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Day 9 – 08 August 2013 – Ngepi Camp to Mamili (Nkasa Lupala National Park, camping inside "Mamili" – Coordinates for where we camped in Mamili: S18 23.462 E23 42.109 – Distance: 317.20km – Duration: 8hrs9min
Trip Report –
"The early bird catcheth the worm"
There isn't a more classic saying that went through my mind as our morning begun with gentle birdsong which gradually built up to having the entire orchestra of birds on call. Once up and about into the freshness of the day with my morning cuppa coffee. I had the privilege of a Yellow-bellied Greenbul eating out the palm of my hand. I sat there, like that for a few minutes, enjoying his company, peacefulness and beauty of being one with nature, Bliss!
Claw holding my paw
A Yellow-bellied Greenbul eating out the palm of my hand
This river, in Angola, is known as either the Kubango (referring to the region it originates from and the people) or the Cubango others sometimes refer to it. The River, in Namibia and Botswana, is referred to as either the Kavango (referring to the people of northern Namibia) or the Okavango (pointing to where the river ends up in the Okavango Panhandle which seeps into the Okavango Delta.
The water originates in the Kuando Kubango, the central region of Angola on the 1.780m high, Bié Plateau.
The river flows from Angola southwards and reaches Namibia first at Katwitwi, where there is a border post between Angola and Namibia.
It is from this point where the river becomes the, roughly 350-kilometre border between Angola and Namibia, which is right up in the middle central to the northwestern region of Namibia.
The river then flows from Katwitwi in the south-easterly direction, passing alongside Rundu and then Kapako, where it ends being the border between the two countries.
The river then flows into Namibia across the Caprivi Strip, running alongside and then meandering through a section of the Bwabwata National Park.
It flows on, past Divundu and under the B8 main road, onwards past Popa Falls, Bagani and alongside Ngepi Camp where it carries on southwards, out of Namibia and into Botswana, (where you can take the Mohembo Ferry across it).
The river flows straight into the Okavango Panhandle and past the banks of Shakawe.
The river slows down as it reaches the dry, flat, reed desert and woodland sands of the Kalahari region, breaking up into smaller channels which form the 22 000 square kilometres of Okavango Delta, in the north of the north-west area of Botswana. The Moremi Wildlife game reserve is at the base of this delta with its Chief's Island that is surrounded by water. The river comes to an end after around 1 600 kilometres within the Okavango Delta.
The rainfall in Angola determines the outcome of the Okavango Delta. The flooding of the delta changes its shape. The channels are created from the animals migratory path to the water in dryer times. As the water floods down, it will take the path of least resistance, forever changing the contours of the delta. The reeds dislodge themselves and form islands or narrow channels that were open before. The grasses and vegetation also start thriving with all the water. The dry season is always the best time to visit Namibia for game viewing. The animals one could find in the Ngepi area: hippopotamus, crocodiles, buffalo, lion, African wild dog, rare sable and roan antelope, bushbuck, reedbuck, tsessebe, elephants and around 430 species of birds, of which about two dozen are on the endangered list.
David Livingstone reached the swampy delta in 1849 with plenty of others doing the same yearly, albeit differently.
We took a stroll through the campsite to take a few pics here and there of their funky ablutions. The Throne gives you an awesome place to 'go' in the bush, well ventilated, easy to maintain with a lush woodland view of the thorn bushes. It is fit for a King where it won't be the end of the world if the guy misses the 'thing'.
Then you get the great 'Poop a Falls' pictured below where your poop can plummet down in a swoosh of sound as it makes its way to the underground. The view you have of the surrounding landscape when you're on the loo is spectacular! It's Pooh heaven where you can sit without a care in the world. I have a feeling, that when people ask if you've visited "Popa Falls" (the small rapids), that they mean "Poop a Falls" here at Ngepi and not the river area upstream. The resort, Popa Falls, was closed due to them renovating over the time we were there.
The locals suggest that if you want to see these small rapids, then viewing it from the other side of the river gives you a better vantage point.
We left the campsite at 9 am Nam time (10 am SA time) and made our way to the bar area to stock up on some ice for our cooler boxes and their UV treated water to top up our water tanks.
Ngepi reception co-ordinates – S18 07.019 E21 40.215
Ngepi reception, restaurant, bar, sun deck, their famous croc pool and the art memorabilia. It was touching to see our beloved Nelson Mandela's face beaming down on us from above (R.I.P Madiba).
"Complaint box is in the river…Beware of crocodiles!!!"
"NOTICE ~ Be careful with personal property. Please tell reception immediately if you lose your sense of humour."
A good attitude gets you a long way, no matter what.
The next time we are in this area, Ian and I are going to join one of their canoe/dragon adventures where you explore the main river and tributaries, meandering around the floating reed islands and spending a night alongside the river, out in the solitude of nature. Exploring the surrounding and then heading back to the camp by the end of the next day. A great adventure, experiencing the 'ultimate vacations on earth, together with nature.'
We were in no rush, but it was time to move on. The journey ahead of us was about to unfold with adventures of its own, just to get to the office of Mamili (Nkasa Lupala) National Park.
We left Ngepi Camp at 10 am feeling refreshed, tranquil and ready for the road. The sand road from Ngepi's reception to the T junction, connecting with the C48/D3403 tar road, is 4.5km long. It took us roughly 20 minuites to drive with an average speed of around 16km/hr. We turned right, onto the tarred C48 road (coordinates – S18 06.721 E21 37.778) and drove 12km's to get to reach the B8 main road. (If you were to turn left at Ngepi onto the C48, you would arrive at the Mohembo border post between Namibia and Botswana).
Ian and I did a quick pit stop at the Divundu Spar and Engen Garage (coordinates S18 06.074 E21 32.684) to buy batteries as our headlamps were dying.
The road between Divundu and Mamili (Nkasa Lupala) National Park consists of the Caprivi Strip, made up of the Bwabwata National Park and the Caprivi Game Park.
The next time Ian and I find ourselves in the Caprivi Strip, we will make sure we visit and spend a night camping with the bushmen of the village.
The Living Museum of the Mafwe people –
The Living Museum of the Mafwe people, known as The Living Culture Foundation Namibia. It became independently owned and run by the people of Mafwe from February 2008. The entire community of Singalamwe gets involved in one way or the other.
They re-in-act their ancient way of life, in short skits, song and dance. Their traditions, rituals, heritage and culture of years past. While you're standing on top of a hill, under the shade of a Baobab tree that is overlooking the landscape below with the Kwando river in sight.
They welcome you into their kraal, their home while being traditionally dressed from the smallest tribe member to the oldest. Keeping their memories and heritage alive from generation to generation. The primary aim is to conserve the memory of their ancient lifestyles and practises once lived. By performing their ancient rituals and in receiving your compliments and time, their spirits get uplifted, as they have learnt something from you, as you have learnt something from them. It's a mutual give and take and they are grateful for the opportunity to share it with you.
