Archive for October, 2009
Just to let you know(1)
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From our Webmaster
Spent a bit of time this morning creating a Google map of all our members. It makes quite an interesting view. There are number of members all of whom live in quite close proximity to one another. I wonder if they’ve ever met?
From our secretary.
We are building up numbers of people in areas outside Reading who at present are not able to attend meetings because of the distances involved. If anyone in an area like this wants to get in touch with their near neighbour – say to form a localised informal discussion group, please let me know. Anyone affected who gives permission for contact can be put in touch.
Donate for Life
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The BBC programme “The Big Questions” once again raised the important subject of organ donation as part of the ethical debate today. This was prompted by the announcement in the press that David Blunkett has opted to donate his brain to dementia research. As a Humanist this is something which I feel quite strongly about, and for me it is a matter of personal conscience.
If I can help someone else to live on after my death then I have a moral responsibility to do so. At the end of my life, if my body can useful help another person live, improve their quality of life, or progress medical research then I do so gladly.
I have discussed this with my wife, and she also shares my views on organ donation. We are both on the national organ donor register, and if anything happened to either one of us we would not hesitate to offer up the other’s organs without a second thought.
What is interesting is the variety of philosophical, ethical and religious things that play on people’s minds when making the decision on donation.
Even though the majority of the Muslim commentators on the show this morning did not agree with organ donation my own research shows opinion is divided in the Muslim community. Dr Indarjit Singh, Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations is quoted on the NHS web site to help promote organ donation. The Pagan Federation has no religious or moral objections, and in Hinduism the Bhagavad Gita speaks quite often of diving freely and self sacrifice. These are just a few examples, but clearly there are mixed opinions because some religious views will not allow receipt of donated tissue or organs either.
I believe that most Humanists would share the view that organ donation, or donating the body for the advancement of medical research is a positive gesture.
There are however some other ethical concerns to be considered with organ donation. Who will get my organs? Why do they need them? Do they deserve them? You may recall case of George Best, who received a liver transplant due to his alcoholism, are people like him less deserving of our compassion? What if the recipient is a smoker? Another example is of 19 year old Gareth Anderson who after a weekend of binge drinking suffered liver failure. Where does the priority for donated organs lie?
For some people this will be a difficult decision to make for others it will not. I have to place my faith and trust in the people running the system, that they will act in good conscience and act in the best interests of all the potential recipients. Why? Because for my organs to be incinerated or buried in the ground to rot, is the ultimate waste of life.
CALLING COPENHAGEN!
Posted by: | CommentsReading demands global action on Climate Change
Thursday 12 November 7.30 p.m. RISC, London Street, RG1 4PS
On 7 December world leaders will meet in Copenhagen at a UN Climate Conference; these are the most important talks since the 1997 Kyoto agreement. It is essential that urgent, meaningful targets for global emissions reductions and financial commitments to tackle Climate Change are agreed.
Speakers, questions and debate:
Climate Scientist, Professor Jonathan Gregory: what are the latest predictions on the impacts of global climate change?
Phil Thornhill, Campaign Against Climate Change: what are the essential measures needed to avoid the worst effects of this globally?
Martin Salter, MP Reading West: what is the UK government doing to achieve these at Copenhagen?
YOUR MESSAGE: join our speakers in debate and send your message to the UK government
GREATER READING ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ReadingEnvNetwork
Rethinking Thought for the Day
Posted by: | CommentsWith the row over Radio 4′s three-minute ‘God slot’ intensifying, secularists are warning the BBC that it may be in breach of equality law.
Read The full story here
The broadcasting equivalent of Marmite, it has been a fixture on the current affairs programme for 40 years and is one of the station’s untouchable slots.
But that could all change as the BBC Trust is due to rule on whether Thought for the Day should be broadened to include the voices of secularists. It follows a series of complaints that by not doing so the BBC is failing to fulfil the obligations in its charter.
ISLAM – The Fundamentals of Faith
Posted by: | CommentsNotes from the lecture
Oxford Humanists Public Meeting
held onThurs. 15th Oct. 7.45
Dr Hargey, the founder of Muslim Education Centre Oxford [MECO
ISLAM – The Fundamentals of Faith
INTRODUCTION
•Islam currently has approximately 1.7 billion adherents and is the world’s fastest growing religion.
•The word Islam means ‘peace’or ’submission’ and someone who follows the religion is a Muslim.
