The three daughters of Pakistani Christian woman Aasia Bibi pose with a photograph of their mother. Aasia Bibi was by a court near Lahore and to death by hanging. On Sunday, I interviewed a former Pakistani bishop, Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, who explained why he believed there is little political will in Pakistan to repeal a law has harmed the country's reputation across the world (listen here), notwithstanding the calls for repeal from church leaders, international human rights agencies and leading politicans. The case for repeal is Pope Benedict has called Meanwhile, a hardline to anyone who , even if she is eventually pardoned by the president. Aasia Bibi has consistently denied that she used any language offensive to Islam in a dispute with neighbours that resulted in blasphemy proceedings. Her lawyers claim that Pakistan's blasphemy law is sometimes used by citizens as a means to harrass others and that Aasia bibi is being persecuted for her strong Christian faith. You can debate the issues raised by Aasia Bibi case on this thread and also add your links to other news stories worth noting. If they are interesting, I'll add them to the main page.
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It is shocking that someone can be executed for "insulting the Prophet". The story about the case in the Guardian shows a photograph of people protesting against blasphemy, but I have seen photographs of people protesting in favour of her execution. Should inciting people to support the execution of people who are accused of insulting the Phrophet not be a criminal offence?
Interesting that although no one has been executed in Pakistan for blasphemy, people accused of blasphemy have been murdered by religious extremists after being acquitted. A High Court judge who acquitted someone was also murdered.
, why do these pesky get in their way when we know the real threat is from the . It's really strange, when I was growing up I was told that god was a god of love, can anyone point me to major religion that loves anyone but itself.
"Dave, you're an awful dose, you know that. You really think Westboro is representative of Christianity. "
Not representative of christians in that only the Westboro lunatics picket funerals etc. And not representative of all christians in holding very unpleasant anti-gay views, but certainly representative of plenty of them. Including those who hold to what is more or less the party line of the Catholic church.
Yet another Catholic serial paedophile priest convicted of serious sex crimes. Why aren't these child molesters chemically castrated?
The harm caused by so many "men of God" is enormous, but when a molester is convicted in the courts the compensation payments made to victims seem very small. Of course financial compensation will not put right the wrongs of a serial paedophile priest like Walsh, but large compensation payments to victims would make the Vatican more inclined to improve the Church's recruitment procedures.
I am suggesting it no more than this article suggests that all muslims believe execution is fine for blasphemy.
There are christians (and not just a few) who believe in execution for things which go against their belief just as there are muslims.
I think what is happening in Pakistan to this lady is inhuman but my purpose in holding a miiror to christianity is to show that similar views exist there and if there were any christian theocracies some of them would be in danger of allowing the same type of inhimanity.
If Uganda was a christian theocracy how many abominations would you think they would have the death penalty for, and remember these people were wound up by far right christians from the US unable to get their extremism legislated for there.
What is the common denominator between Uganda and Lithuania (another place cracking down on homosexuals) ? answer Scott Lively - Christian.
Representative - maybe not in numbers but in regard to influence and publicity - definitely.
Freedom of religion necessarily entails the freedom to regard religion, whether in the general or in the particular, as a load of twaddle. If that offends some spittle-flecked apologists, ministers, mullahs or whatever, then that's too bad. In the UK we are relatively free; as the above stories show, in medieval citadels of ignorance, people have a lot less freedom and are actively being oppressed.
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Comment number 1.
At 7th Dec 2010, newlach wrote:Aasia Bibi
It is shocking that someone can be executed for "insulting the Prophet". The story about the case in the Guardian shows a photograph of people protesting against blasphemy, but I have seen photographs of people protesting in favour of her execution. Should inciting people to support the execution of people who are accused of insulting the Phrophet not be a criminal offence?
Interesting that although no one has been executed in Pakistan for blasphemy, people accused of blasphemy have been murdered by religious extremists after being acquitted. A High Court judge who acquitted someone was also murdered.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 10th Dec 2010, Dave wrote:, why do these pesky get in their way when we know the real threat is from the . It's really strange, when I was growing up I was told that god was a god of love, can anyone point me to major religion that loves anyone but itself.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 10th Dec 2010, mccamleyc wrote:Dave, you're an awful dose, you know that. You really think Westboro is representative of Christianity.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 10th Dec 2010, PeterKlaver wrote:mccamleyc said
"Dave, you're an awful dose, you know that. You really think Westboro is representative of Christianity. "
Not representative of christians in that only the Westboro lunatics picket funerals etc. And not representative of all christians in holding very unpleasant anti-gay views, but certainly representative of plenty of them. Including those who hold to what is more or less the party line of the Catholic church.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 10th Dec 2010, newlach wrote:/go/blogs/ni/2010/12/in_the_news_this_week_5.html/ext/_auto/-/https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1207/1224284926553.html
Yet another Catholic serial paedophile priest convicted of serious sex crimes. Why aren't these child molesters chemically castrated?
The harm caused by so many "men of God" is enormous, but when a molester is convicted in the courts the compensation payments made to victims seem very small. Of course financial compensation will not put right the wrongs of a serial paedophile priest like Walsh, but large compensation payments to victims would make the Vatican more inclined to improve the Church's recruitment procedures.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)
Comment number 6.
At 10th Dec 2010, Dave wrote:MCC,
I am suggesting it no more than this article suggests that all muslims believe execution is fine for blasphemy.
There are christians (and not just a few) who believe in execution for things which go against their belief just as there are muslims.
I think what is happening in Pakistan to this lady is inhuman but my purpose in holding a miiror to christianity is to show that similar views exist there and if there were any christian theocracies some of them would be in danger of allowing the same type of inhimanity.
If Uganda was a christian theocracy how many abominations would you think they would have the death penalty for, and remember these people were wound up by far right christians from the US unable to get their extremism legislated for there.
What is the common denominator between Uganda and Lithuania (another place cracking down on homosexuals) ? answer Scott Lively - Christian.
Representative - maybe not in numbers but in regard to influence and publicity - definitely.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)
Comment number 7.
At 12th Dec 2010, logica_sine_vanitate wrote:Some 'religion' news I've just seen today:
Koran-protest pastor Terry Jones may be banned from UK.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 7)
Comment number 8.
At 12th Dec 2010, PeterKlaver wrote:Here's a bit about a man getting arrested for throwing a business card into the bin of someone who happened to be named Mohammed.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 8)
Comment number 9.
At 13th Dec 2010, Heliopolitan wrote:Freedom of religion necessarily entails the freedom to regard religion, whether in the general or in the particular, as a load of twaddle. If that offends some spittle-flecked apologists, ministers, mullahs or whatever, then that's too bad. In the UK we are relatively free; as the above stories show, in medieval citadels of ignorance, people have a lot less freedom and are actively being oppressed.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 9)