Hat tip Atlas Shrugs
"Let there be no compulsion in religion" Sura 2; 256
How many times have we heard that line from the Koran quoted at inter-faith meetings?
Tell it to the Christians in Bangladesh, a country that is about 90% Muslim majority. Via Atlas Shrugs, I am cross-posting this article from Christian Today.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bangladeshi.christians.told.to.close.church.convert.to.islam/34230.htm
Here is an explanation of this point from Islam Today:
http://en.islamtoday.net/artshow-262-3441.htm
That should make everything perfectly clear.
This is not about "The Christians in Bangla Desh." This is about a group of 25 recent converts from Islam in one isolated rural village, who were attacked when they first started building a church.
ReplyDeleteIts not national policy, and its not an attack on those who have been Christians born and bred.
That doesn't make it good, right, proper, or worthy of praise. But its not the touchstone that proves once and for all what Islam is (Gary's second link eloquently highlights what authoritative Muslim teaching on the subject consists of). There are all kinds of corrupt, brutal, practices across India, Pakistan, and Bangla Desh, including the routine killings of young couples who attempt to marry across caste lines in rural villages. This is one of that vast number. It is not an apocalyptic clash of civilizations.
Siarlys,
ReplyDeleteWhat you have underlined is that apostasy is a crime under Islam-one punished by death. It still shows the bigotry involved.
As for the Muslim link, I thought that it also underlines the twisted thinking on the topic.
The Muslim link affirms in depth and detail that the principle, there shall be no compulsion in religion, is valid, and not compromised by references that may superficially seem to undermine it. What more do you want?
ReplyDeleteI haven't underlined anything. There is no clear reference that apostasy is a crime punishable by death as a fundamental principle of Islam. There was a time when Spanish crews capturing a British ship would execute all Protestants on the ground that they were apostate Catholics. That was not because the Gospels called for it, although Paul may have hinted at ostracism of those who abandon "the saints," and did advocate that Christians should go to Christians to resolve disputes, not to the courts of law (sounds like what you say about Sharia law?)
Tribal cultures and insular rural communities often do things like this. They're despicable, but not endemic to any religion.