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Bulldozers tear down giant religious teapot
by Telegraph
Thanks to Linda Ward Selbie for the link.
Reposted from:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/02/wteapot02.xml
By Sebastien Berger
Last Updated: 12:31am BST 02/08/2005
A religious commune in Malaysia's Muslim heartland that worshipped a bizarre collection of structures including a giant teapot, vase and umbrella was being torn down yesterday.
About 40 workers with bulldozers and lorries destroyed the "subversive" teapot and other symbols of the pan-religious Sky Kingdom, in Terengannu state. An assembly hall, a concrete boat and a temple-like structure that was under construction were also demolished. About 30 members of the commune watched but did not intervene.
Members and visitors to the commune believe that water from the teapot, which poured into the giant vase, held purifying powers. They follow the teaching of Ariffin Mohammed, 65, better known as Ayah ("Master") Pin, who holds that every religion is equally valid and that anyone can find his or her own path to God. His settlement has been a popular destination for Muslim, Chinese and Indian Malaysians, as well as foreign tourists.
The main problem for the authorities was that, as a Muslim, Ayah Pin committed the heresy of claiming to have a direct link to the Almighty, bypassing the Prophet Mohammed.
Malaysia is traditionally a liberal Islamic state and the commune has been sanctioned for 30 years. But in recent years Islamic parties have grown in strength and the government has bowed to the wishes of the activists among them.
Apostasy is illegal for Muslims, although the raid was carried out on the grounds that inappropriate buildings had been constructed on agricultural land. Religious police raided the compound twice last month and nearly 50 of its members are due in an Islamic court this week, charged with deviation.
A mob of robed zealots, popularly believed to have the authorities' approval, also descended on the compound and set fire to its icons.
Ayah Pin's aide, Tunku Muda Tunku Abdullah, said: "Ayah Pin has communication with Sky Kingdom - that is God."
Sitting on the porch of his wooden home before the demolition, he said: "Ayah Pin does not care about race or religion. He just wants to bring people together. There is no restriction on practising your own faith and at the same time belonging in the Sky Kingdom."
In nearby Kampung Batu 13 - the name means "13th stone village" and derives from the British colonial practice of describing locations by the number of mile markers from the nearest post office - a rubber plantation owner who would not give his name said he was a frequent visitor to the compound and that most people there were well-educated professionals.
"When you come out you come back with inner peace," he said.
Some analysts believe that action was taken against the group because its growing profile was posing awkward questions of Malay identity, a touchstone issue in a racially diverse country where Malays hold political power but Chinese, about a quarter of the population, dominate the economy.
But the religious authorities fully approve of the state's actions. Haji Mohammed bin Junoh, the imam of the largest mosque in the area, said: "Pin is a deviationist. It is possible that he is dealing with Satan."
Reposted from:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/02/wteapot02.xml
By Sebastien Berger
Last Updated: 12:31am BST 02/08/2005
A religious commune in Malaysia's Muslim heartland that worshipped a bizarre collection of structures including a giant teapot, vase and umbrella was being torn down yesterday.
About 40 workers with bulldozers and lorries destroyed the "subversive" teapot and other symbols of the pan-religious Sky Kingdom, in Terengannu state. An assembly hall, a concrete boat and a temple-like structure that was under construction were also demolished. About 30 members of the commune watched but did not intervene.
Members and visitors to the commune believe that water from the teapot, which poured into the giant vase, held purifying powers. They follow the teaching of Ariffin Mohammed, 65, better known as Ayah ("Master") Pin, who holds that every religion is equally valid and that anyone can find his or her own path to God. His settlement has been a popular destination for Muslim, Chinese and Indian Malaysians, as well as foreign tourists.
The main problem for the authorities was that, as a Muslim, Ayah Pin committed the heresy of claiming to have a direct link to the Almighty, bypassing the Prophet Mohammed.
Malaysia is traditionally a liberal Islamic state and the commune has been sanctioned for 30 years. But in recent years Islamic parties have grown in strength and the government has bowed to the wishes of the activists among them.
Apostasy is illegal for Muslims, although the raid was carried out on the grounds that inappropriate buildings had been constructed on agricultural land. Religious police raided the compound twice last month and nearly 50 of its members are due in an Islamic court this week, charged with deviation.
A mob of robed zealots, popularly believed to have the authorities' approval, also descended on the compound and set fire to its icons.
Ayah Pin's aide, Tunku Muda Tunku Abdullah, said: "Ayah Pin has communication with Sky Kingdom - that is God."
