I'm a pro Semite

I'm on about Ali Bahreini - Emma Marshall 

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-did-the-united-nations-hand-a-human-rights-job-to-irans-ambassador/

Thanks for this, just seen. I well understand your dismay/disgust. My own view is that the international community is more than us Westerners who do so like to tell the world how to run their affairs, for the best of all possible reasons. West is best and everyone else must toe our line. I am more inclined towards the UN than the US or even my own UK. You, Emma have been brilliant at helping me. Like Andy who has had my vote at both elections and most probably will get it again next year, even though I'm very left-wing! My wife is very pro-Israel, however!

PS: I am also pro-Israel in wanting them all to understand that their consistent 75-year policy towards the Palestinians of coercion, control, force, violence, and killings has made things worse, has solved nothing and has been a disastrous failure. To be a successful State of Israel they need to be like the Good Samaritan and be an exemplary, generous and Christ-like, even perfect neighbour to the Palestinians. This is a pretty outrageous suggestion but worth trying, I think. Tim 

"I'm glad I'm not a woman or a homosexual in a Muslim country!"

Such was the comment of one pro-Israel Christian and friend of mine in a church meeting.  

It sounded as though he was pitying women who have the misfortune to be born a Muslim.  Unfortunately, I think that leads to some trying to improve their lot by bringing our own Western culture and true religion to them in their darkness.  They don't know any better but, rejoice - good news - we do!  We can help them on the road to enlightenment and freedom and appreciation of how the West does all things best.

Was he not overlooking how we each regard our own way of life as superior and the best.  Muslims regard the Christian West as being decadent and degenerate.  They don't want to be pitied or looked down on.  Just left alone, I think.

I do find it ironic (to put it gently) that a Western Christian should be so sorry for Muslim women when, for most of its life, women have been very much second class citizens in and out of the Church.  Only in more recent years, after 2,000 years, have women finally been allowed to take some leadership roles but, only in the Protestant churches.  Only since the Second World War were women awarded degrees in the UK!

Only in 1967, did we decriminalise homosexuality and it was no longer lawful to imprison them for homosexual acts.  The evangelical Church did nothing to bring about this reform.  At least, the churches followed secular society by welcoming the homosexual but, not what they see as the homosexual sin, nor allowing them into any influential position in their fellowships.

Islam and Christianity are similar in some of their beliefs - especially on women and homosexuality.  Both Muslims and Christians are children of Abraham, have Jesus Christ as a major prophet (Islam) or as fully divine and fully human (Christianity) and, both are very strong on having the one, true God.  Both faiths are patriarchal, are obstacles to championing women's rights and, certainly (but not my church), remain obstacles to women equality in church leadership roles.

All this yet, my friend and Christian is so glad that he is not a woman or a homosexual in a Muslim country.  He should be mighty glad he is not a woman or a homosexual in the UK!