Spencer Blames the Wrong People, Again

Robert Spencer makes an attempt to imply that the recent bombing attempts in the UK were the fault of the Anglican Church. One of his most prominent and frequent commentators makes an attempt to connect not only the Archbishop of Canterbury (head of the Anglican Church), but also Prince Charles, who carries the title of Protector of All Faiths . (Spencer's commentary in italics, my comments in bold.) (Anything in blue is a hyperlink to the original text.)

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/017243.php

July 4, 2007
"The people who cure you would kill you"

An Anglican cleric says he was told of the Doctors' Jihad Plot (which in itself ndicates that, as amateurish as it may have been, it was the result of at least some long-term planning), but won't say by whom. Why not?

"Cleric: 'Al-Qa'eda leader told me of bomb plot,'" by Nicole Martin and Sophie Borland in The Telegraph (thanks to Sr. Soph):

A British cleric in Baghdad last night claimed that an al-Qa'eda leader warned him that "the people who cure you would kill you" months before the terrorist bomb plots in Glasgow and London.

Canon Andrew White, who runs the Iraqi capital's only Anglican parish, claimed that he met an unnamed al-Qa'eda leader on the sidelines of a religious reconciliation meeting in Amman, Jordan.

"He told me that the plans were already made and they would soon be destroying the British," Canon White said. "He said the people who cure you would kill you."

Canon White claimed that he had passed on a general warning, but not the specific words, to an official at the Foreign Office in mid-April.

The Foreign Office said last night that "the official in question does not recall the conversation". Canon White said he did not learn the identity of the man until after the meeting, and would not disclose it now.

However, he added: "I met the Devil that day."

Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Canon White. But I can't understand how you could possibly jjustify not letting anyone know who exactly he is.

Posted by Robert at July 4, 2007 7:35 AM

(comment imediately below is from one of Spencer's fan club members:)

A few years ago a guy came up to me on the street and whispered in my ear "Anglicans are wankers"- Now I understand why he said that.

I always wondered about the Archbishop of Canterbury too. And I wonder even more about the 'protector of all faiths'- do you know who?

http://sheikyermami.com/2007/02/28/assholes-of-the-month-charlie-camilla/

Since Spencer has taken to blocking any answers I post to his site, (and then claiming that I refuse to answer questions), I am posting the response here. Even though this question was not addressed to me, as a pastor I am in a position to answer it.

The question was asked: "Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Canon White. But I can't understand how you could possibly justify not letting anyone know who exactly he is."

The answer is that, he may not have been able to reveal specific details because: (1) It is against the law, the cleric's vows and against the church's code of professional ethics to reveal what is said to a cleric during the course of any form of religious counseling. (2) The warning was quite vague, so no specific immediate action could have been taken, (3) The cleric knew that he wouldn't have to break his vows in this case, because it would be pretty easy for the Foreign Office - if they had paid attention and done anything - to identify who the "al Qaida leader" was by other means.

I think the more important question would be: What was Canon White doing meeting with an al Qaida leader? Al Qaida leaders are not religious figures, despite some who self-claim to be. So there would be no cause for "religious reconciliation" with AQ.

My own question is: "Considering the vagueness of the warning, how does the Telegraph jump from that to: 'Told me of a bomb plot' "?

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