Yesterday I commented (@ 07 May 2014 9:54pm) on a Guardian article under the heading "Which restaurant chains have gone halal – and why?" (here). I checked back twice. First I found a derogatory sub-comment about me heavily laced with references to excrement because of what I had written. The second time I found the comment and response replaced by "This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn't abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted. For more detail see our FAQs."
What was my error? My comment drew a parallel between the ritual slaughter of animals by a Muslim who must precede the slaughter by invoking the name of Allah, most commonly by saying "Bismillah" ("In the name of God") and then three times "Allahu akbar" (God is the greatest) and the slaughter of humans in the name of Allah such as that highlighted in the MailOnline: "Boko Haram terror group slaughters hundreds in Nigeria as Britain joins France and US in hunt for 300 missing schoolgirls".
Whether I was censored or censured I don't know but expressing the view in a supposedly Christian country that the slaughter of humans in the name of Allah is unacceptable whether 'justified' in the Koran or not seems pretty reasonable to me so I assume that my comment was removed because it might be considered offensive to Muslims.
From the Telegraph - "Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders today issue a defence of the practice, insisting the ability of shops, restaurants and canteens to serve kosher and halal meat is a matter of “religious freedom”." That religious freedom must include not being unwittingly sold halal meat.
Much of the concern in the media has been centred on animal welfare but the religious freedom of consumers must not be overlooked. Muslims are free to believe what they like but that message should not be fed to others through ritual slaughter when it contradicts the Christian message which is succinctly summarised in the Greg Koukl's video above - "I am the way, the truth and the life."
You should have the right to know if the food you are about to eat has been sacrificed to idols.
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