"Swine flu" offends Jews, Muslims

geirj
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"Swine flu" offends Jews, Muslims

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http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-04-28-swine-flu-jews-muslims_N.htm

 

Israeli official: Swine flu name offensive to Jews, Muslims

JERUSALEM (AP) — The outbreak of swine flu should be renamed "Mexican" influenza in deference to Muslim and Jewish sensitivities over pork, said an Israeli health official Monday.

Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman said the reference to pigs is offensive to both religions and "we should call this Mexican flu and not swine flu," he told a news conference at a hospital in central Israel.

 

Both Judaism and Islam consider pigs unclean and forbid the eating of pork products.

Scientists are unsure where the new swine flu virus originally emerged, though it was identifed first in the United States. They say there is nothing about the virus that makes it "Mexican" and worry such a label would be stigmatizing.

 

Two Israelis who recently visited Mexico have been hospitalized with symptoms of the flu. Health authorities have not yet confirmed whether they actually have the virus.

The current strain of swine flu is thought to have originated in Mexico where more than 100 people have been killed by the disease so far.

Laboratories in the U.S. and Canada have confirmed that of the samples tested so far, the swine flu virus in Mexico and U.S. appear to be the same.

 


Cpt_pineapple
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geirj wrote:  Both Judaism

geirj wrote:

 

 Both Judaism and Islam consider pigs unclean

 

How the hell does spreading the swine flu imply that pigs are clean?

 

 

 


JillSwift
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Well, "Influenza A virus

Well, "Influenza A virus subtype H1N1" just doesn't have the same zing.

 I swear, some people sure do scower the earth for things to be offended by, and that really offends me. Stop it!

"Anyone can repress a woman, but you need 'dictated' scriptures to feel you're really right in repressing her. In the same way, homophobes thrive everywhere. But you must feel you've got scripture on your side to come up with the tedious 'Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve' style arguments instead of just recognising that some people are different." - Douglas Murray


geirj
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Cpt_pineapple wrote:geirj

Cpt_pineapple wrote:

geirj wrote:

Both Judaism and Islam consider pigs unclean

 

How the hell does spreading the swine flu imply that pigs are clean? 

At least they found something to agree on. I sense a revitalization of the peace process.

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Carpet Bomb Israel/Palestine

Carpet Bomb Israel/Palestine with Pigs and watch as the two cultures connect over the subsequent Pigocaust (???).

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geirj wrote:At least they

geirj wrote:

At least they found something to agree on. I sense a revitalization of the peace process.

 

Actually I think it was a mistranslation, the Torah/Quran was refering to politicians.

 

 

 

 

 


geirj
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Cpt_pineapple wrote:geirj

Cpt_pineapple wrote:

geirj wrote:

At least they found something to agree on. I sense a revitalization of the peace process.

 

Actually I think it was a mistranslation, the Torah/Quran was refering to politicians.

Of course! In that case, we should really be calling this "Bush flu".

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geirj
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Cpt_pineapple wrote:geirj

Double-postage.


treat2 (not verified)
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I and my fellow brethren

I and my fellow brethren pigs found Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman remarks to be insensitive, and highly offensive!

We demand a public appology and that Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman eat our pork!


mrjonno
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Pig farmers are claiming its

Pig farmers are claiming its offensive to them as there isnt any direct evidence that the disease came from pigs and anyway many diseases originate in other animals and arent named after them (not making this up)


Vastet
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It was my understanding that

It was my understanding that only the media is referring to this as "swine flu", while the technical description is "novel flu".

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EXC
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What surprising to me is

What surprising to me is that they don't use this as propaganda to say "Islam is true and you infidels are being punished for not listening to Allah's commandments about pigs being unclean".

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Apparently at hospitals and

Apparently at hospitals and in the health field the virus is referred to as SOIV.  Guess what that acronym means.  Anyhow, who cares what the virus is called?  The Spanish Flu has nothing to do with Spain and yet we call it The Spanish Flu.

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mrjonno wrote:Pig farmers

mrjonno wrote:

Pig farmers are claiming its offensive to them as there isnt any direct evidence that the disease came from pigs and anyway many diseases originate in other animals and arent named after them (not making this up)

Yep, just got back from visiting Iowa and it was in one of the local papers - http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Farmers-worry-swine-flu-apf-15062070.html

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treat2 (not verified)
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Vastet wrote:It was my

Vastet wrote:

It was my understanding that only the media is referring to this as "swine flu", while the technical description is "novel flu".

god! Spare me, not another novel.