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© 2015 AFPBrunei's sultan bans Christmas in shift toward Islamic law
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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© 2015 AFP
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Moonraker
Peace on Earth and good will to all. What could be more universal?
Serrano
What a jerk.
"It is an Islamic country and so with respect to the law, churches need to keep decorations indoors"
There should be no country on Earth where some religion imposes restrictions on what citizens can do, much less sever their limbs or stone them to death for "offenses" against the nutty Sharia law.
Jimizo
"Muslims could be led astray"
These people who believe Islam to be the answer to all human problems seriously lack confidence in the faithful.
I can't think why.
bass4funk
That country won't get my money from now on.
Leprechaun
“Using religious symbols like crosses, lighting candles, putting up Christmas trees, singing religious songs, sending C Christmas greetings… are against Islamic faith,” Sounds just like the UK
Pukey2
I don't see any western country banning Muslims from practising their own beliefs. Just when will people stop going to these countries and stop spending money there?
japan4life
What a hypocrite this guy is, he bans Christmas in his own country but makes money from Christmas in other countries.
Jimizo
"What a hypocrite this guy is, he bans Christmas in his own country but makes money from Christmas in other countries."
A good point but since when have the religious been anything other than hypocritical?
nath
Msg to him
Noel Feliz Navidad Happy Hanukkah Seasons Greetings Frohe Weihnacht und einen guten Rutsch
Could keep going but hope he gets it.
HonestDictator
While I don't mind what they do in their country, I hope the, "you're just bigoted and suffer from Islamophobia" crowd can understand from examples like this what many of us have been trying to explain for over a decade. Islamic ideology is the problem. One religion says, "love your neighbor and your enemies" while the other says, "Persecute, subjugate, or kill your neighbor if they don't follow your beliefs."
Hmmm, what was it we were saying before about religious freedoms in the US again?
What were we saying about religious intolerance in the US again? I'm thinking the tolerance point specifically against Islam is starting to wear thin the world over and some folks are saying, "What's good for the goose is good for the gander"
If any religious ideology advocates for complete intolerance of others, then why do some folks insist on tolerating such barbaric ideals?
Wc626
This probably rests well with libs. . . . . but if Trump were to mention anything this graphic, the republicans would not hear the end of it.
This guy (Hassanal Bolkiah) is banning christmas? Peter Payne is correct. Banning x-mas does not add inches to anyones penis.
serendipitous
Bass
Until now you've been a regular financial donor to Brunei?!
Pantah
So why is he wearing a suit...? What is the national islamic dress of Brunei...? Not a Western suit I'll bet....
nath
I've added Brunei to my list of countries to never visit.
Fadamor
Careful. That "love your neighbor and your enemies" religion ALSO subscribed to the "Persecute, subjugate, or kill your neighbor if they don't follow your beliefs" in recorded history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisition
I see modern Islam being roughly on par with Medieval Catholicism in terms of tolerance. Perhaps we just need to wait a few hundred years for Islam to also mature?
But yeah. For now Brunei is patriae non grata with me and my wallet.
Black Sabbath
So tell me, how is this any different than the stuff that comes from the right wing Christians?
veejay
This type of idiot is the most dangerous of human scum. He has all the money in the world and spends it on prostitutes, which is fine as far as I'm concerned and then he tells the people who have to put up with his nonsense to do the opposite of what he does. He is an idiot, he follows an idiotic religion and yet others should do as he says? sounds like a lame case of the emperor's new clothes.
Ah_so
I always find it ironic that Jesus is, considered an import prophet in Islam, but a celebration of his birth is taboo within Islam.
However, the religion never celebrates Jesus, but does celebrate Eid, the event in the Old Testament when the Jewish prophet Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son, Isaac, at God's command.
Can't say it makes me want to celebrate, but whatever floats your boat.
sensei258
You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch...
kcjapan
However, the prohibition does not extend to the business interests of the sultan, whose estimated $20 billion fortune includes the historic Beverly Hills Hotel—part of his Dorchester Collection with branches in London, Paris, Milan and Rome - article
Do as I say, not as I do. The faith of the too wealthy to care about their hypocrisy.
The all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world’s richest men, announced last year he would push ahead with the introduction of sharia law, eventually including tough penalties such as death by stoning or severed limbs. - article
Obviously the Sultan's 340,000 citizens need his tough love.
SuperLib
Oh I wish that were the case, but we have a long way to go in terms of getting religion out of our public schools.
HonestDictator
@Fadamor
You don't know much about Christianity do you? Jesus was the founder of Christianity, and not once did the founder state to persecute, subjugate, kill others. What others did after Jesus ceased to exist on this planet was not based on the words that came from his mouth.
Mohammed on the other hand, did advocate for killing of others (he created a militant group of believers remember?). And take very careful note, He was the founder of Islam and the words that came out of his mouth were completely different.
As I said, look at the founders as they root of their religions. What others do after them may either follow true to the founders teachings or not.