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"Take
Heed" Ministries
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Cecil Andrews, PO BOX 13, Ballynahinch, BT24 8AL, Northern Ireland. Telephone/Fax 028 9756 5511. E-MAIL - takeheed@aol.com WEB-SITE - http://www.takeheed.net |
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BBC 1 Newsround’s ‘ISLAM WEEK’ |
Earlier
this year BBC 1 Children’s Television had a special week of programmes called ‘ISLAM
WEEK’ that were broadcast on the children’s news programme called NEWSROUND.
I had sent a number of emails to the BBC information office but eventually
there was ‘silence’ on the part of the BBC so I then emailed the Director
General of the BBC, Mark Thompson on 27 April and herewith is the email I sent
him and subsequent emails that have been exchanged.
Cecil
Andrews
‘Take
Heed’ Ministries
13 May
2005
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Subject: |
Newsround's
Islam Week |
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Date: |
27/04/05 |
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Dear Mr Thompson,
I am setting out for you the exchange of emails that took place
between myself and your 'information' office and I would ask you, as they have
failed to respond to my request, to let me know if the BBC will publicly
correct the misinformation that was put out by Newsround.
I await hearing from you.
Cecil Andrews
Email sent to BBC on 26 January 2005
Dear Sirs,
I am writing to lodge a protest against the inaccuracies contained
in and being suggested by the current series of Newsround programmes on the religion of Islam.
1. In the first programme a young Muslim contributor said 'Islam means peace'. This is not
true, Islam means SUBMISSION
and the aim of Muslims is to bring the whole world into submission to the religion of Islam.
The following is the text of comments made by a leading Muslim cleric in
America that illustrates this point -
San Ramon Valley Herald, dated July 4, 1998.
American Muslim Leader Urges Faithful
to Spread Word
Lisa Gardiner
San Ramon Valley Herald July 4, 1998
FREMONT--The chairman of a national
Islamic watchdog group urged Muslims
Thursday not to separate or assimilate
to American society, but instead to
deliver Islam's message.
Omar M. Ahmad, chairman of the board of
the Council on American-Islamic
relations, spoke before a packed crowd
at the Flamingo Palace banquet hall
on Peralta Boulevard, urging Muslims
not to shirk their duty of sharing the
Islamic faith with those who are
"on the wrong side."
Muslim institutions, schools and
economic power should be strengthened in
America, he said. Those who stay in
America should be "open to society
without melting (into it),"
keeping mosques open so anyone can come and
learn about Islam, he said.
"If you choose to live here (in
America) . . . you have a responsibility to
deliver the message of Islam," he
said.
"Islam isn't in America to be
equal to any other faith, but to become
dominant," he said. "The
Koran, the Muslim book of scripture, should be the
highest authority in America, and Islam
the only accepted religion on
Earth," he said.
2. Are Newsround planning to report what happens to
Christians in America who oppose this plan to bring it into submission to the false religion of
Islam. By way of illustration here is a recent report
'ISLAMIC HATE' By DOUGLAS MONTERO and STEFAN C. FRIEDMAN
January 16, 2005 -- The father of a murdered New Jersey
family was threatened for making anti-Muslim remarks online - and the gruesome
quadruple slaying may have been the hateful retaliation, sources told The Post
yesterday. Hossam Armanious,
47, who along with his wife and two daughters was found stabbed to death in his
Jersey City home early Friday, would regularly debate religion in a Middle
Eastern chat room, one source said. Armanious, an
Egyptian Christian, was well known for expressing his Coptic beliefs and
engaging in fiery back-and-forth with Muslims on the Web site paltalk.com. He
"had the reputation for being one of the most outspoken Egyptian
Christians," said the source, who had close ties to the family. The
source, who had knowledge of the investigation, refused to specify the
anti-Muslim statement. But he said cops
told him they were looking into the exchanges as a possible motive. The married
father of two had recently been threatened by Muslim members of the Web site,
said a fellow Copt and store clerk who uses the chat room. "You'd better
stop this bull---- or we are going to track you down like a chicken and kill
you," was the threat, said the clerk, who was online at the time and saw
the exchange. But Armanious refused to back down,
according to two sources who use the Web site. Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy would neither confirm nor deny that cops
and prosecutors were looking into the religion motive, saying only that
"nothing is being ruled out." But a relative of the mayor who
answered the phone at Healy's home said there was information the murders were
"religion-related."