They sell the communities handcrafted work and this uplifts their community on a whole as everyone is involved one way or the other. They are trying to raise more funds to build a better campsite as they feel they could increase their revenues like this. For now, they welcome visitors to camp the night in an area they have kept clean of long grass. You need to be entirely self-sufficient with all of your needs as there are no ablution facilities, water or electricity. Their camping fees are said to be N$30 per person per night. They sell firewood for N$10 per bundle.
We entered the Kwando Core Conservancy of the Bwabwata Park then turned right into the C49 ring road (coordinates S17 49.290 E23 23.829) off the Caprivi Strips B8 main road, passing the Mayuni Conservancy and the Mudumu National Park. The distance from Divundu to Mamili (Nkasa Lupala) National Park along the B8, right at the C49 and all the way down till the turn off from the C49 towards Mamili, is a distance of 274km which took us 3h22min. There's a long way to go till you reach the National Parks office with a few obstacles along the way.
The C49, Caprivi Strip ring road, turn off below where we turned right to take us closer towards Mamili, which is situated more or less at the bottom, the middle point of the C49 ring road. We found ourselves back within the dust plumes as the C49 road was under construction with roadworks along the way from start to end. We gave each other a bit more space between each vehicle so as not to eat too much of each others dust.
There is this little petrol station on the corner of the C49. The coordinates for the C49 turnoff from the B8 to the ring road is S17 49.287 E23 23.829.
Once again, another reason you don't drive in Namibia or Botswana at night as the animals tend to love being on the road. Here a black cow stands his ground and we pass him slowly then next thing, there is a lonely tree standing in the middle of the road!
And if one black cow isn't enough, below is a whole herd of them following one another! This whole area has a lot to do with the conservancy of the animals being free to roam and migrate around the great waterways around here and in the neighbouring countries, Angola, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. A passageway for them to use and for us to help protect them within their natural habitat.
The villages or kraals are therefore fenced in to protect the people of the area from the wildlife surrounding them at times.
The picture below is of the signboard where we turned right, off the C49 and proceeded down the gravel road, getting closer to the Mamili/Nkasa National Park region.
We took a few minuites looking around the She She Craft Shop, admiring their wood carved and reeded basket, handmade items. This craft shop is at the end of the road, alongside the first river crossing.
She She Craft Center coordinates – S18 15.893 E23 38.528
The first river crossing, a rickety handmade bridge –
Bridge crossing coordinates – S18 15.939 E23 38.523
This bridge consists of many tree trunks which have been laid out to form a very rough water crossing with some of the trees not even tied together. These 'planks' are quite loose in places, but none the less, they are strong enough to drive over in a four-wheel drive vehicle.
We all managed to drive across the bridge, slowly and smoothly to the grass island. There are only a few remnants left of another bridge crossing over this section in past years. The next section was a water crossing. The water looked shallow until you drove through it. It was forced forwards by the front of the car and outwards from the grill where it lapped up quite close to the cars bonnet. The Robsters had their number plate dislodged off the front of their vehicle. We all wadded up and down in search of it and Ian managed to find it.
The road meanders through the lushness of the vegetation on a two track sand road that gets quite thick in places. The abundant grass and reed coverings vary in length and colours as they sway around in the breeze.
Thankfully for us, in today's times, some bridges have been constructed to cross over to the other side of the river with ease and peace of mind.
Our GPS was getting confused due to there being a lot of different path options we could take. These tracks must have been made, over the years, depending on the level of the river water flooding the area. When new roads get formed, only to become other options once the water has subsided. These all, probably end up in the same place, at the office where you sign yourself in, pay your entry and basic camping fees and move on.
It felt so good to be back in the wild, where the animals are grazing, playing or lazing around. The air is unpolluted and crisp. The silence is golden as life and nature are unfolding. The scenery is breathtakingly spectacular and ever changing. You don't know what to expect around the next corner. To be one with nature, in this simple, un-westernised, un-commercialised heart of Africa wilderness is the best!
The animals are not used to people and tend to move off when they do see you, not like the animals in Chobe National Park, Botswana, that are so accustomed to tourists visiting the park, in most cases, they don't even flinch when a vehicle comes past.
A family of warthogs which ended up disappearing into the long reed grass. You can expect to see (especially between April – September, which are the best times to visit the park), elephant, lion, buffalo, giraffe, warthogs, reedbuck, red lechwe, hippopotamus, up to 5-metre crocodiles and a broad range of around 430 birds.
Another bridge helping visitors cross over, getting closer to the Parks office.
This park became Mamili (Nkasa Lupala) National Park in 2013 after being called Mamili National Park. It is at times also referred to as the Nkasa Rupara (Mamili) National Park.
We eventually found the office for the National Park. We had felt a bit lost at times and the drive had already taken us longer than expected due to the road conditions along the way and the confusion as to which tracks to take. It had been an excursion so far, of note and progressively got better as we continue deeper into the swampy land of this wild and untamed National Park.
Shisintze Office – Mamili (Nkasa Lupala) National Park. Coordinates S18 20.062 E23 39.788.
The lady in the office, Norah, was incredibly friendly and we all had a good chat. She said it would be perfectly okay for us to camp inside the National Park for a night or two night as camping is allowed. You have to be entirely self-sufficient as there are absolutely no facilities that they provide. We paid a park entrance fee for 7 RSA citizens and three vehicles for two nights = N$ 480.
It is possible to enter and drive around alone in the park but not advisable if you're wanting to venture into the deeper water channels and thick swampy land. It is preferable to be in a convoy of two or more 4×4 vehicles.
The last 30km from the parks office to the spot we decided to camp at, took us 2h38min. The road was treacherous in places, brilliant in other places, spectacular in splendour and beautiful beyond words.
The park comprises of the Nkasa island on its one side and the Rupara island on the other with the Kwando/Linyanti river surrounding it. Situated in the southwestern corner of East Caprivi covering a wetland area of 320 square kilometres. This park has a large area of unnavigable land for cars and even less so when the river floods its banks and the park becomes totally inaccessible.
It is the most important wetland conservation area in Namibia. It consists of the Kwando River at the southern edge which becomes the Linyanti River. With plenty of other sub-channels with forever moving reed islands, lush reed grasses that grow taller and taller during the rainy season. It is harder to view the animals during the rainy season. The area becomes one big sandy, black, muddy wetland. Making up the Linyanti swamps with its protected flora and fauna.
The Kwando River water travels 1 000 kilometres from Angola, through Namibia then changes into the Linyanti River when reaching Botswana where it forms the border between Namibia and Botswana. The river veers sharply to a south-westerly direction between the two countries and later changes its name again to the Chobe River in Botswana.
We are as close as can be to bordering Chobe National Park in Botswana while standing right here, in Namibia. We are also just east of Botswana's Okavango Panhandle and Delta. Namibia proclaimed this land on 1 March 1990, just before it gained its Independence.
If I am not mistaken, these look like Impala's who thrive on annual grasses to graze on and prefer higher ground.
A warthog was running past us to join his family on the other side.
The puzzles you find along the way: What did this signboard stand for in better days?
The sun was starting to lie low in the sky when we came to a consensus to camp for the next two nights alongside the one and only palm tree we could see. It enhanced the setting for us to a T.
