IT’S FREE SPEECH WHEN ‘THEY DO IT’
Remember folks, this is the very same university that US President, Barack Hussein Obama, praised in his address to the Islamic world: “For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has had stood as a beacon of Islamic learning.” “It was Islam at places like Al-Azhar that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s renaissance and enlightenment.”
Who are they trying to kid?
The Tundra Tabloids does not frame this as an issue of freedom of speech, which should automatically safeguard the pseudo scholar’s right to publish what he wants. The Egyptians have no credibility in presenting this as a freedom of speech issue at all, and do not deserve a scintilla of support because it’s an oppressive Islamic society, totalitarian, and where Islam enjoys a status that is above and beyond any criticism.There is no freedom of debate.
In Egypt, and all over the Islamic world, there is no freedom to speak one’s own mind. Here is what Natan Sharansky calls the ‘town square test’. “If a person can walk into the middle of the town square and express his or her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm, then that person is living in a free society, not a fear society. We cannot rest until every person living in a ‘fear’ society has finally won their freedom.”
In Egypt, if you state your mind about Islam, you’ll either be killed on the spot, or be hauled off to the local jail, beaten, and eventually found guilty of defamation. The same kind of mentality has been slowly creeping into European society, you know, the crime of disturbing societal cohesion, and hate speech and all that. It’s becoming all too clear in Europe, that they’ll find a reason to throw you into the can and prosecute you if speak the obvious about Islam, which is indeed a flagrant breach of freedom of speech rights. Europe is becoming more like Egypt than many dare believe. KGS
Muslim Scholar Publishes Anti-Christian Book in Egypt
Cairo (AINA) — Christian in Egypt are up in arms this week over a controversial book issued as a free supplement with this month’s Al-Azhar magazine, describing Christianity as a Religion of “idolatry” and claiming that the Holy Bible is a misquotation of the original one. The book was published by State-owned corporations that are financed by taxpayers, Christians as well as Muslims.
The controversial book is titled “Scientific Report” and authored by Dr. Muhammad Imarah, a member of Al-Azhar’s Islamic Research Academy (IRA), which is affiliated with the Ministry of Religious Endowments. The book discusses Christian dogma, casts doubts over it, and asserts that Christianity is a “religion of polytheism.”
Coptic lawyer Naguib Ghobrial, president of the Egyptian Union of Human Right Organization, has filed a complaint with the Attorney General against Dr. Mohamed Imarah, accusing him of adopting a systematic approach to “ruin Egypt by inciting sectarian rifts between the sons of one nation and defamation of a divine religion recognized by the Egyptian Constitution.”
Ghobrial added that what Imarah wrote “defames the Christian dogma, in contradiction with Article 98 of penal law dealing with derision of religion.”
Ms. Elaine Kellini, Coptic member of the People’s Assembly, said she has ordered a copy of Imarah’s book and would take legal action against him, if it was proven that he defamed Christianity.
The Egyptian Newspaper Al Destoor in its December 7 issue reviewed the controversial book, saying Imarah published his book in reply to a proselytizing book called “We Are Ready To Answer” by an unknown Christian author who took the alias name of Dr. Samir Morcos. Imarah said the book was presented to the Islamic Research Academy (IRA) to obtain permission for publication, which the IRA duly turned down, “as it contained many false allegations regarding Islam, making of the Koran a lie, therefore promoting hatred towards Christians,” and that he was obliged to answer back.
In a second statement to Al-Destoor, Imarah said that the Islamic Academy approved unanimously in its 25 June 2009 his “Scientific Report” and approved the recommendation to have it published as a supplement to Al-Azhar Magazine. He also changed his assertion about the origin of the alleged anti-Islam book, saying it was likely issued by foreign entities wanting to tamper with the tenets of Islam and harm national unity.
[…]
Most Christians in Egypt, believe that no such Christian writer or proselytizing book ever existed or was presented to the Islamic Academy, and that this imaginary book was used by Imarah, whom has a history of defaming Christianity, as a pretext to defame Christianity again. Many have questioned the usefulness of the laws of defamation of religions adopted by the State, when they are not applied uniformly.
H/T Baron Bodissey