"There are several theories we are looking into, but we are not commenting
on any of them at this time," said
Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Guy Gregory. Armanious'
fervor apparently rubbed off on his daughter, Sylvia
- who would have turned 16 yesterday. "She was very religious and
very opinionated," said Jessica Cimino, 15, a
fellow sophomore at Dickenson HS.
A family member who viewed photos of the bloodbath said Sylvia seemed to have
taken the most savage punishment. "When we saw the pictures, you could
tell that they were hurt really, really bad in the face; especially
Sylvia," said Milad Garas,
the high-school sophomore's great-uncle. The heartless killer not only
slit Sylvia's throat, but also sliced a huge gash in her chest and stabbed her
in the wrist, where she had a tattoo of a Coptic cross. Also found
murdered were the wife, Amal Garas,
and the parents' other daughter, Monica. Fred Ayed,
the deacon at St. George and St. Shenouda Church,
where the deeply religious family attended services, said he's worried that the
murders could have a ripple effect. "I am concerned for the safety
of our community," said Ayed, who knew
Hossam for 30 years. "People are scared because one
family was slain like cows," said Moheb Ghabour, publisher of a local newspaper for the Coptic
community. Osama Hassan,
director of the Islamic Center of Jersey City,
described the relationship between Copts and Muslims as cooperative if not
friendly. "I think there might be people that can get into physical
fights, but not to the point of murder," Hassan
said. Both the deacon and uncle poured cold water on the theory that the family
were the victims of a robbery gone wrong.
"This is not a robbery, Ayed said. "We found all of the jewelry
in the house. They didn't take anything." The FBI confirmed it has been
called in to help with the case.
3. In the first programme an information 'banner' that went across
the screen said that 'Islam respects
Jesus as a prophet'. This is not true because when you examine
all their beliefs on 'Jesus' they
deny His self-proclaimed Deity and His teaching concerning His death and
resurrection so Islam does NOT respect the true Biblical Lord Jesus Christ.
4. In the second programme an attempt was made to portray Islam as
a religion under persecution and one that sits comfortably with Western
Democracy. This is not true. The opposite is in fact the case. Islam is a totalitarian 'way of life'
that embraces both religious and 'secular' behaviour. Islam uses Western
democratic freedoms to grow and when it has sufficient strength it demands the
right to impose Sharia law in place of democratic
law. Already in the UK there are special 'tax concessions' allowed by
Chancellor Gordon Brown to accomodate the Islamic way
of doing things. In Canda Muslims are demanding the
right to impose Sharia law in areas where they have a
majority. In Nigeria provinces that were once predominantly Christian are now
being forcibly [to the point of death] made to accept Sharia
law in place of the Constitutionally Agreed law of the land. The truth is that
Islam and Democracy cannot mix [they are like the proverbial oil and water.].
5. Are Newsround
planning to show what happens to Christians in Saudi Arabia [home of Mecca]
where Christians are imprisoned for being the Christians that Christ wants them
to be. Herewith by way of example a report from last December -
"A Saudi father of four has been arrested and
imprisoned for converting to Christianity. Emad Alaabadi was arrested Nov. 29, but the news was reported
only a few days ago by the Washington, D.C.-based human rights group
International Christian Concern (ICC). Local sources confirmed Alaabadi's arrest to AsiaNews, an
agency of the Pontifical Institute of Foreign Missions, stating that "he
is not the only Saudi Christian in prison at present. … There are others."
The presence of Christians in Saudi prisons had also been confirmed by Brian
O'Connor, an Indian Protestant who was deported from Saudi Arabia after being
tortured and held in prison for "evangelizing." ICC said at least
three Christians were arrested along with Alaabadi.
Fundamentalist Wahhabi Islam is the only expression
of religion allowed in Saudi Arabia. Alaabadi, 30,
converted to Christianity two years ago. He was intercepted by the muttawah, the Saudi religious police, while driving his
children home from school. The police escorted the children home and then took Alaabadi to the local prison in Hofuf.
Later he was transferred to Jeddah. On Dec. 4, he managed to telephone his
mother in Australia, who said that he sounded "very weak."
