c. 2008 Religion News Service

British court convicts Muslim man for involving teens in violent ritual

LONDON (RNS) A British court has convicted a Muslim man of child cruelty for allowing two teenagers to flog themselves as part of a religious rite.

Prosecutors accused Syed Mustafa Zaidi of ordering the boys to whip themselves with a bundle of chains fitted with curved blades _ a device known as a zanjeer zani flail.

Such self-flagellation was described in court as part of a traditional ceremony commemorating the death in the seventh century of the Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein.

Zaidi, a 44-year-old warehouse supervisor from Pakistan, testified that the youths, ages 15 and 13 at the time, had asked to take part in the ritual and insisted that “no one forced anyone.”

The boys, whose names were not disclosed, said they had participated in such rites in Pakistan since they were 6 years old. Prosecutors argued that British law forbids flagellation by anyone under the age of 16, even if they are doing so willingly.

“In this country,” said prosecutor Andrew Nuttall, “the laws are very different from those in Pakistan.”

Authorities said the youths were taken by their mother to a hospital, where they were treated for multiple slash wounds.

The jury took three hours to convict Zaidi. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 24. He could face up to 10 years in prison.

_ Al Webb

Gay pride advocacy group sues Birmingham mayor

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) A gay rights group has filed a federal lawsuit against the mayor of Birmingham, accusing him of refusing to allow pro-gay banners for religious reasons.

Central Alabama Pride Inc. says there was no rational basis for Mayor Larry Langford to restrict city workers from hanging banners supporting Gay Pride Week on public property.

The city has hung flags or banners in support of many diverse events in Birmingham, according to the lawsuit.

Langford said Wednesday (Aug. 27) that he has not discriminated against anyone and called the suit a publicity stunt. Langford said the city hangs banners for events that the city sponsors.

In May, Langford refused to sign a proclamation for an annual gay pride celebration or allow banners on city property, and said he would not grant the sponsoring group a parade permit.

Langford on Wednesday reiterated his position against signing a proclamation for the event, saying it is inappropriate for a government to endorse a lifestyle that God opposes.

“The bottom line is I don’t condone the lifestyle and what they were asking me to do in my official capacity as mayor was to issue a proclamation which in essence endorsed the gay lifestyle,” Langford said. “If I had issued such a proclamation, I would in essence be saying that God’s position is wrong and I wouldn’t dare take a position against God. So as opposed to suing me, they need to be suing God, and the last time I checked, he can defend himself. End of story.”

David Gespass, a Birmingham lawyer who filed the suit, said the plaintiffs believe the city has no set of objective criteria for banners on city streets and on city property.

The suit contends the group was subjected to religious discrimination in violation of the First Amendment in that Langford sought to establish a particular religious position for the city.

_ Val Walton

Music to bond Katrina interfaith service

NEW ORLEANS (RNS) Representatives of New Orleans’ major faiths, and of some small local faith communities, will gather Friday evening to mark the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with a rare offering of common musical prayer rising from Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Bahai and Sikh communities.

Because the 7 p.m. service falls on the Jewish Sabbath and the host site is Temple Sinai, the service will also incorporate some elements of the regular Sabbath ritual, Rabbi Ed Cohn said.

The order of worship displays an extraordinary range of traditions, each offering prayers or supplications that occupy common ground with the others.

It opens, for example, with Islam’s traditional call to worship, heard five times a day around the world, invoked in this case by Rafeeq Nu’man, the imam of Masjidur-Rahim.

“That’s certainly the first time that will ever have been heard inside these walls,” Cohn said.

Other chants or hymns will be offered by members of all the major faiths, along with chants from the Sikh and Bahai communities.

Planners made a concerted effort this year to tilt the event toward musical prayer _ hymns, chants, even bells _ said Deacon Ron Guidry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Office of Worship, who helped pull the event together.

Thus, while excerpts from the different faiths’ sacred texts will be represented, they most often will be embedded in music, rather than read, he said.

Four choirs _ two Methodist, one Catholic, one Greek Orthodox _ and the children’s bell choir of St. Michael Special School will participate, Cohn said.

Catholic Archbishop Alfred Hughes will deliver a short sermon in the middle of the 75-minute ceremony.

The service will also incorporate the ritual lighting of the Sabbath candle and the Kiddush, the blessing of the cup of Sabbath wine sanctifying the day. Later, in ancient Aramaic, comes the Kaddish, a Jewish prayer of praise.

Guidry said that while the third anniversary observance will incorporate a commemoration of what was lost during Katrina, the liturgy will also demonstrate that “we want to move toward renewal.”

“We want the focus to be, `It happened, now let’s get on with life.”’

_ Bruce Nolan

Quote of the Day: Nathan White, an Atlanta-area Baptist

(RNS) “Appealing to the selfish motives of people is not Christianity.”

_ Nathan White, an Atlanta-area Baptist, on churches that use gas-card raffles and other events to attract people to services. White was quoted by The Associated Press (Aug. 28).

DSB/PH END RNS