qualities of the Jordanian people which I have experienced many times in conversations with the late King Hussein, and which were confirmed anew in my meeting with Your Majesty at the Vatican in September last year.
Your Majesty, I know how deeply concerned you are for peace in your own land and in the entire region, and how important it is to you that all Jordanians—Muslims and Christians—should consider themselves as one people and one family.
Source: [Pope John Paul II’s Amman airport address]
by Natasha Tynes | Feb 2, 2005 | Religion
The FBI is investigating a radical Islamic Web site that posted photos and information about people who use an Internet chat room frequented by a Jersey City man whose family was murdered Jan. 14. The Web site, barsomyat.com, contained detailed information about some users of the PalTalk.com chat service whom the site’s members accuse of being outspoken critics of Islam, according to published reports.
An FBI spokesman confirmed Monday that federal investigators are probing whether the site -which is run by a Jordanian -played any role in the murders of Hossam Armanious, 47, his wife, Amal Garas, 37, and their daughters, Sylvia, 15, and Monica, 8. The family was discovered bound and stabbed to death in their Jersey City Heights home.
Hossam Armanious was an active participant in PalTalk.com discussions, using the nickname "I Love Jesus," according to friends. Armanious, a Coptic Orthodox Christian from Egypt, would often engage in heated debates with Muslims in the site’s religious chat rooms, and family members have speculated that the murders stemmed from these discussions and his attempts to convert Muslims to Christianity.
Source: [North Jersey Media] Via: [Sabbah’s blog]
I have been following this murder for a while now and it saddens me to see that there is now an alleged Jordanian link to these horrible murders. I tried to visit the site mentioned but I couldn’t get through. I think it is already shut down. About time no?
An Amman Islamic court has ruled in favor of Christian widow Siham Qandah, revoking legal custody from her children’s Muslim uncle and ordering him to repay misspent funds withdrawn from their orphan trust accounts. 
