When idiots talk

So why worry about whether a person is straight or gay? Straight Muslims are going to hell according to the Christians and straight Christians are going to hell according to the Muslims. Hence no one is going to heaven even if they are straight. So, if you are all going to hell anyway, what does it matter any longer if you are gay or straight?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(NST) - There were no sales of the controversial book Allah, Liberty and Love by Irshad Manji in Johor following a check on all bookstores statewide.

State Religious Committee chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman said the writer's influence, including that of promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) culture was non-existent.

"As of now, the Johor Religious Department has not received any complaint on the culture being spread by any group or individual; or of any special programmes related to the LGBT culture.

"The state government has also taken steps by giving out explanation and information to the community through seminars and workshops that were organised to spread the word on the dangers of the culture."

Zainal Abidin said this when replying to a question from Jaffar Hashim (BN-Senggarang) on the extent of Irshad Manji's influence in Johor.

He said Irshad's latest book, which was published in June 2011 in the United States, Canada and other countries, contained elements that insulted the teachings of Islam.

"The Home Ministry banned the book after receiving a report and review from the Islamic Development Department (Jakim). The directive was issued under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 because its contents could disrupt the thinking of the people and adversely affect security and public order."

Zainal Abidin said the LGBT culture is an insult to the syariah and civil laws of the country.

He said the culture could also threaten the country's stability and peace.

He said the few LGBT advocates active in the country were challenging the position of Islam in the Federal Constitution, and thus insulting the head of the religion, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

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Johor State Religious Committee chairman, Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman, said: LGBT advocates active in the country were challenging the position of Islam in the Federal Constitution, and thus insulting the head of the religion, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Now, as an EXCO member and Chairman of the State Religious Committee, Zainal Abidin Osman has to do more than just make a rhetorical statement. He must explain in greater clarity what he means by what he says or else he might as well just say that the look on your face is insulting to me and leave it at that.

Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia says that Islam is the religion of the Federation. That is all it says: Islam is the religion of the Federation.

Now, first of all, what does ‘Islam is the religion of the Federation’ mean? Can Zainal Abidin Osman explain that?

The Malayan Tiger or Harimau Belang is the national animal of the Federation. The Hibiscus or Bunga Raya is the national flower of the Federation. Bahasa Malaysia is the national language of the Federation. The Stripes of Glory or Jalur Gemilang is the national flag of the Federation (we have state flags as well). The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the Supreme Head of the Federation (we have state rulers as well). And Islam is the religion of the Federation.

So how do you insult the tiger, the Hibiscus, Bahasa Malaysia, the Jalur Gemilang, the Agong, Islam, and so on? In what way would all these be considered as having suffered insults? We need to know what constitutes an insult so that we will know how to avoid insulting tiger, the Hibiscus, Bahasa Malaysia, the Jalur Gemilang, the Agong, Islam, and so on.

Note that the Malayan Tiger is the national animal of the Federation, the Hibiscus is the national flower of the Federation, Bahasa Malaysia is the national language of the Federation, the Jalur Gemilang is the national flag of the Federation, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the Supreme Head of the Federation, and Islam is the religion of the Federation. Hence, as loyal and law-abiding Malaysians, we would like to avoid insulting all these. But to be able to avoid insults we first need to know what constitutes an insult. Can Zainal Abidin Osman, the Johor State Religious Committee chairman, enlighten us on this?

The focus of this discussion is what Zainal Abidin Osman said: LGBT advocates active in the country were challenging the position of Islam in the Federal Constitution, and thus insulting the head of the religion, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Hence we need to know what would be considered ‘challenging the position of Islam in the Federal Constitution’ and in what way would this be ‘thus insulting the head of the religion, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’. I am currently very ‘blur’ on the implications and I consider my command of the English language as fairly good. Yet I still can’t grasp what this statement means.

If I say that I prefer French Poodles to the Malayan Tiger as a house pet would I be insulting Malaysia? If I say that I prefer Orchids to the Hibiscus would I be insulting Malaysia? If I say I am more comfortable with my ‘mother tongue’, which is English, than my ‘father tongue’, which is Malay, would I be insulting Malaysia? When would I be considered as having insulted Malaysia?