5. Are Newsround planning to run a week on 'Biblical
Christianity' [not the watered down, poisoned and perverted, politically
correct and ecumenical so-called 'Christianity' that goes out on BBC TV and
Radio] that will allow the truth of the exclusive
Gospel of "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" [1 Corinthians 2:2] to
be proclaimed? If so I can direct them to a faithful Christian Pastor based in
England [one who is well-versed on the true nature of Islam].
Your servant for Christ
Cecil Andrews
'Take Heed' Ministries
Reply eventually received from BBC on 14
February 2005
Dear Mr Andrews
Thank you for your further e-mail regarding Islam Week on Newsround?.
Newsround often looks at topics in greater detail if
they have been making a lot of headlines in the papers and TV. The reason
why our latest subject was Islam is because it is a religion which has been in
the news spotlight in recent years, ever since the attacks on America on
September the 11th 2001. It is also the fastest growing religion in the
UK and Muslims now form the largest religious minority group in the UK.
Whenever we have covered Islamic issues that has always generated a big
response from our audience, many of whom have expressed a desire to know
more. Many Muslim children feel the community has been portrayed in a
negative way in the media.
During the week we were trying to look at different aspects of Islam, such as
what young British Muslims think about they way they are treated, hearing the
views of British Muslim girls who have been criticised for wearing headscarves,
taking a Lancashire born Muslim boy to explore his cultural roots in Pakistan,
and hearing what kids in general think of the religion.
This year Newsround is also planning an Africa week,
and a China week. In each case they are areas which are having an
increasing influence on our lives in Britain, and are also fascinating places
to find out more about.
Whether it is Islam week, Africa week, or China week, in each case they are
topics which are newsworthy, and also increasingly important to understand if
we are all to understand the world around us. Newsround
would also feature programmes on another religion, if that religion had been
reported a lot in the news over a long period of time.
I hope this goes some way of explaining BBC's stand on the matter, however I
recognize that you might continue to hold a different view and please be assured
that your comments have been carefully registered for the attention of the
editor and production team.
Regards
Heidi Bjorklund
BBC Informaiton
Email sent to BBC on 22
February 2005
Dear Heidi,
Although your email was addressed to me are you sure the right
email was sent to me as NONE of the issues I raised about the contents
broadcast on Newsround have been addressed. You
represent the 'Information ' office and my queries deal with MISINFORMATION
broadcast by the BBC.
The following are [briefly] the points I raised -
1. In the first programme a young Muslim contributor said 'Islam means peace'. This is not
true, Islam means SUBMISSION
and the aim of Muslims is to bring the whole world into submission to the religion of Islam.
DO THE BBC PLAN TO PUBLICLY CORRECT THIS MISINFORMATION?
2. Are Newsround planning to report what happens to
Christians in America who oppose this plan to bring it into submission to the false religion of
Islam.
DO THE BBC PLAN TO REPORT THIS FACT?
3. In the first programme an information 'banner' that went across
the screen said that 'Islam respects
Jesus as a prophet'. This is not true when you examine all
their beliefs on 'Jesus'
DO THE BBC PLAN TO PUBLICLY CORRECT THIS MISINFORMATION?
4. In the second programme an attempt was made to portray Islam as
a religion under persecution and one that sits comfortably with Western
Democracy. This is not true.
DO THE BBC PLAN TO PUBLICLY CORRECT THIS MISINFORMATION?
5. Are Newsround
planning to show what happens to Christians in Saudi Arabia [home of Mecca]
where Christians are imprisoned for being the Christians that Christ wants them
to be.
DO THE BBC PLAN TO REPORT THIS FACT?
5. Are Newsround planning to run a week on 'Biblical
Christianity' [not the watered down, poisoned and perverted, politically
correct and ecumenical so-called 'Christianity' that goes out on BBC TV and
Radio] that will allow the truth of the exclusive
Gospel of "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" [1 Corinthians 2:2] to
be proclaimed?
DO THE BBC HAVE SUCH 'PARITY OF ESTEEM' PLANS?
A detailed response is requested.
Your servant for Christ
Cecil Andrews
'Take Heed' Ministries
Email sent
to BBC on 11 March 2005
Dear Heidi,
Can I soon expect the courtesy of a studied response to the
following email that was sent to you on 22nd February?
