So, the conclusion is….

In fact, I have always tried to preach the same values regarding Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. I was always of the opinion that we must do the Christian thing and not hate him for what we perceive he has done to Malaysia but instead love and forgive him, as what the Christians have said Jesus Christ taught us.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

We have had a good debate in ‘What’s the beef?’. However, as they say, all good things must eventually come to an end.

With more than 400 comments, which chances are many would not be bothered to read, it may be prudent to summarise the conclusion of these so many opinions.

The first, and probably most important point that was made very clear, is that non-Christians have no business talking about Christianity or the Bible because they know very little about ‘other people’s religion’. That, in my opinion, is a very sound and valid point because I too have been saying the same to non-Muslims who pass comments and give opinions on Islam.

So I would agree with this first conclusion.

The next point is that non-Muslims can never agree to the implementation of Hudud in Malaysia even if an irrevocable guarantee is given that non-Muslims would not be affected by this, or any Islamic laws, in any way. The fact that no one can be assured of what may happen in the future and whether these guarantees would be revoked later does not give the non-Muslims any comfort.

I can sympathise with the non-Muslims and understand their apprehension. Would the implementation of Hudud be the opening of a Pandora’s box that once opened could never be closed again? Who can tell? It is best, therefore, that we take no risks.

Considering that PAS is committed to Islam and that Hudud is one of their aspirations, it would be safer, therefore, that Pakatan Rakyat is not allowed to come into power.

Umno has made it very clear that it will never allow Hudud to be implemented, even in the states, let alone at national level. Umno has demonstrated its good faith by blocking the implementation of Hudud twice, once in Kelantan and again in Terengganu. It would, therefore, be safer that Barisan Nasional is allowed to form the federal government rather than Pakatan Rakyat where the uncertainties of Hudud would hang over our heads.

Of course, if you were to look at Hudud from the legal and constitutional aspect rather than from the angle of religion, it would be logically impossible for Pakatan Rakyat to implement Hudud. And the fact that PAS would be contesting merely one-third the seats, and even if they combined these seats with other Muslim MPs from PKR they would still not be able to get the two-thirds required to amend the Constitution, there would still be an element of risk even if that risk is merely 1%.

I suppose we can do worse than vote in a corrupt, manipulate, racist, repressive and evil government. And a corrupt, manipulate, racist, repressive and evil government is certainly more desired than a clean government that may one day impose Islamic laws on the Muslim population with no water-tight guarantee that the non-Muslim population would not also be subjected to the same, even if some may want to argue that such a possibility is zero to 1%.

One point I would like to add -- which most people focused on although it was not really the issue we wanted to address -- was the matter of the Old and New Testaments.

I admit that most Muslims are confused about this, and I suppose that would include me. The fact it is calledOld and New gave non-Muslims the impression that both form part of the Bible -- just like how Muslims treat the Koran and Hadith as two parts of the same thing.

It is good that this matter was clarified and now Muslims and other non-Christians would get a better grasp of Christianity. Most, if not all, non-Christians were under the impression that both Bibles are Christian Bibles based on what the Christians did for almost 2,000 years until 1850.

What was of particular interest to me was the fact that the Old Testament is a Jewish Bible and not a Christian Bible. This makes one wonder why the Jews and Muslims fight so much when both their Holy Books teach the same thing and the fact that Islamic laws are actually Jewish laws.

I was especially attracted to the argument that the Christian Bible, the New Testament, preaches non-violence, non-hatred, love, forgiveness, turn the other cheek, and so on. In fact, I have always tried to preach the same values regarding Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. I was always of the opinion that we must do the Christian thing and not hate him for what we perceive he has done to Malaysia but instead love and forgive him, as what the Christians have said Jesus Christ taught us.

I trust in spite of the heated debate we saw in the last posting, this matter has come to an amicable ending and we can now all rest easy with the knowledge that we are united in our views and share the same opinion on how we should proceed from hereon.