BF2S Forums Ashura

that really is just not right.

I actually saw an Ashura march of muslims along the east side of Hyde Park in London when I was there a couple of months ago. No self-flagellation but plenty of cool looking banners with arabic writing. Speaking honestly I did notice a Hezbollah flag in there - me perhaps being one of the only bystanders who would recognise such a thing.

ATG wrote:

So, they are well behaved in London then?


What do you think of the cutting of children shown in the article?

Plain sick, those people need to live their lives not based on a 1400 year old book.

ATG wrote:

So, they are well behaved in London then?


What do you think of the cutting of children shown in the article?

They were well behaved but very rigorously policed. They had a tent with sermon mats where tea and sandwiches were served at Marble Arch at the head of the parade. The atmosphere was relatively jovial although there were a few shadier characters towards the back of the parade (the part of the parade where I saw the Hezbollah banner). Londoners just walked on by as if nothing was happening. Teenage muslims, male and female, were handing out CDs and papers with a distinct 'Muslim isn't violent' and 'We don't hate infidels' bent.

As to the ritual, it's nothing more than I would expect from religion in general. Slightly less extreme but here in Ireland pilgrims attempt to climb rocky old Croagh Patrick (a mountain in Mayo) barefoot and sometimes on their knees as penance for their sins. Certain monastic activities also involve flagellation. What can I say? Religion is a pile of insane nonsense.

buLLet_t00th wrote:

Why does Islam have to be so aggressive in everything that they do?

I find it particularly interesting that this is immediately put into this Islamic context when Self-Flagellation is a practice that has existed among Christians since the 13th century, and continues to this day in the Philippines and Latin America.

Just as that practice is uncommon today among Christians, the same is true of self-harm among Muslims, in Iran, as the article clearly states, most Shi'a Marjas have banned this activity and encourage blood donation instead.

Don't get so easily outraged by the sight of blood in a picture. Put things in perspective, I think in a place like Lebanon, where any day you could be hit by rockets or gunfire from Israeli strikes or attacks from a rival Islamic faction, blood letting to commemorate the death of an important religious figure is the least of people's worries.