PAKISTAN’S blasphemy laws have been a source of infamy for decades. International human-rights groups regularly document their abusive implementation. Many cases would be comic if they were not so tragic: in 2010 a doctor was arrested for tossing out the business card of a man who shared the name of Islam’s prophet, Muhammad.
Nineteen people are currently on death row for blasphemy. Members of Pakistan’s beleaguered Christian minority are used as targets by hate-mongering mullahs and others.
Accusers often level false claims of blasphemy to settle land disputes, and other entirely worldly affairs. Police, scared of the mobs that round on alleged blasphemers, rarely resist pressure to lodge charges. Judges in the lower courts are unwilling to throw out even the most nonsensical cases for fear of retribution. Why doesn’t Pakistan make its blasphemy laws less prone to abuse?
[TOP RATED COMMENT 39 votes] Who is this prophet of yours who cannot stand criticism? He sounds weak and cowardly.
Criticism should be answered with arguments, not violence and intimidation.
[2ND 28] "Why doesn’t Pakistan make its blasphemy laws less prone to abuse?"
It's depressing that this is the question being asked. The problem isn't the abuse of blasphemy laws. It's the existence of blasphemy laws.
[3RD 27] In the USA, one of our most fundamental rights is freedom of speech and that includes freedom to criticize, humiliate or even make fun of other people's religion and that is legal. What is NOT legal is attacking, murdering or jailing people who do this. Here, if you attack them, it is you who are the criminal. If you do not like this do not come to the USA.
One of the big reasons President Trump was elected was to prevent people like you from coming to America. We object to people who commit murder to defend their religion and we do not want people whop hate Jews, gays or think women are second class. If someone comes to America we expect them to accept our laws and culture and not come here to make our laws and culture like those of wherever you came from. The people who elected our government hope you will never come to America, even to visit and for sure not to live here.
[4TH 23] Blasphemy laws are absolutely essential - for Islam to remain Islam. Not just in Pakistan but in every muslim majority country.
Without it, Islam will eventually weaken and the Faith will inevitably diminish. For the Believers nothing could be worse.
The Quran's claim of being the direct and exact words of God cannot withstand objective scrutiny (no religious book can).
Much of it could be said to be "inspired" (as many religious books can) but that is a far cry from being the exact words of a Supreme Deity.
Similarly, any objective scrutiny of Muhammed - which would include examining both positive and negative qualities of the man as prophet, statesman, warrior, and caravan raider - would inevitably deflate the image of Muhammed as the best of all men for all time. [The Economist] Read more
