the Common Ground Cafe - a wonderful two storey building .

[glastofreak]

As the title says the common Ground cafe is back in the Accustic field. It serving organic vegetarian food by religious beardy types. Information from the new official website

[WS_Jack_III]

lol it can't be, it got banned for saying nasty things about jews or something

[glastofreak]

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/area...accoustic-stage

[mikeb]

Unless there's been some serious back-pedalling somewhere, I would guess it's perhaps just the usual case of duff and very old info still lurking (as it often does) all over the official site. Has anyone even seen the building recently cos it sure wasn't there last year ?

Edited May 22, 2009 by mikeb

[gizmoman]

There's no way of telling when that description was written, just because the website has been updated doesn't mean the info is all accurate! Still would be nice to have it back, they can preach all they like as long as the coffee's good!

[russelljmunn]

It must be out of date since the cinema is going to be in that field this year. I've read on here as well that people are certaint that it won't ever be coming back.

[geordiegooner]

Theres also this in Spiritual support section- http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/info...iritual-support

And from their [Common Ground] website - http://www.stentwoodfarm.co.uk/whoweare.htm Although I've no idea when that site was last updated.

On a personal level I've no qualms in seeing them back at Glastobury, as Gizmoman rightly pointed out, they can preach what they like as long as the coffee and food are still good.

[Funkfarley]

ARE YOU SURE!?? Not likely!

[WS_Jack_III]

Theres also this in Spiritual support section- http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/info...iritual-support

And from their [Common Ground] website - http://www.stentwoodfarm.co.uk/whoweare.htm Although I've no idea when that site was last updated.

On a personal level I've no qualms in seeing them back at Glastobury, as Gizmoman rightly pointed out, they can preach what they like as long as the coffee and food are still good.

[geordiegooner]

so if the KKK were selling good coffee would that be ok?

i liked the place but from what i heard was going on in their, it doesn't really fit into the festival spirit

[gizmoman]

so if the KKK were selling good coffee would that be ok?

i liked the place but from what i heard was going on in their, it doesn't really fit into the festival spirit

[paulo999]

Gizmoman... Live and let live is an admirable, and very glastonbury viewpoint.

If the Twelve Tribes had shared that, they'd probably still be there.

Edited May 22, 2009 by paulo999

[Blaze]

so if the KKK were selling good coffee would that be ok?

i liked the place but from what i heard was going on in their, it doesn't really fit into the festival spirit

[paulo999]

"A little bit of individuality"

That's a very nice way of describing (alleged) hate literature.

[WS_Jack_III]

ok so spreading hateful messages about jews isnt bad then.oh sorry (alleged) hateful messages

Edited May 22, 2009 by III

[ukslim]

Sorry but I really don't get the connection between a religious sect and between the KKK.

[Staberinde]

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/area...accoustic-stage

[Mardy]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2000/jul/03/race.religion

A Christian fundamentalist religious movement which describes Jews as "murderers" is using rock festivals, including Glastonbury and Reading, to recruit young people.

Twelve Tribes, whose 24-hour cafe, The Common Ground, was a popular meeting point at this year's Glastonbury festival, handed out literature blaming Jewish people for the death of Jesus.

One article says: "Murder is the very crime which the Jews are still cursed for." It goes on to speak of the Jews' "responsibility for the Messiah's crucifixion".

The movement's magazine, Alien Ant, also argues in favour of racial segregation, claiming that "multiculturalism increases murder, crime and prejudice," and "politicians who rally different races to be one are forerunners of the antichrist".

Jewish community leaders yesterday expressed concern and urged organisers of the imminent Reading festival to consider banning the group.

The group's use of the accusation that Jews "murdered" Christ, a longstanding basis for Christian anti-semitism, has prompted concerns of links with white supremacists in the United States.

Mike Whine, a spokesman for the British Board of Deputies, said the name Twelve Tribes hinted at a shared philosophy with American white supremacist groups.

"There is a belief that the white Anglo-Saxon protestant is the true descendant of the 12 tribes of Israel and that the Jews are impostors," he said.

"It is the role of the white Anglo-Saxon protestant in America and Europe to take back their world from the blacks - whom they call the 'mud people' - and the Jews. The churches, both Catholic and Anglican, long ago disavowed any blame on the Jews for the crucifixion."

