1. Comment #47040 by MorituriMax on June 2, 2007 at 11:11 pm

...and some tears are surely shed over here by hardline Christians who wish they had that kind of power under the law.

Other Comments by MorituriMax

2. Comment #47045 by Russell Blackford on June 2, 2007 at 11:34 pm

Another example of how cute and cuddly these "people of faith" are - what with their religions of love and peace, etc.

Other Comments by Russell Blackford

3. Comment #47046 by briancoughlanworldcitizen on June 2, 2007 at 11:35 pm

Incredible. A gang of thugs kick the shit out of him, and he's the one in prison?

Other Comments by briancoughlanworldcitizen

4. Comment #47047 by Jolly Wally on June 2, 2007 at 11:36 pm

What a retarded country.

Other Comments by Jolly Wally

5. Comment #47048 by BAEOZ on June 2, 2007 at 11:44 pm

Bloody hell. They say Islam means peace, but really it means submission, to the will of the tyranical sky fairy. Then of course you have peace, if we are all deluded or killed for not submitting.
Thinking about laws, I just read some pap in the Sunday Herald Sun here, they have some guy who each week gushes rubbish about god and so called holy people like Mother Teresa and without the slightest shame assumes all his premises are factual. I was thinking that a law needs to be enacted that any claim you can't substantiate is either illegal, or at least comes with a clear disclaimer that this is not an empirical claim. It would be cool to see all churches having a large sign out the front saying "This church offers unfounded belief in a supernatural entity and claims to know the wishes of this entity and offers the unproven promise of a hereto unknown afterlife". I'm must be having an authoritarian day.....

Other Comments by BAEOZ

6. Comment #47050 by Big T on June 2, 2007 at 11:46 pm

Ridiculous. Outrageous. Let us resolve to fight to keep intact the separation of chuch and state in the Western world.

Other Comments by Big T

7. Comment #47052 by epeeist on June 2, 2007 at 11:50 pm

Comment #47046 by briancoughlanworldcitizen

Incredible. A gang of thugs kick the shit out of him, and he's the one in prison?

He is lucky he is a he. Just think what could have happened if a female had made this request.

Other Comments by epeeist

8. Comment #47055 by Bonzai on June 2, 2007 at 11:56 pm

From the article:

On Wednesday, a court sentenced Masih to death under Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws, which rights groups say have been misused against Christians since former President Gen. Zia ul-Haq enacted them in 1980s to win the support of hard-line religious groups...

He said rights groups have been demanding the repeal of blasphemy laws, saying they were being abused by religious extremists to settle personal scores and religious enmity.

Blasphemy law which demands the death of "offenders" is being "misused" and "abused"? I wonder what can possibly be the proper use of such a law. Sheese.

I understand that right groups have to bring up their concerns diplomatically, but this is nevertheless an oulandish way of framing the issue.

Other Comments by Bonzai

9. Comment #47057 by jaytee_555 on June 3, 2007 at 12:10 am

Does anyone know if there is a petition we can sign, or the address of some Pakistani official we can write to try to help this unfortunate man?

Other Comments by jaytee_555

10. Comment #47060 by GodlessHeathen on June 3, 2007 at 12:12 am

As I look into this story I've discovered it's even worse. Christian-owned homes and businesses were damaged and looted (apparently while Pakistani police watched), more than Mr. Masih was assaulted (they attacked his wife and shred her clothing from her and attacked other Christians).

As many as five other Christian citizens preceded Mr. Masih since January to jail under the same very vaguely worded laws.

These are just folks in Pakistan, mind you. Not terrorists, not extremists, just folks. This lends a great deal of credence to the idea that Islam itself is a seriously sick ideology and religion.

Other Comments by GodlessHeathen

11. Comment #47061 by Bonzai on June 3, 2007 at 12:14 am

Meanwhile they are complaining about "Islamophoia" when people criticize the full veil and the burqua in Western countries.

Other Comments by Bonzai

12. Comment #47063 by NJS on June 3, 2007 at 12:24 am

The thing that gets me is that the "defence" is that he was provoked and really does respect Islam so should be let off. What if he did "mean" the insult - then the implication is the sentence is fair enough.