Sitting on the porch of his wooden home before the demolition, he said: "Ayah Pin does not care about race or religion. He just wants to bring people together. There is no restriction on practising your own faith and at the same time belonging in the Sky Kingdom."
In nearby Kampung Batu 13 - the name means "13th stone village" and derives from the British colonial practice of describing locations by the number of mile markers from the nearest post office - a rubber plantation owner who would not give his name said he was a frequent visitor to the compound and that most people there were well-educated professionals.
"When you come out you come back with inner peace," he said.
Some analysts believe that action was taken against the group because its growing profile was posing awkward questions of Malay identity, a touchstone issue in a racially diverse country where Malays hold political power but Chinese, about a quarter of the population, dominate the economy.
But the religious authorities fully approve of the state's actions. Haji Mohammed bin Junoh, the imam of the largest mosque in the area, said: "Pin is a deviationist. It is possible that he is dealing with Satan."
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Posted: Tuesday, March 4, 2008 | PermalinkComments 1 - 50 of 64 |
Reload Comments | Back to Top | Page Numbers2. Comment #138478 by Steve Zara on March 4, 2008 at 12:24 pm
A religious commune in Malaysia's Muslim heartland that worshipped a bizarre collection of structures including a giant teapot
Steve yells: Quetz! Philip1978!
Other Comments by Steve Zara
3. Comment #138481 by ThoughtsonCommonToad on March 4, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Dawkins talked about this in the God Delusion.EDIT: In my version, Footnote on page 52, Chapter: The God Hypothesis, sub-heading The Poverty of Agnosticism.
Other Comments by ThoughtsonCommonToad
4. Comment #138482 by Goldy on March 4, 2008 at 12:31 pm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7265404.stmSome background reading regarding the role of religion in Malaysia, especially Islam.
Other Comments by Goldy
5. Comment #138483 by Gustaf Sjoblom on March 4, 2008 at 12:33 pm
So the teapot mentioned in TGD is no more. It makes me sad, the whole enterprise felt a bit like spaghetti to me, but perhaps it was more cultish.Anyway. I think the most interesting part here is that it shows very clearly that islam is islam, regardless if you call it liberal or not. Isn't that always going to be the case with a religion that per definition is fundamentalist?
Other Comments by Gustaf Sjoblom
6. Comment #138505 by Devolution on March 4, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Signs to holdup and upcoming Teapot rally:Death to those who insult the great celestial teapot!
May the streets flow with the blood of those who dont enjoy a delicious cup of tea with their morning paper!
This insult to Teapotism will not go unpunished!
Other Comments by Devolution
7. Comment #138506 by Strappado on March 4, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I guess the next thing they want to destroy is Russell's Teapot. Good luck. Other Comments by Strappado
8. Comment #138507 by robotaholic on March 4, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Besides the wackyness of a giant teapot - is there any reason for which muslims wont turn into a mob? Other Comments by robotaholic
9. Comment #138510 by al-rawandi on March 4, 2008 at 1:06 pm
A woman was sentenced to two years in prison for being involved with this.
She was sentenced under an apostasy law.
In the 'Umdat al-salik (Reliance of the Traveler, a manual of Islamic Law) the worshipping of any thing other than god constitutes apostasy and is punishable by death.
The woman's sanity was questioned at the trial. No doubt you have to be insane to worship a teapot. Or a god.
Other Comments by al-rawandi
11. Comment #138521 by Quetzalcoatl on March 4, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Steve-
Steve yells: Quetz! Philip1978!
What? What is it?
- Reads the article -
THIS IS SACRILEGE! HOW DARE THESE HEATHENS DESTROY THE SACRED SYMBOL OF QUETZALCOATL!!!
But the religious authorities fully approve of the state's actions. Haji Mohammed bin Junoh, the imam of the largest mosque in the area, said: "Pin is a deviationist. It is possible that he is dealing with Satan
THESE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES WILL HAVE TO "DEAL WITH" MY WRATH! TERRIBLE WILL BE MY VENGEANCE!
Other Comments by Quetzalcoatl
12. Comment #138524 by Shaden on March 4, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Now how am I going to make the Captain his Earl Grey? Other Comments by Shaden
13. Comment #138527 by jiujitstheist on March 4, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Once again. Two words in this article that are frightening."Religious Police"
This never fails to give me the shivers.
