Having long ago outsourced my cerebral powers to ChatGPT, I asked it for some amusing titles for an article on the theme of the UK’s focus on Ramadan rather than Lent. One of the best now adorns this article.
Runners up included:
- Holy Hunger Games: Lent vs. Ramadan – Who Fasts It Best?
- Ramadan & Lent Walk Into a Bar… And Order Water
- Giving Up Lent for Lent: The UK’s New Favourite Fast
- Move Over Hot Cross Buns, There’s a New Date in Town
- Lent Left Unattended While UK Goes All-In on Iftar
- 40 Days of Silence vs. 30 Nights of Feasting – Guess Who Won?”
- Jesus Fasted Too, But Did He Have Iftar Deals?
- Why Give Up Chocolate When You Can Just Eat at Sunset?
- Lent Gets the Silent Treatment While Ramadan Gets the Spotlight
OK, admittedly, not all hilarious but at least ChatGPT shows that it has a sense of humour about it. Probably more than can be said for our ruling classes represented by the senior royals and our prime minister, who seem to consider it their duty to instil in us a national obsession with Ramadan.
To date this year, we have had their majesties selecting and packing dates for Iftar. Of course, it was all about so much more than our royal muftis packing dates. Listen to any of the broadcasts related to this wonderful show of syncretism, and we are always informed that dates are the food traditionally eaten first to break the Ramadan fast; that be Iftar. All fascinating stuff for sure and the BBC (British Broadcast Caliphate) just laps it up.
Next up on the Islamic royal tour was Iftar beneath the rafters of the chapel in Windsor Castle, replete with the execrable – but increasingly common within our shores –wail to prayer. This is truly sacrilegious stuff, even for the Church of England, and our royal family ought to up the fire watch at the chapel lest it burns down a second time.
If only it ended there. Shortly thereafter we had Iftar in Westminster Hall, this was a ‘Big Iftar’ and was the ‘first ever’ to be held there, which presumes that there will be others, if not this year, then in subsequent years as we increasingly hand over our country and culture to a minority (6.7%) many of whom, demonstrably, do not have our best interests at heart.
London is ‘lit up with stars and crescent moons in celebration of holy month of Ramadan’ according to Arab News, and ‘Ramadan Lights Return to the West End’ according to the Mayor of London. He should know, he turned them on without a care for net zero, global warming or increasing emissions. Funny that.
I wish I could now say ‘In other news’ that the royals and assorted parliamentarians were organising events for Lent (you’ve possibly heard of it), which is the Christian season of penance and repentance. Admittedly, in terms of starving ourselves during the day, we Christians have it pretty easy by comparison with Muslims. No meat and only light meals on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and for the rest of the 40 days whatever sacrifices or fasting you wish to undertake. And once you reach 60 years of age, the necessity to fast is lifted. Then again, we don’t stuff ourselves in the evening and into the small hours.
Some Christians, Catholics especially, take Lent very seriously in terms of abstinence over and above the two compulsory days. Giving up alcohol is an old favourite, but many simply cut down on sweets and treats. The point is more about prayer, reflection and spiritual renewal. Catholics are also obliged to go to Confession during the Easter season, which includes Lent, and to take Communion at Easter or shortly thereafter.
Here endeth the lesson on what Lent is about but, and forgive me if I have missed it, I can find no mention of any utterance reported by the BBC regarding Lent from our Royals or our parliamentarians. Search ‘BBC News Lent’ on Google and you’ll find a BBC Bitesize on the topic, a report of some bishop or other urging us to support good causes (I already pay tens of thousands in taxes so the government can do that for me) and two reports on an American pro-life group staging a Lent protest near a Glasgow hospital. Let’s hope they make plenty of noise, because the powers that be seem to be especially afraid of silent prayer.
Keir Starmer used the occasion of the Big Iftar to indicate what a hard year it had been for Muslims due to the war in Gaza. I do not support Israel’s scorched earth policy regarding Gaza, but just maybe it is in retaliation for a terrible atrocity committed, let’s face it, by Muslims. Also, Christians are dying in Gaza, and churches have been destroyed showing that Israeli bombs fall on the wicked and the just alike. But not a dickie bird has been uttered about the Christians in Gaza for whom every day must seem like Lent.
Honestly, I would not really want our royals or MPs to display any kind of exuberance regarding Lent any more than I appreciate their enthusiasm for Ramadan. Mainly, I’d like our present royals to shut up and our parliamentarians to get on with running the country. The blatant overemphasis on Ramadan and Iftar is hard to fathom. Is this genuine enthusiasm? Are we to see imminent conversions among our ruling classes to the religion of peace? Or are we running scared, so frightened of offending that, instead, we bend over backwards to show how accepting we are of other cultures?
Our liberal cultural elite, so detached are they from the rigours of everyday life, cannot see that our Muslim population has established itself here, and will continue to grow in size and influence, whether we welcome it or not. By the way, did you know that dates are the food traditionally eaten first to break the Ramadan fast? Somehow, I think you did.
Roger Watson is a retired academic, editor and writer. He is a columnist with Unity News Network and writes regularly for a range of conservative journals including The Salisbury Review and The European Conservative. He has travelled and worked extensively in the Far East and the Middle East. He lives in Kingston upon Hull, UK.
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I wonder if there any lessons from history about how imposing an alien population and culture on a country can be used to suppress and destroy that country’s national identity?
Palestine?
Ask a red squirrel.
Why do we allow ourselves to be ruled over by lunatics (or at least those types who one hopes really wouldn’t sit next to one on public transport)?
Don’t these ‘leaders’ have advisors to whisper in their ears “that’s probably not such a good idea, because…..”. Clearly the answer is no, the result being demonstrations of idiocy, sheer malevolence or ill advised interference. At least the PoW might keep out of religion (though rather difficult for a Supreme Head of a Church) as he’s said not to be keen, plus hopefully has learned a thing or two after Handshakegate, but no – he’s an expert on mental health and wants us all to take a lead from his loopy family and go full on bonkers. The good news is, most already are as they’re terrified of CO2, so much so that they daren’t even name it and prefer to call it carbon instead.
”The senior royals and our prime minister”
Who? Ah yes … you mean The Traitor Sultan ul-Mujahidin (Champion of Jihad)
and his Prime Mufti Starmer I take it.?
They’ve converted to the illiterate desert wanker’s death cult.
Don’t forget the British RF also claim to be descended from Moslem Prophet (as well as just about anyone famous, but long dead, in world history) most convenient isn’t it. I doubt C3 will though now be as welcomed by the Greek Orthodox Church as previously as they have no illusions about ROP.