8-year-old boy is youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan

An 8-year-old Hindu boy has become the youngest person ever to be charged with blasphemy in Pakistan after he intentionally urinated in the library of an Islamic religious school.

The boy is now being held in protective custody and his family is in hiding, the Guardian reported.

The child — whom the Guardian did not name — allegedly urinated on a carpet in the library of a madrassa, where religious books were kept.

A blasphemy charge in the deeply religious country can carry the death penalty.

“He is not even aware of such blasphemy issues and he has been falsely indulged in these matters. He still doesn’t understand what his crime was and why he was kept in jail for a week,” a family member told the Guardian.
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Maybe I have a gift: this AM I put on one of my Religions of the World T-shirts. Since it iterates the notion that all religions are fundamentally based on shit, Islam is on my T-shirt as 'If shit happens, take hostages.'

Fake moral outrage over things religious minorities do are common place in Pakistan. Usually it's religious grifters that create an outrage to rally the masses, which forces the authorities to act on things they'd rather just pretend didn't happen and look the other way (such as a Hindu boy peeing in a madrassa, technically blasphemy, but if there wasn't a fake outrage over it, the authorities probably wouldn't care).

JacksinPA said:

8-year-old boy is youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan

No executions have been carried out in the country since the death penalty was introduced for blasphemy in 1986, but suspects are often attacked, at times fatally, by mobs.

nypost.com

An 8-year-old Hindu boy has become the youngest person ever to be charged with blasphemy in Pakistan after he intentionally urinated in the library of an Islamic religious school.

The boy is now being held in protective custody and his family is in hiding, the Guardian reported.

The child — whom the Guardian did not name — allegedly urinated on a carpet in the library of a madrassa, where religious books were kept.

A blasphemy charge in the deeply religious country can carry the death penalty.

“He is not even aware of such blasphemy issues and he has been falsely indulged in these matters. He still doesn’t understand what his crime was and why he was kept in jail for a week,” a family member told the Guardian.
=====================================================
Maybe I have a gift: this AM I put on one of my Religions of the World T-shirts. Since it iterates the notion that all religions are fundamentally based on shit, Islam is on my T-shirt as 'If shit happens, take hostages.'

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Ahhh, more stories from the religion of peace!

It's all so...predictable.

joluoto said:

Fake moral outrage over things religious minorities do are common place in Pakistan. Usually it's religious grifters that create an outrage to rally the masses, which forces the authorities to act on things they'd rather just pretend didn't happen and look the other way (such as a Hindu boy peeing in a madrassa, technically blasphemy, but if there wasn't a fake outrage over it, the authorities probably wouldn't care).

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You seem pretty certain about this. What leads you to believe the outrage is faked? Asia Bibi spent 8 years on death row for this comment she allegedly made while arguing with her Muslim coworkers, "At least my Jesus died for me. What did your Mohamed ever do for you?" The majority of Pakistan's voters are in favor of the death penalty for insulting Islam.

stevecanuck said:

You seem pretty certain about this. What leads you to believe the outrage is faked? Asia Bibi spent 8 years on death row for this comment she allegedly made while arguing with her Muslim coworkers, "At least my Jesus died for me. What did your Mohamed ever do for you?" The majority of Pakistan's voters are in favor of the death penalty for insulting Islam.

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There are grifters on social media in Pakistan that makes their whole carreer finding "outrages", and then they ask all good Muslims for donations. They are usually the ones making a big ruckus out of small things, because "Islam is under siege in Pakistan" (their mantra).

And yes, it's usually their involvement that also leads to the authorities arresting and convicting people for "blasphemy".

joluoto said:

There are grifters on social media in Pakistan that makes their whole carreer finding "outrages", and then they ask all good Muslims for donations. They are usually the ones making a big ruckus out of small things, because "Islam is under siege in Pakistan" (their mantra).

And yes, it's usually their involvement that also leads to the authorities arresting and convicting people for "blasphemy".

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You've just basically repeated yourself. Why do you think the average Pakistani is not fully on board with such penalties?

Apparently it's a lot more fun to make gratuitous claims than to defend them.

Pakistan is very religious and observant Muslim nation. All they are doing here is actually being "good Muslims" and following the commandments set for in their sacred book the Koran. So, why would anyone be surpised or upset by that? These are the "good" and faithful Muslims, same as the Taliban.

Court Jester said:

Pakistan is very religious and observant Muslim nation. All they are doing here is actually being "good Muslims" and following the commandments set for in their sacred book the Koran. So, why would anyone be surpised or upset by that? These are the "good" and faithful Muslims, same as the Taliban.

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Much like good and faithful Christians want to stone homosexuals and infidels and people who work on Saturday. Muhammad piggy-backed onto the idea of sacred immutable holy words which - given his way - would keep his followers forever locked in a medieval morality: But it was Christians and Jews who invented such a perverted concept and showed what a useful tool of control it could be. Fortunately there are plenty of folk in all three religions who recognize that just because it is written, doesn't mean it needs to be obeyed.