Other Comments by jiujitstheist
14. Comment #138561 by Mango on March 4, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Malaysia is traditionally a liberal Islamic state. Apostasy is illegal for Muslims.
Everything's relative, I guess.
Other Comments by Mango
15. Comment #138564 by baley on March 4, 2008 at 2:17 pm
What a bunch of Morons.Other Comments by baley
16. Comment #138567 by al-rawandi on March 4, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Muslims have a strong history of flailing away at offensive structures.
All the male date palms in al-'Uyayna were felled by Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab because people thought the trees would bring fertility.
Are they stupider for praying to palm trees or for killing the trees because God will get mad that they are praying to the trees.
Toss up.
Other Comments by al-rawandi
17. Comment #138589 by Goldy on March 4, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Muslims have a strong history of flailing away at offensive structures.
All the male date palms in al-'Uyayna were felled by Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab because people thought the trees would bring fertility.
Dare say some are worse than others. Saudis are particularly virulent, even to the extent of destroying anything to do with Mohammed in case it becomes a shrine (which, I suppose, could be seen as idolatory).
There was an article once in the NYT about Afghans making pilgramges to Mujahideen graves - seems they felt it was lucky or something.
Just read this, though...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/world/middleeast/04youth.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
Seems one can go too far down the religious path and turn the followers away :-) Maybe there is hope for Islam after all. And one has to think why Europe is so much less religious than in earlier times...
Other Comments by Goldy
18. Comment #138590 by Bonzai on March 4, 2008 at 3:25 pm
While the teapot cult is stupid it seems pretty harmless, The followers don't have a problem with other religions and the fun looking, amusement park like constructs might actually be great tourist attractions.But no, Islam has to crush everything which it deems heretic. This got to demonstrate the fallacy that all religions are equally bad because they are equally false. Some are way worse than others.
Other Comments by Bonzai
19. Comment #138591 by Bonzai on March 4, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Dare say some are worse than others. Saudis are particularly virulent, even to the extent of destroying anything to do with Mohammed in case it becomes a shrine
I know that, The Wahabis built a parking lot on Mohammad's grave and they had tried to blow it up before.I always wonder where are the angry Muslim mobs around the world who should be shouting death to Saudi Arabia.
Other Comments by Bonzai
20. Comment #138592 by Vaal on March 4, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Haji Mohammed bin Junoh, the imam of the largest mosque in the area, said: "Pin is a deviationist. It is possible that he is dealing with Satan."
Does a 21st Century sentient being, with all his faculties intact actually believe that? Religion really is a mental illness. He should be wheeled off in a straitjacket, gibbering that sort of nonsense. Words fail me!
Other Comments by Vaal
21. Comment #138598 by SRWB on March 4, 2008 at 3:40 pm
...Pin, who holds that every religion is equally valid...
Not just equally valid, but equally foolish, wrong, contradictory and divisive as well. What next?
Other Comments by SRWB
22. Comment #138599 by Bonzai on March 4, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Not just equally valid, but equally foolish, wrong, contradictory and divisive as well. What next?
Surly not equally divisive, I won't hold my breath for Muslims to say that all religions are equally valid like these teapotists do.
Other Comments by Bonzai
23. Comment #138608 by SRWB on March 4, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Surly not equally divisive,
Do you mean "surly" or "surely" (either fits :-))
Other Comments by SRWB
24. Comment #138700 by Goldy on March 4, 2008 at 5:42 pm
There's more...http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/04/wteapot104.xml
Other Comments by Goldy
25. Comment #138705 by Ed-words on March 4, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Is this any crazier than what I believed till I was 19 yrs old? (49 years ago)Namely,that priests could turn bread
and wine into the body and blood of Christ!
Other Comments by Ed-words
26. Comment #138795 by rod-the-farmer on March 4, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Another article on intelligent thinking - this one about the rights of women in Islam.http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=247122
(shakes head)
Other Comments by rod-the-farmer
27. Comment #138830 by dsainty on March 4, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I wonder whether this place was built purely to have a laugh at religion.Regardless, I can imagine coming out with inner peace after visiting a playground with enormous teapots. Cool! :)
Other Comments by dsainty
28. Comment #138838 by MaxD on March 4, 2008 at 8:50 pm
If the guy was dealing with satan as the religious authorities charge this satan is more charming, and inventive than I have ever given the entity credit for being. And lets not forget opptimistic. I mean what tempter in their right mind would say, "what's the best strategy for Malayasia?...Hmmmm a big fucking tea pot and and compound I'll call 'The Sky Kingdom!"
