I wonder at times, why religion is taken much more seriously than humankind. Personally, I do not advocate the idea of using religious conviction as an instrument to reach to a verdict pertaining to the life and death of an individual. About two weeks back, I posted an article about Rimsha Masih, an 11 year old Christian girl in Pakistan who has been arrested under ‘blasphemy’ charges. In Pakistan, a blasphemous person is liable to be punished by death. There have been a number of incidents since the country’s independence which show how ‘blasphemy’ has been used as a tool to curb the minorities. The editorial that I am posting here appeared in the Guardian and after studying and analyzing it utterly, I realized that the information and opinion ought to be shared.
The article includes stories from the past, about Right Rev John Joseph, a clergy man who killed himself while protesting against the blasphemy law; in the hope of making a change. Written by ‘Mohammed Hanif’, a Muslim himself, the account explains how the law is used against the religious minorities of Pakistan; sometimes to straighten out personal grudges. It might seem a long one but is unquestionably a significant and relevant treatise because it is a revelation of certain practices and virtues that push the world towards communalism and hatred. It certainly affected me and my line of thought because I do not believe in religion; I believe in humanity. And I wish to make a difference.
Read here if you think like me (or want to) :
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/05/pakistans-blasphemy-laws-colossal-absurdity
Good points. As a Christian, I have always been disturbed when “religion” trumps kindness to humanity. Jesus taught us to love each other as ourselves. I see a lot of “unlove” being done in his name.
I agree and I wish people understand the same and spread love all around…hatred will lead us nowhere !