Mithrae said:

Much like good and faithful Christians want to stone homosexuals and infidels and people who work on Saturday.

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When in the last 800 years have you ever heard of that happening in Christianity? Yet it happens all the time in much of Islam. So, is it your intention to say that Islam is medieval today?

Mithrae said:

Muhammad piggy-backed onto the idea of sacred immutable holy words which - given his way - would keep his followers forever locked in a medieval morality: But it was Christians and Jews who invented such a perverted concept and showed what a useful tool of control it could be.

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What is you point? That Christians and Jews were evil hundreds if not a thousand years ago, but Islam gets a pass TODAY because Christians and Jews did something bad in the distant PAST?

Mithrae said:

Fortunately there are plenty of folk in all three religions who recognize that just because it is written, doesn't mean it needs to be obeyed.

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Less so apparently in Islam judging by all of beheading, beatings, and subjection of women and homosexual in the so called "religion of peace"?

Court Jester said:

When in the last 800 years have you ever heard of that happening in Christianity? Yet it happens all the time in much of Islam. So, is it your intention to say that Islam is medieval today?

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It happens all the time in Christianity too.

Court Jester said:

What is you point? That Christians and Jews were evil hundreds if not a thousand years ago, but Islam gets a pass TODAY because Christians and Jews did something bad in the distant PAST?

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You're the one who claimed that the Muslims who adhere to medieval ideas are the "'good' and faithful Muslims." Strangely you seem reluctant to apply the same standard to Christianity. Which is good, since it's a particularly perverse kind of attitude which essentially denies and certainly undermines human progress. On another forum I'm in a discussion with several Christians literally defending institutional slavery, because of course it is commanded in their bible. But even religions change over time, despite inevitable throwbacks and reluctance among many members. It would be nice to acknowledge that fact, and not to hold Islam to a different standard.

Mithrae said:

It happens all the time in Christianity too.

6 modern-day Christian terrorist groups our media conveniently ignores - Salon.com

They don't get the coverage of ISIS or Boko Haram, but organizations like "The Army of God" are no less dangerous

www.salon.com

You're the one who claimed that the Muslims who adhere to medieval ideas are the "'good' and faithful Muslims." Strangely you seem reluctant to apply the same standard to Christianity. Which is good, since it's a particularly perverse kind of attitude which essentially denies and certainly undermines human progress. On another forum I'm in a discussion with several Christians literally defending institutional slavery, because of course it is commanded in their bible. But even religions change over time, despite inevitable throwbacks and reluctance among many members. It would be nice to acknowledge that fact, and not to hold Islam to a different standard.

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Oh, the usual off-topic whatabout response. Whoda guessed?

Do you have anything to say about the subject at hand?

stevecanuck said:

Oh, the usual off-topic whatabout response. Whoda guessed?

Do you have anything to say about the subject at hand?

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I can't help noticing you 'liked' the "usual off-topic whatabout response" to which I was responding. The subject at hand - which you seem to be taking a rather personal interest in as a mere participant - was specifically Pakistan's laws and application of 'justice,' not the prejudices against "good and faithful" Muslims which you and Court Jester seem to share.

Pointing out that religions change over time, that they are not constrained by their ancient or medieval origins but instead may change for the better or (as perhaps the case here) for the worse, actually brings the discussion back a bit closer to the original issue. So maybe instead of trying to play moderator, do you have anything relevant to say? The only thing I'm seeing in your last three posts is misunderstanding or misrepresentation of others' comments, with no substance of your own.

Mithrae said:

You're the one who claimed that the Muslims who adhere to medieval ideas are the "'good' and faithful Muslims."

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They are, isn't that what the Taliban are? Faithful to Sharia law, and following the commands of "the prophet"?

Mithrae said:

Strangely you seem reluctant to apply the same standard to Christianity.

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I do, when I see it, but I don't see very much of it, not in any mainstream form of Christianity. Not even with those nutty Westboro Baptist types. All they do is shout angry words. Until they start denying women and girls to go to school, or actually start murdering homosexuals, I'll just consider you unable to admit there is a difference in words vs actions.

Mithrae said:

Which is good, since it's a particularly perverse kind of attitude which essentially denies and certainly undermines human progress. On another forum I'm in a discussion with several Christians literally defending institutional slavery, because of course it is commanded in their bible.

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When speaking of the definition of slave in the Biblical texts, especially the New Testament, it is important to understand that the Greek 'dulos' means simply servant. A servant could be an indentured servant which is basically voluntary servitude for economic reason. It may even be to pay off a debt. But yes, there were people sold into bondage after conquests, but we need to understand that "slavery" in the Bible was not always the same as antebellum plantation style slavery.

I agree, when southern plantation owners attempted to use the Biblical texts to support plantation slavery, they were wrong. Wrong because they were not interpreting the translation right, and owing to their own greed. But important to note, is that in America it was Christians who started the abolitionist movement. Christians who called out the wrongness of forced slavery, which eventually grew to compel leaders in the North to consider freeing Southern slaves. So, where is the credit to those Christians for that I ask you?