Yours, waiting patiently
Cecil Andrews
'Take Heed' Ministries
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Subject: |
Reply
regarding CBBC Newsround's Islam Week |
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Date: |
04/05/05
16:30:41 GMT Daylight Time |
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From: |
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Dear Mr Andrews,
Mark Thompson has asked
me to reply to your email of the 27th of April as I am Head of CBBC
News and Factual Programmes.
I would like to make
clear that Newsround’s reports during the week of 24th of January into the
lives of Moslems was not intended as a week of religious broadcasting. It was a
look at the issues surrounding Moslem communities in Britain and around the
world given that they have had a high profile in the news over many months.
As explained in
previous correspondence this was an attempt to look behind the headlines
particularly since the attacks of 9/11.
With reference to your
first point about the translation of the meaning of Islam, there are
different schools of thought on this.
For our report we asked
a young British Moslem to explain to our audience of under 12s what Islam
means to him. He said in the report 'Islam means peace, which means we try to
be modest, kind and honest to all people.' This was his own interpretation as a
young practicing Moslem.
We spoke to his family
who said ‘Islam is often translated as submission but that is only
due to the relative poverty of expression in the English language..... A
precise translation of Islam would be ‘the act of peacefully accepting (God)’.
Also a BBC World service
guide to Islam states that:
‘"Islam"
is an Arabic word which means surrendering oneself to the will of God, and
achieving peace and security by doing so.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/islam.shtml
In relation to your question about whether
we will report on the murder story in New Jersey, or the Saudi story, Newsround is a UK-based programme which reflects British
society and news. It will also report stories around the world if we
consider them relevant enough to a young British audience, for example the
Tsunami, the Iraqi war, the Arab-Israeli conflict, development and
environment stories. However, should such stories you have suggested
have such a significant international resonance then we would consider covering
them.
Your comment that Islam does not consider Jesus
a prophet is not accurate. Islam does consider Jesus to be one of the prophets,
however does not of course consider him the Son of God. Again, from the
BBC World Service guide, ‘Muhammad was the final messenger through whom
Allah revealed the faith to the world. There had been earlier messengers, among
them Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/islam_begin.shtml
Your fourth points
relates to our second programme of the week. I am not exactly sure which parts
you were referring to, however reports within this programme explored the views
of Moslems in the USA and also in Jordan. The message of the children we
spoke to was clear - not all Moslems are extremists and any assumption that
this was true was unfair.
Lastly, I would again
refer you to the fact that our week was not a week of religious programming,
and so we have no plans at the moment to hold a 'Biblical Christianity' week as
this does not fall within the remit of a news programme. There are already Christian-based programmes
across BBC output.
If you are unhappy with our
response, and you believe we have breached the BBC's editorial standards, you
can appeal to the Editorial Complaints Unit which examines such complaints
independently. The ECU’s address is BBC, Media Centre, Media Village, 201 Wood
Lane, London W12 7TQ
Yours sincerely,
Roy Milani
Head of CBBC News and
Factual Programmes
cc. Mark Thomspon
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Subject: |
Re:
Reply regarding CBBC Newsround's Islam Week |
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Date: |
04/05/05 |
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Dear Mr Milani,
Thank you for your email that I will give considered thought to as
time permits.
However, please let me at this point correct an important
inaccuracy in your email. You wrote 'Your
comment that Islam does not consider Jesus a prophet is not accurate'.
I did not write what you claim I wrote. This is what I wrote -
"In the first programme an information 'banner' that went
across the screen said that 'Islam respects
Jesus as a prophet'. This is not true because when you
examine all their beliefs on 'Jesus' they
deny His self-proclaimed Deity and His teaching concerning His death and
resurrection so Islam does NOT respect the true Biblical Lord Jesus
Christ".
I certainly do acknowledge that Islam considers Jesus to be 'a
prophet' but what I wrote said that they do not truly RESPECT Him for
the prophet that He truly was because they deny the aspects I mentioned
such as His self-proclaimed deity and His self-proclaimed atoning death etc and
so in reality they make Him out to be a liar. So Islam does not respect
the Biblically revealed prophet, priest and king, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Meantime, I remain your servant for the Lord Jesus Christ
Cecil Andrews
'Take Heed' Ministries
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Subject: |
Re:
Reply regarding CBBC Newsround's Islam Week |
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Date: |
13/05/05 |
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Dear Mr Milani,
Further to my email of 4 May in response to yours of the same
date I would comment further as follows:
For you to say that Newsround's 'Islam Week' was 'not
intended as a week of religious broadcasting' betrays two
things [1] Your are a
victim of total self-delusion as even the name 'Islam Week' highlights the religious nature of the
coverage and [2] You
are obviously either unaware or choosing to ignore the nature of 'Islam' which
is a totalitarian way of life and the 'religious' cannot be separated from the
'secular'.
