| Author | Topic |
mbellos
NIGERIA
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 Topic initiated on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 - 10:56 PM 
Swine Flu
Assalamoeleikum warahmatullahewabarakatuhu
I wanted to know what people from different faiths think about such viral infections. Do you believe that there is a factor of involvement of God? Like the rule of Punishment and Reward or Accountability in this world. Just like other natural disasters,Earthquakes, Tsunamis and others. |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Saturday, May 2, 2009 - 8:10 AM 
hv received from some faith partnership members
Dear Henna
I have a real problem with the idea that natural disasters and swine flu are punishments form God. Science tells us that we live on a planet which is not gentle as a pussycat, but which is still young in years, and still is changing and cooling internally. Plates are shifting, volcanoes erupt and sunamis happen. That is the nature of tis world; God doesn't send a sunami at a certain time to punish us. the earth is just created in this way.
I have heard it said that God made a bad job of creating this world.
As for swine fever or any other virus being a punishment; this is to me primitive superstition. Whilste we worry that these cases may be the beginnings of a pandemic, I do not feel we yet need to shiver in our boots, or panic.
we should rely on scientists, doctors and governments to work together across the globe to produce vaccines ready for people, and perhaps the priority should not be those with money, but those most at risk; the young, the old, healthworkers, emergency services, police, faith leaders, school teachers.
It is still my hope that this will not be a pandemic, but even if it is we cannot blame God, but pray for the strength of body to resist the illness, and for the strength of character to work for the good of all even in the darkest of times. And may God in his mercy help us to do all that we can for ourselves and our neighbours.
as ever,
Linda
Rev.Linda Rosahillier
Dear Dr Henna Khan
I find this question difficult to discuss for several reasons. In spite of the fact that Christians, Jews and Muslims worship the One God, (Arab Christians call him Allah as do Muslims), we understand God's nature with different emphases.
For Christians the primary emphasis would be on the statement 'God is Love'. I know that in various ways different Muslim traditions also have this emphasis but the emphasis in these replies seems to be on God's righteousness and judgement. These are attributes of God as Christians believe in him also but the starting point for our thinking is different.
Certainly 'sin' is evident widely in human-nature. It is the arrogant attitude that ignores the wisdom of living according to God's will; being compassionate, considerate, truthful, generous, overcoming our pride, greed and self-delusions as we attempt to reflect the divine love seeking the maslaha of all women and men.
Much of the World's suffering is the consequence of pride, greed and ignorance and some is due to deliberate perversion! This is all in contravention of God's will. I believe those who seek to grow spiritually and are committed to deepening their communion with God will experience the most profound bliss, (and Christian's believe that by faith in the saving work of Jesus we can have this relationship of communion), while those who live lives driven by self-centredness and greed of various kinds and who deliberately deny all relationship with God probably do presently and will ultimately bring unimaginable suffering upon themselves and others.
But sometimes the chain of causality is too complicated for us as humans to understand. We should always respond in compassion to those who suffer and always strive to bring suffering and its causes to an end if it is possible. If there is nothing we can do to alleviate the situation we can pray for those who suffer and, if we are close enough, simply be with them to support them with our love in their suffering. Much suffering is completely 'innocent' , a fact of life!
Phillip Pippind
Religious Teacher
(Retd: British Army) |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Friday, July 17, 2009 - 9:43 PM
KEY POINTS
•
GP consultation rates in England for individuals presenting with flu-like illness show increased rates, above the threshold level for normal seasonal flu activity and higher than the peak activity in winter 08/09.
•
The under-5s and 5-14 year olds are the age groups predominantly affected.
•
The majority of cases continue to be mild with 29 deaths in England to date.
•
HPA estimates that there were 55,000 new cases of swine flu last week (range 30,000 – 85,000).
This estimate is based on latest weekly consultation rates for flu-like illness, taking into consideration positivity rates for swine flu H1N1 from HPA’s virological sampling and a range of assumptions related to the numbers of people attending their GP.
INTERNATIONAL SUMMARY
Total of Confirmed Cases reported by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) (Update 17:00 CEST 14 July 2009)
Grand total of cases confirmed
119,344
Total of deaths reported
589
Table 1: Countries with more than 1000 laboratory-confirmed cases reported, as at 14 July (in addition to UK).
Country
Cumulative total number of cases reported
Cumulative total number of deaths reported
Argentina
2,928
94
Australia
9,050
19
Brazil
1,027
2
Canada
9,717
39
Chile
9,549
25
China (mainland)
1,362
0
China (Hong Kong)
1,327
0
Japan
2,919
0
Mexico
11,699
121
New Zealand
1,779
7
Peru
1,912
5
Philippines
2,668
3
Singapore
1,217
0
Spain
1,034
2
Thailand
2,428
9
USA
37,246
211
Following the move from laboratory testing for confirmation of swine flu (H1N1v) to clinical diagnosis of cases, the level of flu in the community is being monitored using a range of surveillance mechanisms. These enable HPA to accurately estimate flu levels, monitor new and emerging viruses and identify trends in activity. Our experience over many flu seasons means we can confidently continue to monitor the incidence and distribution of this pandemic virus over the summer and beyond.
A more detailed UK weekly epidemiology update can be accessed at:
accessed at:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&;Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1242949541993?p=1242949541993
Edited by: hkhan on Friday, July 17, 2009 10:58 PM |
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aboosait
INDIA
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Posted - Saturday, September 12, 2009 - 8:09 AM
No swine flu death among Umrah performers MoH
ref:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...=2009091149518
A total of 128 swine flu cases among Umrah performers andresidents have been reported since the beginning of Ramadan, a Ministry ofHealth medical bulletin said Thursday.
It said all cases had fully recovered and that no deathsamong the visitors to the Prophets Mosque and Umrah performers have beenreported so far.
Ajyad Emergency Hospital has been provided with allnecessary medical equipment and facilities to meet any medical contingency.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeah, Minister of Health, said theministry has set up six health centers with trained medical personnel insidethe Holy Haram. Two of the centers have recently been set up by the ministry toprovide medical services to Umrah performers in Mataf and Masa while the restare situated in the upper part of the Holy Haram near the King Fahd Gate.
Meanwhile, Egypt decided to delay the start of classes forschools and universities as a precautionary measure. SPA |
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