Sharia Blasphemy Laws Have Come to Europe
Asia Bibi's acquittal of blasphemy in Pakistan after sitting on Death Row for eight years made international headlines. Unfortunately, her case is not unique, it was simply well-publicized by the media. The publicity enabled enough people to mobilize and this created severe international pressure on Pakistan to release Bibi from her unjust imprisonment. Nevertheless, there are thousands of people imprisoned throughout the Middle East nations on blasphemy charges. These are nations where critiquing Islam in any form is forbidden and can get one imprisoned or killed.
Under these blasphemy laws, nobody is safe. People of a variety of faiths find themselves imprisoned by states, legally executed, or murdered by vigilantes due to blasphemy accusations. Now you would think that the free nations of Europe would want to take unified action against these unjust laws, but they are not. Remarkably, they are actually beginning to implement them too! In 2009, an Austrian woman was convicted by an Austrian court and fined $500 for calling Muhammad, the founder of Islam, a pedophile at a seminar. Though the court claims that she was not fined for blasphemy, but for "disparaging religious doctrines." The European Court declined to overturn the conviction, stating that the fining of the woman did not violate her free speech rights and were for the purpose of upholding religious peace. Some call this justice, but in truth, it's not only a travesty, but it sets a very dangerous precedent.
Europe has a long, tragic history of religious warfare and of persecuting & executing religious dissidents. Unfortunately, it seems Europe has not learned from their mistakes. Now, in the name of "tolerance," they are starting to once again persecute dissents. Adding to this travesty, Europe is not enforcing this policy equally, choosing to single Islam alone for protection from criticism while not enforcing this "protection from disparagement" policy to other faiths on the continent. The sad truth is that instead of fighting against these unjust blasphemy laws that lead to the persecution and death of so many in the Middle East, Europe is actually adapting them, but disguising it by veiling these "Blasphemy Laws" as "Tolerance Laws."
So one must now ask this question. If Asia Bibi manages to obtain asylum in Europe, could she one day be fined for the very thing that kept her in prison for eight years and nearly led to her death?
Sources:
"Asia Bibi is Free." Acts 17 Apologetics. YouTube Video. October 31st, 2018. Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH5V8UOhl9M.
"European Court Rejects Austrian's Case over Prophet Slur." Washington Post. Oct. 25, 2018. Accessed from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/european-court-rejects-austrians-case-over-prophet-slur/2018/10/25/4cd0600e-d852-11e8-8384-bcc5492fef49_story.html?utm_term=.370d12e35873.
Under these blasphemy laws, nobody is safe. People of a variety of faiths find themselves imprisoned by states, legally executed, or murdered by vigilantes due to blasphemy accusations. Now you would think that the free nations of Europe would want to take unified action against these unjust laws, but they are not. Remarkably, they are actually beginning to implement them too! In 2009, an Austrian woman was convicted by an Austrian court and fined $500 for calling Muhammad, the founder of Islam, a pedophile at a seminar. Though the court claims that she was not fined for blasphemy, but for "disparaging religious doctrines." The European Court declined to overturn the conviction, stating that the fining of the woman did not violate her free speech rights and were for the purpose of upholding religious peace. Some call this justice, but in truth, it's not only a travesty, but it sets a very dangerous precedent.
Europe has a long, tragic history of religious warfare and of persecuting & executing religious dissidents. Unfortunately, it seems Europe has not learned from their mistakes. Now, in the name of "tolerance," they are starting to once again persecute dissents. Adding to this travesty, Europe is not enforcing this policy equally, choosing to single Islam alone for protection from criticism while not enforcing this "protection from disparagement" policy to other faiths on the continent. The sad truth is that instead of fighting against these unjust blasphemy laws that lead to the persecution and death of so many in the Middle East, Europe is actually adapting them, but disguising it by veiling these "Blasphemy Laws" as "Tolerance Laws."
So one must now ask this question. If Asia Bibi manages to obtain asylum in Europe, could she one day be fined for the very thing that kept her in prison for eight years and nearly led to her death?
Sources:
"Asia Bibi is Free." Acts 17 Apologetics. YouTube Video. October 31st, 2018. Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH5V8UOhl9M.
"European Court Rejects Austrian's Case over Prophet Slur." Washington Post. Oct. 25, 2018. Accessed from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/european-court-rejects-austrians-case-over-prophet-slur/2018/10/25/4cd0600e-d852-11e8-8384-bcc5492fef49_story.html?utm_term=.370d12e35873.
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