BBC 1 Newsround’s ‘ISLAM WEEK’

Earlier this year BBC 1 Children’s Television had a special week of programmes called ‘ISLAM WEEK’ that were broadcast on the children’s news programme called NEWSROUND. I had sent a number of emails to the BBC information office but eventually there was ‘silence’ on the part of the BBC so I then emailed the Director General of the BBC, Mark Thompson on 27 April and herewith is the email I sent him and subsequent emails that have been exchanged.

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 13 May 2005

Dear Mr Thompson,

I am setting out for you the exchange of emails that took place between myself and your ‘information’ office and I would ask you, as they have failed to respond to my request, to let me know if the BBC will publicly correct the misinformation that was put out by Newsround.

I await hearing from you.

Cecil Andrews

  • Email sent to BBC on 26 January 2005

Dear Sirs,

I am writing to lodge a protest against the inaccuracies contained in and being suggested by the current series of Newsround programmes on the religion of Islam.

1. In the first programme a young Muslim contributor said ‘Islam means peace’. This is not true, Islam means SUBMISSION and the aim of Muslims is to bring the whole world into submission to the religion of Islam. The following is the text of comments made by a leading Muslim cleric in America that illustrates this point –

San Ramon Valley Herald, dated July 4, 1998. American Muslim Leader Urges Faithful to Spread Word

Lisa Gardiner San Ramon Valley Herald July 4, 1998

FREMONT–The chairman of a national Islamic watchdog group urged Muslims Thursday not to separate or assimilate to American society, but instead to deliver Islam’s message.

Omar M. Ahmad, chairman of the board of the Council on American-Islamic relations, spoke before a packed crowd at the Flamingo Palace banquet hall on Peralta Boulevard, urging Muslims not to shirk their duty of sharing the Islamic faith with those who are “on the wrong side.”

Muslim institutions, schools and economic power should be strengthened in America, he said. Those who stay in America should be “open to society without melting (into it),” keeping mosques open so anyone can come and learn about Islam, he said.

“If you choose to live here (in America) . . . you have a responsibility to deliver the message of Islam,” he said.

“Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant,” he said. “The Koran, the Muslim book of scripture, should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth,” he said.

2. Are Newsround planning to report what happens to Christians in America who oppose this plan to bring it into submission to the false religion of Islam. By way of illustration here is a recent report

‘ISLAMIC HATE’ By DOUGLAS MONTERO and STEFAN C. FRIEDMAN

January 16, 2005 — The father of a murdered New Jersey family was threatened for making anti-Muslim remarks online – and the gruesome quadruple slaying may have been the hateful retaliation, sources told The Post yesterday. Hossam Armanious, 47, who along with his wife and two daughters was found stabbed to death in his Jersey City home early Friday, would regularly debate religion in a Middle Eastern chat room, one source said. Armanious, an Egyptian Christian, was well known for expressing his Coptic beliefs and engaging in fiery back-and-forth with Muslims on the Web site paltalk.com. He “had the reputation for being one of the most outspoken Egyptian Christians,” said the source, who had close ties to the family. The source, who had knowledge of the investigation, refused to specify the anti-Muslim statement. But he said cops told him they were looking into the exchanges as a possible motive. The married father of two had recently been threatened by Muslim members of the Web site, said a fellow Copt and store clerk who uses the chat room. “You’d better stop this bull—- or we are going to track you down like a chicken and kill you,” was the threat, said the clerk, who was online at the time and saw the exchange. But Armanious refused to back down, according to two sources who use the Web site. Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy would neither confirm nor deny that cops and prosecutors were looking into the religion motive, saying only that “nothing is being ruled out.” But a relative of the mayor who answered the phone at Healy’s home said there was information the murders were “religion-related.” “There are several theories we are looking into, but we are not commenting on any of them at this time,” said Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Guy Gregory. Armanious’ fervor apparently rubbed off on his daughter, Sylvia – who would have turned 16 yesterday. “She was very religious and very opinionated,” said Jessica Cimino, 15, a fellow sophomore at Dickenson HS. A family member who viewed photos of the bloodbath said Sylvia seemed to have taken the most savage punishment. “When we saw the pictures, you could tell that they were hurt really, really bad in the face; especially Sylvia,” said Milad Garas, the high-school sophomore’s great-uncle. The heartless killer not only slit Sylvia’s throat, but also sliced a huge gash in her chest and stabbed her in the wrist, where she had a tattoo of a Coptic cross. Also found murdered were the wife, Amal Garas, and the parents’ other daughter, Monica. Fred Ayed, the deacon at St. George and St. Shenouda Church, where the deeply religious family attended services, said he’s worried that the murders could have a ripple effect. “I am concerned for the safety of our community,” said Ayed, who knew Hossam for 30 years. “People are scared because one family was slain like cows,” said Moheb Ghabour, publisher of a local newspaper for the Coptic community. Osama Hassan, director of the Islamic Center of Jersey City, described the relationship between Copts and Muslims as cooperative if not friendly. “I think there might be people that can get into physical fights, but not to the point of murder,” Hassan said. Both the deacon and uncle poured cold water on the theory that the family were the victims of a robbery gone wrong. “This is not a robbery, Ayed said. “We found all of the jewelry in the house. They didn’t take anything.” The FBI confirmed it has been called in to help with the case.