The beauty of getting out into the wilderness, away from absolutely everything is soul energising. No traffic, people, malls, shops, houses to clean, computer, tv, telephones, etc. Being away from all these 'none essential' things in life made our vacation just that much better. We were content, in the company of our friends with a campfire warming our body and helping us prepare the lovely meal whereafter we played a few games of cards while listening to the nightlife sounds around us as we laughed the night away. The sounds of hippo grunts and splashes as they waddle through the water. They were so close to us but left us alone. Sounds travels far in the stillness of the night. The animals seemed very close to us.
Camping under a million, trillion, gazillion stars that lit up our sky within the milky way, galaxy and the universe beyond that, being viewed by our naked eyes, without any interference/interruptions of any city lights breaking it down was spectacular.
The sun kissing the day goodbye with its beautiful hues of fantastic colours as it set and us giving life itself thanks for another fabulous day!
Our campsite coordinates – S18 23.465 E23 42.109
Here is our link to the Garmin Adventure for the route we travelled today with pictures and waypoints added –
The following link will indicate where our campsite within Mamili was on google maps.
The permit for entry to Mamili, Mudumu and West Caprivi from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism states the following conditions. It states that it is illegal to,
- Be in possession of an unsealed firearm or ammunition.
- Bring any animal, domestic or otherwise into the park.
- Make excessively large fires.
- Throw burning objects out of vehicles.
- Kill, injure or unnecessarily disturb any animal.
- Pick, collect, uproot, cut down or unnecessary disturb any flower, shrub, tree or other plants.
- Disfigure or damage any object in the park.
- Park or drive a vehicle in the park in such a way that it annoys, disturbs or inconveniences others.
- Disregard official instructions from a Nature Conservator or Tourist Officer.
- Collect, or remove any minerals, precious or semi-precious stones from the park.
- Discard, place or dispose of any fish or part of a fish, bait, refuse or garbage in any place in the park other than in the containers provided for that purpose.
- Place, leave or discard fish-hooks or lines with bait attached (other than for angling purposes) in any place in the park where marine birds might pick them up.
- Take a motorcycle, as defined in the Road Traffic Ordinance 1967 (Ordinance 30/1967), into the park.
- Drive a vehicle anywhere other than on a road which is indicated by an Official road sign.
- Fly an aircraft less than 450 metres above ground level except when taking off or landing (Rules of Air 3.2 (1c) ).
- The park entrance is via the gate at Ngenda and Shisitnze between sunrise and 15h00.
- This permit is subject to all the provisions of any Nature Conservation legislation.
- Arrival at the park must be reported to the nearest Officer immediately.
I found the above descriptions classic especially seeing that they have gone into so much detail regarding fishing, your lines and hooks when on the rules from the Office it states that you are not allowed to fish in the park at all.
Contact details for Mamili National Park – Tel: +264 (0)61 254848
The Minister of Environment and Tourism for Mamili National Park, Shisintze Office Park and Wildlife Management Tel: +264 (0)66 253027 or Private Bag 1020, Katima Mulilo, Namibia.
Caprivi Regional Council, Linyanti Constituency Office, Private Bag 5002, Katimo Mulilo, Namibia. Tel: +264 (0)66 686013 of Tel: +264 (0)66 252044


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Thanks to comedian Takashi Okamura's popular show "99 Size" and a nationwide broadcast about her Restorative Yoga program on Japanese TV, Leza Lowitz, 50, laughingly admits she used up her 15 minutes of "gaijin fame" nearly 10 years ago when she helped usher in the yoga boom. Laughter aside, it's not fame that fuels Lowitz, and it's not even yoga; it's what she calls "stewardship" — looking back at history to help guide the future.
Citing her own historical inspirations, from literature to Chief Seattle to a Buddhist world view, Lowitz explains: "There are rarely straight paths in life, but I try to take each unexpected turn as a teaching: What do I need to be learning here, why is this happening and what is the lesson? As 'parents' to the next generation, we must think about our real world, about the history on all sides, and try to find a way to inspire. We are only borrowing the Earth from the future, and if poetry or storytelling or creating a space for transformational work like yoga can convey these teachings, that's a very powerful way to create meaning."
Lowitz says she has always found meaning in "the voices that history silences" in one way or another. As a writer, editor and co-translator, Lowitz has published a number of books introducing various aspects of Japan to an English-speaking audience. Lowitz has shared the worlds of kamikaze pilots and their last letters to their families, published lesbian writings by contemporary Japanese poets, specifically sought out Ainu writers, revealed the life in prison camps of World War II internee Itaru Ina and journeyed into the mind of Japan's foremost modernist poet, Nobuo Ayukawa.
Also responsible for editing the journals of the late Donald Richie, the leading Western authority on Japanese film, in the realm of literary culture she has steadily and quietly shared a cultural spectrum of Japan with English speakers. In addition, Lowitz has published four volumes of her own poetry, including a groundbreaking book of yoga poems.
Her work with yoga in Tokyo is another example of Lowitz "translating the raw material of my life to help people learn from the raw material of their lives," she says. Yoga became a core focus for Lowitz when she moved back to the States after four years in Japan in the mid-1990s. Coming back to America in 1994, Lowitz admits, "was reverse culture shock. I was not sure who I was anymore. I realized that I was kind of an expat in my own skin, that I wasn't really living in my own body. I was out of touch with myself, and yoga brought me back to my own body literally, since of course yoga is connecting body and mind."
When she and her Japanese husband, Shogo Oketani, decided to return to Japan after nearly a decade in California, friends were skeptical of her teaching yoga in Tokyo, a city that had very much nurtured her academic, intellectual side the first time around. Back then, in 1989, Lowitz had just completed her master's degree in creative writing at San Francisco State University, with a focus on Japanese literature and language. Lowitz quickly filled a void in the literary world of expat Japan, writing for a number of publications, teaching English at the University of Tokyo, interacting with the brightest minds and most creative art in the bubble years, and then sharing the insights of those minds with the rest of the world.
"I got to see so much of the arts and to write about it, and that really opened my eyes to different modes of perception and expression. So much was happening here, on the literary and the arts scene, so it was a good time for a struggling writer to be here."
Planning a return, however, Lowitz resisted the idea of revisiting the same place. "The academic world is intellectual, and the yoga world is more balanced, body and mind. After my teacher's training in California, I wanted to stay in that balanced world longer.
"Friends worried that Japanese people might not like California-style partner yoga — that they are not going to want to touch a stranger. But I knew what living in Tokyo was like, and I felt that if I needed the connection and stress relief, others would too. We're all in it together, and in my own little corner of the world, if I can start to chip away at some of these things that separate us, I'll do it." Lowitz's studio, Sun and Moon Yoga in Gotanda, remains a popular retreat for city-dwellers.
Lowitz's feelings about stewardship have their source in her childhood experiences. Raised in Berkeley, California, during the 1970s, Lowitz explains, "It was a socially volatile time. I was a white girl who was bused into Malcolm X Elementary with desegregation, and I was beaten up a lot. It was a powerful lesson on perception for an 8-year-old — that what I looked like to people on the outside as a white girl was not necessarily how I saw myself.
