The (Non)Free Exercise of Religion

[samlove]

BY KATRINA LANTOS SWETT, MARY ANN GLENDON
AUGUST 10, 2015
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As Pakistan marks National Minorities Day, there are a few glimmers of tolerance in a country rife with religious and sectarian violence.

As their nation celebrates National Minorities Day on Tuesday, August 11, many Pakistanis will recall these memorable words:

“You are free. You are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or any other places of worship….You may belong to any religion or caste or creed. That has nothing to do with the business of the state.”

On August 11, 1947, Pakistan’s founding father, Muhammed Ali Jinnah, proclaimed that message of acceptance of religious minorities in a historic speech to his country.
Sixty-one years later, in November 2008, Pakistan witnessed another historic event — a Christian being sworn in to its cabinet.
On that day, the new official eloquently echoed that message:
“I decided to become Federal Minister for Minority Affairs to advocate the cause of the oppressed and the marginalized communities of Pakistan. I have devoted my life to struggle for human equality, social justice, religious freedom, and to uplift and empower the religious minority communities of Pakistan.”
Less than three years later, in March 2011, the man who delivered those words was assassinated.

Shahbaz Bhatti’s murder shocked and grieved commissioners and staff members on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), on which we now serve, for he was a true friend and a force for liberty. His murder followed a similar atrocity just two months earlier, when another Pakistani government official, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, a Muslim, met the same fate.
Both men had defended a vision of a tolerant, multicultural society. Both had opposed Pakistan’s blasphemy law as a stark betrayal of that vision. Both paid the ultimate price for their courage

So what happened? How did the vision atrophy?

A partial answer may be found in a USCIRF-sponsored study issued the following November.

Titled “Connecting the Dots: Education and Religious Discrimination in Pakistan,” the study examined Pakistan’s public school and madrassa systems, and included interviews with teachers and students. The goal was to explore linkages between the portrayal of religious minorities, biases against these minorities, and subsequent acts of discrimination or violence.

The study found that school textbooks either failed to mention Pakistan’s religious minorities or referred to them in derogatory ways.
Hindus and Christians were depicted in especially negative terms, with inaccurate and offensive references. Teachers had little understanding of religious minorities, expressed extremely negative views of Ahmadis, Christians, and Jews especially, and transmitted such biases to their students.

While USCIRF is updating the study and will release the findings later this year, the conclusion thus far is clear: Pakistan’s educational system has been part of the problem and not the solution, conveying the message that religious minorities are second-class human beings.
The results are tragically evident, as extremists target Shi’a Muslim processions, pilgrimages, and gathering places, launch vigilante and terrorist attacks against Christians, commit drive-by shootings against Ahmadis, compel Hindus to flee the country due to violence and forced conversions, and target dissenting Muslims.
In March of this year, we led the first-ever Commissioner-level USCIRF visit to Pakistan. We met with high-level officials including national security adviser Sartaj Aziz, the minister of interior, the religious affairs minister, and the attorney general, as well as madrassa leaders and religious minority members.
We saw how Pakistan remains a nation with serious challenges impacting religious freedom, including Pakistan’s blasphemy law and related statutes. We heard how they encourage acts of violence against the religious “other,” be they Christians, Hindus, or Muslims.

These issues, among others, underscore why we continue to call on the U.S. State Department to designate Pakistan a Country of Particular Concern, marking it as one of the world’s worst religious freedom violators.
To be sure, there are faint glimmers of hope on the horizon.
Punjab’s government announced earlier this year that it was reviewing blasphemy cases. The national government finally is talking of reforming Pakistan’s blasphemy law to add penalties for false accusations. And late last month, Pakistan’s Supreme Court in Lahore issued a stay of execution for Aasia Bibi and indicated that the full bench in Islamabad should hear her appeal.

We see opportunity for engagement with Pakistan. USCIRF has recommended that Washington initiate a bilateral engagement on religious freedom and tolerance. The United States also can direct its security assistance funds to help protect minority worship sites and other places where minorities congregate.

But such assistance will be for naught unless Pakistan takes action on its own.
Pakistan must break the vicious cycles of impunity and lawlessness by arresting, prosecuting, and jailing all perpetrators of violence against religious communities and their advocates. It must hold police officers accountable for turning a blind eye to attacks or refusing to file police reports when the victims are members of religious minorities. And while we applaud the ruling of Pakistan’s Supreme Court last year to create a special police force to protect religious minorities, as well as a national commission on minorities, Pakistan must implement it sooner rather than later.
Pakistan also must engage in educational reform by uprooting the intolerance in schools and textbooks. And it must repeal or dramatically reform its blasphemy and anti-Ahmadi laws.

On National Minorities Day, let Pakistan’s government, from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on down, rededicate itself fully to religious freedom and the value of tolerance articulated at its founding.