3. In the first programme an information ‘banner’ that went across the screen said that ‘Islam respects Jesus as a prophet’. This is not true because when you examine all their beliefs on ‘Jesus’ they deny His self-proclaimed Deity and His teaching concerning His death and resurrection so Islam does NOT respect the true Biblical Lord Jesus Christ.

4. In the second programme an attempt was made to portray Islam as a religion under persecution and one that sits comfortably with Western Democracy. This is not true. The opposite is in fact the case. Islam is a totalitarian ‘way of life’ that embraces both religious and ‘secular’ behaviour. Islam uses Western democratic freedoms to grow and when it has sufficient strength it demands the right to impose Sharia law in place of democratic law. Already in the UK there are special ‘tax concessions’ allowed by Chancellor Gordon Brown to accomodate the Islamic way of doing things. In Canda Muslims are demanding the right to impose Sharia law in areas where they have a majority. In Nigeria provinces that were once predominantly Christian are now being forcibly [to the point of death] made to accept Sharia law in place of the Constitutionally Agreed law of the land. The truth is that Islam and Democracy cannot mix [they are like the proverbial oil and water.].

5. Are Newsround planning to show what happens to Christians in Saudi Arabia [home of Mecca] where Christians are imprisoned for being the Christians that Christ wants them to be. Herewith by way of example a report from last December –

“A Saudi father of four has been arrested and imprisoned for converting to Christianity. Emad Alaabadi was arrested Nov. 29, but the news was reported only a few days ago by the Washington, D.C.-based human rights group International Christian Concern (ICC). Local sources confirmed Alaabadi’s arrest to AsiaNews, an agency of the Pontifical Institute of Foreign Missions, stating that “he is not the only Saudi Christian in prison at present. … There are others.” The presence of Christians in Saudi prisons had also been confirmed by Brian O’Connor, an Indian Protestant who was deported from Saudi Arabia after being tortured and held in prison for “evangelizing.” ICC said at least three Christians were arrested along with Alaabadi. Fundamentalist Wahhabi Islam is the only expression of religion allowed in Saudi Arabia. Alaabadi, 30, converted to Christianity two years ago. He was intercepted by the muttawah, the Saudi religious police, while driving his children home from school. The police escorted the children home and then took Alaabadi to the local prison in Hofuf. Later he was transferred to Jeddah. On Dec. 4, he managed to telephone his mother in Australia, who said that he sounded “very weak.”

6. Are Newsround planning to run a week on ‘Biblical Christianity’ [not the watered down, poisoned and perverted, politically correct and ecumenical so-called ‘Christianity’ that goes out on BBC TV and Radio] that will allow the truth of the exclusive Gospel of “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” [1 Corinthians 2:2] to be proclaimed? If so I can direct them to a faithful Christian Pastor based in England [one who is well-versed on the true nature of Islam].

