The tragic case of Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman facing a death sentence for ‘blasphemy’ against Islam has also had the effect of showing the world one of the key differences between the characters of Islam and Christianity. Ms Bibi’s case came up before Pakistan’s highest Court on Monday with senior Judges saying that they will give their verdict on whether she should die, continue to be imprisoned or be released. The reaction of Pakistan’s Christians and Muslims towards this case is highly instructive.
According to information supplied by the British Pakistani Christian Association, Christians in Pakistan and elsewhere are calling for non-violence and are engaging in communal and individual prayers for the safety and ultimate freedom of Asia Bibi. The Muslims of Pakistan on the other hand are calling for violence, hatred and judicial vengeance on Ms Bibi.
A report by the British Pakistani Christian Association, after noting the massive support Ms Bibi has from Christians worldwide said:
Meanwhile Muslims in a WhatsApp group named “Lahore Group” punctuated by a Pakistani flag and crossing swords are calling for riots following the appeal to make sure that Asia Bibi is punished for blasphemy.
A summary of the What’s App Message forwarded to us reads:
“Apparently a Muslim man is provoking other Muslim fellows to spread this message as much as they can on social media that Asia Bibi should be punished for committing Blasphemy and that the Muslim community has to play their role in doing this. They are a creating an alert for after tomorrow’s hearing.”
A video of a Muslim man watching the red-backed news story with Urdu lettering about Asia Bibi’s appeal to the Supreme Court and his response to the occasion is most telling as with widened eyes he sincerely laments:
“Imran Khan may want to forgive Asia Bibi for blasphemy, but she should never be forgiven! Please share this news with everyone you know.”
The British Pakistani Christian Association commented on how difficult it is for moderate and reformist Pakistani Muslim politicians to speak up against the heinous blasphemy law. The BPCA reminded readers that Muslims demanded freedom for a Muslim extremist who had murdered a Pakistani reformist politician and that 10,000 Muslims in Britain signed a petition calling for the murderer of an alleged ‘blasphemer’ to be considered as an Islamic ‘saint’. The BPCA then went on to comment further on this worryingly extreme ‘Lahore Group’ and added:
In this “Lahore Group” a Muslim man provokes other Muslims to spread the message on social media and to “punish Asia Bibi”. This begs the question are there groups in other cities preparing to riot? We at BPCA hope the government is taking measure to prevent the violence that is being planned in full view and have penned a letter of appeal to officials that we have posted as an appendix to this article. This letter was a goodwill appeal for protection of Christian communities, clemency for Asia Bibi, and expression of our desire for peace.
I would not be surprised if Pakistani Muslims rioted or started to attack Pakistani Christians if Asia Bibi was treated humanely by the Pakistani courts. The Judiciary there may try to be fair but there will be considerable pressures upon them to give the result that produces the least civil disturbance from enraged extremist Muslims which is either the death or continued incarceration of Asia Bibi.
Whilst the Christians are quite plainly behaving peacefully and behaving with from what I can see impeccably peaceful intent with regards this case, the Muslims as we can see are not. If ever we needed a plain and simple explanation as to the major difference between Christianity and Islam then it is in the reactions to the Bibi case. One side, the Christians want peace and the other side, the Islamic side, wants violence.
It is not modern Christianity that has imprisoned a woman for blasphemy, it is not Christians who are fomenting violence and it was not Christians that turned Pakistan into one of the world’s worst shitholes. It was Islam and only Islam that has done all that. Pakistan is a shithole for women, children, heterodox Muslims, gays, trannies, reformers, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and of course Christians and it has been made that way by Islam.
