Muslim group plants 200 trees (From Watford Observer)
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Muslim group plants 200 trees
11:00am Sunday 24th February 2013 in News
By Adam Binnie, Senior Reporter
A youth organisation representing young Muslims in Hertfordshire organised that planting more than 200 new trees in Watford.
More than 30 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association and staff from Watford Borough Council to planted trees in Watford's Meriden Park on Wednesday.
The project forms part of the association’s national tree planting initiative that it is running in conjunction with the Woodland Trust.
Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, said: "It is great to see a voluntary organisation offering practical help to make Watford a little greener and welcoming to wildlife; especially when the younger generation are involved."
Abdul Aziz Choudhry, regional youth leader for the AMYA, said: “Events such as these help to promote good community relations and offer us a welcome opportunity to contribute positively towards this great region and country."
Comments(25)
LSC
says...
3:33pm Sun 24 Feb 13
I'm not sure why we need to know their religion though; is it relevant? Should we also know how tall they are? Shoe sizes? Their opinions on Roast Beef Monster Munch?
What the crivens has their belief system got to do with the science of eco-balancing?
pr76uk
says...
7:16pm Sun 24 Feb 13
LSC
says...
9:18pm Sun 24 Feb 13
I vaguely remember being forced to swear an allegiance to jesus if I wanted to go camping as a cub scout.
But I was aged about 8 and just wanted to go camping, so I hope jesus doesn't see it as a binding contract.
I signed nothing.
WatfordAlex
says...
11:03pm Sun 24 Feb 13
LSC wrote:LSC, as you well know, the only reason the children's religion was mentioned was due to the fact the group doing the planting is a religious one. If the event had been organised by a school then the name of the school would have been mentioned and there would have been no reference to the kid's religious beliefs (if any).
I agree, planting trees is a proper green policy with no big business making a fast buck on the back of it selling unproven or blatantly counter-productive gimmick technology. I'm glad the youth, who will inherit our mess, are learning the right way to do it.
I'm not sure why we need to know their religion though; is it relevant? Should we also know how tall they are? Shoe sizes? Their opinions on Roast Beef Monster Munch?
What the crivens has their belief system got to do with the science of eco-balancing?
If an atheist club had done some tree planting then I would happily commend their efforts. However, that has never been reported on this site; presumably because atheists are too busy ranting about religious people to get round to doing any digging!
garston tony
says...
10:36am Mon 25 Feb 13
This in no way shape of form indicates that they believe themselves to be superior to anyone else either due to their religion or this activity.
Why you cant just leave off the religious questioning when often, indeed almost always it is pointless is sad as i know you are an intelligent person and this is demeaning for you
LSC
says...
2:27pm Mon 25 Feb 13
Remember the bedsits that used to have the signs 'No blacks or Irish'? We are passed that now.
Labels split communities, not bring them together, and I am therefore not a fan.
This youth group, as I said, has done a wonderful thing, sounds like a good group. Do you think my friend's kids could join them and take part?
Doubtful, as they are jewish.
Religion in itself is fine, each to their own. But when it becomes exclusive, it is dangerous to society.
I'm down on religion because it is so blatant about it, but there are other examples. I once joined a Conservative club; purely because they had really good snooker tables. But they wouldn't let me join unless I promised I was a Conservative. They didn't care if I was local, or of good character. Just that I was a Tory. I lied and played a lot of snooker, but shame on me for doing so.
LSC
says...
2:34pm Mon 25 Feb 13
Atheists don't tend to form clubs. Once again, you fall into the trap of thinking atheism is a belief and we need to bond together for strength and reassurance. We don't. To me, an atheist club would have as much meaningful bond as a 'people who own a carpet in their house club'. Yes, we'd have that in common for sure, but so what?
garston tony
says...
3:38pm Mon 25 Feb 13
A club based on religious belief is no more 'blatant' about it than a club based on anything else (and surely the concern would be over a club that was trying to hide what they were doing?!). And i'm sorry but you're on a different planet this time if you think this is being divisive.
