• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Christian woman sentenced to death in Pakistan

Grant

Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
31,645
Reaction score
7,598
Location
Canada, Costa Rica
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Independent
Christian woman sentenced to death in Pakistan
AFP

LAHORE, Pakistan (AFP) – A Pakistani court has sentenced to death a Christian mother of five for blasphemy, the first such conviction of a woman and sparking protests from rights groups Thursday.

Asia Bibi, 45, was sentenced Monday by a local court in Nankana district in Pakistan's central province Punjab, about 75 kilometres (47 miles) west of the country's cultural capital of Lahore.

Pakistan has yet to execute anyone for blasphemy, but the case spotlights the Muslim country's controversial laws on the subject which rights activists say encourages Islamist extremism in a nation wracked by Taliban attacks.

Bibi's case dates back to June 2009 when she was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. But a group of Muslim women labourers objected, saying that as a non-Muslim, she should not touch the water bowl.

A few days later the women went to a local cleric and alleged that Asia made made derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed. The cleric went to local police, who opened an investigation.

She was arrested in Ittanwalai village and prosecuted under Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which carries the death penalty.

Sentencing her to hang, Judge Naveed Iqbal "totally ruled out" any chance that Asia was falsely implicated and said there were "no mitigating circumstances", according to a copy of the verdict seen by AFP.

Husband Ashiq Masih, 51, told AFP that he would appeal her death sentence, which needs to be upheld by the Lahore high court, the highest court in Punjab, before it can be carried out.

"The case is baseless and we will file an appeal," he said.

The couple have two sons and three daughters.

Rights activists and minority pressure groups said it was the first time that a woman had been sentenced to hang in Pakistan for blasphemy, although a Muslim couple were jailed for life last year.

Human rights activists want the controversial legislation repealed, saying it is exploited for personal enmity and encourages Islamist extremism.

"The blasphemy law is absolutely obscene and it needs to be repealed in totality," Human Rights Watch spokesman Ali Dayan Hasan told AFP.

"It is primarily used against vulnerable groups that face social and political discrimination. Heading that category are religious minorities and heterodox Muslim sects," he said.

Around three percent of Pakistan's population of 167 million is estimated to be non-Muslim.

Last July, two Christian brothers accused of writing a blasphemous pamphlet critical of the Prophet Mohammed were shot dead outside a court in Punjab.

Pastor Rashid Emmanuel, 32, and his brother Sajjad, were killed as they left a court hearing in Faisalabad city, where hundreds of Muslim protesters had demanded they be sentenced to death.

Christian woman sentenced to death in Pakistan - Yahoo! News
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

Islam is such a peaceful religion. What benefit it brings the world.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

Pretty harsh treatment for being critical of a Prophet. Where is the love and tolerance?:mrgreen:
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

The supporters of Sharia Law should be along anytime now.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

The supporters of Sharia Law should be along anytime now.

Real classy there American. Sorry was this the part where Honour was restored? Not sure when that's gonna be exactly.

Do I support this? **** No.

If it were up to me, judges that hand down sentences like this would be facing the death penalty.

Do I support Sharia Law? **** No.

Do I want another thread completely dedicated to Muslim bashing... **** NO!
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

Real classy there American. Sorry was this the part where Honour was restored? Not sure when that's gonna be exactly.

Do I support this? **** No.

If it were up to me, judges that hand down sentences like this would be facing the death penalty.

Do I support Sharia Law? **** No.

Do I want another thread completely dedicated to Muslim bashing... **** NO!

Why not be critical of this sort of barbaric behavior, JetBoogieMan, and publicize it for all the world to see?

This incredibly inhumane behavior must be publicized, and done on a regular basis, if any changes are going to be made.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

Why not be critical of this sort of barbaric behavior, JetBoogieMan, and publicize it for all the world to see?

This incredibly inhumane behavior must be publicized, and done on a regular basis, if any changes are going to be made.

I was replying to Americans post, which is basically if I come in and say, that you shouldn't paint all muslims with the same Brush, I'm accused of "Supporting Sharia Law and perhaps later on terrorism".

I think what has happened here is barbaric.