"Even within the social upheaval of desegregation, however, there was also the understanding and the recognition that we are all one. We have a responsibility and a capacity to help people, and it is possible to be of service."
A different shade of this world view emerged once she and her husband became parents, late in life. "I was almost 45 and Shogo 50 when we adopted a son. We had always wanted a family, so once we moved back to Japan we decided to adopt."
Lowitz has written extensively about those experiences, most recently in the New York Times, and also in a memoir she is working on. Another inspiration from being a parent: Lowitz released her first work of fiction on Oct. 29, the young-adult novel "Jet Black and the Ninja Wind," co-authored with her husband. Already optioned for film, the book provided another opportunity for Lowitz to work with her frequent collaborator, fellow writer and life partner.
"I got the idea in California, when 'Memoirs of a Geisha' was released. Although on one level I liked the book, I was also tired of seeing only one face of Japanese womanhood: the whole kimono-clad, bowing woman stereotype. My husband is really interested in indigenous peoples, the Emishi [of Tohoku] and the American Indians, so we found a connection with the Navajo code-talkers, and decided to create a modern eco-warrior in Jet."
Regardless of Lowitz's future path, she remains focused on her way: "All of us have the ability to become aware of how we impact the world and how we can do our part to change things for the better, even in small ways. Writing or creating art out of life's challenges helps me to better appreciate all the blessings and reach out to others to strengthen the web."
Wrapping up her explanation, Lowitz can't resist citing words from the past: "As E.M. Forster said in 1910, 'Only connect.' "
On Saturdays, Telling Lives profiles interesting individuals with links to Japan. Send all your comments and story ideas to email@example.com.


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Pet food has over a century of tradition with us, to which we feel committed.
The Hübers family mill was built in North-Rhine Westphalia as early as 1902, from where it expanded to establish large animal feed plants along the Rhine. The way it began,should also shape the future.
In the early nineties, Alwin Hübers founded the IPH Group, a company specialising in pet nutrition. The success proved him right, his products were perfectly tailored to the needs of the animal. In 1993, the Best Choice brand was produced as the first ever European developed premium dog food that we still sell to the present day in 55 countries worldwide. Even at that time the motto was "of the highest quality". A claim that we still to this day, systematically put into practice.
The name Dr.Clauder comes from Dr. Heinz Clauder, a doctoral nutritionist. With his company Dr.Clauder Pet Specialties founded in 1957, he was a pioneer in the field of scientifically developed nutritional supplements that offered the right product for every different life situation of the animal.
The 1998 incorporation of the company Dr.Clauder Pet Specialties in the IPH Group continues to be very successful. Expertise in various areas of pet nutrition have now been brought together under one roof and have been constantly expanding ever since. In 2006 Alwin Hübers handed the business over to his son Malte Hübers and the shareholder Alexander Gerards. Finally, in 2010, both companies were merged under the umbrella of the joint brand name Dr.Clauder Solutions for pets.
We are proud of our achievements and look simultaneously full of dynamism to the future. Their passion for pets was the driving force of the company's founders, Dr. Heinz Clauder and Alwin Hübers. For us this means the responsible task to continue with this tradition.
Together with our customers and employees, we look forward to it!


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Therapeutic Foster Care Page
At Capstone Foster Care, our ultimate goal is to help children reach their full potential and aid them in achieving a happy and healthy life. This isn't always a simple process, however, and sometimes, a child or young person needs that extra level of support to get them through some tough times.
If a child or young person's start in life has been a difficult and traumatic one, they may be left with emotional and developmental problems that can manifest as difficult behaviour or complex care needs. They may struggle to play or share with others. This is why there is a constant demand for people interested in caring for children and young people in these situations. By being part of a safe and loving home environment, these troubled children will be about to learn to trust and form caring relationships.
Therapeutic fostering provides that extra level of support that some children might need. It requires special training on behalf of the carer, who will then become part of a therapy team whose main concern is the happiness and development of the looked after child. As part of our newly developed Multidisciplinary Assessment & Treatment service (MATs), we will provide this specialist training and support should you decide you wish to take on a therapeutic foster care placement.
The introduction of this new fostering program allows Capstone Foster Care to provide you, and your looked after child, with enhanced therapeutic support and resources and means we can provide homes to children that more closely meet their complex care needs. As a carer on this scheme, you will be provided with enhanced skills and training in the therapeutic fostering field, while looked after children will receive direct therapeutic care from professionals – something which is often difficult to access through local child care services.
So, as a therapeutic foster parent, what will you be doing on a regular day? The most important task for such a carer is to provide a loving home environment, somewhere that a child can feel protected and valued while also receiving the day to day support and treatment they require. If a child or young person has been neglected in the past, they may need special physical, emotional and social care in order to heal the trauma they have experienced. They may have difficulty forming relationships and may suffer from depression, be socially withdrawn and have problems with anger management and aggressive behaviour.
In such situations, a foster home isn't just a home to a looked after child; it is a safe haven. With the special training and support offered by the Capstone MATs team, their foster parent provides the double service of a welcoming family home where they can thrive as well as a therapeutic environment that will help them along the road to recovery and personal development.
By becoming a therapeutic foster carer you will be making a huge difference in the lives of children and young people who are in desperate need of support and care.
Capstone Foster Care assesses all foster homes and carers to ensure that candidate suitability is assured and that essential training for therapeutic foster care is completed before any placement is made. A supervising social worker is available to work with foster families for all fostering placements.
If you're interested in becoming a therapeutic foster carer and working with MATs – and have experience or willingness to work with specialist mental health services – get in touch with Capstone today for more information and to start your therapeutic fostering journey. We can be contacted by calling 0800 012 4004 or by filling out our online contact form.


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profane(redirected from profanes)
Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia.
pro·fane(prō-fān′, prə-)
1. Marked by contempt or irreverence for what is sacred.
2. Nonreligious in subject matter, form, or use; secular: sacred and profane music.
3. Not admitted into a body of secret knowledge or ritual; uninitiated.
4. Vulgar; coarse.
tr.v. pro·faned, pro·fan·ing, pro·fanes
1. To treat with irreverence: profane the name of God.
2. To put to an improper, unworthy, or degrading use; abuse.
[Middle English prophane, from Old French, from Latin profānus, from prō fānō, in front of the temple : prō-, before, outside; see pro-1 + fānō, ablative of fānum, temple; see dhēs- in Indo-European roots.]
pro·fan′a·to′ry (prō-făn′ə-tôr′ē, prə-) adj.
pro·fane′ly adv.
pro·fan′er n.
1. having or indicating contempt, irreverence, or disrespect for a divinity or something sacred
2. (Ecclesiastical Terms) not designed or used for religious purposes; secular
3. (Ecclesiastical Terms) not initiated into the inner mysteries or sacred rites
4. vulgar, coarse, or blasphemous: profane language.
vb (tr)
5. to treat or use (something sacred) with irreverence
6. to put to an unworthy or improper use
[C15: from Latin profānus outside the temple, from pro-1 + fānum temple]
profanation n
profanatory adj
proˈfanely adv
proˈfaneness n
proˈfaner n
pro•fane(prəˈfeɪn, proʊ-)
adj., v. -faned, -fan•ing. adj.
