What do you think about mobs
of human beings inhabiting this Earth in the 21st century who seriously
believe that they enjoy a license to murder anyone else who criticizes their
religion?
Uncivilized mentally deranged
barbarians – that’s what I think. Obviously, these folks aren’t very secure in
their religious beliefs if they feel the need to murder others who don’t believe
exactly as they do. They’re out to kill people who don’t believe in their
imaginary god.
It’s a great method of getting
rid of people they don’t like. Christians did it by hunting witches in 17th
century Salem Massachusetts. Muslims are doing it today to Christians and other
minorities in Pakistan.
A frenzied mob of
an estimated 3,000 Islamic extremists in Pakistan called for the beheading of a
17-year-old Christian whose cell phone contained “blasphemous” content. Paki
law permits these uncivilized mentally deranged barbarians to sentence this
innocent kid to life in prison or death.
Its typical form among incidents
each year involving a member of a religious minority group accused of engaging
in the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for Islam in
this Muslim-majority country.
The accused blasphemer, Patras
Masih, according to the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), claims
he lost his phone after which an unknown person added blasphemous content to
his Facebook page. Hundreds of local Muslims accused him of blasphemy and the
mob grew to 3,000 Islamic extremists calling for authorities to punish the
teenager.
Local police lost control of
the situation. Slogans and chants shouted by the mob called for a beheading
even before any charges had been laid. One man held up a sign saying, “Wicked
Christian Patras should be punished for committing blasphemy!” The mob was
gathering gasoline to set Christian homes ablaze prompting members of the
religious minority group to flee the region.
“Forced to leave their
properties behind, the frightened families sought temporary shelter elsewhere
and reports of looting of vacated properties have been received,” BPCA
notes, adding, “Roadblocks were secured by police as part of a wider cordon
to prevent people entering into Shahdara town as police set about trying to
calm the situation.”
Muhammad Awais, a local Muslim
cleric, demanded that all willing law enforcement agents in the region file
blasphemy charges against the young teenager, accusing him of “sharing
blasphemous content on social media… to have hurt the religious sentiments of
the people in Lahore’s Shahdara.”
After filing charges, the kid surrendered
himself to local authorities to restore peace and prevent the
extremists from attacking other Christians and setting their homes on fire.
News of the blasphemous images posted on his FB page stirred up great anger
amongst local Muslims and hundreds gathered outside his home calling for him to
be lynched, and threats were being made that Christian homes would be burnt
down if he was not given up to the authorities or the mob for retribution
against his blasphemy.
The anti-blasphemy section of Pakistan’s
penal code recommends either life in prison or death for anyone
convicted of insulting to God, Islam, or religious leaders. According to the
Voice of America (VOA) news outlet, court cases involving the controversial
law seldom result
in a fair trial, often leading to a harsh verdict of life in prison or death.
In short, today’s Blasphemy
laws in Pakistan result in 21st century witch hunting Islamic style.
What a horrible story! Without doubt, such madness casts an unfavorable light on whatever religion the intolerant people adhere to. At the other end of the spectrum, I've worked with Muslim people from Pakistan, and they were the most loving, generous, sane people I've ever met. Because then never make trouble, they get no press. So it's a bit unfair, I think, to say "Muslims are doing it". "Intolerant assholes who call themselves Muslims" might come a little closer.
ReplyDeleteSlight typo noticed: "Its typical form" should be "It's typical form".