UK: Threat to anthem

Now what would be at the heart of any grievance? The the building of "Jerusalem" anywhere other than within the confines of "Palestine" or the reference to "Quds" by anything other than the name they wish to confer on a city that was built by another civilization and came into existence at least two milenia before Mohammed's birth?

I guess it doesn't matter, only that they are assumed to be rightfully aggrieved and not told to s*d off with their woefully baseless and petty grievances.

Moslems are always aggrieved. Never forget that Mohammed became incensed when the pagan Koreish were sore about his denunciations and threats.

That didn't make a damned bit of sense then, and it doesn't need to now. Tireless victimism is the very engine that drives Islam forward, always aggrieved, always offended, always scowling.

Yech.

A number of tony private schools -- not the non-sibi Phillips quasi-twins but quite a few -- have their new graduates and parents and faculty together sing "Jerusalem" at graduation. Nowadays, in those graduating classes, there are always two or three scions of families of Pakistani zamindars, or owners of Toyota dealerships in Abu Dhabi, or bribe-and-baksheesh boys from anywhere in Saudi Arabia, and even a "Palestinian" or two, and those students, whose mental baggage is never quite fully unpacked for inspection, have spent the past four years (or three, or two) convincing their fellows, that because they themselves are so swell, and such regular guys, that of course there could not be anything wrong with Islam. How could there be? And that's how it works. It only takes that Personality Kid to dispel all worries, all hints of worries, all ability later in life even to think anything about Islam bears looking into ("Khaled was such a swell guy -- and did you read what he sent to the Class Notes, where he offers to put up any male classmate who might be travelling through the Gulf -- "for as long as you'd care to stay and see the camel races, and the gold market, or whatever you'd like. Come on, and let's chill in the desert heat." Well, won't they, won't their parents (over whom the Development Office has been drooling and scheming) possibly also be offended by Blake, by "Jerusalem," by "England's green and pleasant land"? Yes, indeed. Out, vile jelly of Jerusalem -- we need the dough from the grateful parents, or some day, from the happy graduate himself, now making a fortune in Riyadh or Jiddah, in London or Paris, recycling those petrodollars.

This is Jerusalem as a symbol of a better place, God's place (although Atheists are happy to sing it because of its long association with trade unionism and egalitarian causes), which William Blake hoped England (we can include the whole of the British Isles, no need to leave anybody out of something so good) could become. It harks back to the legend that Christ, during the years between 12 and 30, travelled and during those travels, set foot in England, specifically Somerset, and within that county Priddy near Glastonbury. And that in the years after the resurrection Joseph of Aramathea (with or without the Holy Grail) traveled back to Somerset and founded England's oldest Abbey at Glastonbury. While there is no historic foundation to that legend, the area around Glastonbury is a powerful place. And the Phonecians and Greeks traded Mendip tin, and why should Christ not have spent a year or two as a ship's carpenter working the tin route?
As an it anthem goes beyond religion, beyond class. To ban that as offensive is to say that all England is offensive.
Which perhaps is what it is all about.

If Muslims get one 'grievance' pandered to by their Dhimmi Hosts, they're already on the next as part of Islamic Paranoia - THE ETERNAL VICTIM!! What crap and it's time everyone told them to "sod off if they don't like Western Culture". Google 'Mission Islam' and find out the
garbage they preach to their young. History has been entirely rewritten - according to them THE MONGOLS WERE BACKED BY CHRISTIANS - REASON WEST BECAME DOMINENT BECAUSE THEY STOLE KNOWLEDGE FROM
ISLAMIC SCHOLARS AND INVENTORS?? If you already have high blood pressure, take your medication before going on this site...

Recalls seeing Andrew Flintoff majestically surveying his domain as the following words were sung during the Ashes series...

"And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?"

Maybe the Muslims are worried about more divine competition.

Roadside Bomb in Bagdad kills 16, Coptic Christians Receive Death Threats in Egypt , Foreign Workers Kidnapped, Christian Girls Beheaded in Indonesia, Suicide Bomber Kills 30, Pakistani Rape Victim Forced To Marry Attacker, CAIR, Jews Expelled From Gaza,'Hitler' wins Palestinian primary elections, Baby Cheetahs Abused By Owner Mohammed, Raped 13 Year Old Hung in Iran, CAIR, Spain Attacked to Influence Election? Muslims Urge Sensitivity Training, Ban Holocaust Day Muslims in UK Declare, Islamists Practice Dry Run On Air Flight, Janjaweed militia accused of deadly attack, Another Filipino journalist murdered, Kashmir: A Paradise turned into Hell by Terrorism, London rocked by terror attacks, Bali blasts kick off early 'Ramadan Offensive, Pigs Say Muslims Offensive, 335 children and teachers were murdered in Beslan by Jews says Turkish Media, CAIR, Muslims Dance as Towers Burn...

I'm offended,I'm offended, I'm offended,I'm offended,I'm offended,I'm offended,I'm,offended, I'm offended,I'm offended,I'm offended,I'm offended,I'm offended,I'm offended,I'm offended, I'm offended,I'm offended, I'm offended,I'm offennnnnnded!!!

Nice site, Morgana. I shall recommend 'Mission Islam' to everyone!

If, as is claimed on 'Mission Islam', the Muslims have had a cure for insanity since the 11th century, how come we still have any Muslims left?

It's a complete load of codswallop!

"Home Zionism" (seeing one's own Christianized homeland as a kind of holy land) has an old and honorable history among certain kinds of Christians. I myself pray for the day when every sales clerk, fast food counterhop, and mechanic in America knows more Bible than the learned fool from Hrvard Divinity School who cheers for the suicide bombers (I'm paraphrasing that great Englishman, William Tyndale, who translated the New Testament and much of the Old into English before the machinations of Thomas More got him burned at the stake).

