Mosques and Toast
Welcome to Willow’s weekly coffee and tea garden. My name is Paul, I’ll be your barista today and I’m happy to be here once again. Please come in and make yourself comfortable. Willow has plumped the cushions and started a cozy fire so we can warm yourselves while we have a cuppa and chat. As usual, I’d be pleased to bring a pot of whatever beverage you prefer – we have a wide range of teas and coffees to satisfy our world-wide readership. Also available is a large selection of spirits for addition to your cuppa or in its place. We can relax while we discuss the affairs of the week both personal and/or worldwide. How has your week been?
Well, it has been cold and snowy here this week and is currently -24 Celsius (about -16 F) as I write this. I am looking forward to joining with you in Willow’s cozy living room by a warm and cheery fire.
As a short update on the Islamic extremist issue, some push back is being felt here in Canada. According to the Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, a particularly violent imam in Montreal is planning to build an Islamic community center. But “The Islamic community centre that controversial imam Hamza Chaoui had hoped to open in east Montreal will not see the light of day, local officials said.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/montreal-wont-grant-imam-permit-to-open- islamic-community-centre/article22734064/ The city went on to elaborate: “Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre backed Menard’s decision, saying it was an issue of public order and safety, and not freedom of expression.” This statement has solidified the Canadian belief that Freedom of Expression is not inalienable – that in fact other concerns come first, like public order and safety. To me this is an inevitable result of extremism that is taught in some mosques by some imams. The issue here, of course, is that now we are legislating religions and what they can say and where they can say it – a form of censure. Religion and politics have always had an uneasy relationship as both seek to capture people’s hearts and be their source of power. And, as the Bible itself says: “No man can have two masters.” The extremists have crossed the line and forced politicians to takeaction to maintain order. This will have serious repercussions but I do not see any meansof avoiding the coming conflict.
So, how about a refill of your drink? And would you like a sweet too – we have cake, cupcakes, biscuits, brownies, and beaver tails (a recent Canadian addition of fried dough with a sugar coating and a fruit or chocolate filling – yum!).
Well now, time for a little levity. A small company in Vermont, US, called Vermont Novelty Toaster, has perfected the ‘Selfie toaster’. For the reasonable price of $64 USD you can send a picture of yourself and receive a toaster that imprints your picture on every slice of \bread you toast. Also available are Jesus, Virgin Mary, Buddha (thank God no Mohammed) and others. The pictures are generated by stainless inserts that slide into a specially designed toaster and which can be interchanged. So, you can have a selfie one day, Jesus another and then a peace sign the following day – it’s all up you. The company can be found at http://www.burntimpressions.com/ . Or if you have a teen who is into Buddhism, you can give her toast with Buddha smiling up at her and you can have your Jesus toast. Hopefully they will not make this available to Muslims.
The possibilities are limitless – if you can take a picture of it, they can put it on toast… That’s about all we have room for this week, so it’s time to settle in with another cuppa and watch the fire. Sweets anyone? Please join me in thanking Willow for her invitation to tea. We are all honored that you dropped by today to visit. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and the conversation and please look around at Willow’s other posts while you’re here. Willow is over there serving her guests and chatting it up. Let’s go see how she is today. Have a great week. We look forward to seeing you back here for tea again next week.
willowdot21 
Thanks for stopping by for coffee! 🙂
It was my pleasure!
Hi Diana!Thank you so much for dropping by for a coffee, a read and a comment. We are honored. I hope your weekend goes well.
Hi Diana Paul is on his way with coffee for you !
It does! Hope yours does as well!
No selfie toaster for me, Paul. It costs too much bread! Thanks for having me by, Paul and Willow. (I’m not going to get into the religion and politics issue again other than yes, it’s heading for a conflict!)
I am not gong there either Mark 🙂 xx
Hi Mark! I think the Head would look fine crafted in toast. Ha! A new experience, a place you’ve never been-on toast Ha! Thanks so much for dropping by for a read, a cuppa and a cooment. It is a pleasure to see you here. I wish you and Karen a great weekend.
🙂
The Head over easy! New breakfast special at my house. You have a good idea there, Paul. 🙂
🙂
Thanks Willow for the opportunity to guest this week. It is a pleasure as usual to be able to visit and have a cuppa with you .
My pleasure Paul xx
I love the customizable toaster! What a grand idea for those who have it all, and even for those of us who don’t!
Hello again Corina Paul is on his way with coffee.;)
Hi Corina! Thanks so much for dropping by for a read and cuppa. I thought the toaster was neat too. I saw it on a TV program in passing this week, so i looked it up and was amazed. i hope your week goes well and pleae drop by again.
Xxx
Selfie toaster is no good for me I like me toast lightly toasted not burnt which most of these pictures seem to involve burnt bits to make the picture
Welcome Paula , Paul is on his way!!
Hi Paula! We are honored that you dropped by for a cuppa and a comment. Yes, toast brownness is a very personal thing, isn’t it? I can certanly understand your concern. Ha! Perhaps you could make some toast for a family member or pet that would please them. You see toast with faces have many uses. Ha! You can even make a religious statement with it, but it’s probably a good idea to stay away from images of Mohammed. You could be the first person in history to have a fatwa declared over toast. Ha! thanks so much for the visit Paula, please drop by again.
Yes please do!
Those selfie toasts are a creepy idea. I’ll pass, thank you.
Cold snap here and snow. We had an emergency weather warning yesterday and I had no idea because I hadn’t been out all day. B-r-r. Might as well stay in where it’s cozy and save gas.
OH! yes say warm I hate the cold!
Cold is not in my vocabulary. !
And it is definitely not in mine either!!
I use ‘b-r-r-r.’ 🙄
Hi LCTC! Thanks for dropping by for a cuppa and a chat. You find toast selfies creepy? Hmm, well I can uderstand that. Yes it has gotten very cold here as well. We are also predicted to get some snow later in the week. At least it’s February and only 4 weeks to March – the start of spring. Always look on the bright side. 😀
Thansk so much for the visit LCTC and hoopefuly we’ll see you again next week. I’ll try to pick a topic less creepy next time. Have a great week.
Ha ha. I see three more months of snow. February, March and whenever Mother Nature gets tired of the game in April. Last year it snowed on April 15th.
🙂
I can’t believe I’m about to say this but some forms of censure are necessary, as are some forms of racial profiling. They’re not Brazilian terrorists trying to blow up airplanes. Or Swedish terrorists. Or Chinese, Indian or Mexican. They’re Islamic and they should be scrutinized. Sorry.
I remember the days when seeing Jesus’ name burned into a slice of toast was a miracle. An accident.
Hi Mark! Sorry I missed this comment. I actually agree with you Mark – i know it is profiling but realistically if the odds increase of stopping terrorism by scrutinizing Muslims – then so be it. The math – right now- is clear: most terrorism is being foisted upon the free world by Muslims. There are those who say that is unjust but I disagree. If the Muslims do not like this situation, it is well within their power to clean house and report those who teach terrorism and who promote terrorism – Muslims are not powerless to address this situation.
The image of Christ in the toast amused me – you are right, it used to be considered an act of God and now it is the act of a $64 toaster -also I found it amusing given the present state of the Mohammed image debacle, that Mohammed on toast could ignite a religious war seemed somewhat interesting. To me any sequence of events or thoughts that follow a prescribed line of reasoning and result in an inanity, have a flaw somehere in the original logic that controlled the sequence. i.e. if a piece of toast could start a fatwah resulting in deaths, then there is a flaw in there somewhere.
Thanks so much for dropping by Mark. Please feel free to come by again.Once again I apologise for the lateness of the response.