 

[niaz]

Does nation really give a fig about the founding fathers? All the speeches of the religious party leaders on Pakistan's Independence Day are nothing more than lip service. This is the time of TTP loving Munawwar Hassan. Does one really think that supporters of the party/ parties whose leaders consider anti Pakistan TTP killers as ‘Shaheed’ give a fig for the words or vision of Quaid-e Azam whom they labelled ‘Kafir e Azam’?

Only stupid old men like me still remember that Muslim Leagues & founding fathers of Pakistan wanted a land for the Muslims but never a ‘Theocratic’ Islamic state such as Saudi Arabia or Iran. I am convincd that if Quaid e Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah were alive, he would have been target killed by the Lashkar Jhangvi activists as ‘Shia’ kaffir. It is natural that followers of Islamist parties completely ignored wishes of the Founder.

In case people may have forgotten what Maulana Maudoodi thought about the Quaid & his Pakistan, please indulge me to write down a few of his words of wisdom.


1. “The establishment and birth of Pakistan is equivalent to the birth of a beast.”[Tarjumanul Quran vol.31, p.59, 1948 Pakistan]


2. “Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s place is not on the throne of leadership. He deserves to face trial as a traitor.”[Tarjumanul Quran vol.31,p.62, 1948]


3. "There were three actors in the partition of India. Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s performance proved to be most unsuccessful”.[Tarjumanul Quran vol.31,p.70, 1948]


4. “It is haraam to vote for the Muslim League.” [Tarjumanul Quran vol.27, p.145, 1946, Pathankot]


5. “Muhammad Ali Jinnah is the founder of fool’s paradise and an exceedingly sinful person.”[Tarjumanul Quran, Feb 1946, p.153]


6. “Pakistan is a fool’s paradise and an infidel state of Muslims.”[Tarjumanul Quran, 1946, p.154]


7. “Pakistan is filled with millions of robbers, thieves, murderers, adulterers and uncouth wrongdoers.”[Tarjumanul Quran vol.31, p.59]


8. “An election campaign is a race of hounds.” [Kausar, 1950]


9. “The Muslim League is an unrighteous and immoral party that has made our collective environment filthier than the lavatory.”[Jamaat Islami ki intikhabi jidd-o jehd, p.16]


10. "The Mohajirs are deserters and cowards, who fought a national battle, but when the time came to pay the price, they took the path of escape.”[Nawa-e waqt, 29 Aug 1948]

 

[Solomon2]

Pakistan also must engage in educational reform by uprooting the intolerance in schools and textbooks. And it must repeal or dramatically reform its blasphemy and anti-Ahmadi laws.

I really can't see how this can happen as long as Pakistan's HEC insists that intellectual intolerance and obedience to the State are part of Pakistani ideology and challenges to such must be opposed by Pakistan's educational institutions: link

 

[salarsikander]

I really can't see how this can happen as long as Pakistan's HEC insists that intellectual intolerance and obedience to the State are part of Pakistani ideology and challenges to such must be opposed by Pakistan's educational institutions: link

HI,

There's difference here. You see HEC ruling can be amended according to the requirements, But how can Jweish ruling of pure ones can be changed which claims that jewish blood is pure and supreme ?

Hence which is why we have most racist invaders on earth

 

[Solomon2]

HI, There's difference here. You see HEC ruling can be amended according to the requirements, But how can Jweish ruling of pure ones can be changed which claims that jewish blood is pure and supreme ? Hence which is why we have most racist invaders on earth

So the HEC requires teaching this dreck about Jews and cannot change it because they are wedded to racism? Isn't that just what I wrote?

 

[salarsikander]

So the HEC requires teaching this dreck about Jews and cannot change it because they are wedded to racism? Isn't that just what I wrote?

Hi,

Whatever is written is not a lie is it ?
But again it can be changed, due to that nature of subject, which is not a religious teaching.

My point was How could we change the what is religious understanding of pure ones in Judaism, which is far more dangerous and damaging. You see most jews dont take it easy to agaisnt the scripture, hence which is why the concept of reverting to Judaism has never been established.

Something which was above and on next level as compared to mere recsim

 

[Solomon2]

Hi,

Whatever is written is not a lie is it ?
But again it can be changed, due to that nature of subject, which is not a religious teaching.
My point was How could we change the what is religious understanding of pure ones in Judaism -

Oh, I thought you'd actually read the link, which details that the HEC has mandated that teaching anything that counters the Palestinian narrative of evil Zionists/Jews is forbidden.

Naturally over time there is thus going to be an upward spiral of anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish extremism - that is, mandatory antisemitism. The opinions you express are a product of this. Since you're pointing to these as justification not to reform the system, you're completing a system of circular logic: The HEC teaches the distortion that Jews are - how did you put it? - dangerous and damaging "pure ones", this "truth" about Jews is much more dangerous than anything else, hence the system need not be changed, and Pakistanis should continue embracing religious intolerance.

