Pakistanis Rally in Support of Blasphemy Law

[appleguy123]

Originally Posted by The New York Times

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A crippling strike by Islamist parties brought Pakistan to a standstill on Friday as thousands of people took to the streets, and forced businesses to close, to head off any change in the country’s blasphemy law, which rights groups say has been used to persecute minorities, especially Christians.

The law was introduced in the 1980s under the military dictatorship of Gen. Mohammad Zia ul-Haq as part of a policy of promoting Islam to unite this deeply fractious society. Many attempts to revise the law have since been thwarted by the strong opposition of religious forces, which continue to gather strength.

In fiery speeches across all major cities and towns, religious leaders warned the government on Friday against altering the law, which carries a mandatory death sentence for anyone convicted of insulting Islam.

“The president and prime minister should take the nation into confidence and assure in unequivocal terms that there will be no change in the blasphemy law under any international pressure,” Sahibzada Fazal Kareem, a religious leader and member of Parliament, said at a rally in the southern port city of Karachi, where the police fired tear gas to stop protesters from marching toward Bilawal House, one of the residences of President Asif Ali Zardari.

The governing Pakistan Peoples Party, which is struggling to keep its government coalition intact, has been conciliatory on the issue.

Syed Sumsam Ali Bokhari, the minister for information, tried to placate religious forces by assuring them that the government did not intend to amend or repeal the law. “Neither the Pakistan Peoples Party nor the government has discussed the issue to bring any amendment in the blasphemy law,” Mr. Bokhari said Thursday at a news briefing.

Free Source link (NYT one costs)

[citizenzen]

Please, not another "Muslims are all terrorists out to take over the world" thread.

[MacNut]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

Please, not another "Muslims are all terrorists out to take over the world" thread.

Where did you get that form the article? Why would they want this law on the books? More reason why we need a separate church and state.

[appleguy123]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

Please, not another "Muslims are all terrorists out to take over the world" thread.

I don't think that....
I feel sorry for these people, I don't hate them.

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by appleguy123

I feel sorry for these people,

Especially the women, who seem to be very scarce in that image.

[freeny]

Politics + Religion =

[likemyorbs]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

Please, not another "Muslims are all terrorists out to take over the world" thread.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck... . But seriously. Where in the thread does it say that? He just posted a current event about something that's happening in a Muslim country, and leaving it open for discussion. Don't get your utopian panties in a bunch!

[appleguy123]

Originally Posted by freeny

Politics + Religion =

You need to be more tolerant! Islam is a religion of peace! (Please don't behead me)

[citizenzen]

Originally Posted by likemyorbs

He just posted a current event about something that's happening in a Muslim country, and leaving it open for discussion...

Yes, and I do sooo look forward to the intellectually stimulating discussion that will ensue.

*yawn*

Somebody please wake me up if by some accident one actually occurs.

[MacNut]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

Yes, and I do sooo look forward to the intellectually stimulating discussion that will ensue.

*yawn*

Somebody please wake me up if by some accident one actually occurs.

Well rather than throwing gas on the fire you could start a discussion.

[citizenzen]

Originally Posted by MacNut

Well rather than throwing gas on the fire you could start a discussion.

There isn't much to say. It is a shame.

But there is little or no Pakistani or Muslim representation in this forum, so at best all we can do is look from the outside and say what a demonstrable mistake it is to involve fundamentalist religion into politics. At worst we'll make broad and ill-informed assumptions about Muslim cultures and people.

I also take part in an interfaith forum that does have Muslim representation, including a Muslim woman, who don't see this in the same way we do. There is something to be said for being tolerant of different cultures and not expecting everybody to hold the same values or be on the same timeline as the west.

The only solution, IMHO, is to continue to openly and peacefully engage with these countries in the hope that over time they will become more liberal... much like Russia and China have over the past decades. Tolerance, openness and time... tolerance, openness and time. Those are what we need most when facing cultural issues like these.

(I wonder who will be the first person to ask if Hitler would have responded to "tolerance, openness and time". All I could suggest is that we went to war with Hitler... and if you think we need to go to war against Islam, then be my guest. I'll be home attending the local peace rally while your sons and daughters march off to slaughter.)

[MacNut]

Why kill people that don't want to practice the religion of choice. It really makes them look out of touch with the times. As for Hitler, we didn't go to war with him he started a war with everyone else.

We don't need to go to war with Islam, but Islam needs to learn to fit in.

[Zombie Acorn]

Originally Posted by MacNut

Where did you get that form the article? Why would they want this law on the books? More reason why we need a separate church and state.

Separation of church and state for Islam does not make sense, it's a way of governance and a religion in one and is not meant to be separated.

[leekohler]

This is so sad to me. Pakistan may well be on it's way to becoming the next Iran- not a good thing. This kind of garbage needs to stop. This is literally fairy tales being used to hurt people who refuse to believe in them. I'm sorry, it needs to be said, and it needs to end.

[appleguy123]

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Separation of church and state for Islam does not make sense, it's a way of governance and a religion in one and is not meant to be separated.

This is a joke, right? Take a look at the man in one of my other threads who is going to jail for throwing away a business card. Please tell me that this is a troll.

[leekohler]

Originally Posted by appleguy123

This is a joke, right? Take a look at the man in one of my other threads who is going to jail for throwing away a business card. Please tell me that this is a troll.

I think you and he agree.

[appleguy123]

Originally Posted by leekohler

I think you and he agree.

What? The person I quoted said that radical Islam should not be separated from government.

[Burnsey]

As the internet becomes more and more accessible and the world becomes more and more globalized and connected, most of these countries will become significantly more liberal, at least under the surface at a citizen level. I'd give it 10 years or so.

[leekohler]

Originally Posted by appleguy123

What? The person I quoted said that radical Islam should not be separated from government.

No- what he meant was that Islam and government seem to go hand in hand in many countries. He was not saying it should be that way, but that in many cases it IS that way.

[MacNut]

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Separation of church and state for Islam does not make sense, it's a way of governance and a religion in one and is not meant to be separated.

That is why these countries have never evolved in the past 1000 years. Until this changes the extremists will run the asylum. To let religion control how the government operates without any rational thinking will always lead to failure.

[likemyorbs]

Originally Posted by citizenzen

The only solution, IMHO, is to continue to openly and peacefully engage with these countries in the hope that over time they will become more liberal... much like Russia and China have over the past decades. Tolerance, openness and time... tolerance, openness and time. Those are what we need most when facing cultural issues like these.

That's adorable that you truly believe that, really cute, but so incredibly naive.

[leekohler]

Originally Posted by likemyorbs

That's adorable that you truly believe that, really cute, but so incredibly naive.

Not really. Antagonizing them has made it far worse.

[citizenzen]

Originally Posted by likemyorbs

That's adorable that you truly believe that, really cute, but...

He thinks I'm adorable.

But seriously Orbs, if you don't like patience, openness and engagement, what's your solution?

[Eraserhead]

Originally Posted by leekohler

This is so sad to me. Pakistan may well be on it's way to becoming the next Iran

At least Iran is stable.

[skunk]

Originally Posted by leekohler

Pakistan may well be on it's way to becoming the next Iran.

That might be an improvement.