1. showing irreverence toward God or sacred things; irreligious; blasphemous.
2. not devoted to holy purposes; secular (opposed to sacred).
3. unholy; heathen; pagan: profane rites.
4. not initiated into religious rites or mysteries.
5. coarse or vulgar.v.t.
6. to misuse (anything sacred or holy); defile; debase.
[1350–1400; (adj.) Middle English < Latin profānus secular, sacrilegious]
pro•fane′ly, adv.
Past participle: profaned
Gerund: profaning
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
|profane - corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors subvert young children?"; "corrupt the morals"
alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"
carnalise, sensualise, sensualize, carnalize - debase through carnal gratification
infect - corrupt with ideas or an ideology; "society was infected by racism"
lead astray, lead off - teach immoral behavior to; "It was common practice to lead off the young ones, and teach them bad habits"
poison - spoil as if by poison; "poison someone's mind"; "poison the atmosphere in the office"
suborn - incite to commit a crime or an evil deed; "He suborned his butler to cover up the murder of his wife"
|profane - violate the sacred character of a place or language; "desecrate a cemetery"; "violate the sanctity of the church"; "profane the name of God"
|profane - characterized by profanity or cursing; "foul-mouthed and blasphemous"; "blue language"; "profane words"
dirty - (of behavior or especially language) characterized by obscenity or indecency; "dirty words"; "a dirty old man"; "dirty books and movies"; "boys telling dirty jokes"; "has a dirty mouth"
|profane - not concerned with or devoted to religion; "sacred and profane music"; "secular drama"; "secular architecture", "children being brought up in an entirely profane environment"
earthly - of or belonging to or characteristic of this earth as distinguished from heaven; "earthly beings"; "believed that our earthly life is all that matters"; "earthly love"; "our earthly home"
impious - lacking piety or reverence for a god
worldly, secular, temporal - characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world; "worldly goods and advancement"; "temporal possessions of the church"
sacred - concerned with religion or religious purposes; "sacred texts"; "sacred rites"; "sacred music"
|profane - not holy because unconsecrated or impure or defiled
unhallowed, unholy - not hallowed or consecrated
|profane - grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred; "blasphemous rites of a witches' Sabbath"; "profane utterances against the Church"; "it is sacrilegious to enter with shoes on"
irreverent - showing lack of due respect or veneration; "irreverent scholars mocking sacred things"; "noisy irreverent tourists"
1. sacrilegious, wicked, irreverent, sinful, disrespectful, heathen, impure, godless, ungodly, irreligious, impious, idolatrous a hard-drinking, profane Irishman
sacrilegious clean, religious, spiritual, holy, proper, sacred, respectful, reverent, decorous
sacrilegious clean, religious, spiritual, holy, proper, sacred, respectful, reverent, decorous
2. crude, foul, obscene, abusive, coarse, filthy, vulgar, blasphemous a campaign against suggestive and profane lyrics in country songs
3. secular, lay, temporal, unholy, worldly, unconsecrated, unhallowed, unsanctified Churches should not be used for profane or secular purposes.
1. Showing irreverence and contempt for something sacred:
3. Offensive to accepted standards of decency:
barnyard, bawdy, broad, coarse, dirty, Fescennine, filthy, foul, gross, lewd, nasty, obscene, ribald, scatologic, scatological, scurrilous, smutty, vulgar.
Slang: raunchy.
profane[prəˈfeɪn] adj
(= obscene) → profane
profane language → obscénités fpl
profane language → obscénités fpl
(= lay, secular) → profane
(= irreverent, sacrilegious) → (gottes)lästerlich; don't be profane → lästere nicht; to use profane language → gotteslästerlich fluchen, lästern; a profane expression → eine Gotteslästerung
vt → entweihen, profanieren
1. adj
a. (secular) → profano/a
b. (irreverent) → irriverente; (language) → sacrilego/a
2. vt → profanare


text:
A Eustis, Florida woman and her 6-year-old son who had a bear enter their yard and come at them in their garage saw the potential attack foiled by an unlikely rescuer, their dachshund Daisy. The diminutive protector heard the woman, Krystal Long, scream as she saw the bear approaching and leapt immediately to her defense. Daisy weighs only 15 pounds, but was able to distract and stall the 200-pound animal until Long could throw a gas can at it and chase it away, but the dachshund suffered significant injuries in the process.Long's husband, Tony was away on a hunting trip at the time of the incident, returning only after hearing what had happened. The family has lived in the home for eight years and is very familiar with the area and the wildlife there.
According to Long's account, she and son, Wyatt, had just arrived with groceries which they were bringing into the house. The garage door was up, and the animal simply walked in while they were putting the first load of bags in the house. When they came out for another load, they were nearly face-to-face with the bear, and efforts to scare it away by screaming and throwing things did not work. It did, however, bring Wyatt running out of the house along with the dog. Long was able to get her son back into the house. The dog, seeing the threat and hearing her screams, attacked without hesitation. Sightings are common in this rural part of Florida, and residents say that it is usually easy to scare those that wander too close to residential areas away. This incident represents an unusual case, possibly a result of someone having fed the bear previously. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission set traps in the area after the incident, and reportedly caught a mother and two cubs in them, but none were the one which injured little Daisy.
In the fight, Daisy suffered several broken ribs as well as claw and bite wounds which required many stitches. She was treated at the River Oaks Animal Hospital, where she needed to be anesthetized twice for procedures to save her life. The cost of her treatment has already gone above $4,000, with a long recovery ahead of her. The family started a GoFundMe account for help assisting with medical bills for Daisy, and has received donations to meet their initial goal, but they are accepting donations still for what looks to be an extended recovery and rehabilitation. After suffering one setback with a drain tube which required the second surgery to fix, Daisy's recovery is reportedly progressing well. Long has asked for prayers for the recovery.
The little hero has finally returned home to complete her recovery, which is a good sign for the worried family. Daisy the Dachshund has become a household name in the community of Eustis and beyond for her courage in foiling the bear attack. While she may not be ready to do battle for some time to come, her story gets bigger every time it is told and her following of admirers continues to grow.
By Jim Malone
Daily Commercial
Image courtesy of Valerie – Flickr License


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text:
I swear.
I mean I say the bad words.
(It puts some people off.)
The chancellor of the Institute of Applied Hedonism relayed an interesting discourse recently. He asked another reader of the Tension is she had read a certain post.
She had not.
"I don't know," she said. "So much profanity."
In another conversation, I was asked if it bothered me to be spiritual – and a potty mouth.
No, no and fuck no.
(I threw that swear in there for the shock value.)
I am a man.
Who wears his emotions on his sleeve.
Who has labored long and hard to learn not to swallow those emotions.
I wear on my face the day's kaleidoscope of emotion – happiness, sadness, sorrow, anger, lust whatever. It's expressive.
Part of that expressiveness is the certain use of expletives.
(But not so much as to make a sailor blush; I am cognizant of social situations were a fuck or shit dropped on the unsuspecting would be uncalled for.)