It seems its okay to condemn Iran as a theocratic hell but "friends" like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are free to perpetrate the same evils.

Its also true as soneone said that many, many christians would love to see similar laws (though fair enough without execution).

Other Comments by NJS

13. Comment #47065 by Zaphod on June 3, 2007 at 12:28 am

What a nice friendly forward thinking progressive country.

I could write for the Onion.

Other Comments by Zaphod

14. Comment #47067 by shemp333 on June 3, 2007 at 12:36 am

There is obviously nothing good going to come from a country with one unquestionable state religion. This is a horror show. This "crime" is not a crime at all, and this country is a disgrace to the world. Shame on Pakistan. Free your minds.

Other Comments by shemp333

15. Comment #47068 by Grandt on June 3, 2007 at 12:36 am

4. Comment #47047 by Jolly Wally on June 2, 2007 at 11:36 pm
What a retarded country.

Of course they are, they based their laws on religion!

Other Comments by Grandt

16. Comment #47077 by reason-first on June 3, 2007 at 1:11 am

@NJS

Its also true as someone said that many, many christians would love to see similar laws (though fair enough without execution).

I would not be so sure, bearing in mind that the christian majority in the USA fervently favour capital damnation. To my mind the death sentence still exists not despite of, but because of the majority of the population being christian.

Other Comments by reason-first

17. Comment #47078 by LeeC on June 3, 2007 at 1:12 am

...but of course, it could have been worse right?

He could have been living in a country who do not believe in god... an atheist nation.

I mean, just think what would have happened to him in such a country if he even questioned the laws of Gravity or Quantum Mechanics... he's getting off lightly if you ask me.

Sorry... bad taste but you see the point.

As has been said before by greater minds than me, it takes religion to make good men do evil things.

We can not ban religion, we just have to educate the people somehow to make them think for themselves.

Lee

Other Comments by LeeC

18. Comment #47084 by pissinintothewind on June 3, 2007 at 1:50 am

There are areas in the West that are retarded and some where belief in the irrational is the mainstream. As has been previously said, many here would welcome similar laws and some the same punishment. The West needs to keep Musharraf in power in the hope that he and those that follow have the fore sight to drag Pakistan out of its dark age. A secular military dictatorship is preferable to people with this mind set having THE bomb and its unrealistic to think that the goverment can rule without doing some deals with the religious leadership that has the voice of the majority.

Other Comments by pissinintothewind

19. Comment #47089 by DNAtheist on June 3, 2007 at 1:58 am

NJS said:
It seems its okay to condemn Iran as a theocratic hell but "friends" like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are free to perpetrate the same evils.

Yep. The theocracies that produced Osama Bin Laden and the majority of the 9-11 hijackers were obviously the best choice to help us eliminate terrorism and to spread democracy throughout the middle east.

Other Comments by DNAtheist

20. Comment #47094 by Nastikananda on June 3, 2007 at 2:21 am

PAKISTAN OR ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN :

1. It has thrived on hate, manufacture of terror technology and has created a nation of schizophrenics resulting from the obvious contradiction between what Koran preaches, expects one to practice and the way human nature is.

2. About 30,000 Madrasas have been built in Pakistan,these places deny reason, train people to return to the middle-ages and preach ignorance.These schools are financed by the Saudi government.

3. During President Zia-Ul-Haq [ a former dictator] regime, a child and its mother were stoned to death.The poor mother had conceived that innocent child being a victim of rape and could not prove as she had no witnesses. She had to produce 3 of them , according to the Saharia law.

Other Comments by Nastikananda

21. Comment #47106 by david hartley on June 3, 2007 at 3:01 am

i have mailed the muslim council of britain this artcle and asked for their views.
i am not holding my breath.

Other Comments by david hartley

22. Comment #47109 by Krister Bratland on June 3, 2007 at 3:19 am

Re: 9. Comment #47057 by jaytee_555 on June 3, 2007 at 12:10 am

Does anyone know if there is a petition we can sign, or the address of some Pakistani official we can write to try to help this unfortunate man?