Do these muslim authorities ever stop to think about how silly their actions and offense taking is?
Other Comments by MaxD
29. Comment #138840 by Affront on March 4, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Insane. They will drive the Teapotists underground, turn their young into fanatics and massively strengthen the cause of Teapotism. After all, 99.9 percent of us hadn't heard of Allah's Giant Teapot until the Malaysian government destroyed it. Atheists though we are, I bet many of us were more sympathetic to the poor old Teapotists that we were to the dastardly 'religious police'. If only Islam could take on board the idea of 'having a sense of humour' but I guess that we'll have to wait a few more centuries for that.
Other Comments by Affront
30. Comment #138849 by Big T on March 4, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Quetzalcoatl, they have blasphemed against ye! Smite ye them! Quetzalcoatl is Great! Death to blasphemers! Death to infidels! Go get 'em Quetz! Let them feel the wrath of the Plumed Serpent!Other Comments by Big T
31. Comment #138856 by Jon_Sociologist on March 4, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Yeah I got a plumed serpent for them.
Comment #138481 by ThoughtsonCommonToad:
Dawkins talked about this in the God Delusion.
You mean this is the same teapot that was orbiting Jupiter?! Mein Gott!! And here I was a 6-7 on the Russell's Teapot Scale (1 being absolute belief 7 being absolute disbelief). Maybe a creator god has a chance after all.
It seems bizarre that we must leap to the defence of teapotists, but I have to say that while the beliefs of teapotists and muslims may be equally stupid, one side is a lot more vicious, bloodthirsty and slobbering.
Other Comments by Jon_Sociologist
32. Comment #138860 by Roy_H on March 4, 2008 at 10:37 pm
At first I thought this was from "The Onion", then I thought "Have I been asleep for 1 month and it is really April 1st?" Other Comments by Roy_H
33. Comment #138871 by secondsoprano on March 4, 2008 at 11:03 pm
This ought to be funny ... but then I keep remembering that a woman has actually been thrown in jail, not for anything she has done, but for failing to believe Muslim doctrine , and I stop laughing.This is highly objectionable, to say the least.
Apostacy, heresy, blasphemy and similar crimes are extremely bad law, for several reasons:
1. It offends against human rights, freedom of (and from) religion, free speech, freedom of association etc.
2. It goes against all modern civilised criminological principles. Conduct should only be criminalised if it creates harm to others.
3. Apostacy purports to criminalise thought, not action. This is legally and morally untenable.
4. It is illogical to mandate belief. Belief is either held or it is not. The most you can require is that a person must say they believe . Inevitably, this means requiring some people to lie, which goes against the whole foundation of criminal law.
(At last, a topic I can be expert in! I have lurked for ages, with nothing to contribute to the scientific debates but "oooh. gosh. isn't s/he clever? oh - you don't say?!" and "huh?" respectively, depending on the complexity of the topic. But law, and criminal law at that - now you're speaking my language :)
Other Comments by secondsoprano
34. Comment #138894 by sent2null on March 4, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Religious police raided the compound twice last month and nearly 50 of its members are due in an Islamic court this week, charged with deviation.
If this isn't proof that organized religion IS fascism I don't know what is.
Unbelievable. One set of crackpots going crackpot over another crackpots use of a (now cracked) pot!
Other Comments by sent2null
35. Comment #138906 by Philip1978 on March 5, 2008 at 12:02 am
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YOU BASTARDS! HOW COULD YOU? DAMN YOU AND YOUR TROUSERS YOU FILTHY HEATHEN SCUM!
Quetz, its time to muster the armies, they must be smote from that land immediately!
I have always thought I was just mild mannered Philip, I just wanted to be kind to this world and the people in it but these folk have gone too far, they have managed to ....annoy me!
Help me before I truly turn to the Dark Side!!
Philip
Other Comments by Philip1978
36. Comment #138908 by LorienRyan on March 5, 2008 at 12:05 am
Philip,
Take a few deep breaths and think of Obi-Wan.
Other Comments by LorienRyan
37. Comment #138917 by Communist on March 5, 2008 at 12:20 am
I hope they will leave my dear Lenin mummy and my Karl Marx teddybear in peace.
But there is a more serious undercurrent in this. Islam is holding back the Malay economy, and the nonmuslim minorities are getting more and more restless and inpatient. They feel discriminated against and the big teapot that is Malaysia (Islam's economical showcase) is heading for an explosion. Look for the confidense of the Indian and Chinese minorities to grow as the economies of India and China grow.
