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Original poster

Veiled Muslim Woman to deliver C4 Christmas message.

181 replies

uwila · 06/12/2006 12:54

What do Christians think? Is this offensive? I think it is. But, then I think the culprit is probably CH4, not the Muslim community.

Veiled Muslim Woman to Deliver C4 Christmas Message

Discuss....

OP posts:
Blu · 07/12/2006 13:09

I think C4 may well give naturists a chance to give peace a chance next Christmas...previous Christmas speech candidates have been Sharon Osbourne, Ali Gee.....

NearlyThree: "Even if she wanted to say something against Christianity, she can't by law." Is that true? UK law?

doyouwantfrankincensewiththat · 07/12/2006 13:11

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doyouwantfrankincensewiththat · 07/12/2006 13:13

da vinci

doyouwantfrankincensewiththat · 07/12/2006 13:17

talking of religious symbolism - our local gym has a club for over fifties called the omega club.

Maybe I'm missing something but isn't that kind of telling the over fifties they're at the end of their life?

nearlythree · 07/12/2006 16:20

Blu, I thought it would be illegal under what was passed of the Incitement of Religious Hatred Act?

SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve · 07/12/2006 16:22

I hope they don't forget to subtitle it for the deaf

LittleSarah · 07/12/2006 16:25

I don't think she would get in trouble for some moderate critisicm, although I don't think she will criticise. You have to be very vocal and virulent to be considered to inciting religious hatred.

dara · 07/12/2006 16:27

Yasmin Alibhai says everything I want to say about this in the Evening Standard tonight.

whatwouldjesusdo · 07/12/2006 17:20

ruty - yes, tolerance. My own feeling is that I dont care if women wear the veil, but I regard it in the same way as I regard ultra high heels, inch thick makeup or long red talons. They are props that disable women, but that some women feel that they need in order to face the world. Fair enough, let them wear them, but they are not, or should not be, mainstream, and I reserve the right to judge people who do wear them accordingly.

I am concerned that the veil should keep this status, and not gain a special religious status, which it doesnt deserve.

nearlythree · 07/12/2006 17:38

LittleSarah, ordinarily I'd agree with you. But some people (not myself) say they see the veil as 'threatening'. A Muslim woman, in a veil, reading an anti-Christain message would be seized on by those who want to label all Muslims as fanatics (I wouldn't put it past the Govt to try to get some mileage out of it either). If there were any trouble following the broadcast C4 could find themselves in very deep water. I don't think they'd want to put the new law to the test.

I want to emphasise that I'm in favour of the veil if freely chosen, and I have no problem with the idea of a Muslim broadcasting on Christmas day.

LittleSarah · 07/12/2006 18:17

Having thought back on some scary incidents after the inciting terrorism bill was introduced, like the girl who got arrested for reciting the names of the dead British soldiers outside Parliament or the man arrested for wearing an anti TB t-shirt I don't know if I can rely on my assessment that she would only get in trouble if she was really 'vocal and virulent'!

I don't know really, am going to reserve judgement until I see or hear what she said!

jampots · 07/12/2006 18:35

i havent read the entire thread but my initial thought is that C4 are taking it upon themselves to be "differnt". I may be really out of turn here but I cant be arsed with all this mixing up and watering down of christian celebrations - to me its the equivalent of us all speaking esperanto and paying for everything using the Euro - complete loss of identity and tradition.

Bah humbug

jampots · 07/12/2006 18:36

i should add i have nothing against any other religions

Blu · 07/12/2006 18:50

NearlyThree - I would have thought something would have to be very extreme to come under that act?...

The Yasmin Alibhai Brown article IS very good. However I think that the net effect on the British public will not be to glamourise or validate the veil but to stir up more general anti-muslim feeling. The comments posted by Daily express readers on their site yesterday give a strong flavour of that, anyway. And in the end, one way or another, C4 will actually have done a greater disservice to muslims (either those who endure unwanted covering - as YAB's article argues - or those who just want to get on and live perfectly normal peaceful lives without the Daily Express villifying them) and that they will be the greater victims in this - not Christians.

On the other hand the woman may deliver a speech of such statesperson-like resonance with all of us that we are inspired by her vision and humbled by her intellect, and all question of a stunt evaporates. We don't know, yet!

PeachyIsNowAChristmasFruit · 07/12/2006 18:56

Exactly blu, we don't know yet.

FWIW I think the Daily Mail readers of this planet will be firmly glued to the other side. Fortunately we have other sides: if you don't want to watch something, don't. But don't censor! Give the poor lass a chance!

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 07/12/2006 19:02

Can't be ar$ed to read the whole thread.

It's rather odd IMO but doesn't offend me. It does seem very strange in the light of all the Daily Mailesque tales of banning "Christmas" so a not to offend other religions.

SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve · 07/12/2006 19:05

lol at "give the poor lass a chance" cos Britain is one big working men's club

It is a bit of a bum gig IMO. Wonder what she did to deserve it.

7swansaswimmingup · 07/12/2006 19:16

i think channel 4 had marge simpson doing the speech last year. i wont watch it, il stick with our queen.

PeachyIsNowAChristmasFruit · 07/12/2006 19:17

Or... could we not be a trifle charitable and acquiesce to the needs of the young lady until situational observation has provided one with a quantifiable solution as to the nature of her vocalisations?

Neither working mens club nor Ananbel's lolqw

ruty · 07/12/2006 22:21

put an American accent on that Peachy and you sound just like George Bush.

PeachyIsNowAChristmasFruit · 07/12/2006 22:24

PMSL, although I have never been so insulted in my life

I am so fglad now it took me ages to do LOL! Think I'll stick with the working mens club

Blu · 02/01/2007 15:51

So, what did she say?

I missed it!

Original poster
uwila · 02/01/2007 15:57

I watched it - couldn't resist. It was rather dull, actually. However, I did come away feeling a bit let down, like I didn't really know who was talking to me because of course she was wearing a veil. It sort of swayed me toward Jack Straw's view of wanting to see the person you are toalking to / listening to. Ironic, huh?

Oh, and I didn't really like when she went on about Jesus being a prophet rather than our Lord. Sort of thought Christmas was the time to tell me Jesus isn't the son of God.

But, all in all it was rather dull and I wish I had watched the Queen instead.

OP posts:
Original poster
uwila · 02/01/2007 15:58

Oops... "Christmas wasn't the time..."

OP posts:
peacedove · 03/01/2007 14:12

While Christmas isn't our holy day, we Muslims do have a claim to Jesus (pbuh), so I hope uwila will no longer be upset when Muslims talk of Jesus (as).