As regards the meaning of 'Islam'
the definitions that you cited actually confirm what I said in
my email that Islam means SUBMISSION - it does not mean 'peace'. Your first
definition was 'the act of peacefully
accepting God' - that
simply means SUBMITTING to God in a peaceful manner - it does not mean that the
word 'Islam' itself
means 'peace'. Your second definition was 'surrendering oneself to the will of God and achieving peace and
security by doing so' -
that simply again means SUBMITTING to God and the 'fruit' of that
SUBMISSION will be 'peace and security' but again it does not mean that the
word 'Islam' itself
means 'peace'. In these definitions 'peace' is simply the manner of SUBMITTING
and the fruit of SUBMITTING as required by 'Islam'.
As regards your comment 'not
all Moslems are extremists' - that is true - there are what may be termed 'Moderate Moslems' - the sad truth however is that there
is no such a thing as 'Moderate Islam' as
the bloody past history and ongoing reality today of this religion testifies.
One final comment - your statement 'There are already
Christian-based programmes across BBC output' is yet
another example of total self-delusion - what passes for 'Christianity' on the
BBC has nothing in common with the Biblical Gospel of the crucified, risen and
soon-coming Lord Jesus Christ but is rather shaped by the liberal forces that
want nothing to do with the exclusive claims of "the one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"
[1st Timothy 2:5].
Yours, His unworthy servant
Cecil Andrews
'Take Heed' Ministries
Following the posting of this article to the website I was directed to the following news item that was reported on the following web link
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82560
Moslem Cleric Calls for Revenge Against Britain on PA TV
16:47
May 25, '05 / 16 Iyar 5765
In a sermon broadcast live on Palestinian Authority TV, a cleric
affiliated with Hamas says Islam must rule over the
U.S. and Great Britain, and must exact revenge against the British.
A Moslem cleric called for exacting revenge against Great Britain in a virulent sermon broadcast live on Palestinian television on Friday, May 13. The cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim Mudeiras, who has become a symbol of Palestinian hatred of Israel and the Western world, said the day will come when Islam “will rule Britain”.
“We hold this opportunity to hold Britain accountable and say there is revenge
we can never forget. We cannot forego the revenge we want to exact from
Britain. We hold Britain responsible for what happened in Palestine. Britain is
the cause, till this very minute, of every drop of blood dripping in this
land,” Mudeiras told Arab viewers in the Palestinian
Authority.
Mudeiras set forth an Islamic
program for world domination, claiming that Islam will ultimately prevail and
rule both Britain and the United States.
“I say to you: You must look at our situation with an outlook of confidence in
Allah's victory! If you help Allah [spread Islam], Allah will bring you
victory. We once ruled the world and the day will come when, by god, we will
rule the entire world.
“The day will come when we will rule the United States, the day will come when
we will rule Britain, we will rule the whole world [and all will live in peace
and comfort under our rule] except the Jews. The Jews will not live in peace
and comfort under our rule. Treachery will keep being their nature throughout
history. The day will come when the whole world will rid itself of the Jews.”
Mudeiras’ speech was filled with anti-Semitic invective, rivaling some of the worst propaganda to come out of Nazi Germany. See article, “Subjugate Christians, Exterminate Jews” in the Arab Press section of INN’s website.
Despite the anti-British rhetoric broadcast on Palestinian television, British officials
have confirmed reports that discussion is underway regarding opening ties with Hamas members who may be elected to the Palestinian
Authority (PA) parliament.
Mudeiras is a Moslem cleric affiliated with Hamas.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw
told Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom that Israel need
not worry, explaining his government will not open relations with terrorists,
but is considering some level of contact with persons who recognize the State
of Israel’s right to exist, and have turned to a life which shuns terrorism.
Foreign Ministry official Gideon Meir stated that any
contact with Hamas by a foreign government, on any
level, will only serve to strengthen the terror organization and facilitate
efforts towards continuing attacks against Israel.