This article contains contact information at the bottom of the text, and suggestion on what to include. It starts out in Norwegian, but the main body of the text is in english.

http://www.amnesty.no/web.nsf/pages/C9B82E7ACD549434C125710D00392931

Other Comments by Krister Bratland

23. Comment #47116 by Logicel on June 3, 2007 at 3:49 am

Here is my letter put together from the suggested template which I am sending to the below email links:

I am writing to express my concern for Younis Masih, who was charged with blasphemy on 11 September 2005, Parvez Aslam Choudhry, and their families. I call upon you to take immediate steps to guarantee their safety and the immediate and unconditional release of Younis Masih.

The Pakistan law defines blasphemy so broadly that it makes Pakistan into a country intolerant to practice of religion in its many forms or the non-practice of religion.

I urge you to work towards the abolishing of laws, including the blasphemy laws, which provide for people to be punished for exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression.

In addition, I am asking for an immediate moratorium on all executions in Pakistan, in line with worldwide trends to abolish the death penalty with a view to an eventual abolition of the death penalty.


APPEALS TO:
Minister for the Interior
Mr Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao
Ministry for the Interior, Room 404, 4th Floor, Block R, Federal Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan
Fax: +92 51 9202624
E-mail: minister@interior.gov.pk
secretary@interior.gov
Salutation: Dear Minister

Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights
Mr. Muhammad Wasi Zafar
Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights, S Block, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan
Fax: +92 51 9202628
E-mail: minister@molaw.gov.pk
Salutation: Dear Minister


COPIES TO:
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
H.E. Mr. Shahbaz
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Eckersbergs gate 20
0244 Oslo
Fax: 22 55 50 97
Email: info@pakistanembassy.no

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.

EDIT: I removed the punjab.gov.pk one because it is no longer valid. I also forgot to copy each of the emails to the embassy in Norway, but I did send a separate one there. The sending of the emails took about 10 minutes. Remember to put in the subject field: Appeal for Younis Masih.

Other Comments by Logicel

24. Comment #47120 by pewkatchoo on June 3, 2007 at 3:57 am

If I hear one more exclamation about Islam being a peaceful religion I will be tempted to kick the shit out of the asshole saying it. How's that for peace!

Other Comments by pewkatchoo

25. Comment #47129 by k1mgy on June 3, 2007 at 4:35 am

>>Does anyone know if there is a petition we can sign, or the address of some Pakistani official we can write to try to help this unfortunate
man?<<

George "Dubbleya" Bush

He's the head of a mal-administration that is partly responsible for propping up and continuing to enable Musharaf and, by the way, Musharaf has nukes.

Other Comments by k1mgy

26. Comment #47131 by FXR on June 3, 2007 at 4:35 am

If the Prophet Mohammed can't turn in court no one else can claim he feels insulted.

Other Comments by FXR

27. Comment #47132 by baal on June 3, 2007 at 4:57 am

Thanks, Logicel (and to Stephen Weeks for posting the article) - I've emailed my protest to the addresses you gave and forwarded an unfortunately rather lengthy email to my friends and family asking them to do the same. Hopefully, this appeal will spread rather quickly over the internet and a deluge of protests-by-email will follow. I hope this will have some effect, though it sounds like blasphemy laws are a good people-pleaser for the brutal and backwards Pakistani government.

Other Comments by baal

28. Comment #47134 by NJS on June 3, 2007 at 5:19 am

"though it sounds like blasphemy laws are a good people-pleaser for the brutal and backwards Pakistani government."

Despite my earlier remark I think this may not be the whole story. I get the impression from this and other stories that the government is doing its best in the face of overwhelming odds.

I think if they abolished Sharia law tomorrow they'd be ousted pretty damn quick. The same probably applies to Turkey if they decided to take secularism further.

That raises the question of the approach - do you do as the west does at the moment and fail to condemn such atrocities in the hope that in time they will leave the dark ages behind or do you cut them off and suffer the consequences in the hope the people will "wake up"?

I have to say being honest I'd favour the latter.

Other Comments by NJS

29. Comment #47138 by WeeWullie on June 3, 2007 at 5:38 am

Good effort Logicel. I'll do the same. I definitely think this is the way to go.

Incidentally, I'm surprised this is happening in Pakistan. There are many large Pakistani ex-pat communities around the world who embrace Western lifestyles and secularism. Perhaps anyone with links to these communities could attempt to garner Pakistani support against this nonsense.

