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Saturday, 7 February 2015

Time to move on - but is it possible?

The Crusades - history
The Inquisition - history
President Obama's reference to the Crusades and the Inquisition in the same breath as IS atrocities was unfortunate. No doubt he meant well but listening to what he actually said (here), he left himself open to misunderstanding: "People committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ", he said. So they did.
Nobody can excuse that. But the Crusades and the Inquisition are history. The world has moved on but Islam has not.


Islam makes much of the Crusades in their propaganda war to justify their aggression. Apologists fall for it every time with no apparent knowledge of what actually took place. As  Prof. Thomas F. Madden put it in The Real History of the Crusades:

Regarding the modern day reference to the crusades as a supposed grievance by Islamic militants still upset over them..."if the Muslims won the crusades (and they did), why the anger now?  Shouldn't they celebrate the crusades as a great victory? Until the nineteenth century that is precisely what they did. It was the West that taught the Middle East to hate the crusades. During the peak of European colonialism, historians began extolling the medieval crusades as Europe's first colonial venture. By the 20th century, when imperialism was discredited, so too were the crusades. They haven't been the same since." He adds, "The truth is that the crusades had nothing to do with colonialism or unprovoked aggression. They were a desperate and largely unsuccessful attempt to defend against a powerful enemy. The entire history of the crusades is one of Western reaction to Muslim advances." [My emphasis - Ed.]

Muslim jihad continues to this day acting on a 7th C. instruction manual which forbids changes to its instructions and imposes ancient punishments such as stoning, amputation and crucifixion plus the death penalty for apostasy. 'Their' (Muslim) lands are lands held as a result of conquest, a process still going on, most noticeably in the Middle East and in Africa. The Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the Hagia Sophia in what was Constantinople are obvious examples of mosques replacing Holy sites after Islamic victories. Mosques continue to be built in increasing numbers in the West through cultural jihad while Christian churches are being destroyed in what used to be Christian countries abroad. Do Muslims not understand this or are they merely being devious when they deny the truth of what is mandated in their religion?

Excuses are fruitless. Islam should be held up to the same scrutiny as other religions and ideologies if any progress is to be made in the fight against so-called extremism.

The present. (Actual graphics are too gruesome for illustrative purposes)

24 comments:

  1. The Christian crusaders fought a small number of battles to defend the holy places against arab invaders and their "religion of peace". The reality is that the invaders brought down classical civilisation by waging war on many fronts over many years, fuelled by the promise of booty, slaves and conquest, as this map shows: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I_To-cV94Bo/maxresdefault.jpg

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  2. President Obama attempts to placate the Muslim communities, but the problem is that the extremists are just pure evil.

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  3. Just think what would happen if Americans invaded Mecca and destroyed the Grand Mosque. Imagine the world-wide consequences. Then remember that the Muslims did a similar thing in Jerusalem, to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and that the Crusades were the Christian reaction.

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    1. Don't forget the wonderful Cathedral in Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia.

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  4. With apologies to Ancient Briton, I realise this is somewhat 'off topic' but the heading "Time to move on - but is it possible?" could apply to a number of situations and circumstances - like the latest crap going on at Llandaff Cathedral.

    See http://fcm.org.uk/Publications/Cathedral_Voice/CathedralVoiceCopies/Cathedral%20Voice%201501.pdf

    What utter compost!
    In what Universe do these idiots live?
    Last Sunday morning's 11am Eucharist was, in musical terms, an exercise in humiliation.
    The setting of Darke in F broke down not just once, but twice.
    Darke in F for effs sake! Twice!!
    The volunteers in the Merbecke choir can provide a decent performance of Darke in F but it is clearly beyond the abilities of Bielby and his imported scab singers.

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    1. The scab singers, as you call them, may not be around for too much longer nor in such great numbers.
      An advertisement appeared on the notice board next to the West door last week specifying vacancies for 6 singers (2 altos/counter-tenors, 2 tenors & 2 bass) for the period of 1st March to 15th July only with remuneration of £1800.
      The ears in the Cathedral walls report there are ructions in Chapter over this because it took a full Chapter meeting to vote (unanimously according to Peggy the Pilot's press release but NOT according to Ancient Briton's blog) to get rid of the old professional Cathedral Choir but it seems that Bazza's glove puppet has taken it upon himself to hire himself a new choir without reference to the Chapter.

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    2. No press release concerning the "new" Llandaff Cathedral Choir recruitment scheme on either the Llandaff Diocese or the Church in Wales websites and no classified ads on The Church Times website.
      Perhaps it's meant to be a secret like Christopher Gower's "Organ Scholar"?

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    3. One suspects you're on the right track Episkopos.
      The chances are that Bazza's glove puppet Capon and his glove puppet Bielby have already decided which gullible and naiive students they want for the posts but since employment law dictates that positions have to be "advertised" they're ticking that box by placing a small discreet "advert" just within the Cathedral building.
      God forbid that any of the old Lay Clerks that could actually DO the job properly were to find out about the new posts and apply for their old jobs back...........
      There's a thought.
      Now where did I put my phone book...........................?