Your servant for Christ

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries

Reply eventually received from BBC on 14 February 2005

Dear Mr Andrews

Thank you for your further e-mail regarding Islam Week on Newsround?.

Newsround often looks at topics in greater detail if they have been making a lot of headlines in the papers and TV. The reason why our latest subject was Islam is because it is a religion which has been in the news spotlight in recent years, ever since the attacks on America on September the 11th 2001. It is also the fastest growing religion in the UK and Muslims now form the largest religious minority group in the UK.

Whenever we have covered Islamic issues that has always generated a big response from our audience, many of whom have expressed a desire to know more. Many Muslim children feel the community has been portrayed in a negative way in the media.

During the week we were trying to look at different aspects of Islam, such as what young British Muslims think about they way they are treated, hearing the views of British Muslim girls who have been criticised for wearing headscarves, taking a Lancashire born Muslim boy to explore his cultural roots in Pakistan, and hearing what kids in general think of the religion.

This year Newsround is also planning an Africa week, and a China week. In each case they are areas which are having an increasing influence on our lives in Britain, and are also fascinating places to find out more about.

Whether it is Islam week, Africa week, or China week, in each case they are topics which are newsworthy, and also increasingly important to understand if we are all to understand the world around us. Newsround would also feature programmes on another religion, if that religion had been reported a lot in the news over a long period of time.

I hope this goes some way of explaining BBC’s stand on the matter, however I recognize that you might continue to hold a different view and please be assured that your comments have been carefully registered for the attention of the editor and production team.

Regards

Heidi Bjorklund BBC Informaiton

Email sent to BBC on 22 February 2005

Dear Heidi,

Although your email was addressed to me are you sure the right email was sent to me as NONE of the issues I raised about the contents broadcast on Newsround have been addressed. You represent the ‘Information ‘ office and my queries deal with MISINFORMATION broadcast by the BBC.

The following are [briefly] the points I raised –

1. In the first programme a young Muslim contributor said ‘Islam means peace’. This is not true, Islam means SUBMISSION and the aim of Muslims is to bring the whole world into submission to the religion of Islam.

DO THE BBC PLAN TO PUBLICLY CORRECT THIS MISINFORMATION?

2. Are Newsround planning to report what happens to Christians in America who oppose this plan to bring it into submission to the false religion of Islam.

DO THE BBC PLAN TO REPORT THIS FACT?

3. In the first programme an information ‘banner’ that went across the screen said that ‘Islam respects Jesus as a prophet’. This is not true when you examine all their beliefs on ‘Jesus’

DO THE BBC PLAN TO PUBLICLY CORRECT THIS MISINFORMATION?

4. In the second programme an attempt was made to portray Islam as a religion under persecution and one that sits comfortably with Western Democracy. This is not true.

DO THE BBC PLAN TO PUBLICLY CORRECT THIS MISINFORMATION?

5. Are Newsround planning to show what happens to Christians in Saudi Arabia [home of Mecca] where Christians are imprisoned for being the Christians that Christ wants them to be.

DO THE BBC PLAN TO REPORT THIS FACT?

6. Are Newsround planning to run a week on ‘Biblical Christianity’ [not the watered down, poisoned and perverted, politically correct and ecumenical so-called ‘Christianity’ that goes out on BBC TV and Radio] that will allow the truth of the exclusive Gospel of “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” [1 Corinthians 2:2] to be proclaimed?

DO THE BBC HAVE SUCH ‘PARITY OF ESTEEM’ PLANS?

A detailed response is requested.

Your servant for Christ

 Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries

  • Email sent to BBC on 11 March 2005

Dear Heidi,

Can I soon expect the courtesy of a studied response to the following email that was sent to you on 22nd February?

Yours, waiting patiently

– ‘Take Heed’ Ministries

Dear Mr Andrews,

Mark Thompson has asked me to reply to your email of the 27th of April as I am Head of CBBC News and Factual Programmes.

