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Still in the dark ages...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/811920 1.stm
Has Africa any chance of becomming civilised?
Has Africa any chance of becomming civilised?
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It is worrying that such superstitions still have a powerful hold over the people.
I recently watched a programme where a little girl of about six was crying because men in her village wanted to chop her up with machetes because they accused her of poisoning their food with witchcraft. It made me cry because she was so obviously terrified and no one, apart from the reporter, was helping her. I believe she was saved.
I may not be the greatest Christian the world has seen, but sometimes the influence of Christianity and even Islam can help stop this kind of thing.
I recently watched a programme where a little girl of about six was crying because men in her village wanted to chop her up with machetes because they accused her of poisoning their food with witchcraft. It made me cry because she was so obviously terrified and no one, apart from the reporter, was helping her. I believe she was saved.
I may not be the greatest Christian the world has seen, but sometimes the influence of Christianity and even Islam can help stop this kind of thing.
I�m not sure that your comparison, Gromit is entirely valid.
The hunting down of alleged paedophiles in the UK is, although completely abhorrent, comparatively rare. The modern phenomenon of people suspecting others of child abuse never ceases to amaze me. It is often demonstrated by people who exercise more neglect or abuse upon their children than is good for them, but nonetheless they feel outraged when any suspected �nonces� come to their attention. Nonetheless, their motives are almost understandable (though not condonable) when they see those who are convicted of child abuse let off with such derisory sentences. I would not describe their actions as a witch hunt, although it can certainly be barbaric.
The situation in Africa described by Geezer is somewhat different. Child abuse is provable and does go on. Witchcraft is not. Also, the manner of the executions of the "witches" was most certainly extremely barbaric and is deliberately designed to be so. The murders of the paedophiles you cite were not so exhibitionist and in one of the cases seemed accidental (the assailant it seems merely wanted to give his victim a good hiding).
It does not do to compare fairly isolated incidents in the UK with what seems to be widespread practice in Africa. There are people in the UK who are far less civilised than many in Africa and a generalisation to tar all of them in either place with the same brush is not appropriate. However, there is no doubt that some parts of Africa are still very much steeped in religion and suspicion of things such as witchcraft and I think they need to catch up a little. Whether they ever will is debateable.
The hunting down of alleged paedophiles in the UK is, although completely abhorrent, comparatively rare. The modern phenomenon of people suspecting others of child abuse never ceases to amaze me. It is often demonstrated by people who exercise more neglect or abuse upon their children than is good for them, but nonetheless they feel outraged when any suspected �nonces� come to their attention. Nonetheless, their motives are almost understandable (though not condonable) when they see those who are convicted of child abuse let off with such derisory sentences. I would not describe their actions as a witch hunt, although it can certainly be barbaric.
The situation in Africa described by Geezer is somewhat different. Child abuse is provable and does go on. Witchcraft is not. Also, the manner of the executions of the "witches" was most certainly extremely barbaric and is deliberately designed to be so. The murders of the paedophiles you cite were not so exhibitionist and in one of the cases seemed accidental (the assailant it seems merely wanted to give his victim a good hiding).
It does not do to compare fairly isolated incidents in the UK with what seems to be widespread practice in Africa. There are people in the UK who are far less civilised than many in Africa and a generalisation to tar all of them in either place with the same brush is not appropriate. However, there is no doubt that some parts of Africa are still very much steeped in religion and suspicion of things such as witchcraft and I think they need to catch up a little. Whether they ever will is debateable.
It wasn't the dark ages when we were dong this stuff - just a little over 300 years ago.
We had printed books, the telescope, the microscope it was the same year that Newton formulated Gravity
But in fact there were few if any witches executed ealier than the 1600s
It was not to do with education - it was a mass hysteria feeding on fear that ran across Europe and America at that time.
The same sort of anti-communist hysteria that flooded the US in the 50s or the paedophile hysteria mentioned above.
So it's not just to do with education, it's to do with fear
We had printed books, the telescope, the microscope it was the same year that Newton formulated Gravity
But in fact there were few if any witches executed ealier than the 1600s
It was not to do with education - it was a mass hysteria feeding on fear that ran across Europe and America at that time.
The same sort of anti-communist hysteria that flooded the US in the 50s or the paedophile hysteria mentioned above.
So it's not just to do with education, it's to do with fear
So the lynchers of the paedo's thought they were witched then Gromit ?
Hmmm, read the story me thinks.
R1, in the next 100 years very unlikely in most parts. These beliefs plus the tribal instinct will make it near impossible.
Having said that why do we Westoners feel the need to impress our way of life on them. Just because it does not seem right to us ? A moral outrage ? or just because we are used to taking offence on behalf of others?
Hmmm, read the story me thinks.
R1, in the next 100 years very unlikely in most parts. These beliefs plus the tribal instinct will make it near impossible.
Having said that why do we Westoners feel the need to impress our way of life on them. Just because it does not seem right to us ? A moral outrage ? or just because we are used to taking offence on behalf of others?
JTP has point but he missed out the terrorists, who are the modern "Red under the bed".
A friend of mine moved into a house the neighbouring one to which was empty because of a false allegation of abuse because the boy got caught stealing (again) the neighbours ran that family out of the area, so of course it could'nt happen here....
A friend of mine moved into a house the neighbouring one to which was empty because of a false allegation of abuse because the boy got caught stealing (again) the neighbours ran that family out of the area, so of course it could'nt happen here....
And just in case you don't think witchcraft can ever work you should check out nocebos.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocebo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocebo
New Judge / geezer
You cannot condemn the entire continent of Africa for something which has occurred in a small part of Kenya.
Though this undoubtedly happens, it is not widespread.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080521 153625.1ijzzvn1&show_article=1
You cannot condemn the entire continent of Africa for something which has occurred in a small part of Kenya.
Though this undoubtedly happens, it is not widespread.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080521 153625.1ijzzvn1&show_article=1
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Will �60bn be enough? Gordon is creating a fund to help places like Africa cope with all this extra heat.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8120432 .stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8120432 .stm
-- answer removed --
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Geezer I don't think Gromit is anti western or anti British, I feel that his answers are more to with the grit in our own eyes rather than the grains in theirs.
It was'nt that long ago that the local in authorities in th U.S were lynching, beating, raping and killing people for having the trumped notion of equality and the audacity to want to vote.
It was'nt that long ago that the local in authorities in th U.S were lynching, beating, raping and killing people for having the trumped notion of equality and the audacity to want to vote.
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