In a deeply controversial decision that has shocked religious communities, Swedish authorities have given permission for a public burning of sacred Jewish and Christian texts, scheduled to occur outside Israel’s embassy in Stockholm this Saturday, July 15th.
Upon hearing the news, the umbrella organization of Jewish communities in Sweden released a poignant statement on Friday expressing their profound consternation and sadness. “As a people of the book, the Torah is our most sacred treasure of moral codes and ethics that have changed the world we live in,” the statement read.
It further highlighted the painful echoes of Jewish history in Europe, where the burning of Jewish books has often heralded times of extreme persecution, such as pogroms, expulsions, inquisitions, and the Holocaust.
The Jewish Central Council joined in, voicing their strong condemnation of this misuse of freedom of expression, framing it as a tool to sow seeds of hatred within society. In a remarkable gesture of solidarity, the Council also declared its support for the Muslim community in Sweden, following previous instances of Quran burnings that had caused outrage and distress.
This shocking development follows reports earlier this month about three applications to burn religious scriptures – including the Quran, the Torah, and the New Testament – submitted to the Swedish police. These plans, two in Stockholm and one in Helsingborg, sparked serious concerns and drew widespread condemnation.
US and Israeli flags burn as people rally to denounce the burning of the Koran in Sweden and the Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, in Sanaa, Yemen July 4, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/KHALED ABDULLAH)In one particularly concerning case, the organizer of a proposed Quran burning outside a mosque in Stockholm expressed the intention to carry out the act “as soon as possible”. The recent burning of a Quran outside a Stockholm mosque had already sparked widespread anger and criticism, and has potentially detrimental political ramifications for Sweden’s NATO accession process.
With the approval of these public burnings, Sweden finds itself at the intersection of freedom of speech and respect for religious beliefs. How the nation will navigate this delicate balance in the face of such a controversial decision remains to be seen. The call from religious communities for an end to these acts of desecration is clear, as they stress the need for unity, respect, and harmony in our diverse global society.
The European Jewish Congress reacts
The European Jewish Congress (EJC) said in a statement that they “strongly condemn the decision of Swedish authorities to allow the provocative burning of holy books and texts by extremists in the country.”
EJC president Dr. Ariel Muzicant said that “provocative, racist, antisemitic and sickening acts such as these have no place in any civilised society.
“Stamping on the deepest religious and cultural sensibilities of people is the clearest expression possible to send a message that minorities are unwelcome and unrespected,” Muzicant added. “These actions, based on contorted and specious free speech arguments, are a disgrace to Sweden and any democratic government worthy of the name should prevent it.”
“All religions and all peoples of good faith and basic decency should come together to condemn these horrific acts,” Muzicant concluded. “What starts with words and books, always ends with trampling upon the basic rights of people. So it was in the darkest days of Europe, so it is now. “
Comments are closed.