The greatest victory of modern society is how new ideas in science and technology have been transformed into either private or state owned mass production of goods and services. This process has saved billions of lives. I can't think of ONE SINGLE EXAMPLE of this ever happening in the wonderful world of Islam.
Other Comments by Communist
38. Comment #138935 by Clive on March 5, 2008 at 12:52 am
OK, I've stopped laughing at Strappado's avatar now.
mmmm time for a cuppa
.. it beckons me, I have to have it, it rules my life. I worship my teapot!
Other Comments by Clive
39. Comment #138940 by suffolkthinker on March 5, 2008 at 1:08 am
So a religion that demands people "respect" it, shows respect to other religions then. Oh right of course not, it's modern Islam.I rather like the idea of giant tea pots as items of worship. Ofcourse to be properly transposed to Englang they need a matching giant tea cosy and nice cucumber sandwiches to accompany it.
Other Comments by suffolkthinker
40. Comment #138941 by black wolf on March 5, 2008 at 1:10 am
I just sent my embassy in Malysia and their representation in Germany a strong message. Other Comments by black wolf
41. Comment #138946 by scottishgeologist on March 5, 2008 at 1:22 am
This teapot destruction reminds me of that other act of wanton vandalism several years ago, when the Buddha statues were blown up by the Taleban because they were "idolatrous"
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhas_of_Bamyan
Ridiculous.
Mind you, after the Reformation, esp in Scotland a lot of cathedrals and churches were vandalised, heads knocked off statues etc because THEY were considered "idolatrous"
Funny isnt it how these people are like 500 years behind the rest of the human race?
SG
Other Comments by scottishgeologist
42. Comment #138947 by Logicel on March 5, 2008 at 1:27 am
Members and visitors to the commune believe that water from the teapot, which poured into the giant vase, held purifying powers.________
How does the water get poured into the giant vase? Is there a water pump at the base of the very long spout? If it is a miracle, think of the riches the Malaysian government can harness by renting their teapot out to the world.
Believers who emphasize the ecumenical approach drive me nuts which I refer to as let's all serve up the same warmed-up crap to everyone, let's revert to the worst common denominator, let's stew in our stagnated juices and rot for all eternity.
Other Comments by Logicel
43. Comment #138950 by irate_atheist on March 5, 2008 at 1:28 am
Fill in the gap, as usual: ________________ Other Comments by irate_atheist
44. Comment #139058 by Dutchie on March 5, 2008 at 5:04 am
We all know the truth, now: Bertrand Russell was prophetic.Very amusing, although something intrigues me: why has the columnist used the phrase "Muslim, Chinese and Indian Malaysians", referring to Islam as a race? I mean, it's a religious group; that doesn't make sense.
Other Comments by Dutchie
45. Comment #139061 by Philip1978 on March 5, 2008 at 5:07 am
Its not amusing Dutchie, that Tea Pot was Sacred! :)Philip
Defender of The Tea
Other Comments by Philip1978
46. Comment #139063 by Quetzalcoatl on March 5, 2008 at 5:11 am
Philip1978-
damn straight. Dutchie, this is no laughing matter.
Other Comments by Quetzalcoatl
47. Comment #139076 by epeeist on March 5, 2008 at 5:23 am
Comment #138840 by AffrontOK, for the benefit of our UK readers there was evidence for deviation and repetition in the article, but what about hesititation?
If only Islam could take on board the idea of 'having a sense of humour' but I guess that we'll have to wait a few more centuries for that.
Other Comments by epeeist
48. Comment #139077 by the great teapot on March 5, 2008 at 5:24 am
Please help me, anyone.I am getting weaker, my life force is straining away.
Other Comments by the great teapot
49. Comment #139081 by Philip1978 on March 5, 2008 at 5:29 am
The Great Teapot, Fear not, Quetz is with you and will give you strength in times of need, I also, as my newly created position of Defender of The Tea will aid you as well.
Praise Quetz, Praise The Tea!
Other Comments by Philip1978
50. Comment #139093 by Ygern on March 5, 2008 at 5:50 am
Sometimes I think it's a shame that there isn't just 5 minutes of Afterlife - just long enough for the world's fundamentalists, true believers, aka crackpots & twits to realise how bloody stupid they spent their entire lives being...What a waste of what could have been a wonderful life.
Other Comments by Ygern
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1. Comment #138477 by Russell's Teapot on March 4, 2008 at 12:23 pm
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