And President Musharraf seems to have been a pretty good ally in the war on terror.

Other Comments by WeeWullie

30. Comment #47139 by Wrought on June 3, 2007 at 5:52 am

Similarly, emails now sent.

Other Comments by Wrought

31. Comment #47140 by Russell Blackford on June 3, 2007 at 5:54 am

In the processing of writing - thanks for the info, Logicel.

Other Comments by Russell Blackford

32. Comment #47146 by thirdchimpanzee on June 3, 2007 at 6:30 am

Perhaps we should also target the Muslim councils in the US, UK, Canada, Australia etc. After all, they are the beneficiaries of a liberal, tolerant environment in which they are free to follow their faith, build Mosques, convert followers and otherwise act as any another other religious group.

It's high time to push these groups to show their support for basic standards of decency and common sense. I'm afraid appeals from Western sources will be dismissed out of hand, and only pressure from Muslim sources would have any prospect here.

I think we also need to recognise that this is not a specific problem with Islam - the willingess of the Anglican Church to turn a blind eye to the murderous homophobia of its African dioceses also warrants our concern and disgust. The principled stand of the US branch (the Episcopalian Church) to continue allowing ordination of Gay priests is an example to be encouraged, and emulated by Muslim societies.

I used to live in Vancouver BC where deadly violence erupted within the Sikh community over the acceptability of using chairs in a local Temple. In reality, the chair dispute was a proxy for the conflict between the conservative orthodoxy, and an emergent "liberal" wing.

It seems to me that we should do all we can to encourage the emergence of more liberal forms of religious observance, one rooted in the humanity of our societal values. There needs to be an international standard that declares blasphemy laws to be an unreasonable constraint of a basic human right of free speech. We're not talking hate speech, where a particular group is targeted for violence, but we are saying the intentional or unintentional disrespect of a religion is protected speech. Here's the Supreme Court's basis for striking down blasphemy laws in New York state (from Wikipedia):

The US Supreme Court in Joseph Burstyn, Inc v. Wilson 1952 held that the New York State blasphemy law was an unconstitutional prior restraint on freedom of speech. The court stated that "It is not the business of government in our nation to suppress real or imagined attacks upon a particular religious doctrine, whether they appear in publications, speeches or motion pictures."

The Muslim Councils in various western democracies should be held accountable to denounce the medievalism practiced by their co-religionists in places like Pakistan.

Other Comments by thirdchimpanzee

33. Comment #47148 by Logicel on June 3, 2007 at 6:38 am

Story is now dugg. The digg icon is just above the comments, in the center. Please digg this article--it takes a few minutes to open a digg account if you do not have one. Also, please leave comments and use the digg setup to email/blog this dugg story to your friends, family, and acquaintances.

My comment at the digg site has my letter and the list of email addresses.

This article has been dugg by other sites, but I still went ahead and started a new dugg thread, because I wanted to take advantage of the hefty web traffic this site has.

Other Comments by Logicel

34. Comment #47151 by JesusH on June 3, 2007 at 7:21 am

I don't know what is more pathetic, the content of this story or the fact that the first post on this board has to, as always, spew ridiculous hatred against Christians.

This make come as a shock to your little delusion world of hatred but no, there are NOT many religious people here in the west who would seek death for blasphemy, other then perhaps the Muslim immigrants who have already been known to hold signs in London calling for death to those who insult Islam.

And no, I am not a Christian, just one who is sick and tired of reading the foolish nonsense often posted here against Christians.

Here we have a story about a real outrage and the first post has to create an imaginary outrage, so much for reality based rationalism. Most of you actually believe this nonsense don't you ?

Other Comments by JesusH

35. Comment #47154 by Robert Maynard on June 3, 2007 at 7:35 am

JesusH said:

This may come as a shock to your little delusion world of hatred but no, there are NOT many religious people here in the west who would seek death for blasphemy

The comment referred to "hardline Christians", ie. the dominionists, WBC, and so on. The groups that do support the death penalty for (practically all) crimes, imaginary or otherwise. No implications were made as to their demographics.

You're right, it was neither the time nor the place, and it was perhaps single-minded snark, but the contents of the remark weren't deluded or necessarily hateful.

