India arrests editor for outraging muslims

In another attack on the right to criticize religion the Editor and Publisher of a respected Indian newspaper have been arrested for "hurting the feelings" of Muslims. Their "offence" was that they reprinted an article published in the UK newspaper The Independent which was written by one of their columnists Johann Hari.

The original article Why should I respect these oppressive religions? argued that the right to criticize religion is slowly being eaten away all around the world in the face of fundamentalist religionists who insist in their right not to have their feelings hurt.

The article points out that;

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated 60 years ago that "a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief is the highest aspiration of the common people". It was a Magna Carta for mankind – and loathed by every human rights abuser on earth. Today, the Chinese dictatorship calls it "Western", Robert Mugabe calls it "colonialist", and Dick Cheney calls it "outdated". The countries of the world have chronically failed to meet it – but the document has been held up by the United Nations as the ultimate standard against which to check ourselves. Until now.

Starting in 1999, a coalition of Islamist tyrants, led by Saudi Arabia, demanded the rules be rewritten. The demand for everyone to be able to think and speak freely failed to "respect" the "unique sensitivities" of the religious, they decided – so they issued an alternative Islamic Declaration of Human Rights. It insisted that you can only speak within "the limits set by the shariah [law]. It is not permitted to spread falsehood or disseminate that which involves encouraging abomination or forsaking the Islamic community".

Arrests in India can be seen as simply proving the point that the article sought to make. It is becomming increasingly risky to be seen to criticize religion, and in particular Islam. Religionists can claim to take offence at almost anything remotely critical. Our political leaders have become in thrall to religious zealots in their eagerness to be seen to be protecting multiculturalism and tolerance.

The article notes that;

Anything which can be deemed "religious" is no longer allowed to be a subject of discussion at the UN – and almost everything is deemed religious. Roy Brown of the International Humanist and Ethical Union has tried to raise topics like the stoning of women accused of adultery or child marriage. The Egyptian delegate stood up to announce discussion of shariah "will not happen" and "Islam will not be crucified in this council" – and Brown was ordered to be silent. Of course, the first victims of locking down free speech about Islam with the imprimatur of the UN are ordinary Muslims.

Pointing out such developments is valid political debate - it is not about hurting the feelings of Muslims simply for the sake of causing offence. If discussion and free speech is being closed down around the world then we are indeed entering dark times. There is no protection for anyone in such a climate and the only winners will be those religious zealots who shout the loudest and threaten the most violence.

Full story here.