While acknowledging the difficulties of policing fringe groups attending rock events, Mr Whine said: "The organisers must have some degree of responsibility for the moral safety of young people who go to these festivals."

He urged the organisers of the Reading festival to look at the material and, if it incited racial hatred, to ban the group from the event.

Twelve Tribes was founded in Tennessee in the early 1970s but now has at least six "communities" in rural locations in Europe, including one set up six years ago at Stentwood Farm in Dunkeswell, Devon.

Their cafe, a smart, two-storey wooden structure painted with rural scenes, serves mainly vegetarian food and is used as a recruiting ground. They work according to a traditional gender divide, with bearded men serving meals cooked by the women.

Asked about the anti-semitic material in their magazine, an American member who called herself Mikal Yophi, said yesterday: "We believe in the Bible and what it states. Nowadays the Jews have really fallen away from what is right."

Speaking from the group's community in Devon, she added: "It's hard to explain. You're welcome to come and stay for a weekend."

Referring to Jesus as "Yahshua", the Hebrew rendering of his name, she said: "They did put our master Yahshua to death on the cross. It's not like we're prejudiced against Jews. It is part of their history."

Asked about their recruitment at the festival, she said: "Actually we have someone called Steve who came home with us from Glastonbury and is spending some time with us. He's maybe in his mid-20s."

Twelve Tribes' magazine also attacks the Pope both for his opposition to capital punishment, and for the "request for forgiveness" he has made to the Jews for their historic treatment by the Church.

In an article headlined Who does the Pope think he is? the magazine declares: "Who does the Pope think he is in nullifying the death penalty for convicted first-degree murderers?"

Mikal Yophi said Twelve Tribes planned to set up their cafe at this year's Reading event and at a London festival, Jazz on the Green.

Glastonbury festival-goer Sophie Duggan, 24, who is Jewish and was visiting the rock weekend for the first time, said: "I was shocked on two counts - first, that they were there at all, and secondly that no-one seemed to care.

"Some people were saying 'well, this is Glastonbury - people can say what they like'. People forget there is no such thing as a benign racist, no matter how tasty his vegetarian couscous."

Inform, a group based at the LSE which studies new religious movements, describe Twelve Tribes as "attempting to restore and continue the primitive Jewish/Christian church described in the Biblical books of Luke and Acts".

According to Inform, Twelve Tribes "regard calendar years as only approximations, so the year 2000 does not play a major role in their thought. While the group suspects that the end times may be close at hand, they also believe that the Messiah will not return until He has a people to whom to return."

These "chosen people" are the Twelve Tribes communities, which try to be self-sufficient through cottage industries.

[geordiegooner]

The point is that you supported the statement "they can preach what they like as long as the coffee and food are still good".

I don't know the details of the Common Ground people specifically, but as a general principle I wouldn't buy coffee -- or even accept it for free -- from anyone who was spreading poisonous opinions.

(Jeez, I had enough moral guilt that time we bought a drink at the Conservative Club during Warwick Folk Festival...)

[WS_Jack_III]

i used the kkk as an extream case lol

[PabloCoke]

OH my f**king word.

How people can defend a bunch of racists being at glastonbury is beyond , please f**k off you f**king idiots.

They are horrible bearded scum bags whos opinions on many things' is no better than nazis. I enjoyed the food there before I read the literature one year and I was astounded they were handing out such filth in a place such as glastonbury.

There views make the BNP look quite liberal. they are indefensible.

[gizmoman]

OH my f**king word.

How people can defend a bunch of racists being at glastonbury is beyond , please f**k off you f**king idiots.

They are horrible bearded scum bags whos opinions on many things' is no better than nazis. I enjoyed the food there before I read the literature one year and I was astounded they were handing out such filth in a place such as glastonbury.

There views make the BNP look quite liberal. they are indefensible.

[bombfrog]

The Glastonbury spirit is all about tolerance and free speech. Just as long as you agree with the politics and agenda of the festival.

It's the same on this forum, try saying anything about politics which isn't very left wing and you'll get lynched. Tolerance my arse

[bombfrog]

There views make the BNP look quite liberal. they are indefensible.

[PabloCoke]

Their beliefs are remarkably similar to other fundamentalist religions, such as Isalm (subjugation of women, beards, attitude to jews etc) maybe we should be closing down mosques as well? You might have more in common with the BNP than you think!

Edited May 23, 2009 by PabloCoke