Christians express outrage over threats to mosque

11:00am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News

Tahirul Hasan Tahirul Hasan

CHRISTIANS in west Oxfordshire have signed a letter expressing “shock and outrage” at discrimination against Muslims in Chipping Norton.

A planned mosque in the town fell through last month after landlord Georg Wissinter received a threat that it would be burnt to the ground.

Applicant Tahirul Hasan, a town councillor, had received planning permission to convert the former shop in Hitchmans Mews into a mosque.

The town’s 34-strong Muslim community had planned to open from sunrise until one hour after sunset for 10-minute prayers five times a day.

The letter says: “As Christians we know that Jesus called us to love God and our neighbour as we love ourselves. It is for us to welcome the stranger and to be hospitable to all.

“We affirm that all people have the right to be treated as human beings with the freedom to practice their faith without fear of persecution.”

The letter is signed by 38 Christians, including Witney Congregational Church minister the Rev Jason Boyd, High Street Methodist Church minister the Rev Richard Donoghue, and Chipping Norton team vicar David Salter.

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Comments(6)

Lord Palmerstone says...
4:30pm Tue 12 Mar 13

"to practice their faith without fear of persecution.” "Practise" but rather more important, "persecution" is an act of the State. Here the act is simply criminal (threaten arson) so to condemn it is merely platitudinous. One would expect the clergy to condemn crime. Mature thought by these clerics would have meant the letter would not have been written. Could do better, folks.

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benjamin says...
5:09pm Tue 12 Mar 13

I am outraged over the threat to burn this proposed mosque down too. But I am still opposed to one being built in Chipping Norton.

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benjamin says...
5:15pm Tue 12 Mar 13

Maybe Witney Cogregational Church could find it somewhere in Witney?

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Do It Now says...
5:25pm Tue 12 Mar 13

I assure you that the original letter did say 'practise' and that this is an error on the part of Witney Gazette. As for Witney Congregational Church, this congregation does host the Muslim community for prayers and has been doing so for two years now. A dictionary definition of persecution is certainly not limited to an act of the state. Those who signed this letter were speaking out against the threat and the withdrawal of a lease.

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Lord Palmerstone says...
6:42pm Tue 12 Mar 13

Do It Now wrote:
I assure you that the original letter did say 'practise' and that this is an error on the part of Witney Gazette. As for Witney Congregational Church, this congregation does host the Muslim community for prayers and has been doing so for two years now. A dictionary definition of persecution is certainly not limited to an act of the state. Those who signed this letter were speaking out against the threat and the withdrawal of a lease.
No it's not, but nor is it referable to a single criminal act by one individual. In passing what are your views on the execution of homosexuals and the mutilation of little girls? Can I guess? "We don't go there"

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benjamin says...
9:14pm Tue 12 Mar 13

Lord Palmerstone. They will probably answer, 'It wouldn't happen in Chippy'.

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