CNS: Images on Soccer Balls Offend Muslim Sensibilities By Patrick Goodenough
An Islamic clerics’ group in South Africa is protesting the appearance of Koranic text in advertising and promotional merchandise for the soccer World Cup, which the country is hosting in 2010.
At issue are soccer balls featuring images of flags of the world, including those of Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. All three flags include words from the Koran.
The Council of Muslim Theologians, based in Johannesburg, said in a statement that the use of text which Muslims consider sacred “has the potential of offending adherents of the Islamic faith.”
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Although Muslims comprise less than two percent of South Africa’s population, the community is an influential one, with activists frequently protesting against Israeli and American policies.
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This is not the first time the multi-flag soccer ball has upset Muslims. In the summer of 2007, U.S. troops in Afghanistan were accused of insulting Islam after they distributed balls, some of them featuring the flags, to children in Khost province.
Media reports said at the time that local mullahs complained, and around 100 people held a protest demonstration. A U.S. military spokesman was quoted as expressing regret for causing offense, and saying “the distribution of soccer balls was done in the spirit of goodwill, something that we hoped would bring Afghan children some enjoyment.”
The offending balls on that occasion included a Saudi flag, which features a sword and the Arabic script for the “shahada” – the Koranic declaration of faith that states, “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his messenger.” Because of Islamic sensitivities, the Saudi flag is never flown at half-staff.
The Iranian flag features stylized text repeating the phrase Allahu Akbar (Allah is greater); Iraq’s national flag also includes the phrase, in the middle of the central white stripe.
So sacred text on national flags is alright; just on soccer balls it’s a problem? You should have told us before we made the balls.
And there are people who will actually listen attentively to these silly complaints and apologize for minor offenses even while trying to perform a good deed toward children. Muslims in Khost were not able to provide their children soccer balls. When someone was kind enough to do so, they actually find a reason to complain. Jealousy comes in many forms.
The dhimmitude of the West continues.
As more time passes, the more it becomes apparent that Muslims are governed by many things, but logic and intelligence sure as fuck are not among them.
Filed under: The Religion of Peace Files , Afghanistan, Allah, double standards, fanaticism, flags, hypocrisy, idiots, Islam, jealousy, Khost, Mohammed, Muslims, saudi arabia, shahada, soccer balls, The Religion of Peace