I wear a Ralph Lauren shirt with a British flag on it. Am I insulting Malaysia? I have a picture of the Queen hanging on my wall. Am I insulting Malaysia? Tell me at what stage I would be insulting Malaysia and thus insulting the Agong who is the Supreme Head of the Federation of Malaysia?

Let me share a little secret with you. I have read numerous books on the history of Islam (let me repeat that, I read books on history, not books on theology) and I am of the opinion that Ali should have been the First Caliph instead of the Fourth Caliph. Would I be considered as having challenged Islam and thus also having insulted the Agong who is the head of religion?

Note that I am not a Shiah follower but even if I am so what? Would I be considered as challenging Islam and insulting the Agong who is considered a Sunni Muslim if I am a follower of the Shiah doctrine?

Why is it whenever we have an opinion this is always regarded as challenging Islam and thus insulting the Agong?

Let me put it another way, and this applies not only to Islam but to all the other religions as well. Is what we do decided by God (the will of God) or is it based on freewill? If it is decided by God, or is God’s will, then how can we be guilty of any sin (or crime) and how can we be punished for what we do? It is God that decided what we do. We have no power over what we do. So how can we be punished for our acts?

However, if it is freewill, and hence we will be punished for what we do, then who are you to decide what we can and cannot do? Freewill means just that -- freewill. We are free to decide on our actions because we, and not you, are going to face the punishment of our actions.

Muslims and the Malaysian government like to tell us what we can and cannot believe. However, we are told that if we believe in the wrong thing then God is going to punish us for these misguided beliefs. If it is us and not you who are going to face punishment, should it not be us who decides what we should believe?

Say, you tell me what I should believe and, say, I follow what you tell me and, say, you are wrong and hence I end up believing in the wrong thing. Would I then be free of blame and would I escape punishment or would I still face punishment anyway?

According to the Quran, if we follow the wrong teachings of our ancestors we cannot later claim that we were taught the wrong things and hence this is not our fault and therefore we should not be punished. The Quran says we will still be punished in spite of the fact that someone taught us these wrong teachings and it is not our fault since we were misguided.

In short, even if it is not our fault that we followed the wrong teachings and the fault lies with the person who taught us the wrong teachings, we are still going to face punishment because we should not have blindly followed what people tell us. Hence we must be very careful about what others teach us because they may be wrong and we will end up being punished for this.

So, who are you to tell me what is right and what is wrong? If I think that the opposite to what you tell me is right then I have to do the opposite of what you tell me or else I am going to be punished for following the wrong teachings.

Those who have a religion always think that they are right and all others are wrong. And they will force us to comply with their beliefs and would condemn us if our beliefs happen to be opposite to theirs. And if we refuse to follow what they think is right they will say we are challenging Islam, insulting Islam, and whatnot.

If I am gay, will I be assured of going to hell? If I am straight as an arrow, will I be guaranteed of going to heaven? If I am not gay but am straight as an arrow but I screw around with many women will I be going to heaven? If I am not gay but am straight as an arrow but I take bribes will I be going to heaven? If I am not gay but am straight as an arrow but I cheat in the general elections will I be going to heaven? If I am not gay but am straight as an arrow but I murder people and beat up detainees in the police station will I be going to heaven? If I am not gay but am straight as an arrow but I rig trials and fabricate evidence will I be going to heaven?

So you see, the issue is more than just about gays going to hell and straight people going to heaven. But why are Malays and Muslims so focused on gay and straight sex when even is you abstain from sex totally but do many other things your soul is still condemned?

In fact, Muslims believe you need not be gay to go to hell. All you need to do is reject Islam and Prophet Muhammad and you are going to hell. Christians believe that the road to salvation is through Christ and unless you accept Christ then you have absolutely no chance of being saved.

So why worry about whether a person is straight or gay? Straight Muslims are going to hell according to the Christians and straight Christians are going to hell according to the Muslims. Hence no one is going to heaven even if they are straight. So, if you are all going to hell anyway, what does it matter any longer if you are gay or straight?