It's certainly not worth getting upset about. There are people saying much stupider things in.. say, the forum. :P

Other Comments by Robert Maynard

36. Comment #47157 by Ian on June 3, 2007 at 7:45 am

I have just sent the following to the Pakistani High Commission info@phclondon.org

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you out of concern over the plight of Younis Masih, a man from Lahore who has been sentenced to death for allegedly making derogatory remarks about the prophet Muhammad.

Judging from reports, Masih had asked a group of people to make less noise, because his nephew had just died. In response, these allegations were bought against him and he has been sentenced to death.

What I wish to ask you is whether any punishment is at all appropriate in this instance, even if he did insult the prophet - a charge surely based on hearsay and so hardly proven beyond doubt.

There can be no justice without compassion and the wisdom of establishing laws so open to abuse must also be questioned. So I ask you in the name of justice to free this man who has harmed no one and was acting in time of grief.

"The quality of mercy is not strained:
It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes." - The Merchant of Venice

Please show that the Pakistani government can give pause enough to prevent this injustice. This man does not deserve to die.

Yours Sincerely,

Ian Braidwood.

Please people, get in touch with with the Pakistani government. Don't let this continue.

Other Comments by Ian

37. Comment #47158 by Series of Tubes on June 3, 2007 at 7:52 am

I vote all liberal western democracies remove their ambassadors and cut off all diplomatic ties with or treated with the tiniest bit of respect. Pakistan until these blasphemy laws are revoked. States that execute citizens for making derogatory comments about religious figures do not deserve to be included at the international table.

Other Comments by Series of Tubes

38. Comment #47162 by bouwe on June 3, 2007 at 9:12 am

34. Comment #47151 by JesusH
I don't know what is more pathetic, the content of this story or the fact that the first post on this board has to, as always, spew ridiculous hatred against Christians.

This make come as a shock to your little delusion world of hatred but no, there are NOT many religious people here in the west who would seek death for blasphemy...

Let's take another look at that first comment, shall we?

1. Comment #47040 by MorituriMax
...and some tears are surely shed over here by hardline Christians who wish they had that kind of power under the law.

Now please, please take the time to read this:
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Fascism/ChristianRight_AmerFascism.html

No, JesusH, there probably aren't many religious people here in the west who would seek death for blasphemy...BUT THERE ARE SOME. MorituriMax's comment is neither delusional nor hateful -- he is just stating an undeniable fact. He didn't say "all Christians," he was probably referring to the Reconstructionists.

The only difference between what we are reading in this article here and what could happen in the west is a little thing called the seperation between church and state. A totalitarian theocratic state run by these, as MorituriMax puts it, "hardline Christians" (read: dominionist/reconstructionist nutcases) would produce the same horrific effect.

I do hope you and others here click that link and read the article. I found the following quote to be one of the most chilling:

"So let's be blunt about it: We must use the doctrine of religious liberty to gain independence for Christian schools until we train up a generation of people who know that there is no religious neutrality, no neutral law, no neutral education, and no neutral civil government. Then they will get busy in constructing a Bible-based social, political and religious order which finally denies the religious liberty of the enemies of God." (Christianity and Civilization, Spring, 1982)

There are already two entire universities (Regent and Liberty) churning out robots-for-god with the express end-goal of establishing a "Christian State". This does not mean that any of them (perhaps not even one) currently plans to make blasphemy a capital offence, even if their fantasies came true and they established a Theocracy. However, once this sort of madness is unleashed and institutionalized...further down the track you could easily end up with such a thing...they already don't mind killing doctors who perform abortions. And let us not forget that the machinery of death in the form of capital punishment is already in place.

The idea of the United States becoming a theocratic totalitarian state may seem so far fetched to be impossible or ridiculous. But you can be sure that there are people planning it and willing it, and if you read more about the Dominionist movement you would know that there are "hardline Christians" who would like to see the same thing happen in America. That fact alone demonstrates that the first comment in this thread is not based on a "little delusion world of hatred" for Christians, but rather a concern about the "little delusion world of hatred" of some Christians in the USA who are working to externalize and institutionalize that delusion onto all of us in the real world.