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    4. Monmouth Diocese doesn't have any difficulty in advertising for new members.

      http://monmouth.churchinwales.org.uk/news/2015/02/cathedral-choir-seeks-new-members/


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    5. Cheering for the Lay Clerks14 February 2015 at 09:14

      Bazza's golf caddy doesn't want the advert spread far and wide?
      That's a crying shame.

      LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL
      SINGERS REQUIRED
      2 Altos/Counter-tenors, 2 Tenors, 2 Basses
      Remuneration £1,800 for the period
      1st March - 15th July 2015
      Applicants should have good sight-reading skills and good
      voices to sing challenging music in the context of the Anglican
      liturgy at two Sunday Services (11.00am & 3.30pm) and certain
      midweek services.
      Please contact the Director of Music as soon as possible
      for further details :-
      Jonathan Bielby MBE
      Llandaff Cathedral
      07884 088488
      jonathanbielby@gmail.com

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    6. It is revealing that a quick look on the Church Times website turns up adverts for Cathedral singers Wells, Chelmsford and Worcester Cathedrals, but curiously no mention of Llandaff.

      A discreet and unassuming little "advert" pinned to the notice board by the West door?
      For "Remuneration" read Zero Hours contract and "certain" midweek services read no clearly defined job description!
      Is it the Lucy Morgan school of how to evade employment law?

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    7. To quote a previous entry that appears under the heading Morgan's Organ,

      "The esteem in which the Llandaff Chapter truly hold their 'professional' choir is that they wish to treat them like burger flippers in a fast food franchise."

      New Dean but same old attitude.

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    8. Has Mr Bielby been promoted?
      According to my copy of the weekly notes he is merely the Interim Director of Music.

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    9. By "challenging music" does Mr Bielby mean Darke in F?

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    10. The wonders of social media:-
      https://www.facebook.com/Bangor546

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  5. The ears in the walls report that this week's grumblings on The Green are that Bazza's glove puppet is lining up Mr Toad the Head Verger to take over the role of Cathedral Administrator, a position for which he is entirely unqualified, reportedly having been unable to run a Cafe.
    Has anyone seen a job description and an advertisement inviting applications for the post?
    Or is it just the latest example of Darth ++Insidious, his daughter Lucy the consultant and the glove puppet demonstrating their contempt for employment law and good (best) practice?

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    1. That's a little out of date 1662.
      Tonight's grumblings on The Green concern the ongoing £25k deficit at Llandaff Cathedral, from where the glove puppet has found nearly £12k to pay 6 singers for a terms singing and why the draft Cathedral accounts were only handed out to the PCC immediately prior to tonight's meeting thus preventing due scrutiny and consideration.
      One is led to believe that the glove puppet has also been demanding respect, loyalty and confidentiality so the gullible pew sitters will be kept in the dark.
      Quelle domage.

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    2. Bazza's glove puppet is not amused that his proposed re-organisation of the Cathedral Administration department (the promotion of his favourite member of staff Mr Toad) has been leaked. The cunning plan was supposed to be presented to the PCC and pew-sitters as a 'fait accompli' thus avoiding the little inconveniences of advertising the post and interviewing appropriately qualified and experienced potential candidates on a level playing field.
      The theme and content of his Ash Wednesday sermon was most entertaining.
      And to cap it all, Bonaparte was there to hear it too.

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    3. In the week that Llandaff will be marking the first anniversary of Bazza installing his golf caddy as dean, it looks like the Llandaff Cathedral Choir Association (LCCA) has now gone the same way as the Cathedral Choir itself.
      Not only does the link on the Llandaff Cathedral website (www.lccacardiff.co.uk) no longer work but it is impossible to find any trace of what was a very informative and nicely presented website.

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  6. So Llandaff Cathedral is still running at an annual deficit of some £25,000. When is the next Chapter lunch?

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    1. The little matter of the ongoing deficit explains the reluctance of Chapter members to discuss matters financial with anyone since last October. I hear that interested parties are scouring the draft accounts for missing Organ appeal monies and signs of payoffs to Moorhouse and Hallinan.

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    2. The ears in the walls report that His ++Darkness continues to be terrified of the Charity Commission looking into the accounts of his Diocese and Cathedral. Follow the money!

      It seems as though +Monmouth has finally filed his annual return with the charity commissioners, albeit 101 days late.
      Seems +Monmouth is still spending £6k a year on who knows what?

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  7. ALLELUIA!
    Praise be to God in the Highest.

    Has the penny FINALLY dropped in Llandaff Cathedral?

    On the latest edition of The Bell
    (see http://www.llandaffcathedral.org.uk/documents/BELLMar2015Final3.pdf )
    "SERVICES at LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL
    SUNDAY SERVICES
    Compline** 5.30pm (sung, in the Lady Chapel,
    with the Parish Choir adults)
    **On First Sunday of month, Compline will be replaced by a celebration of the
    Holy Eucharist (Book of Common prayer 1662 rite)

    May I respectfully suggest to all the traditionalist readers of this blog that word of this is not only spread far and wide but that a large turnout to support this "initiative" would be most desirable.
    Who knows, if there is a good turnout, even the glove puppet might get the message that the shite rite should be shredded?

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    1. In principle, I agree with you 1662, but the question is this. Who will be celebrating the Eucharist?
      If it turns out to be Canon Holcombe you can count me in.
      If it is one of Bazza's coven, forget it!

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