Mithrae said:

But even religions change over time, despite inevitable throwbacks and reluctance among many members. It would be nice to acknowledge that fact, and not to hold Islam to a different standard.

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I don't hold Islam to a very different standard, I hold them accountable for the different actions they take against people. Not just different than Christianity, but Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism too. Please show me ANY Islamic nation, either a monarchy or a dictatorship which guarantees INDIVIDUAL freedom and rights like any mainly Christian nation does? Not all are as bad as the Taliban or Iran, but even the so called "moderate" Islamic states are pretty horrific when it comes to defending individual freedom. Have you seen a lot of gay pride marches in Saudi Arabia? Not likely. But there are those in Israel. I wonder why they allow them there?

Court Jester said:

When in the last 800 years have you ever heard of that happening in Christianity? Yet it happens all the time in much of Islam. So, is it your intention to say that Islam is medieval today?




What is you point? That Christians and Jews were evil hundreds if not a thousand years ago, but Islam gets a pass TODAY because Christians and Jews did something bad in the distant PAST?




Less so apparently in Islam judging by all of beheading, beatings, and subjection of women and homosexual in the so called "religion of peace"?

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Christians are still gleefully slaughtering “infidels” in parts of the Third World. The Christian Serbs committed outright genocide only thirty or so years earlier. As usual, your history is shaky at best.

joluoto said:

There are grifters on social media in Pakistan that makes their whole carreer finding "outrages", and then they ask all good Muslims for donations. They are usually the ones making a big ruckus out of small things, because "Islam is under siege in Pakistan" (their mantra).

Click to expand...

Are you sure you're not talking about Fox News, OAN, NewsMax, Trumpers and Even Jelly Kool Kris-Chee-yinz?

Mithrae said:

I can't help noticing you 'liked' the "usual off-topic whatabout response" to which I was responding. The subject at hand - which you seem to be taking a rather personal interest in as a mere participant - was specifically Pakistan's laws and application of 'justice,' not the prejudices against "good and faithful" Muslims which you and Court Jester seem to share.

Pointing out that religions change over time, that they are not constrained by their ancient or medieval origins but instead may change for the better or (as perhaps the case here) for the worse, actually brings the discussion back a bit closer to the original issue. So maybe instead of trying to play moderator, do you have anything relevant to say? The only thing I'm seeing in your last three posts is misunderstanding or misrepresentation of others' comments, with no substance of your own.

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- You replied to a thread about Pakistan with a deflection about Christianity.
- I challenged you to say something on topic.
- You have yet to.

And I suspect you won't.

stevecanuck said:

- You replied to a thread about Pakistan with a deflection about Christianity.
- I challenged you to say something on topic.
- You have yet to.

And I suspect you won't.

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Meanwhile you replied to thread about Pakistan with a deflection about the content of someone else's post - while quietly "liking" off-topic comments which agree your prejudices, of course - and when challenged to say something on topic, have failed to do so. You sure showed me how to do things right Carry on.

Mithrae said:

Meanwhile you replied to thread about Pakistan with a deflection about the content of someone else's post - while quietly "liking" off-topic comments which agree your prejudices, of course - and when challenged to say something on topic, have failed to do so. You sure showed me how to do things right Carry on.

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Yawn. Bye.

Checkerboard Strangler said:

Are you sure you're not talking about Fox News, OAN, NewsMax, Trumpers and Even Jelly Kool Kris-Chee-yinz?

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It's not that different on the surface level, except the US doesn't have blasphemy laws that can be used by the fake outrage crowd to persecute minorities. They wish the US had blasphemy laws.

joluoto said:

It's not that different on the surface level, except the US doesn't have blasphemy laws that can be used by the fake outrage crowd to persecute minorities. They wish the US had blasphemy laws.

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Exactly.

Well said.

JacksinPA said:

8-year-old boy is youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan

No executions have been carried out in the country since the death penalty was introduced for blasphemy in 1986, but suspects are often attacked, at times fatally, by mobs.

nypost.com

An 8-year-old Hindu boy has become the youngest person ever to be charged with blasphemy in Pakistan after he intentionally urinated in the library of an Islamic religious school.

The boy is now being held in protective custody and his family is in hiding, the Guardian reported.

The child — whom the Guardian did not name — allegedly urinated on a carpet in the library of a madrassa, where religious books were kept.

A blasphemy charge in the deeply religious country can carry the death penalty.

“He is not even aware of such blasphemy issues and he has been falsely indulged in these matters. He still doesn’t understand what his crime was and why he was kept in jail for a week,” a family member told the Guardian.
=====================================================
Maybe I have a gift: this AM I put on one of my Religions of the World T-shirts. Since it iterates the notion that all religions are fundamentally based on shit, Islam is on my T-shirt as 'If shit happens, take hostages.'

Click to expand...

Ahh, theocracy. What a wonderful system.