Klarinet Archive - Posting 000473.txt from 2001/09

From: "Ian Black" <clarinet1@-----.uk>
Subj: RE: [kl] This horrible event
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 17:00:05 -0400

OK I'm going to break my self-imposed moratorium on further comment here. I
apologise in advance.

Friends,

Please do not deny anybody the opportunity to pass on sympathy, empathy,
support, prayer, comforting thoughts or words etc. I've not been counting,
but I can't think of more than a couple of posts here which were *overly*
Christian in content (Biblical quote, reference to Christ etc.). As I said
before, hardly an epidemic. If members of our community feel moved to offer
sympathy, comfort etc. *with good intent* in any way, religious or secular,
surely we can be tolerant at a time like this? Are we forgetting that there
are thousands of people who have died as a result of these terrorists? And
many more thousands of people who will be deeply affected having lost
family, friends, colleagues etc. There are people I know here in the UK
(myself included) who have not lost friends or family who are still deeply
affected by the atrocity, trying to come to terms with it all. And all we
can do here is bicker about a biblical quotation. The offensive posts were
hardly over the top - hardly "Repent or Die" type exhortations, merely the
offer of comfort to any other listers who would find them comforting.

I am Christian, yet I was not offended by this morning's "Thought for the
Day" on BBC Radio which came from a Muslim leader, in which he quoted the
Koran. He was offering comfort with words which (no doubt) he had found
comforting himself. I would not be offended by any other listers quoting
from any other religious text, as long as it is with the right intentions.
Of course "klarinet" is not, has not been, nor will ever be the place for
any religious discussion or propaganda, but I think that we can excuse the
posts we have seen so far, and any similar over the next day or two.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear
no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me" -
from the Bible. Words which I find comforting, and which are offered with
entirely good intentions, no ulterior motive, no desire to alienate anybody.
Words which I heard President Bush quoting before the television cameras,
offering comfort to all those affected. I don't think it would be
appropriate to challenge his right to say these words any more than I
believe it would be to challenge any lister's right to offer such comfort in
this forum. There will be many on this list who are worrying about friends
and colleagues, who have been directly affected by this tragedy. In my view
this (in the short term) makes any posts offering such comfort, or bringing
news of individuals who are part of or close to our community perfectly
acceptable.

As before, my thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Best regards,

Ian

-----Original Message-----
From: Virginia Anderson [mailto:assembly1@-----.com]
Subject: [kl] This horrible event

However, the
forced injunctions to Bible verses and fellowship "in Christ" by a small
fundamentalist minority of this list has made me feel marginalised and has
only managed to divide this group. And, if it has marginalised me (who has
at least Christian ancestry and cultural associations), just think what this
does to Muslims, for instance.

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