Mariam Yehya Ibrahim was sentenced to death in the Sudan for allegedly converting from Islam to Christianity and because she would not renounce her faith. The Sudan appellate courts dismissed the conviction and sentence on a technicality. Ms. Ibrahim then tried to leave for the United States with her American husband. She was again detained by Sudanese officials.
The focus on her death sentence by the media centers on whether or not she was raised Muslim or Christian and not on whether or not any government or religion should have the right to compel and force adherence to a religion. It should be irrelevant what she was, it should only be relevant what she wants to be and that every human be allowed to follow the dictates of their own conscious.
It seems so astounding to me that as usual, there seems to be no Muslim Clerics, Imans, Caliphs condemning the law and government under which she was convicted.
Here's the message they send:
“Islam is a peaceful, beautiful religion and if you do not think so we will kill you. Islam is an accommodating religion inviting all to its joyous sublime protection, but if you, once within our fold, then leave, we will kill you. Islam is so unquestionably true that it can stand up to any criticism, scrutiny or debate, but if you criticize, scrutinize or debate its verity we will kill you. And all the countries in which Islamic rules, they are beacons of enlightenment, and if you cannot agree to this we will kill you.”
Now I have friends and acquaintances that are Muslim who I know do not think this way and who understand that all people should have the agency and free will to choose what religion, if any, they will decide to follow during any period of their lives--but I ask, where are your voices? Are you only devout because of the fear of retribution or are you sincerely in your hearts and minds convinced of the correctness of your path? Also, are confident that your religion can stand on its own because of its merits regardless of the criticism it is subject to and not because of its adherents' willingness to inflict pain and death on others?
If you are so convinced, I urge you, before the bonds of oppression have clamped down upon us all, that you speak out against those who would use religion as a tool of terror and control.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/24/world/africa/sudan-christian-woman-arrest/
Loren M. Lambert © June 26, 2014
The focus on her death sentence by the media centers on whether or not she was raised Muslim or Christian and not on whether or not any government or religion should have the right to compel and force adherence to a religion. It should be irrelevant what she was, it should only be relevant what she wants to be and that every human be allowed to follow the dictates of their own conscious.
It seems so astounding to me that as usual, there seems to be no Muslim Clerics, Imans, Caliphs condemning the law and government under which she was convicted.
Here's the message they send:
“Islam is a peaceful, beautiful religion and if you do not think so we will kill you. Islam is an accommodating religion inviting all to its joyous sublime protection, but if you, once within our fold, then leave, we will kill you. Islam is so unquestionably true that it can stand up to any criticism, scrutiny or debate, but if you criticize, scrutinize or debate its verity we will kill you. And all the countries in which Islamic rules, they are beacons of enlightenment, and if you cannot agree to this we will kill you.”
Now I have friends and acquaintances that are Muslim who I know do not think this way and who understand that all people should have the agency and free will to choose what religion, if any, they will decide to follow during any period of their lives--but I ask, where are your voices? Are you only devout because of the fear of retribution or are you sincerely in your hearts and minds convinced of the correctness of your path? Also, are confident that your religion can stand on its own because of its merits regardless of the criticism it is subject to and not because of its adherents' willingness to inflict pain and death on others?
If you are so convinced, I urge you, before the bonds of oppression have clamped down upon us all, that you speak out against those who would use religion as a tool of terror and control.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/24/world/africa/sudan-christian-woman-arrest/
Loren M. Lambert © June 26, 2014
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