I would like to make clear that Newsround’s reports during the week of 24th of January into the lives of Moslems was not intended as a week of religious broadcasting. It was a look at the issues surrounding Moslem communities in Britain and around the world given that they have had a high profile in the news over many months.

As explained in previous correspondence this was an attempt to look behind the headlines particularly since the attacks of 9/11.

With reference to your first point about the translation of the meaning of Islam, there are different schools of thought on this.

For our report we asked a young British Moslem to explain to our audience of under 12s what Islam means to him. He said in the report ‘Islam means peace, which means we try to be modest, kind and honest to all people.’ This was his own interpretation as a young practicing Moslem.

We spoke to his family who said ‘Islam is often translated as submission but that is only due to the relative poverty of expression in the English language….. A precise translation of Islam would be ‘the act of peacefully accepting (God)’.

Also a BBC World service guide to Islam states that: ‘”Islam” is an Arabic word which means surrendering oneself to the will of God, and achieving peace and security by doing so.’

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/islam.shtml

In relation to your question about whether we will report on the murder story in New Jersey, or the Saudi story, Newsround is a UK-based programme which reflects British society and news. It will also report stories around the world if we consider them relevant enough to a young British audience, for example the Tsunami, the Iraqi war, the Arab-Israeli conflict, development and environment stories. However, should such stories you have suggested have such a significant international resonance then we would consider covering them.

Your comment that Islam does not consider Jesus a prophet is not accurate. Islam does consider Jesus to be one of the prophets, however does not of course consider him the Son of God. Again, from the BBC World Service guide, ‘Muhammad was the final messenger through whom Allah revealed the faith to the world. There had been earlier messengers, among them Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.’

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/islam_begin.shtml

Your fourth points relates to our second programme of the week. I am not exactly sure which parts you were referring to, however reports within this programme explored the views of Moslems in the USA and also in Jordan. The message of the children we spoke to was clear – not all Moslems are extremists and any assumption that this was true was unfair.

Lastly, I would again refer you to the fact that our week was not a week of religious programming, and so we have no plans at the moment to hold a ‘Biblical Christianity’ week as this does not fall within the remit of a news programme. There are already Christian-based programmes across BBC output.

If you are unhappy with our response, and you believe we have breached the BBC’s editorial standards, you can appeal to the Editorial Complaints Unit which examines such complaints independently. The ECU’s address is BBC, Media Centre, Media Village, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TQ

Yours sincerely,

  • Roy Milani
  • Head of CBBC News and Factual Programmes
  • cc. Mark Thomspon

 Dear Mr Milani,

Thank you for your email that I will give considered thought to as time permits.

However, please let me at this point correct an important inaccuracy in your email. You wrote ‘Your comment that Islam does not consider Jesus a prophet is not accurate’. I did not write what you claim I wrote. This is what I wrote –

“In the first programme an information ‘banner’ that went across the screen said that ‘Islam respects Jesus as a prophet’. This is not true because when you examine all their beliefs on ‘Jesus’ they deny His self-proclaimed Deity and His teaching concerning His death and resurrection so Islam does NOT respect the true Biblical Lord Jesus Christ”.

I certainly do acknowledge that Islam considers Jesus to be ‘a prophet’ but what I wrote said that they do not truly RESPECT Him for the prophet that He truly was because they deny the aspects I mentioned such as His self-proclaimed deity and His self-proclaimed atoning death etc and so in reality they make Him out to be a liar. So Islam does not respect the Biblically revealed prophet, priest and king, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Meantime, I remain your servant for the Lord Jesus Christ

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries

Dear Mr Milani,

Further to my email of 4 May in response to yours of the same date I would comment further as follows:

For you to say that Newsround’s ‘Islam Week’ was ‘not intended as a week of religious broadcasting’ betrays two things [1] Your are a victim of total self-delusion as even the name ‘Islam Week’ highlights the religious nature of the coverage and [2] You are obviously either unaware or choosing to ignore the nature of ‘Islam’ which is a totalitarian way of life and the ‘religious’ cannot be separated from the ‘secular’.