You might also want to read the article, "The Rhetoric of Nonsense" that I just posted in the Seniors section.

 

[salarsikander]

and Pakistanis should continue embracing religious intolerance.

HI,

As I have mentioned previously The current govt or lets the state of Pakistan has policy to deny and shun jews until and unless they return to pre 65 borders from where it wil be recognized. A demand that is justifiable pretty much. having said that I'm not oblivious of the current reality that the foothold that invaders has gain based around religious hatred and everything. Unless the current apartheid policies of invaders change, there nothing much we can do. But then again there always hope since it is not embodied as a religious policy, unlike what jews have of pure ones.

You see I find very hypocritical especially from a jew whose country is involved in mass murders even since its illegal resistance to lecture us about on religious tolerance> One has to come a bit clean when making such statements.

Its not as if the work in stolen land is done or regarding religious tolerance. As always there's always room for improvement ( on religious tolerance ) On stolen land, but I fimlt believe there hell lot more than improvement regarding that.

Excuse me for being so one sided biased as your are or mostly as blinds as jews are regarding the palestinian issue.

The issue is widely recognized, with brilliant examples of academia boycotting jewish Universities or their professors to Airlines getting fined for not showing the name of occupied forces in Palestine.

The very fact that Judaism itself teaches of Pure ones and non convertible issue, we can safely assume of how intolerant they are against other religions, not that moist jews are especially the ones outside of stolen land, But one cannot simply ignore the religious text or scripture that strong support such intolerance

 

[Solomon2]

HI,As I have mentioned previously The current govt or lets the state of Pakistan has policy to deny and shun jews until....see I find very hypocritical especially from a jew whose country is involved in mass murders -

Really, now. We've just been over that the HEC says it's forbidden to teach facts if they demonstate Jews - especially Zionist Jews - aren't criminals. Thus, distortions to the historical record, Jewish theology, etc. are not to be countered as long as they build Jew-hatred. So all you're doing here is wallowing in pig swill, yes?

I think you're smart enough to realize this, but maybe too scared to publicly agree to it. Thus by your refusal to stand out from the crowd you support the idea that non-Muslim minorities are to be demonized in Pakistan and provide support to the system described by the OP

 

[salarsikander]

Really, now. We've just been over that the HEC says it's forbidden to teach facts that support Jews aren't criminals. Thus, distortions to the historical record, Jewish theology, etc. are not to be countered as long as they build Jew-hatred. So all you're doing here is wallowing in pig swill, yes?

I think you're smart enough to realize this, but maybe too scared to publicly agree to it. Thus you support the idea that non-Muslim minorities are to be demonized in Pakistan and provide support to the system described by the OP

Hi,

Please keep the discussion in a civilised manner, otherwise you will be reported next time !

And there is nothing to wrong to suggest as that, If someone invaded my land illegaly I will call him a criminal.

Secondly, since we don't officially recognize the stolen land, I fond no reason why we should take any steps unless the criminals return the land and get back on the table.

I have not denied about theminiroties suffering, But I can assure we don't impose economic blockade on them legally nor do we carry operations such as cast lead on unarmed civilians, unlike invaders. You see to reach that level what invaders have achieved in 67 year, it will probably take us few centuries alone to become genocidal maniac.

neither we have top Govt officials calling for sterilizing minorities mothers like current knesset members orour MPS have to live in constant fear of getting prosecuted because of systematic cleansing of minorities.

Palestine is an open air prison, a scar of moden wolrds face to remind us that we still live in 12 century mindset !

 

[Solomon2]

...there is nothing to wrong to suggest as that, If someone invaded my land illegaly I will call him a criminal.

What the HEC is preventing you from discussing (among other things) is whether or not all this "invaded land illegally" stuff is ALL crap or not. You are, quite literally, not entitled to express an opinion that you form yourself on the grounds that this violates Pakistani "ideology" or government policy. In essence, you've been made into a subject of the State and are not a citizen.with rights to discuss State policy: thus much of the democracy Pakistan might have had has been stripped away.

We Americans also experienced this once or twice. Most notably in the run-up to the 1862-65 Civil War. After a failed local slave revolt many Southern slave states passed laws forbidding talk of Abolition. Political contests then became an upward spiral of who-was-more-pro-slavery-than-whom. Eventually the strains between the North and South became so great that armed conflict was only a matter of time. (Btw, the primary politicians and major slaveowners of the South, who ultimately supported slavery out of greed, often had their estates burned by victorious Union armies during that war.)