But if you're gonna turn this thread into another Muslim bashing episode, I want no part in it.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

Real classy there American. Sorry was this the part where Honour was restored? Not sure when that's gonna be exactly.

Do I support this? **** No.

If it were up to me, judges that hand down sentences like this would be facing the death penalty.

Do I support Sharia Law? **** No.

Do I want another thread completely dedicated to Muslim bashing... **** NO!

I understand your desire to be a voice of reason in this. I honestly do. Emotional clashes among religions is historically ugly.

But this notion that many try to put forth that the radical portion of Islam is a small segment simply isn't true (not that you are). That segment is about 1/4 of the religion and it dominates the actions, and in this case court system, of not only that faith, but many of the countries it resides within.

To many Christians, this is the result of worshiping false gods. But even in the secular world, it is undeniable the good works of the Christian faith in the world today, as compared to the militaristic intimidiation of, and the inferiority of, the Islamic faith. I look for good in Islam, and I simply don't see it.
 
Last edited:
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

This saddens me deeply. As a Christian I think it's our responsibility for those apart of the Family of God to pray for our brothers and sisters who suffer intense persecution around the world. Stuff like this angers me greatly.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

I was replying to Americans post, which is basically if I come in and say, that you shouldn't paint all muslims with the same Brush, I'm accused of "Supporting Sharia Law and perhaps later on terrorism".

I think what has happened here is barbaric.

But if you're gonna turn this thread into another Muslim bashing episode, I want no part in it.

Muslims should stand up and speak out against this barbarity and not call it "Muslim bashing" unless it is an accepted part of their religion.

If it accepted they should be "bashed". If it is not let's have an airing.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

I was replying to Americans post, which is basically if I come in and say, that you shouldn't paint all muslims with the same Brush, I'm accused of "Supporting Sharia Law and perhaps later on terrorism".

I think what has happened here is barbaric.

But if you're gonna turn this thread into another Muslim bashing episode, I want no part in it.

My point was that those who support Sharia Law in the US, as even a subordinate law, need to take heed of this.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

Muslims should stand up and speak out against this barbarity and not call it "Muslim bashing" unless it is an accepted part of their religion.

If it accepted they should be "bashed". If it is not let's have an airing.

There are a very few, but they are in the overwhelmingly vast minority. I'm sure there is a segment that stay quiet out of fear, but that speaks even more to this so-called faith we tap-dance around.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

There are a very few, but they are in the overwhelmingly vast minority. I'm sure there is a segment that stay quiet out of fear, but that speaks even more to this so-called faith we tap-dance around.

I'm thinking it's more of people tired of apologizing for something they didn't do.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

I was replying to Americans post, which is basically if I come in and say, that you shouldn't paint all muslims with the same Brush, I'm accused of "Supporting Sharia Law and perhaps later on terrorism".

I think what has happened here is barbaric.

But if you're gonna turn this thread into another Muslim bashing episode, I want no part in it.

While stopping short of saying they support Sharia Law outright, there are any number of people whose knee jerk reactions to threads such as these involve false moral equivalencies that typically take one of two forms (or sometimes both). They either point out some nutty modern day Christians who express various harsh views -- a lame attempt that fails to take into account the percentage of Christians actually holding these views not to mention failing to rise to the level as is being addressed, namely, the actually killing of people. The other ruse is to point out some naughty things Christians did in the distant past -- as if the world had entered some bizarre rift in the time-space continuum, and we are somehow not all living in the present day world.

Sophistry such as this is extremely predictable, there are countless examples of such in other threads, and the nature of the apologia is such that people are defending practices that they would not defend if such practices arose from "our" group rather than "their group". It may not be support for Sharia outright, but it is certainly apologia that acts to create false equivalencies.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

Why is this in the breaking news section? When its not breaking news, since it more to do with Religion than anything. And I agree with Jet, since I DEFEND Muslims like Laila who don't act like the ones in the OP and somehow I get called a terrorist supporter it just ridiculous.

However, I don't support what the people in the OP did in fact they are the people I fight against, since I know they twist Islam in to a their own perversion of Islam. I also love the fact that the people in the OP seem, and also some posters on this bored seem to forget this little line of the Quran.