Its people like you with comments like yours that fuel and create divisions LSC
LSC
says...
5:47pm Mon 25 Feb 13
Religion is not the same as stamp collecting or trainspotting. It actively recruits, and it actively excludes.
What would be the point of the Hindu Trainspotting club that accepted non Hindus? It would just be a trainspotting club. So why keep that title unless to be exclusive, and therefore divisive?
Popeonarope
says...
9:12pm Mon 25 Feb 13
WatfordAlex wrote:While theist’s continue to misrepresent the origins of our planet / universe, enforce their dishonesty on children, mutilate the genitals of infants, utilise dogma instead of education, treat women as property and inspire fundamentalism, as an atheist I can’t see any other reason but to ‘rant’ about irrational organisations with personal agendas.
LSC wrote:LSC, as you well know, the only reason the children's religion was mentioned was due to the fact the group doing the planting is a religious one. If the event had been organised by a school then the name of the school would have been mentioned and there would have been no reference to the kid's religious beliefs (if any).
I agree, planting trees is a proper green policy with no big business making a fast buck on the back of it selling unproven or blatantly counter-productive gimmick technology. I'm glad the youth, who will inherit our mess, are learning the right way to do it.
I'm not sure why we need to know their religion though; is it relevant? Should we also know how tall they are? Shoe sizes? Their opinions on Roast Beef Monster Munch?
What the crivens has their belief system got to do with the science of eco-balancing?
If an atheist club had done some tree planting then I would happily commend their efforts. However, that has never been reported on this site; presumably because atheists are too busy ranting about religious people to get round to doing any digging!
LSC
says...
12:35am Tue 26 Feb 13
The catholic church has been shattered, and the protestant church, which we all know was made up just to annoy the catholics, is in the same boat.
It's game over. You've been found out.
Henry VIII
says...
2:27am Tue 26 Feb 13
garston tony
says...
8:58am Tue 26 Feb 13
Get a grip, this is a story about a group of kids planting trees and you're using it as an opportunity to bash religion. THAT is what is being divisive here, not the club or its members.
There have been articles on Scouts and other clubs on here before, yet not a peep from you about how they are divisive. THAT says a lot too.
Get the chip off your shoulder, everyone can see it and its making you look stupid and mean
garston tony
says...
9:01am Tue 26 Feb 13
LSC, you got your wish. A simple article about some tree planting. A nice positive story about some kids doing good stuff for the environment and you’ve turned the discussion to your favourite subject of religion bashing. You must be so proud. Only in your immature head is the retirement of a frail old man in his late 70's connected to corruption and self interest. You're also making the idiotic mistake (again) of believing that the Catholic church is representative of all Christian churches. You've been reminded enough times it isnt, maybe you should be made to write that out a thousand times so it might actually sink into your ignorant mind.
LSC
says...
10:59am Tue 26 Feb 13
Proud? No, but I would be if it had been me that caused it to happen.
I'm pleased that an ex-Nazi directly responsible for killing millions of people by telling them if they use condoms they will go to hell is now out of a job.
So should everyone be.
A man who hid peadophiles and manipulated international law to do so.
A man who sits on a golden throne and pays no taxes.
Too right I'm glad he has gone.
LSC
says...
11:03am Tue 26 Feb 13
Even the 'Boy Scouts' take in girls.
I doubt a muslim club welcomes jews, or a jewish club, muslims. THAT is divisive.
garston tony
says...
3:31pm Tue 26 Feb 13
Just because there are clubs that allow kids to do activities within the context of their faith doesn’t make them divisive. The only one being divisive here is you, the atheist, and its something you do time and time again and its something you do due to the chip on your shoulder and due to ignorance. You're more obssessed about religion than some religious folk I know, whats that all about LSC? Realising you're missing something but not wanting to admit it?
Popeonarope
says...
