Angola bans Islam?

[ShivaFan]

I wish there was an African Politics section since I am an internationalist though a right wing Hind, and I do have connections to Angola and Nigeria both of which because so I have a bit of fondness that naturally develops.

I would like to know if the following is true (sent to me as a chain email - not sure the source, the routing is via Canada, might be RSS or somewhere from far East):

Quote... (and cheering as good news):

"The Nation of Angola has become the first country to officially ban Islam."

... so ... I personally work off and on with Angola and Angolans, and know a LOT about Angola - but if I mentioned or not, this did not come from Angola but by way of Canada. I know Angola both it's goods, bads, issues, beauty, but also inter-racial (tribe) conflicts (just as a Korean is not a Japanese nor a Japanese not a Chinese and certainly a Filipino is not remotely a Chinese but more Pacific Islander, so Angola has many different "races" and racial tensions).... but I have never heard of such a thing as ban, but I do know the native religions in Angola and they along with many Christians who have large numbers of an African centric form of Catholic religion are mad at Islamists who they say are terrorists and want to "veil the breasts" and such, and pressure to have the government close mosques which villagers and town people say are fomenting terrorism and want to burn naked women or kill their "angels" (type of witch lady) and are "hatching plots" to kill Communist Christians "in Angola and all over the world" (many politicians in Angola are Communists actually and are a form of anti-Islamic communism which calls Islam the "opiate of the world" and also see native religion as a form of socialism, also there are the "socialist" type Catholics in Angola in large numbers who like the Pope's leftist stance and where Mary is Angolan Goddess of Socialism) - but a full ban on Islam?

This is part of a chain email campaign against Islam, cheering this ban, but is the ban true? Any comments?

 

[Lyndon]

Did they say they had 10 million in a bank account they needed you to cash it, I suspect they are just phishing right wing dudes for money, watch out!!

 

[ShivaFan]

This has nothing to do with phishing, it is chain mail asked to "pass along" with no return address nor solicitation with a contact.

But it is very real in terms of some message it wants to get out. In fact, there might be some actual ban, or not. Everything I just explained, however, is happening and mosques are being shutdown, the question is, is this now "official" policy and why? Is there a very real terrorist element from Islamic extremists who have the villagers really upset and see the Islamic extremists attacking their women and children? Or is this just Angola going over reactive? Something very serious is happening.

 

[Bunyip]

This has nothing to do with phishing, it is chain mail asked to "pass along" with no return address nor solicitation with a contact.

But it is very real in terms of some message it wants to get out. In fact, there might be some actual ban, or not. Everything I just explained, however, is happening and mosques are being shutdown, the question is, is this now "official" policy and why? Is there a very real terrorist element from Islamic extremists who have the villagers really upset and see the Islamic extremists attacking their women and children? Or is this just Angola going over reactive? Something very serious is happening.

Personally I think banning a religion can be counter-productive. I think it better to be inclusive - it tends to inspire less radical interpretations.
China over recent years has taken significant steps to free up religious practice, largely because the Party believes that by doing so, they will be able to better manage it.

 

[DawudTalut]

http://www.search.com/search?q=angola+ban+islam+2015+-2013
http://www.africacradle.com/2015/02/10/why-islam-is-untolerated-and-banned-in-angola/

 

[Flankerl]

There are actually people who open mails from people they don't know.

Just amazing and explains why so many PCs are a hub for Viruses. Just wow.

 

[Deidre]

How can a religion be banned? Maybe the outward expression of that religion, reading the Qur’an, etc but if one prays to the god of their choice, no one can ‘ban’ that. While I don’t follow any particular religion, I believe in freedom of religion. So long as those freedoms don’t trespass on my freedoms.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

Banning such a thing is one of the most pointless things they could do. Yeah if someone bans Druidism am I going to stop being a Druid? No way. People will always pass information in secret and still worship and venerate. Such as when Christianity took over in ancient times and forbid Jews for practicing or force converted. Many of them weren't really converted and still practiced in secret which is how they survived for so long.

 

[Jumi]

So according to africacradle the country actually banned every religion except Christianity. That's nothing new.