"Those who believe (in the Quran), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians...and (all) who believe in God and the last day and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." The Qur'an, 2:62
And also this line from the Hadith "If anyone harms (others), God will harm him, and if anyone shows hostility to others, God will show hostility to him."
And also this little quotation from the Quran
"O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know and honor each other (not that you should despise one another). Indeed the most honorable of you in the sight of God is the most righteous." Chapter 49, Verse 13

"God does not forbid you to be kind and equitable to those who have neither fought against your faith nor driven you out of your homes. In fact God loves the equitable." Chapter 60, Verse 8


"And what will explain to you what the steep path is? It is the freeing of a (slave) from bondage; or the giving of food in a day of famine to an orphan relative, or to a needy in distress. Then will he be of those who believe, enjoin fortitude and encourage kindness and compassion." Chapter 90, Verses 12-17


"Show forgiveness, speak for justice and avoid the ignorant." Chapter 7, Verse 199

Note: these are the English translations of the verse of the Qur'an. However Laila can correct me on some of the verses, if I am wrong.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

I'm thinking it's more of people tired of apologizing for something they didn't do.

And how many Muslims are speaking out against the execution of a Christian, who simply spoke against Mohammed?

They are implicit in their inaction.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

Why is this in the breaking news section? .

Because it happened recently and the link provided is to a news source.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

And how many Muslims are speaking out against the execution of a Christian, who simply spoke against Mohammed?

They are implicit in their inaction.

Please, do tell how you know what relgion people are on this fourm, if they don't say they are people who support Islam, or Chirstantiny, or if they are Jewish unless they say they are. Oh and guess what I am an Atheist, and I defend all relgions from the ingorent who demonzie people they know nothing about, and they get their infomation from talking heads.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

I was replying to Americans post, which is basically if I come in and say, that you shouldn't paint all muslims with the same Brush, I'm accused of "Supporting Sharia Law and perhaps later on terrorism".

I think what has happened here is barbaric.

But if you're gonna turn this thread into another Muslim bashing episode, I want no part in it.

If atrocities are being committed under the name of Islam and no Muslims are speaking out against it then Muslims become a part of the problem and not part of the solution.

And as Islam is an ideology, what's wrong with being critical? All ideologies and beliefs should stand up to public scrutiny. There is nothing special whatsoever that would exclude Islam.

Islam and many of its adherents are a serious problem in the world and this problem should be discussed openly. Calling it "bashing" implies that we should have sympathy for Muslims, and that should never be the case. They are not a special case and never have been. They should be held to the same standards as everyone else.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

Because it happened recently and the link provided is to a news source.

and cut out the rest of the post, and didn't adress the full post.

Why is this in the breaking news section? When its not breaking news, since it more to do with Religion than anything. And I agree with Jet, since I DEFEND Muslims like Laila who don't act like the ones in the OP and somehow I get called a terrorist supporter it just ridiculous.

However, I don't support what the people in the OP did in fact they are the people I fight against, since I know they twist Islam in to a their own perversion of Islam. I also love the fact that the people in the OP seem, and also some posters on this bored seem to forget this little line of the Quran.


 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

and cut out the rest of the post, and didn't adress the full post.



[/B]

I quoted the part I was addressing, and simply ignored the blather that followed because it had no bearing on the answer..
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

I'm thinking it's more of people tired of apologizing for something they didn't do.

No one is looking for apologies.

What most of us are looking for is a way to stop the senseless and murderous aspects of Islam. Muslims aren't coming up with too many ideas as to how this might be stopped, apart from blaming it on non-muslims.
 
Re: Bad Time To Be A Christian

No one is looking for apologies.

What most of us are looking for is a way to stop the senseless and murderous aspects of Islam. Muslims aren't coming up with too many ideas as to how this might be stopped, apart from blaming it on non-muslims.

As an analogy, I would wonder how people would respond if a U.S. court sentened a person to death because of their religion? Would people accuse those who were outraged by it of bigotry? If there was no protest at all in the United States, wouldn't people wonder why not? If it was a product of the official functioning of the state, would people try to downplay it?
 
Back
Top Bottom