Faisal's Tobril

There are times when people use the exact wrong words to express themselves. An example of this is this post by Egyptian-Australian blogger Neferteeti.

So the Egyptian government, or administrative court according to an article she cited in her post, passed another decision which reflects the general religious intolerance of the government towards non-Muslims. Why then would Neferteeti blame Islam, as a religion, for this?

She says:

Ever considered becoming a Muslim? Think carefully! Because it’s a strictly one way road… moreover, if you live in Egypt, the blessed government and even the juidiciary system will enforce this rule

And

and tell me, why is Islam so scared to let people choose? Why is the governemnt so determined to keep religion in the forefront of the average Egyptian’s life?

It is a well known fact that religious scholars of all religions, including both the Christianity and Judaism, have differed over a variety of topics and issues ever since all these religions sprang into being. Christians frequently tell me that the difference between Islam and Christianity is that Christianity is a religion of peace.

I will choose not to question that last statement, BUT do you mean to tell me that the Crusades were written somewhere in Christianity? Or that the Catholic Pope and other rulers and leaders at the time took the decision to carry out expeditions in the name of The Lord? If one was to blame anyone, would it be them or Christianity?

Do we blame Christianity, or the Aryan race, for Hitler’s mass murder of European Jews? Or do we blame one man, Hitler himself, for the actions taken by members of the Nazi party and the army of the Third Reich?

I should think the answers to the question would be: The men themselves (and not Christianity) as well as Hitler (and not Christianity nor the Aryan race).

It does not require a religious scholar nor a person of astounding knowledge to realize that the application of the different supposed rules of different religions are carried out differently from region to region and country to country. Compare Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morrocco, Turkey and Egypt, if you need facts.

If you know all this, and I will suppose that you must have missed this in your anger over the decision, why do you blame the religion? Blame the government. Blame the administrative court judges. Blame Gomaa. But how could you blame a faith and a belief?

This is particularly true when the article Neferteeti cited has this particular bit:

“As a Muslim, I say that there is no limit to the freedom of religion and, without it, heaven and hell would be … meaningless as the Koran assures the individual freedom of belief and disbelief [and] in return [people] are responsible for their choice,” Mohammed Munir Mogahed, a founding member of Egyptians Against Religious Segregation, said recently in the Egyptian daily, Al Masry Al Youm.

The man, who stands with you in your anger and objections, makes the situation clear enough. If you disagree with this, what’s up with including this article in your post and asking your readers to check it out for more information?

I’ve learnt that the path to religious tolerance lies in carefully thinking through all the things we hear and understanding how those different from us, in matters of faith or belief, think. The Egyptian government, may it burn, does not seem to be doing this.

Why is it that some of us, rightful in our objections, are emulating their modus operandi?