As regards the meaning of ‘Islam’ the definitions that you cited actually confirm what I said in my email that Islam means SUBMISSION – it does not mean ‘peace’. Your first definition was ‘the act of peacefully accepting God’ – that simply means SUBMITTING to God in a peaceful manner – it does not mean that the word ‘Islam’ itself means ‘peace’. Your second definition was ‘surrendering oneself to the will of God and achieving peace and security by doing so’ – that simply again means SUBMITTING to God and the ‘fruit’ of that SUBMISSION will be ‘peace and security’ but again it does not mean that the word ‘Islam’ itself means ‘peace’. In these definitions ‘peace’ is simply the manner of SUBMITTING and the fruit of SUBMITTING as required by ‘Islam’.

As regards your comment ‘not all Moslems are extremists’ – that is true – there are what may be termed ‘Moderate Moslems’ – the sad truth however is that there is no such a thing as ‘Moderate Islam’ as the bloody past history and ongoing reality today of this religion testifies.

One final comment – your statement ‘There are already Christian-based programmes across BBC output’ is yet another example of total self-delusion – what passes for ‘Christianity’ on the BBC has nothing in common with the Biblical Gospel of the crucified, risen and soon-coming Lord Jesus Christ but is rather shaped by the liberal forces that want nothing to do with the exclusive claims of “the one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” [1st Timothy 2:5].

Yours, His unworthy servant

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries

Following the posting of this article to the website I was directed to the following news item that was reported on the following web link

http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82560

Moslem Cleric Calls for Revenge Against Britain on PA TV 16:47 May 25, ’05 / 16 Iyar 5765

In a sermon broadcast live on Palestinian Authority TV, a cleric affiliated with Hamas says Islam must rule over the U.S. and Great Britain, and must exact revenge against the British.

A Moslem cleric called for exacting revenge against Great Britain in a virulent sermon broadcast live on Palestinian television on Friday, May 13. The cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim Mudeiras, who has become a symbol of Palestinian hatred of Israel and the Western world, said the day will come when Islam “will rule Britain”.

“We hold this opportunity to hold Britain accountable and say there is revenge we can never forget. We cannot forego the revenge we want to exact from Britain. We hold Britain responsible for what happened in Palestine. Britain is the cause, till this very minute, of every drop of blood dripping in this land,” Mudeiras told Arab viewers in the Palestinian Authority.

Mudeiras set forth an Islamic program for world domination, claiming that Islam will ultimately prevail and rule both Britain and the United States.

“I say to you: You must look at our situation with an outlook of confidence in Allah’s victory! If you help Allah [spread Islam], Allah will bring you victory. We once ruled the world and the day will come when, by god, we will rule the entire world.

“The day will come when we will rule the United States, the day will come when we will rule Britain, we will rule the whole world [and all will live in peace and comfort under our rule] except the Jews. The Jews will not live in peace and comfort under our rule. Treachery will keep being their nature throughout history. The day will come when the whole world will rid itself of the Jews.”

Mudeiras’ speech was filled with anti-Semitic invective, rivaling some of the worst propaganda to come out of Nazi Germany. See article, “Subjugate Christians, Exterminate Jews” in the Arab Press section of INN’s website.

Despite the anti-British rhetoric broadcast on Palestinian television, British officials have confirmed reports that discussion is underway regarding opening ties with Hamas members who may be elected to the Palestinian Authority (PA) parliament.

Mudeiras is a Moslem cleric affiliated with Hamas.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom that Israel need not worry, explaining his government will not open relations with terrorists, but is considering some level of contact with persons who recognize the State of Israel’s right to exist, and have turned to a life which shuns terrorism.

Foreign Ministry official Gideon Meir stated that any contact with Hamas by a foreign government, on any level, will only serve to strengthen the terror organization and facilitate efforts towards continuing attacks against Israel.