Indeed, a Zion "spread around" the globe influences the thoughts of modern Chinese and African Evangelicals no less than it did those of 17th century English Puritans and Scots Covenanters. This is not necessarily chauvinism, but a healthy love of one's own people and a desire for their eternal salvation.

Morgane, I googled that entry and laughed myself hoarse. The golden age of these people went away ages ago, and instead of trying to reinvent themselves and foster creativeness, they simply change history and took credit for everything.

Too bad they cant change current events. What would happen if they actually had to live up to the historical persona they are revising? They would all die, thats what, because nothing of value comes out of islamic cultures, not medicine or science or technology.

The dhimmist world would collapse upon itself within a decade, soon after everything broke down for good. When you spend all your time changing history, instead of working to improve the present, you might as well consign yourself to the grave.

So the ancient muslims invented everything? Too bad dreaming about the past wont create a vaccine to deal with the new disease spreading across the muslim-controlled earth. Maybe they can put all the unemployed suicide bombers to work in a lab somewhere looking for the cure. Good luck.

You can take a savage out of the wilderness but you cant take the wilderness out of the savage.

Kemaste screams "I'm offended!". But Kemeste,unless you have that 'islamic badge', your pleads falls on deaf ears. In the above case, even before there is any objection from the islamic players,the Cricket Chiefs have themself decided to favour these intoleralnt hooligans by banning the song. All such acts of our leaders,and government give these islamists a feeling of superiority in a foreign country. In that case ,why a Hindu,or a budhist,a Sikh,a jew,or a christian's hurt of feelings are not considered.? So according to the cricket board,it is ok if marjory christian's feelings are hurt by removing the cherished song sung for ages,for the sake of these 'haters of every thing' islamists. It is high time the citizens take these chriket chiefs to task,and restore the anthem.

Intimidation is what islam does best. It is agangster religion.

It was intimidation that made Pakistan cricket team's only Christian become a Muslim.

Intimidation and whining are a product of the dark satanic mills of Islam.

What else can you expect from the followers of such a fallen religion?

I don't get it, why are they being such wimps. They never fear offending Hindus, but God forbid a Muslim.

So does this mean I have to stop singing the famous Gurkha Pub song "A Gurkha's Ass is always greener than living in a foreign land...."

If any muslims are sitting there, they never seem to protest, not my fault they picked the colour of the Green Bottomed Gurkhas.

-Cheers

Ayo Gorkhali!

It's a beautiful pink and silver sunrise on a cold and frosty morning here in England and I'm doing what I should have done last night and posting the complete words. Just so anybody unfamiliar with the song knows exactly what is being objected to.

Jerusalem
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

Words by William Blake (1757-1827), music by Hubert Parry (1848-1918)

Then look at the results of this survey from St George's Day 2003 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2969509.stm
William Blake's Jerusalem is the favourite for an English national anthem.

Though personally i'd prefer "Rule Britannia", this suggestion to ban "Jeruslaem" is nonsensical. I mean those Pakistanis would actually have to understand English in the first place to get "offended" by it.

India had changed its national anthem from "Vande Mataram" to the present one inorder to appease Muslims because the original anthem contained line "I bow before my country, my country is my god", but ofcourse for Muslims theres no God but Allah and they bow before him.

Check this Wikipedia link for more info.

BBC also tells me that it is world's second most favourite song.

Hello Vikrant
For obvious reasons I also have a soft spot for Rule Britannia. Jerusalem is unashamedly Christian, of course, but I think it's appeal is it's direction towards the hopeful building of a better country, however much we may agree to differ about the details.

I read your links and was sorry there was no further link to the music. I was intrigued that one of the reasons that Muslims felt offended by the song was its depiction of the nation as "Ma Durga"—a Hindu goddess—thus equating the nation with the Hindu conception of shakti, divine feminine dynamic force; I have a Hindu friend with a particular reverance for Holy Mother and a Catholic friend with a devotion to the Virgin Mary, they don't know each other but they speak in such similar terms I find it striking. With the Islamic view of women what it is I can see why the "divine feminine dynamic force" would rattle them.

Is it possible to get that song as a ringtone?

Thankyou,Granny Weatherwax-For giving us the full lovely,inspiring song'Jeruselem'. I was wondering what is so objectionable in that song to these Islamists!. Probably they think the mention of 'dark satanic mills'refer to them!After going through the full beautiful song,I am of the openion that,the Britishers should scrap the 'God save the Queen' and instead substitute this inspiring song in its place. Atleast then,the now sleeping valour of a true englishman will wake up to some extent to protect their country's honour,culture,religion.and above all self respect.

http://www.ringtonesgalore.co.uk/enhanced/sport/jerusalem/traditional/

Be careful with those ringtone firms, some of them are sharks.

Now the good news.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/4481796.stm
Rt Rev John Sentamu enthroned as Archbishop of York today.In his sermon he called on the Church of England to revive its spirit of "wonder".

Pakistan is surely the only (major) Islamic cricket nation; so they put the Da'wa on the 12th (Christian) man? And they don't like "Jerusalem". Emerson, Lake & Palmer recorded a version, I liked it.

Fascinating posts from Granny, its all starting to gel in my mind: time of Christ, Roman Empire-Judea-England, years 12-30, holy grail, Joseph of Arimithea, Monty Python...

Be careful with those ringtone firms, some of them are sharks.

Oh yea, Crazy Frog hustled me off £40.

Back to the topic.. then why shouldnt we ban Pakistans anthem. Refering to Sapta-Sindhu (The Hindu Holy Land of Seven Rivers which encompanses most of Pakistan) as Allah's land of pure would be "offensive" to Britains 1.5 million Hindus.

btw Robert, i see that the source is Sun. I'd cross check the story if i were you.