But real life is messy. It is about expression. I make no apologies.
I tried over the last couple of days to substitute much less offensive words for curses.
It wasn't me.
Speaking the bad words
3 comments:
- Anonymous said...
Be who you are, man, and be proud of it, damn it!
I would have loved hearing you try to quickly substitute the less offensive words, by the way.
- Steve said...
I don't recall you attempting to substitute any words when I was working on your arm.
- ThomG said...
Because it fucking hurt. Oh, excuse me, "Wow, Stevo, that freakin' hurts, you bad man, you."


text:
Our most recent investigation held on February 12th, 2011, was at a private residence in Davenport Iowa. Investigators present for this investigation were Becky, Bryce, Stephanie, Steve, and Bob, as well as Bob's 16 year old son Andrew. Upon meeting the clients we introduced ourselves and proceeded to do our initial interview as a group about activity they claimed had been happening recently. We also talked with them about the general history of the home.
Along with the clients recent experiences it seems the house itself has a long history of paranormal occurrences dating back several years. One of the claims we discussed was the frequent sound of footsteps on the upper floors to which they had no explanation due to the fact the it was evident that there was nobody else in the house at the time. Another claim was the sound of disembodied voices heard by several people who frequent the home, and once again upon investigation by the client it was obvious no other people were present but the home owners. It was reported that a dog that visited the home would stand barking at the foot of the steps at something unseen, and that it would not set foot up the stairs even when being physically encouraged. A cat that had also been present would also never set foot upstairs. A general EMF(electromagnetic field) sweep of the home discovered high EMF levels in some areas but this could also be caused by home wiring. This seemed to have no effect on our investigation.
Personal Experiences:
Steve reported feeling as if someone was blowing on the back of his neck. When doing an EVP session he saw his EMF meter started to spike and then got the feeling of static and cold chills up his back. The upstairs room had a high base EMF reading of .3 to .5 and had EMF spikes from .3 to .9 then had a big spike to a 2.3 and heard the chair creaking during the same EVP Session. While doing the interview he reported hearing several times a female voice sounding like it was coming from upstairs. Bryce, another team member also heard this. Steve also reported heard footsteps. Steve quotes… "While Steph, myself, and Bryce were in the small room on the second floor I saw a shadow pass the doorway. Originally we thought we had debunked it as the shadows of cars passing, but audio confirms that when I mentioned seeing the shadow an EVP was caught of a woman saying "uh huh" This then followed by another EVP saying "I'm OK". I also heard the loud crash that came from the attic when we were doing the interview."
Becky reported hearing a female voice saying what sounded like 2 words, prior to Stephanie speaking. This was caught on several audio. She also had the feeling that her arm was being pushed, while in the attic. She witnessed unexplained scratching, popping, creaking sounds on the 2nd floor and in the attic.
Our audio evidence revealed what seemed like a woman's faint scream coming from within the house along with several unknown knocking and creaking sounds. With the entire group present on the second floor, we heard what sounded like a computer chair behind a desk being moved but found no evidence of proof to that.
Steph reported that she felt a few breezes by her while on the 2nd floor, like someone has walked past but no one was near her. She also felt that something hit her flashlight when it was sitting on her lap as if it had been tapped hard. It is a mag light so it is quite heavy and there had to of been some pressure to move it about half an inch. She heard a few noises not caused by the team that was also caught on audio. She said she thought she heard someone coming down from the attic steps when she, Bryce and Steve were on the 2nd floor but it could have been sound being carried from the attic.
Bob also felt this cold breeze while he was in the attic area, but it seemed to dissipate quickly.
A recent claim by the resident was made the day after our investigation concerning the front door, when he reported he was attempting to leave the home and the front door was jammed not allowing him to leave. Upon saying a prayer the door was free to open. As a fact to the door claim Bob can confirm it was not swelled or jammed in any way because he witnessed firsthand the night of the investigation that the door itself would not stay closed unless locked completely and sprung open when not locked at all.
Our overall opinion of the home is that it does seem to be highly active and does merit further investigation as to which we are eager to attend.
7 40PM female then odd echoed sound
8 25PM whisper under Steph maybe get out you had just asked
9 10PM this is the best I can clean this up sounds like open this something
9 27PM wanna go downstairs YES
Two weeks later, MVP returned to the home to do a reveal of their investigation. This was followed by another investigation that included a couple of the people in the home.
Personal experiences from this investigation:
Bob writes: my personal experience was in the kitchen, myself and tenant had just went downstairs to investigate the first floor. I was sitting in the chair in the main entrance area and he went into the kitchen for a drink but was only in there for a few seconds, he only turned on a small light over the sink poured a drink and left the room. He walked into another room by the kitchen and was in there for a few seconds and we both heard a loud crash coming from the kitchen. Upon investigating the sound he noticed that a glass pan lid had either fallen or was knocked out of the dish drainer. As we both commented on the lid we were surprised to see that the ceiling fan that had not even been turned on was rotating, this lasted for about one and a half minutes. The blades of the fan kept a consistent but slow rotation but after a minute or so started to slow down. The strange thing is that after the fan stopped the blades began to rotate in reverse several times before stopping completely. Myself and another tenant did hear several shuffling sounds from the attic as we first went up there but did not catch any on audio or video. Steve writes: My personal experiences include. I was in the basement with one of the people who work there doing EVP when I noticed that an area on the landing of the steps had started to grow dark. I asked the person with me if they saw this as well? They said yes. We then watched as the area on the steps grew very dark. A black mass shadow had engulfed and blocked out all ofthe light coming from an outside window as it slowly passed. The shadow seemed to have form. The air became heavy and the feeling of static electricity surrounding me became apparent. Shortly after seeing the shadow we both heard a noise coming from the top of the stairs. Upon returning upstairs we noticed that the door to the basement which had been left wide open was now completely shut. The door does not move on it's own and is quite heavy. An evp was caught shortly after seeing the shadow in response to me asking if it was still there. Also while doing evp in the upstairs apartment, I was doing some mild provocation, when a disembodied male voice was heard by Becky and myself. The voice seemed to say "Shut up!" as if it was responding to my provocation. Becky writes: I felt fluttering on the back of my leg, similar to how a cell phone would feel if it was vibrating. While Steve was doing some mild provoking, it sounded like a voice responded by saying "shut up" When I was sitting downstairs, I heard a creek then the chimes and then the cell sensor beeped just once and registered about .3. I called out to Steve and then Bob, to validate it then went to the door to tell Bob about it. When they came into the room, they checked the cell sensor and it was elevated and on 2, it then beeped one more time. AUDIO 2 3 3and4 6 another whisper upstairs basement activity female lauging behind our voices helpthem lori mary reply to becky davenport home roboticvoice screamandvoice shutup slight whisper davenport home soundfromkitchen spirits that will do whisper what


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text:
Categories: Anti-Islam, Islam
43 replies
Quoted from Jihad Watch: "France: Muslim who killed 4 exchanged texts with wife, "Follow our beloved prophet Mohamed and reflect on Qur'an""
Quote from Douche Watch: "Watson, along with a handleful of other gutter trash, joined forces together to plan out their annual Young Earth Creationist shitstain circle jerk get together.. A sort of Burning Man for Homoerotic Internet Trolls. Watson, when interviewed by Douche Watch local reporters, said "This year I will give the honorary "Fucktard" reach around to Ken, Iggy, Agnostic and of course Douche Lord Supreme, His Smelly Infernal Obese Majesty, Shamu Sham Shamoun"
"Quoted from the Washington Post: "The alleged synagogue shooter was a churchgoer who talked Christian theology, raising tough questions for evangelical pastors"
But who is obeying his God's written laws and who isn't?
