In The Presence Of Greatness

We all have moments when we feel the divine ....

The Vishnu Kalki Avatar As Many Expect Him

.... or even the sublime.

Sometimes it comes at useful times, and other times not. But its part of the human experience, whether we like to admit it or not.

India's Salman Rushdie Moment

We often think of Hinduism (as opposed to Hindu Nationalists), as a peaceable religion, except where it clashes with Islam (a trait which it shares with every other religion which bumps up against Islam), so its with some surprise to find that a book written by an American scholar, Wendy Doniger, has elicited a response from Hindu's that reminds one very much of the treatment of Salman Rushdie for writing his book 'The Satanic Verses'.

Her book, 'The Hindus: An Alternative History', published by Penguin Books in India, has attracted much criticism, because according to the complainants, the book 'is insulting to Hindus', containing what they describe as "heresies".  Some of which meant that "She denounced the Hindu Gods and freedom fighters of India", as well as containing some factual errors.

The case went to court, under another of India's archaic laws, that makes it a 'criminal' rather than a 'civil offence', to publish a book that offends any Hindu .... much like the Muslim view that anything that offends them is to be condemned via a Fatwa (religious ban).

A Declaration Of 'No Free Speech'?

 
And guess what, the threat of a court case running over many years has allegedly (they haven't officially confirmed the climbdown), led to Penguin Books in India to agree with the complainants, and to recall and destroy all remaining copies of the book - an act of self censorship, which has profound implications for freedom of speech in India.

However, many Indians have been quick to realise this implication, and the decision of Penguin India to bow to religious groups pressure, and withdraw the book, has brought criticism .... Indian cabinet minister Jairam Ramesh told the Press Trust of India the decision was "atrocious", adding the book was "not blasphemous by any means". Well known Indian Historian Ramachandra Guha called the news "deeply disappointing. The answer to a book one doesn't like is another book, not a ban, or legal action, or physical intimidation," ... and that's the difference between India and its neighbour and enemy.

In India there is a fear and recognition that some religious groups are stifling free speech and artistic expression ..... nearly last word to Doniger herself  "The true villain of this piece  ... is a law that jeopardises the physical safety of any publisher, no matter how ludicrous the accusation brought against a book."

This story has escalated since I wrote this earlier in the month ..... so it may have legs.
 

Allah, God, Jehovah .... All One?

The Malaysian "Allah Row" continues to rumble on as the Muslim Malays try to exert their power over the non Muslims in their 'unequal' society.

So the labelling of Indian and Chinese Malaysians as "pendatang", or 'immigrants', by a senior ruling party member, Nasir Safar should come as no surprise. The next step will be to call for their forced conversion or expulsion, even though they have been there hundreds of years.

They have introduced 'sharia' penalties for non Muslims, such as caning for a woman who drank a beer, arrest for young unmarried couples for "close proximity", and the cancellation of a concert by US singer Beyonce, all signs that Islam is now ceasing (if it ever was) to be tolerant of the non Muslims beliefs or lifestyles. The list of matters judged to be under the jurisdiction of Islamic laws has expanded over the decades, as 'Islamic Institutions' have been created.

Oddly, if they go the Malays would be bankrupt because they only get jobs because their constitution says that they simply be given certain jobs such as those in the civil service ...... all the wealth creation is done by the non Muslims.

However that won't stop the rush towards the persecution of the non Muslims. Just imagine the fuss in the Islamic world if it was non Muslims doing all this to Muslims?

They really are the mother of all hypocrites.

Christianity Under Attack In Muslim Lands

As has been mentioned in this blog in the past, some misguided Christians, casting desperately around for a 'tolerant Muslim state', fall upon Malaya as, in Tony Blairs words "“having [set] a very good example of interfaith cooperation”.

Malay Christian Herald Censored

However they are simply deluding themselves. Malaya is increasingly becoming an intolerant Muslim state as the "Allah" row has shown.

Malaya's Interfaith Intolerance

Tony Blair once described Malaya as an example of a moderate "Muslim" state with “having [set] a very good example of interfaith cooperation” ...... only goes to show what a gullible fool he is.

Malaya actually has a poor tolerance of anyone not a Muslim, and an in built bias against non Muslims. They knock down Hindu temples and Christian Churches with no Mosques ever knocked down.

In the latest example of the Islamification of Malaya, nine Christians mistakenly accused of trying to convert Muslim university students to Christianity are to be released from detention. Trying to convert Muslims to another religion is forbidden in Malaysia, though Muslims may proselytise against other faiths. As usual one set of laws for Muslims, another for the lesser religions.

Malaysia, has a 60% Muslim population, with Christians, Buddhists and Hindus making up most of the rest of the population, but the laws are still skewed in favour of Muslims, so much so that when two journalists wrote about hiding their Muslim identity, in order to receive Communion at a Roman Catholic church, and checking for Muslim apostates who may be attending prayers or Communion at the church (they found no evidence of this), then nothing was done. Imagine if a Catholic had tried to do the same thing at a Mosque .....

As usual in the Muslim world apostates i.e. those who convert from Islam face prison, and or death, even in this 'moderate' Muslim state.