Love Thy Neighbour: November 2004 Archives

United Kingdom: A decision to invite punk rockers The Damned to switch on Cambridge city's Christmas lights has sparked controversy among church leaders.

Captain Sensible is due to join Father Christmas and city mayor Roger Dryden for the festive switch-on.

But the decision has led to fury among church leaders.

The Netherlands: The director of a controversial film about the treatment of women in Islam has been murdered in Amsterdam. Theo van Gogh, related to the famous painter, was either stabbed or shot - reports vary.

The perpetrator, who's said to have stuck a pamphlet to Mr van Gogh's chest, was reportedly wounded in an exchange of gunfire with a policeman. One arrest has been made.

Both the suspect and a policeman were injured and are in hospital. Ironically, Van Gogh had been working on a film about assassinated politician Pim Fortuyn at the time of his death.

Filmmaker Theo van Gogh killed -Radio Netherlands, 2nd November 2004; Gunman kills Dutch film director - BBC News, 2nd November 2004; see also Dutch MP threatened by religious loons. - The Pagan Prattle Online, 27th September 2004.