Forced Conversion of Children to Islam

Anguished mom knocks on PM’s door
S Pathmawathy |Malaysiakini Apr 17, 09 2:09pm LINK

Her three young children were forcefully converted to Islam by her estranged husband. And M Indira Ghandi is taking her plight straight to the doorstep of the Prime Minister’s Office.

Calling on newly-minted Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to explain the matter, the 35-year-old kindergarten teacher said: “He talks about an united Malaysia. But what does this mean when only the Muslims have rights.”

Baby Converted to Islam

Baby converted to Islam 7 Apr 2009  LINK

Translation by Sharmila Valli Narayanan editor@thenutgraph.com

Baby’s conversion

The Hindu baby’s conversion into Islam without her mother’s consent is brewing into a potentially explosive situation in Ipoh. In a press conference, M Indira Gandhi revealed that her husband used to beat her and tried to force her to convert to Islam, but the mother of three refused. One day, she said, her husband came into the house, beat her up and then took away their baby daughter.

Response to Prof. Dzulkufli’s Comments on Use of ‘Allah’ in the Malay Bible (Alkitab)

You may visit my other blog to read my response”:Krisis & Praxis LINK

A shorter version is also published by the SUN on 17 March 2009 LINK

MAIS Wants Agnes Monica’s Song Declared Haram

COMMENT: Is this a religious-quarantine country? Just look at the fretfulness/nervousness displayed by Malaysian Islamic authorities as they lurch about blocking all manners of potentially bad influence (perceived or otherwise) that might fall upon Malaysian Muslims! Is it the case that Muslims cannot mount a calm and rational defence of their faith or that Islamic culture just cannot compete with other cultural influences in a free and open society or that somehow Muslims are just so weak that they must be protected all the times from undue influence?

In any case, they have no business banning activities that are essentially carried out by non-Muslims for non-Muslims.

“… anyone found playing the song can be fined up to RM1,000 under the Non-Muslim Religious Enactment 1988.”

Home Ministry Rescinds Gazette on Word ‘Allah’

Comment: Another ironic twist given the haste with which the Government first imposed unreasonable conditions or restrictions on how Christians may use the word ‘Allah’. Maybe the Government thought the Christians will gratefully compromise (or rather surrender their fundamental religious liberty for pseudo-concessions under the threatening ambience of the Internal Security Act. Unfortunately, the Council of Churches says, “thanks, but no thanks”(read its press statement).

Response to Irrelevant Rhetoric on Use of ‘Allah’

Might as well post a letter which I wrote to Malaysiakini:

———–

Writer’s debate on ‘Allah’ term lost in irrelevancy LINK
Dr Ng Kam Weng | Feb 27, 09 4:35pm

I refer to the letter Other Christian denominations not using ‘Allah’.LINK

This letter displays so much ignorance that under normal circumstances, it would not merit a reply. However, a concise and decisive response is given here only because readers of Malaysiakini surely deserve a more enlightened discourse on the issue.

I find the writer misguided on three counts:

First, he is plainly misguided about what the Eastern Orthodox Church believes in. Perhaps the writer is mistaken because historically, the Orthodox Church did not accept the Western Latin Church’s formulation of the Trinity that says the Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son (the filioque clause discussed in any standard text on doctrinal history).

But contrary to the writer’s view, the Orthodox Church’s rejection of the filioque clause is not because it does not believe in the Trinity but because it believes it has a clearer formulation of the doctrine of Trinity.

Christians Can Use Allah Word With Conditions

Note – I am presently too caught up with giving an intensive course on Worldview and Cultural Analysis. As such, I will just post some news updates concerning the controversy over the rights of Malaysian Christians to use the word ‘Allah’.

Precis: The Government gazatte states: Prohibition on use of specific words on document and publication 2. (1) The printing, publication, sale, issue, circulation and possession of any document and publication relating to Christianity containing the words “Allah”, “Kaabah”, “Baitullah” and “Solat” are prohibited unless on the front cover of the document and publication are written with the words “for christianity”. (2) The words “for christianity ” referred to in subparagraph (1) shall be written clearly in font type Arial of size 16 in bold.

More analytical comments will be forthcoming.

Allah Lawsuits: Justice Delayed is Injustice Enforced

I have earlier highlighted why the government policy of banning non-Muslims from using the word ‘Allah’ is indefensible on linguistics and historical grounds. It above all socially repressive. You may visit the following links to read my arguments.

- “No one Religion can Monopolize or Copyright the Term ‘Allah’ “LINK

- “The Semantics of the Word ALLAH” LINK

My concern in the present post is not to revisit the intellectual discussion but to point out why the government wants to avoid having the Court settle the lawsuits brought by the Catholic Church and the SIB (Sidang Injil Borneo) to confirm their right to use the word ‘Allah’ in their religious literature and in their liturgy

Meditating on Yoga

Well, might as well bring my perspective on yoga to a closure. I refer to the statement published by NECF which contains very briefly some of my comments on yoga: LINK

Non-Muslims Have a Right to Comment on Fatwas

Non-Muslims Have a Right to Comment on Fatwas

The former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir has warned non-Muslims not to turn the recent fatwa on yoga into a religious issue. He says in a Bernama Report 25 Nov 2008 Link

“If they (National Fatwa Council) believe it is wrong, then it is wrong. It is unfortunate that other people think that it is a slur on their religion. It is like saying Muslims should not eat pork, and it is not an insult to the Chinese. It is the same when Muslims cannot do yoga. It is not because they are insulting the Hindus.

“It is just that they should not do it. Whether the Malays follow it or not, that is really their business. Other people should not make it a religious issue. Like all other things forbidden among Muslims, it is not an insult to others.

Dr. Mahathir’s warning doesn’t make sense. How can a fatwa coming from an authoritative body that defines Islamic belief not be religious?