Bukhari (52:177) – Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him."
Bukhari (52:256) – The Prophet… was asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The Prophet replied, "They (i.e. women and children) are from them (i.e. pagans)." In this command, Muhammad establishes that it is permissible to kill non-combatants in the process of killing a perceived enemy. This provides justification for the many Islamic terror bombings.
Bukhari (52:220) – Allah's Apostle said… 'I have been made victorious with terror'
Abu Dawud (14:2526) – The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist)
Abu Dawud (14:2527) – The Prophet said: Striving in the path of Allah (jihad) is incumbent on you along with every ruler, whether he is pious or impious
Muslim (1:33) – the Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
Bukhari (8:387) – Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah
Muslim (1:149) – "Abu Dharr reported: I said: Messenger of Allah, which of the deeds is the best? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Belief in Allah and Jihad in His cause…"
Muslim (20:4645) – "…He (the Messenger of Allah) did that and said: There is another act which elevates the position of a man in Paradise to a grade one hundred (higher), and the elevation between one grade and the other is equal to the height of the heaven from the earth. He (Abu Sa'id) said: What is that act? He replied: Jihad in the way of Allah! Jihad in the way of Allah!"
Muslim (20:4696) – "the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: 'One who died but did not fight in the way of Allah nor did he express any desire (or determination) for Jihid died the death of a hypocrite.'"
Muslim (19:4321-4323) – Three separate hadith in which Muhammad shrugs over the news that innocent children were killed in a raid by his men against unbelievers. His response: "They are of them (meaning the enemy)."
Tabari 7:97 The morning after the murder of Ashraf, the Prophet declared, "Kill any Jew who falls under your power." Ashraf was a poet, killed by Muhammad's men because he insulted Islam. Here, Muhammad widens the scope of his orders to kill. An innocent Jewish businessman was then slain by his Muslim partner, merely for being non-Muslim.
Tabari 9:69 "Killing Unbelievers is a small matter to us" The words of Muhammad, prophet of Islam.
Ibn Ishaq: 327 – "Allah said, 'A prophet must slaughter before collecting captives. A slaughtered enemy is driven from the land. Muhammad, you craved the desires of this world, its goods and the ransom captives would bring. But Allah desires killing them to manifest the religion.'"
Ibn Ishaq: 990 – Lest anyone think that cutting off someone's head while screaming 'Allah Akbar!' is a modern custom, here is an account of that very practice under Muhammad, who seems to approve.
Ibn Ishaq: 992 – "Fight everyone in the way of Allah and kill those who disbelieve in Allah." Muhammad's instructions to his men prior to a military raid.
The Quran:
Quran (2:191-193) – "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]… but if desist, then lo! Allah is forgiving and merciful. And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah."
There is a good case to be made that the textual context of this particular passage is defensive war, even if the historical context was not. However, there are also two worrisome pieces to this verse. The first is that the killing of others is authorized in the event of "persecution" (a qualification that is ambiguous at best). The second is that fighting may persist until "religion is for Allah." The example set by Muhammad is not reassuring.
Quran (2:244) – "Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all things."
Quran (2:216) – "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not." Not only does this verse establish that violence can be virtuous, but it also contradicts the myth that fighting is intended only in self-defense, since the audience was obviously not under attack at the time. From the Hadith, we know that Muhammad was actually trying to motivate his people into raiding caravans with this verse.
Quran (3:56) – "As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help."
Quran (3:151) – "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority". This speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they believe in the Trinity (ie. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be 'joining companions to Allah').
Quran (4:74) – "Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward." The martyrs of Islam are unlike the early Christians, led meekly to the slaughter. These Muslims are killed in battle, as they attempt to inflict death and destruction for the cause of Allah. Here is the theological basis for today's suicide bombers.
Quran (4:76) – "Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah…"
Quran (4:89) – "They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks."
Quran (4:95) – "Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). Unto all (in Faith) Hath Allah promised good: But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward,-" This passage criticizes "peaceful" Muslims who do not join in the violence, letting them know that they are less worthy in Allah's eyes. It also demolishes the modern myth that "Jihad" doesn't mean holy war in the Quran, but rather a spiritual struggle. Not only is the Arabic word used in this passage, but it is clearly not referring to anything spiritual, since the physically disabled are given exemption. (The Hadith reveals the context of the passage to be in response to a blind man's protest that he is unable to engage in Jihad and this is reflected in other translations of the verse).
Quran (4:104) – "And be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy; if you suffer pain, then surely they (too) suffer pain as you suffer pain…" Is pursuing an injured and retreating enemy really an act of self-defense?
Quran (5:33) – "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement"
Quran (8:12) – "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them" No reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle.
Quran (8:15) – "O ye who believe! When ye meet those who disbelieve in battle, turn not your backs to them. (16)Whoso on that day turneth his back to them, unless maneuvering for battle or intent to join a company, he truly hath incurred wrath from Allah, and his habitation will be hell, a hapless journey's end."
Quran (8:39) – "And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah" From the historical context we know that the "persecution" spoken of here was simply the refusal by the Meccans to allow Muhammad to enter their city and perform the Haj. Other Muslims were able to travel there, just not as an armed group, since Muhammad declared war on Mecca prior to his eviction. The Meccans were also acting in defense of their religion, since it was Muhammad's intention to destroy their idols and establish Islam by force (which he later did). Hence the critical part of this verse is to fight until "religion is only for Allah." According to Ibn Ishaq (324), Muhammad justified the violence further by explaining that "Allah must have no rivals."
Quran (8:57) – "If thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember."
Quran (8:59-60) – "And let not those who disbelieve suppose that they can outstrip (Allah's Purpose). Lo! they cannot escape. Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and your enemy."
Quran (8:65) – "O Prophet, exhort the believers to fight…"
Quran (9:5) – "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them." According to this verse, the best way of staying safe from Muslim violence is to convert to Islam. Prayer (salat) and the poor tax (zakat) are among the religions Five Pillars.
Quran (9:14) – "Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace…"
Quran (9:20) – "Those who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they who are triumphant." The "striving" spoken of here is Jihad.
Quran (9:29) – "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." "People of the Book" refers to Christians and Jews. This was one of the final "revelations" from Allah and it set in motion the tenacious military expansion, in which Muhammad's companions managed to conquer two-thirds of the Christian world in just the next 100 years. Islam is intended to dominate all other people and faiths.
Quran (9:30) – "And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!"
