Sorry? "Fundamentalism with an atheist slant"? Please explain with reference to the dictionary definition below. Don't take my word for it. Go ahead, explain please. fun·da·men·tal·ism (fŭn′də-mĕn′tl-ĭz′əm) n. 1. A religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles, and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism. 2. a. often Fundamentalism An organized, militant Evangelical movement originating in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s in opposition to Protestant Liberalism and secularism, insisting on the inerrancy of Scripture. b. Adherence to the theology of this movement.
Thanks. Hadn't seen it. Of course, it is a newspaper report so it doesn't mean it's true, many on here would have you believe! I'll read it.
Well....It isn't April 1st..... They exist..........I have seen the cars. It threw me until I asked Mrs AL because 'Shomrim' obviously looked like a Jewish word to me.
So a sort of superannuated Neighbourhood Watch trained by the Met. Recent, and hardly the sort of vigilante group I'd imagined (but not, I accept, suggested by you). Just sensible precautionary monitoring of potential troublespots I would say. But bulletproof vests rather than knifeproof vests might display greater intent. A French Jew I know subscribes to the conspiracy theory that the Kosher supermarket gunman in Paris was allowed to mount the attack by French security forces. He bases this view on the fact that the gunman had been received at the Éysée Palace by President Hollande (himself a Jew) a few months before and that idea the attack was planned to give France an excuse to attack Isis. As I said, his view not mine! The DM article says: Based in North West London, and with a sister organisation in North East London, the volunteers are trained by the Metropolitan Police and patrol the area regularly looking for anti-Semitic hate crimes, and general disorder in the neighbourhood. The volunteer group, similar to a Neighbourhood Watch, are trained to safely track and detain suspects until police arrive, and run a 24-hour hotline for those in the area to report attacks.
Quite a few years ago, there was some froth in the media over an issue concerning Jewish folk in London. Apparently, local Jews had applied to erect small markers at various points in and around London which were meant to form a symbolical boundary. With the boundary in place, Jews would be able to carry out various activities on the Sabbath - without this, the activities in question would have to be confined within people's homes, instead of out and about in the City. I gather that the applications were blocked by local authorities. My recollection is hazy, I may have gotten certain details wrong but I recall the central issue very well. Does anyone recall it and know how that ended up? Sorry for the derailment.
A quick read seems to imply that the request in London continues to be blocked. So multiculturalism in the UK has its limits after all ...
Beyond satire that the Kazakhstan ambassador complained to number 10 about Baron Cohen's stereotyping of his countrymen!
The whole question of eruvs is a textbook example of religious idiocy in action. In the modern world jewish people are free to keep the sabbath following all the inconvenient rules strictly, if they choose; or they are free to ignore or break as many of the rules as they like. Then there are jews who first choose the apply the rules strictly to themselves, but then want to exempt themselves from those same rules by setting up an eruv - which they want to be allowed to do regardless of whether the owners of adjoining properties consent. Sounds like a sick joke, but this is actually fact.
You wouldn't, but then again a sense of humour and dare I say it , irony, seem to be a failing of many vocal people. You seem to have all the answers and the availability of information but little idea on how to promote your views to a wider audience. Do not take that as a slight, rather more as an uneducated opinion of the typical semi literate person.