Other Comments by bouwe

39. Comment #47163 by maton100 on June 3, 2007 at 9:15 am

Nice to finally see some multi-cultural progress!

http://thestubborncurmudgeon.blogspot.com

Other Comments by maton100

40. Comment #47165 by bouwe on June 3, 2007 at 9:26 am

Ah, it is almost 2:30 a.m. here in Australia. How appropriate that just after posting the above response that I can switch on TV and see Kenneth Copeland's "Believer's Voice of Victory" -- last week, all week, was devoted to telling the faithful how to vote and strategies to get their folks onto all the judiciaries of the land so they can "re-interpret" the constitution. "We must occupy the seat of authority before He returns." They are all dead serious, have heaps of money and influence and herd countless millions of sheep--er, sorry....christian voters.

I only wish what I am seeing really was just my own little delusion world. If that was the case I wouldn't bother making this post. Goodnight.

Other Comments by bouwe

41. Comment #47166 by CJ on June 3, 2007 at 9:28 am

Here are the details of the most senior official of the Pakistan government in the UK.

Dr. Maleeha Lodhi
High Commissioner
Pakistan High Commission

Taken from http://www.pakmission-uk.gov.pk/HC/Usefulcontacts.asp

Their email is info@phclondon.org

Email just sent

To Dr. Maleeha Lodhi
Regarding the potential death sentence for blasphemy of a Christian man Younis Masih.

Dear Dr Lodhi

I would like to draw your attention to this article http://www.dailyherald.com/search/searchstory.asp?id=319066

I would appreciate a response as to the validity of the article and your thoughts on the likely outcome of the trial.

Regards
etc

Now we wait.

[Edit]

This makes interesting reading from the Pakistni High Commission website.

Pakistan is key partner to promote global inter-faith harmony

Pakistan's envoy to Britain, Dr. Maleeha Lodhi has said that Pakistan is the international community's "indispensable partner" in the key global enterprise to establish interfaith understanding and harmony.

She was speaking to a multicultural audience in Leicester to mark Pakistan Day and the 60th year of the country's independence. The event, organized by the Muslim Forum at the Community Resource Centre, was attended by the Lord Mayor, MPs and Councillors.

Dr. Lodhi said that Leicester has been judged to be among Europe's most successful multicultural cities, characterized as a role model for cultural diversity and cohesion. She congratulated the local leaders for an achievement that she said should be emulated to promote inter-civilizational cooperation.

Pakistan's High Commissioner said that in the wake of the earthquake in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir over a year ago, we saw a spectacular demonstration of the human spirit to help those in distress. The extraordinary response to the tragedy underlined that human compassion transcended faith, ethnicity or nationality.

Recalling the genesis of Pakistan, Dr. Lodhi said that among the important things that the Quaid-e-Azam emphasized for the new nation were education, the equal participation of women and achieving economic viability and progress.

She then cited the significant gains the country had made to translate this vision into reality. However, much she said, remains to be done.

She pointed out that the greatest challenge now was to distribute the gains of high economic growth registered in the past four years to the people. In this regard, she explained, a dent had been made in reducing poverty, but the numbers were still unacceptable and needed to be changed by a concerted and sustained attack on poverty.

She also detailed the political reforms undertaken in recent years including those that had given record representation to women at the national, regional and local levels.

Dr. Lodhi also underscored Pakistan's role in promoting international peace and stability. This is reflected in the fact that today Pakistan is the world's largest contributing nation to UN peacekeeping forces.

London

April 2, 2007

Other Comments by CJ

42. Comment #47175 by Wrought on June 3, 2007 at 10:27 am

How to kill a Christian.

Step 1: Find him worshipping.
Step 2: Interrupt him and argue with him.
Step 3: Call the law.

The lawyer of the accused said that Christians had arranged a spiritual gathering at Chungi Ammarsidhu in September 9, 2005, at which a neighbour, Abdul Aziz, also a complainant in the case, had objected and demanded that they perform Islamic rituals instead of Christian rites. The argument turned hot during which, the complainant alleged that the accused had used the derogatory remarks.

from here.

Totally, totally wrong.

Other Comments by Wrought

43. Comment #47176 by posiedon on June 3, 2007 at 10:30 am

Blasphemy is a victim-less crime.

