Exclusive - Tillerson declines to host Ramadan event at State Department: sources

[YetAnother]

in the USA church and state are separate; this is no different from him not sponsoring a christian event anywhere near govt involvement

[Langsuan Man]

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

in the USA church and state are separate; this is no different from him not sponsoring a christian event anywhere near govt involvement

Maybe,  but this administration is currently embroiled in a legal case regarding the travel ban from certain Muslim countries and this decision will be used to further show the White House's animus towards Islam

[Skeptic7]

Finally something I'm onboard with! Religious superstition has no place in government...especially in the US.  Now if they could only get all the Christian superstition and favoritism out of the supposedly secular US government! 

[simple1]

3 hours ago, Grouse said:

And here we are

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Indonesia

 

oh dear, not very nice reading.

 

 

The question was in reference to national government, not the actions of Islamist hardliners. Indo government has a constitutional policy of religious tolerance, but under increasing pressure from hardliner groups. Indo law enforcement has been fairly effective in dealing with Islamist radicals, with support, SF training and intelligence sharing from Oz and USA.

 

Christmas in Indonesia

 

https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/indonesia.shtml

[Credo]

I am not a fan of Tillerson and certainly not a fan of Trump, but I see no reason he should host such an event if he is not comfortable doing so.   Such appeasement is really not necessary.   

 

Islam is not a country and hosting events for countries national days, for their leaders and other such acknowledgements is probably more in keeping with the constitution and better portrays the country as a whole.   

 

Paying attention to religion is a good thing, but pandering to it isn't.   

 

 

[Prbkk]

1 hour ago, simple1 said:

The question was in reference to national government, not the actions of Islamist hardliners. Indo government has a constitutional policy of religious tolerance, but under increasing pressure from hardliner groups. Indo law enforcement has been fairly effective in dealing with Islamist radicals, with support, SF training and intelligence sharing from Oz and USA.

 

Christmas in Indonesia

 

https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/indonesia.shtml

Generally agree but the decision to send Ahok to jail for blasphemy is more than the thin end of the wedge. It gives tremendous encouragement to the fundamentalists and makes Jokowi look like a seriously compromised fool.

As for Tillerson...of course these religious ceremonies should not be part of govt....for any religion.

[Grouse]

1 hour ago, Skeptic7 said:

Finally something I'm onboard with! Religious superstition has no place in government...especially in the US.  Now if they could only get all the Christian superstition and favoritism out of the supposedly secular US government! 

Post of the day! Absolutely correct!

[simple1]

6 minutes ago, Prbkk said:

Generally agree but the decision to send Ahok to jail for blasphemy is more than the thin end of the wedge. It gives tremendous encouragement to the fundamentalists and makes Jokowi look like a seriously compromised fool.

As for Tillerson...of course these religious ceremonies should not be part of govt....for any religion.

OK. Don't believe seperation of State & Religion is going to happen with Trump, what with the encouragement given to right wing evangelical groups with funding and so on by his Administration.

[roobaa01]

good morning,

 

the successful western society and wealth, progress is based on christian-jewish values not on islam. hence well done mr. president donald trump, who showed already in saudi arabia who leads the world and was sending a clear message by having the first lady not covering her head . thereto the interpretor sitting between mr. president and the saudi prince openly displayed her uncovered blond hair. thereafter when visiting his holiness the pope francis the first lady had her head covered as true devotion to christian believe.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[Traveler19491]

22 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

good morning,

 

the successful western society and wealth, progress is based on christian-jewish values not on islam. hence well done mr. president donald trump, who showed already in saudi arabia who leads the world and was sending a clear message by having the first lady not covering her head . thereto the interpretor sitting between mr. president and the saudi prince openly displayed her uncovered blond hair. thereafter when visiting his holiness the pope francis the first lady had her head covered as true devotion to christian believe.

 

wbr

roobaa01

Donald Trump's Tweet on Michelle Obama not wearing a head scarf during President Obama's visit to Saudi Arabia: "Many people are saying it was wonderful that Mrs. Obama refused to wear a scarf in Saudi Arabia, but they were insulted. We have enuf enemies," he posted. (http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-slammed-michelle-obama-no-head-scarf-melania-did-saudi-arabia-612958)

 

Your mindless ignorance and bottomless hypocrisy are duly noted.

[Dagnabbit]

OK. Don't believe seperation of State & Religion is going to happen with Trump, what with the encouragement given to right wing evangelical groups with funding and so on by his Administration.

Well if its seperation you want, they shouldn't be celebrating Ramadan...


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[Traveler19491]

51 minutes ago, Dagnabbit said:

 

Well if its seperation you want, they shouldn't be celebrating Ramadan...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

And yet they celebrate Christmas, Easter, Passover, Hanukkah, and a plethora of others, going so far as to declare some of them Federal holidays...with pay. I am therefore assuming, given your objection to Ramadan, that you feel they should also turn away from these other religious festivals?

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, Grouse said:

That's surprising!

 

They just blocked a Christian from being a state governor on grounds of "blasphemy". I note that there are approximately 8% Christians in Indonesia which is about the same as Muslims in the U.K. I will research how they are treated.

They didn't just want to block him, they wanted to kill him.

[thaibeachlovers]

58 minutes ago, Traveler19491 said:

And yet they celebrate Christmas, Easter, Passover, Hanukkah, and a plethora of others, going so far as to declare some of them Federal holidays...with pay. I am therefore assuming, given your objection to Ramadan, that you feel they should also turn away from these other religious festivals?

I think that if one were to ask the people, not many would know about the religious aspects of "religious" holidays. To most it's just a holiday.

[Traveler19491]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I think that if one were to ask the people, not many would know about the religious aspects of "religious" holidays. To most it's just a holiday.

Seriously? You're going to suggest that "not many" could at least mention the religious significance of Christmas? Or Easter? I would challenge you to find me a Jew who couldn't tell you the meaning behind Hanukkah or the Passover. Christians may not get Good Friday or Ash Wednesday, Lent, or Advent, but to suggest that they are oblivious to the significance of Christmas or Easter is ludicrous.

[thaibeachlovers]

11 minutes ago, Traveler19491 said:

Seriously? You're going to suggest that "not many" could at least mention the religious significance of Christmas? Or Easter? I would challenge you to find me a Jew who couldn't tell you the meaning behind Hanukkah or the Passover. Christians may not get Good Friday or Ash Wednesday, Lent, or Advent, but to suggest that they are oblivious to the significance of Christmas or Easter is ludicrous.

What I'm suggesting is that the majority of "Christian" people in western countries are not religious and while they know that Jesus was born in a box with animals around it, they only consider Christmas and Easter in the context of a day off and presents.

I'm not talking about Jews, Hindus, Buddhists or Muslims as they actually think religion is important.

However, in western "Christian" countries, those religious people are a minority.

Edited May 28, 2017 by thaibeachlovers

[Scott]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

What I'm suggesting is that the majority of "Christian" people in western countries are not religious and while they know that Jesus was born in a box with animals around it, they only consider Christmas and Easter in the context of a day off and presents.

I'm not talking about Jews, Hindus, Buddhists or Muslims as they actually think religion is important.

However, in western "Christian" countries, those religious people are a minority.

I am not sure what your point is, but it appears to be off-topic.  

 

This is about Tillerson and Ramadan.  

 

Please stay on topic -- that's aimed at everyone posting.