7:35pm Tue 26 Feb 13
garston tony wrote:I have no need to prove anything. Facts are facts. Every one of my criticisms can be proven to happen in the past and present. I wonder why you would consider them ignorant when there is overwhelming evidence to support each one.
Popeonarope, seing as you've accused theists of misrepresentation on the origins of our planet maybe you'd like to explain to us using scientific fact (fact, not theory please) how the planet earth was created? If you use any words other than 'science does not know' in that same order then whatever you write would be a lie, yet those lies and guesswork are being forced onto us all as 'scientific truth' and lots of people (including you I wouldn’t be surprised) are falling for it hook line and sinker. Your comments were pretty ignorant so I suggest you step off your high horse because the bulls droppings you wrote and tried to pass off as a witty response arent worth the electricity you used to type and post them.
LSC, you got your wish. A simple article about some tree planting. A nice positive story about some kids doing good stuff for the environment and you’ve turned the discussion to your favourite subject of religion bashing. You must be so proud. Only in your immature head is the retirement of a frail old man in his late 70's connected to corruption and self interest. You're also making the idiotic mistake (again) of believing that the Catholic church is representative of all Christian churches. You've been reminded enough times it isnt, maybe you should be made to write that out a thousand times so it might actually sink into your ignorant mind.
Science has answers that can be proven based on verifiable evidence, qualified and quantified by peers in our lifetime and not a group of rewritten stories from primitive, cattle sacrificing illiterates who were scare of the dark, dying and anyone who was different to themselves.
I don’t pretend science has all the answers but regardless we do know that, for example, the bible is flawed beyond any point in continuing the charade. It is a vile book written about a deity who puts Hitler in the shade with his genocides, envy, intolerances and pettiness.
Religion of any kind has no place to hide its lies as non believers can now argue against them without fear of burning, drowning, evisceration or the comfortable chair.
Arrogance and ignorance is the forte of those who insist we should not look for any answers as the scriptures have all the answers we will ever need.
So, in short I’m all for kids planting trees; good for them! But I wonder how many of the girls were required to cover their heads or faces in order to take part?
garston tony
says...
11:36am Wed 27 Feb 13
Using facts you can still not answer that questions, not because 'you don’t need to prove anything' as you try to make out but because there are no facts to support big bang. The evidence is not just decidedly underwhelming its non existent! Its 100% theory and there is not one piece of science which contradicts the Bible.
For such a primitive people its interesting how the Bible talks so much about the world and universe and how science is actually confirming so much of what the Bible contains. One of the central 'evidence' for big bang is that the universe is expanding, did modern science discover that? No, its actually mentioned in the Bible. Not bad for illiterate people is it Pope.
What a joke, you're typical of those that believe big bang/evolutionary theory (good for you, that’s your entitlement) but do so without actually knowing the reality, mistaking someones made up theory for actual fact and who attack religion using baseless grounds. Its pathetic, it really is and my apologies but THAT’S arrogance and ignorance
Why do people think people of faith fear science? Some of the greatest scientific pioneers were Muslims and Christians right up until this very day. As a Christian I do not fear nor need to question scientific fact as it does not dispute my faith. I do however think it very strange and highly hypocritical when people like you Pope call the Bible made up and then claim actually man made theories can prove that! Yet I'm the flawed one hey, go figure!
garston tony
says...
12:08pm Wed 27 Feb 13
The Koran asks followers to dress modestly, the hijab/veil etc however is not specified and its use by Muslims is cultural
LSC
says...
6:15pm Wed 27 Feb 13
And a huge amount were executed for heresy.
Who knows, if all the people who have been told to pray for cures and answers over the years had gone into labs and libraries instead, we might know a lot more than we do now.
Religion by nature suppresses the intelligent. It claims to have all the answers you will ever need, and if a child dies a horrible death, well, that was just gods will.
Well, it ain't my will.
THAT is just one of the things I have against religion, and it is a long, long list.