•It is a grave misnomer to label Islam as ‘Mohammedanism’as Muslims do not worship the Prophet
•Islam is an uncomplicated theology and is part of theAbrahamic trilogy with Judaism and Christianity
THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD 570-632 C.E
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•Muhammad was born posthumously in Makkah (Mecca). He lost his mother when he was young.
•He was raised by grandfather and uncle. In his youth, he typified morality, integrity and leadership.
•From a poor background, he worked as a trader for an older wealthy widow, who proposed marriage.
•He wed Khadijah 15 years his senior and remained totally monogamous until her death in 619 CE.
•Disdainful of the rampant polytheism of pan-Arabia, Muhammad became even more contemplative.
•In 610 in the cave of Hira, the angel Gabriel brought to him the first of the divine communications.
•By preaching strict monotheism, Muhammad was persecuted, obliged to migrate to Madinah in 622.
•Forced to wage defensive conflicts, he set up the first Islamic state that was tolerant and inclusive.
•After a 23-year ministry, Muhammad left an enduring legacy when all Arabia accepted monotheism.
THE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF ISLAM
•The bedrock of Islam is uncompromising monotheism, worshipping the same God of Abraham.
•Muslims are required to believe in angels (who unquestioningly execute the Creator’s commands).
•Muslims believe in all God’s prophets, including Noah, Moses, Jesus, culminating with Muhammad.
•Muslims obligated to respect all divinely-inspired scriptures, like the Torah, New Testament, etc.
•All Muslims recognise an inescapable Day of Resurrection and eternal afterlife in Heaven or Hell.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
•The testimony of faith affirms that there is only One God and Muhammad is God’s Messenger.
•Five daily prayers has to be performed in addition to the weekly Friday congregational services.
•Muslims required to give mandatory charity annually to the destitute, dispossessed and deprived.
•Each year during Ramadan, Muslims obliged to fast from dawn to dusk to attain righteousness.
•Muslims enjoined to go on pilgrimage (Hai)) to Makkah to foster global unity and egalitarianism.
ISLAMIC LAW . Sharia
•The constitution of Islam is the Qur’an, the unaltered text of God’s revelations to Muhammad.
•A secondary but subservient tier is the hadith (Muhammad’s sayings) which were recorded later.
•The third source of Islamic law is ijtihad (analytical reasoning), derived from the transcendent text.
•The fourth component stems from ijmah (ecclesiastical consensus) by theologians, jurists, scholars.
•A fifth source of Islamic jurisprudence is based on qiyas (analogical deduction) from all the above.
GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
•In common with Jews, Muslims do not consume pork. Other animals have to be halaal slaughtered.
•Muslims are prohibited from imbibing alcoholic drinks, drugs and all other addictive intoxicants.
•Muslims should not engage in usuryor interest-based transactions (which only benefit one party).
•Muslim men, like their Jewish counterparts are also circumcised, but Islam does not sanction FGM.
•Believers must live ethically, not indulge in extra-marital sex, gambling, astrology, superstition etc.
•Although polygamy is permitted, it is only allowed in specific circumstances and is increasingly rare.
WOMEN IN ISLAM
•While the Qur’an recognises gender differences, women have similar rights and status with men.
•The sacred text gives females NI spiritual, political, economic and matrimonial equity with menfolk.
•However, in parts of the Muslim world, Qur’anic tenets have yielded to tribal and sexist chauvinism.
•Misogynistic mullahs and conservative clerics have imposed female inferiority upon Muslim society.
•This is evident by rigid female dress codes, sexual segregation, travel restrictions, child custody, etc.
•But modern Muslim women are using the Qur’an to liberate themselves from traditional patriarchy.
SOME POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS
•Islam abhors all violence and terrorism. Conflict is the last resort. Justice and peace is the goal .
•No ‘holy war’in Islam, only Jihad (struggle). The Sunni—Shi’ah divide is due to dynastic succession.
•Islam endorses popular democratic participation, but the West props up despotic Muslim regimes.
•Islamic history epitomises religious pluralism as its Scripture fosters tolerant interfaith co-existence.
•Islam is based on reason and logic, which from its inception, extolled learning, erudition and science.
For further information on ISLAM and MUSLIMS, contact MECO • http://www.meco.org.uk• 01865-766032 • Info@meco.org.uh