 

[Flankerl]

So according to africacradle

Meanwhile in the real world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Angola

 

[Lyndon]

That's exactly what the africacradle article said, are you trying to add something new??

 

[Ultimatum]

Shame that it's a hoax though...

 

[Servant_of_the_One1]

They can ban Islam, in exchange Angolan Christians & Atheists will be banned from Muslim World. Karma

I think if Europe bans Islam, so too will Christianity be banned from Muslim World officialy. That means demolition of churches and giving Christians time to leave the country. Because that is ban right? It includes destroying symbols of that religion and exiling the followers of that religion.


Iam waiting for India to ban islam. In retaliation poor Hindus will be kicked out from UAE.

Eye for an eye is effective, right?

 

[dust1n]

"
Angola's government has denied it had banned Islam and closed mosques in the country, after media speculation that sparked outrage among Muslims worldwide.

"There is no war in Angola against Islam or any other religion," said Manuel Fernando, director of the National Institute for Religious Affairs, part of the ministry of culture, onTuesday.

"There is no official position that targets the destruction or closure of places of worship, whichever they are." Fernando told AFP news agency.

David Ja, a spokesman for local Muslims, challenged the government's account and said that a number of mosques had already been closed.

But according to the ministry of culture, those closures were related to a lack of necessary land titles, building licenses or other official documents.

A witness in the province of Uige (Carmona) told Al Jazeera that the closed mosques were hastility built by expatriate communities from west and north Africa who needed a place to perform Friday prayers.

“It’s true that several mosques have been destroyed and others simply shut down in the last few months. Most of the mosques that were destroyed were built without government permission. Two authorised mosques in Luanda are still operating without a problem. I have not heard of any official decision to ban Islam or prohibit Muslim prayers in mosques.” Ahmed ould Taher told Al Jazeera.

Worldwide media coverage

Reports that Angola, a traditionally devout Catholic nation, would crack down on Muslims had drawn condemnation from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and others.

In Egypt, mufti Shawqi Allam said such a move would be "a provocation not only to Angolan Muslims but to more than 1.5 billion Muslims all over the world".

The issue, which was first reported late last week, attracted huge media coverage worldwide and generated strong reactions on social media.

The controversy was further fueled by the government's poor communication on the issue.

The oil-rich southern African nation has a population of about 18 million people, several hundred thousand of whom are Muslims.

Religious organisations are required to apply for accreditation in Angola, which currently recognises 83, all of them Christian.

In October the justice ministry rejected the applications of 194 organisations, including one from an umbrella Islamic community group.

Angola's oil boom has attracted large expatriate communities from across the world."

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/afric...eports-banning-islam-2013112782236279392.html

 

[dust1n]

They can ban Islam, in exchange Angolan Christians & Atheists will be banned from Muslim World. Karma

I was under the impression that atheists were already banned from many parts of the Muslim world.

 

[Servant_of_the_One1]

I was under the impression that atheists were already banned from many parts of the Muslim world.

No, there are many Western people in Muslim world. Amongst them Atheists.

 

[dust1n]

No, there are many Western people in Muslim world. Amongst them Atheists.

I presume so in Turkey and Jordan and Israel and Palestine and Egypt, etc. I suspect it's not something to reveal about yourself in Saudi Arabia or Somalia. It's certainly not something I'd feel great about being asked on a visit, which I do hope to do one day. But I'm also ignorant and have limited sources to go off of.

 

[Jumi]

They can ban Islam, in exchange Angolan Christians & Atheists will be banned from Muslim World. Karma

So you think punishing atheists for something people who were not atheists is karma? Seriously?

 

[Tomorrows_Child]

I was under the impression that atheists were already banned from many parts of the Muslim world.

who or what gave you that impression? Atheism, or any other form of belief, as long as it does not break laws such as homicide, rape etc have never been banned under Islamic law.

 

[dust1n]

who or what gave you that impression? Atheism, or any other form of belief, as long as it does not break laws such as homicide, rape etc have never been banned under Islamic law.

I got the impression from there being 13 countries on the planet, all of which are Muslim majority countries:

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/05/28/which-countries-still-outlaw-apostasy-and-blasphemy/

Admittedly out of date a bit.