Quran (9:38-39) – "O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place." This is a warning to those who refuse to fight, that they will be punished with Hell.
Quran (9:41) – "Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew." See also the verse that follows (9:42) – "If there had been immediate gain (in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them" This contradicts the myth that Muslims are to fight only in self-defense, since the wording implies that battle will be waged a long distance from home (in another country and on Christian soil, in this case, according to the historians).
Quran (9:73) – "O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination." Dehumanizing those who reject Islam, by reminding Muslims that they are merely firewood for Hell, makes it easier to justify slaughter. It also explains why today's devout Muslims have little regard for those outside the faith.
Quran (9:88) – "But the Messenger, and those who believe with him, strive and fight with their wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and it is they who will prosper."
Quran (9:111) – "Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Quran: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme."
Quran (9:123) – "O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness."
Quran (18:65-81) – This parable lays the theological groundwork for honor killings, in which a family member is murdered because they brought shame to the family, either through apostasy or perceived moral indiscretion. The story, which is not found in any Jewish or Christian source, tells of Moses encountering a man with "special knowledge" who does things which don't seem to make sense on the surface, but are then justified according to later explanation. One such action is to murder a youth for no apparent reason (74). However, the wise man later explains that it was feared that the boy would "grieve" his parents by "disobedience and ingratitude." He was killed so that Allah could provide them a 'better' son.
Quran (21:44) – "We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them; See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win?"
Quran (25:52) – "Therefore listen not to the Unbelievers, but strive against them with the utmost strenuousness…" "Strive against" is Jihad – obviously not in the personal context. It's also significant to point out that this is a Meccan verse.
Quran (33:60-62) – "If the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and the alarmists in the city do not cease, We verily shall urge thee on against them, then they will be your neighbors in it but a little while. Accursed, they will be seized wherever found and slain with a (fierce) slaughter." This passage sanctions the slaughter (rendered "merciless" and "horrible murder" in other translations) against three groups: Hypocrites (Muslims who refuse to "fight in the way of Allah" (3:167) and hence don't act as Muslims should), those with "diseased hearts" (which include Jews and Christians 5:51-52), and "alarmists" or "agitators who include those who merely speak out against Islam, according to Muhammad's biographers. It is worth noting that the victims are to be sought out by Muslims, which is what today's terrorists do. If this passage is meant merely to apply to the city of Medina, then it is unclear why it is included in Allah's eternal word to Muslim generations.
Quran (47:3-4) – "Those who reject Allah follow vanities, while those who believe follow the truth from their lord. Thus does Allah set forth form men their lessons by similtudes. Therefore when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners," Those who reject Allah are to be subdued in battle. The verse goes on to say the only reason Allah doesn't do the dirty work himself is in order to to test the faithfulness of Muslims. Those who kill pass the test. "But if it had been Allah's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost."
Quran (47:35) – "Be not weary and faint-hearted, crying for peace, when ye should be uppermost (Shakir: "have the upper hand") for Allah is with you," This very important verse asserts that the Religion of Peace is not to grant peace to the broader society until Islamic rule has been established.
Quran (48:17) – "There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick (that they go not forth to war). And whoso obeyeth Allah and His messenger, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow; and whoso turneth back, him will He punish with a painful doom." Contemporary apologists sometimes claim that Jihad means 'spiritual struggle.' Is so, then why are the blind, lame and sick exempted?
Quran (48:29) – "Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard (ruthless) against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves" Islam is not about treating everyone equally. There are two very distinct standards that are applied based on religious status.
Quran (61:4) – "Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way" Religion of Peace, indeed! This is followed by (61:9): "He it is who has sent His Messenger (Mohammed) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam) to make it victorious over all religions even though the infidels may resist."
Quran (61:10-12) – "O ye who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a grievous Penalty?- That ye believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that ye strive (your utmost) in the Cause of Allah, with your property and your persons: That will be best for you, if ye but knew! He will forgive you your sins, and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Gardens of Eternity." This verse was given in battle. It uses the Arabic word, Jihad.
Quran (66:9) – "O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them. Hell will be their home, a hapless journey's end." The root word of "Jihad" is used again here. The context is clearly holy war, and the scope of violence is broadened to include "hypocrites" – those who call themselves Muslims but do not act as such.
From the Hadith:
"2:193. Keep fighting them until there's no more turmoil and religion belongs only to God."
Stewpot found one verse that calls for restraint and ignores the rest. Typical denial. You are still outnumbered stewpot. There are lots more verses against you than for you.
Not that I think Allah is bothered either way as long as Islam benefits.
Even then he shoots himself in the foot because the Quran makes clear that Mohammed would not stop killing until the Meccans were forced to give up their religion and the Kaaba.
It if was only about retaliation against the Meccans there would have been no need to carry on and do the same to the Jews and Christians to put their religions under the control of Islam.
"He it is who has sent His Messenger (Mohammed) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam) to make it victorious over all religions even though the infidels may resist."
So until you find the right context all commands are negated. Where does Allah say you can do that? All commands are binding even if they are contradictory. This is a muddled up religion it appears to me.
If restraint is an option then offensive jihad is also an option. In terms of the number of verses unconditional violent offensive jihad is weighted in its favour over against defensive violent jihad. Allah knows that many muslims will choose this option because they want to become martyrs and secure their place in paradise.
If offensive violent jihad is an option then we have a religion that simply commands its adherents to kill human beings, and thereby give pleasure to Allah, based solely on their religious worldview. All for the sake of gaining political dominance in the form of religious dominance.
Tell me where you take the right to suspend the commands to fight violent jihad against the kuffar as a perpetual command until you find the right context. Where is this right given to you in the islamic scriptures?
"But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them–bring them here and kill them in front of me.'" (Luke 19:27)"
Thats a parable about the end of the world and the second coming of Christ so you won't have any luck with that stewpot.
"And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear."
The context is given in the text itself which is not the case with the killing commands of the Koran.
If Jesus had just said take my enemies and kill them before you might have an argument but he didn't.
So you are comparing apples with oranges like a good takiya bubble blower.
Stewpot: "So knowledge is a condition for the correctness of the statement and action. So these two (statement and action) are not held in high esteem, except due to it (knowledge), so it must take precedence over them; since the correctness of the intention is a prerequisite for the correctness of action." [Fathul-Baaree (1/160)]"
Does that knowledge allow you to pick one commandment of the Koran at the expense of the others? So that If you pick one law to follow, because you apply your context, for which you have no authority from the Koran itself, by the way, then the other laws become null and void?
Stewpot is bigger than the God Allah that he worships because he can make his laws null and void, imagine that. Apparently many muslims in the west do this because they find the killing commands uncomfortable to live with.
Does Tawheed apply to Sharia itself? If so why do Muslims need the concept of abrogation to make sense of their contradictory laws?
No hurt feelings but thanks for your concern even if it is not sincere.
The bottom line still is that you cannot revoke, with one verse of constraint, the commands to kill that are found in the Koran in the hadith which are valid until Sharia is established everywhere.
Other muslims can still keep these commands if you choose not to.
Why did your oh so peaceful and merciful prophet command the killing of singing girls and poets?