You keep saying I have a chip on my shoulder; well, yes I do. I have a MASSIVE chip on my shoulder when I see human beings die, suffer or be denied education.
I hope I always will.
Popeonarope
says...
11:06pm Wed 27 Feb 13
It may also touch on the expanding universe but the bible also describes an earth that is a dome covered flat and stationary island-like surface that is the center of the universe in which it is magically suspended. So any further discourse on biblical astronomy becomes a little pointless!
It also depends on what sort of Christian you are? Are you one that believes that all of the creatures on the planet existed within walking distance of Noah’s ark? Or that people really do come back from the dead, or women can become pregnant without coitus?
This is somewhat important to the discussion as if you do; there is no point in continuing a conversation with anyone who is devoid of reality. The bible does indeed contain a lot of information. Such lore as:
Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. [1 Timothy, chapter 2)
No female teachers, role models or managers. The Muslims are even worse.
The bible is full of claims that are just not correct, and manages to omit rulings on cruelty to children, rape, murder and genocide that in fact, are actively pursued by god. The hypocrisies are vast, the miracles tawdry and the claims exaggerated. if it really is the word of the Creator, then why it is full of such crude ignorance about the world? Yet Christians hold this nonsense to be the foundation of a belief system that is so detached from reality they are unable to see the flaws evident to everyone else.
garston tony
says...
3:00pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Christians aren't against medicine LSC, again you’re showing proper lack of knowledge making statements like that. Just because we pray on top of taking medicine doesn’t mean we are against science, and just because we believe in a higher purpose doesn’t mean we don’t suffer the same terrible anguish when a child dies. What a totally ignorant and insensitive, crass statement you made there LSC.
It isn't religion that is denying others education or medicine or distributing lies and making others suffer. It is people that do that. If they claim to do so in the name of the Christian or Islamic faiths then they are going against what those religions stand for. You continue to claim culture and peoples owns failings are religious teachings when they are not and once again we are covering beliefs of yours which have been debunked several times before. Surely that is the ultimate in ignorance, LSC 'I believe this', no actually here is the evidence that shows otherwise. LSC ' I still believe this'….. whats the point really
garston tony
says...
3:00pm Thu 28 Feb 13
All your comments are so very typical of people who haven't actually studied the Bible and who take texts out of context.
For instance;
The Bible doesn’t claim the earth to be flat or the centre of the universe. In Isaiah it is specifically called a sphere in the original Hebrew and whilst it is true that around 200AD the Catholic church at the time adopted what was then believed to be scientific 'fact' that the earth was the centre of the universe (good old science getting things wrong, who'd have thought it hey) NOWHERE in the Bible does it claim the earth is a the centre.
I believe all the creatures on earth today are descendant from those that were on the Ark (and yes, it is perfectly doable), I do believe that Jesus raised Lazarus, the widows son and someone else's daughter from the dead and that Mary was a virgin. Does that sound fantastical, yep but so does so much scientific theory that you claim to believe so you shouldn’t really be casting the 1st stone there Pope!
Let me see, off the top of my head…. Well Mary herself was a prominent female role model in the Bible of course, so was Mary Magdalene, Esther wasn’t just a role model but a leader too, Hagar, Ruth, Deborah (a judge), Rebekah, Rahab, Lydia was a business woman, Huldah, Phoebe. I could go on but I think you get the point that there are plenty of prominent females in the Bible some of whom were leaders, others who ministered and others still who were wonderful role models for everyone. Just because in the period the Bible was being written the culture placed women in second place doesn’t mean the Bible does. IT doesn’t and clearly demonstrates that time and again.
I'll state it again that science has not contradicted one thing the Bible said about the earth or universe or that which is in them (only ignorant people claim that). Indeed for something that is so crude as you claim the Bible states many things which science has only relatively recently been able to verify, and verify them they have. Not bad for such an ignorant and illiterate lot as you called them, although it seems those words are more reflective of you than anyone else.
Mohandas says...
12:38pm Sun 24 Feb 13