Other Comments by posiedon

44. Comment #47187 by PrimeNumbers on June 3, 2007 at 11:26 am

The Pakistan Ambassador to Canada can be found here: parepottawa@rogers.com - this is what I've emailed him:

--

Hi Mr. Musa Javed Chohan,

RE: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C05%5C31%5Cstory_31-5-2007_pg13_1

I was horrified to hear about this poor man's plight and possible execution. Can you please assure me that you will stop any harm coming to Younis, and perhaps you might like to offer to have him come to Canada where he would be able to live in peace and never have to face death for his freedom of speech. I'm sure all Canadians would like you to intervene on his behalf.

--

I doubt I'll hear anything. Every right thinking person should be comdemming this situation. It's just not acceptable at all that evil religious thugs can behave in this way, and to think that they call their religion one of peace - peace by the sword - agree with us or die. They're evil scumbags of the worst kind.

I'd hope every muslim group or "council" around the world would be condemming such action and pressuring Pakistan let him go. Personally, I think he'd be better off moving to Canada where he could say whatever he wants without the government trying to kill him.

Other Comments by PrimeNumbers

45. Comment #47189 by steveroot on June 3, 2007 at 11:53 am

I am extremely heartened by the response to the posted article. People here have done a lot of 'legwork" finding the places to send protest messages. Thanks for those.

Looking at the original article quoted in a subsequent post, my eyes were drawn to the date this all happened: September, 2005! A chilling thought is "what if this man has been executed already- it's been a year and 9 months?"
If he hasn't been executed, he's been held in prison all that time. And this raises another question: Why have we not heard of this "offense" before now? Someone in the news media dropped the ball, I would say.
Steve

Other Comments by steveroot

46. Comment #47191 by PrimeNumbers on June 3, 2007 at 12:03 pm

No, the news media didn't drop the ball - they'll have burried it. For some strange reason, they don't seem to think it's good to publish stories showing muslims to be backward medieval murdering bullies.

It's just like at school when they talk about the world religions - they never tell you about Muhammed's child bride, what the Koran says about atheists or non-believers or those who wish to stop being Muslim (death to all of the above).

They sanitise it all.

The fact is that there's a significant number of Muslims who are evil, and those that are not, by not coming out and condemming them, are evil by proxy.

Other Comments by PrimeNumbers

47. Comment #47197 by CJ on June 3, 2007 at 12:31 pm

Re: 47. Comment #47192 by insurance25844 on June 3, 2007 at 12:07 pm

I don't mean to flame or troll, but what I see is one set of religious freaks killing other religious freaks; why do we care again?

I must say to my shame I did think the same thing at one point. Then I remembered that all the people here, Muslim and Christian, are people just like us but unlucky enough to have been born in a different place. They are all victims of dogmatic, superstitions creeds. Then it gave me a warm happy feeling that us evil atheists are pitching-in to try to make a difference for a fellow human being in trouble, regardless of his race, colour or creed.

Other Comments by CJ

48. Comment #47198 by GodlessHeathen on June 3, 2007 at 12:33 pm

47. Comment #47192 by insurance25844 on June 3, 2007 at 12:07 pm

---

I don't mean to flame or troll, but what I see is one set of religious freaks killing other religious freaks; why do we care again?

Well, we're moral. We're aware that insanity spreads. We don't care to be next. We don't really want anyone to suffer or die over other's imaginary friends.

It'd be nice to one day have the worst stories in the papers be about accidents and natural disasters...

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49. Comment #47199 by He'sAVeryNaughtyBoy on June 3, 2007 at 12:35 pm

We care because we are human. We care because it is peoples delusions that are driving them to this. We care because we aspire to a future where one humans life is valued as the equal of another. We care because we feel that freedom of speech is a right, and that freedom to think isn't just a right but is essential to being human.

To claim elitism and disregard an individuals life just because you don't agree with them is shallow.

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50. Comment #47205 by Bremas on June 3, 2007 at 1:16 pm

Off Topic

This video is making the rounds, might as well post it.
Supposed to be a Hamas kindergarten graduation ceremony. Looks legit.

http://switch5.castup.net/frames/20041020_MemriTV_Popup/video_480x360.asp?ai=214&ar=1468wmv&ak=null

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