I have not denied about theminiroties suffering, But I can assure we don't impose economic blockade on them legally -

Well, then, if you're sure the authorities never engage in extra-legal activities that violate the rights (or lives) of Pakistanis, then what do you have to worry about? Bad, opinionated neighbors who embrace fantasies about adherents of other religions to justify depriving them of life, home, jobs, and property? How big a problem could that possibly be, right?

 

[salarsikander]

What the HEC is preventing you from discussing is whether or not all this "invaded land illegally" stuff is ALL crap or not. You are, quite literally, not entitled to express an opinion that you form yourself on the grounds that this violates Pakistani "ideology" or government policy. In essence, you've been made into a subject of the State and are not a citizen.with rights to discuss State policy: thus much of the democracy Pakistan might have had has been stripped away.

We Americans also experienced this once or twice. Most notably in the run-up to the 1862-65 Civil War. After a failed local slave revolt many Southern slave states passed laws forbidding talk of Abolition. Political contests then became an upward spiral of who-was-more-pro-slavery-than-whom. Eventually the strains between the North and South became so great that armed conflict was only a matter of time. (The primary politicians and major slaveowners of the South, who ultimately supported slavery out of greed, often had their estates burned by victorious Union armies.)

Well, then, if you're sure the authorities never engage in extra-legal activities that violate the rights (or lives) of Pakistanis, then what do you have to worry about? Bad, opinionated neighbors who embrace fantasies about adherents of other religions to justify depriving them of life, home, jobs, and property? How big a problem could that possibly be, right?

HI ,
again the blind hatred is ignoring all the realities surrounding it< my country was not forcefully built upon stolen land, nor my country has huge walls separating an open air prison or having separate roads for locals to exclude minorities, or for that matter having check points in every corner of the road to enforce the illegal occupation.

You see I didn't see muslims backed with Army coming and razing down to ground the houses of minorities or shelling their homes .

depriving them of jobs LMAO. We have minorities in our armed forces and in our civil departments, we have temple all around Sindh where people from India come for pilgrimage ! Its not as if due to pure policies of invaders that it has not been involved in war with its neighbour ! nor we have carried out strikes against our neighbours using f-16 to take out other countries national assets !

violating Human rights is now a norm for invaders depriving them of basic medical facilities and decent life by imposing illegal economic blockade, on the other hand poor state of Pakistan has had taken around 3 mn registered afghan refugees.

Our minister are do not officially support the idea of wiping our minorities unlike knesset current serving members

 

[Solomon2]

HI , again the blind hatred is ignoring all the realities surrounding it< my country was not forcefully built upon stolen land -

The only hate you're proving is that hatemongering fantasies run deep in Pakistan. Given the bent put on education by the HEC, by what right can you claim to respect what you write about Jews and Israel? Or any minority in Pakistan that disagrees with the State like the Ahmadis? You cannot claim any moral or legal right regarding Israel because you're not allowed weigh pro- and con- and thus exercise that kind of judgment. From that one acceptance of State interference on your part it is sufficient that all other ills plaguing religious conflict in Pakistan follow.

 

[salarsikander]

The only hate you're proving is that hatemongering fantasies run deep in Pakistan. Given the bent put on education by the HEC, by what right can you claim to respect what you write about Jews and Israel? Or any minority in Pakistan that disagrees with the State like the Ahmadis? You cannot claim any moral or legal right regarding Israel because you're not allowed weigh pro- and con- and thus exercise that kind of judgment. From that one acceptance of State interference on your part it is sufficient that all other ills plaguing religious conflict in Pakistan follow.

Hi,

Imm talking about the hypocrisy that you're demonstrating, your failure to admit the apartheid policies of an illegal entity. At least I'm admitting unlike you dodging the reality.

The prosecution faced by palestians is in no way comparable to what criminals do, we do not kidnap or arrest underage children nor we have enclaved dwellings to prosecute them like how you have.

Nor we have imposed economic blockade which is a scar on modern world. Depriving them of basic needs, which is widely recognized by whole world.

The way you present the HEC ruling as if its far worse than what crminls have been doing on stolen land for the last 67 years. Carrying out full fledged war against unarmed civilians.

With your heavy biased analogy youndont even stand a chance to say a word as lot of of work is needed before invader treat the real owners as human beings and not indiscriminately bomb them.

The ahmediiyas are in far better state than a normal Palestine can ever imagine to be.

As I said our MPS do not claim to wipe them or sterile their woman unlike what invader suggest to do

 

[Solomon2]

Hi,Imm talking about the hypocrisy that you're demonstrating -

You're not acknowledging my questions. Thus you show yourself to be both victim and perpetrator of the system. You wave anti-Zionism around and don't address the problems of suffering Pakistanis, thus aptly demonstrating that the cause of anti-Zionism is applied to compel people to despair and abandon hope. Civic-minded Pakistanis now know who their true enemy is.

Thank you for your assistance, @salarsikander. I rely on the mods to assure people that you're not my sock puppet.