My beliefs are my business

Why are the Malays so kaypoh? Why are they so concerned about what other people believe and don’t believe? Even if Ambiga believes in the tooth fairy or Father Christmas or whatever that is her business. Malays should take stock of their own beliefs and do some soul searching as to whether what they believe in are fact or fiction.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Come clean on beliefs, Ambiga told

(NST) - Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) yesterday issued a plea to Bersih co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan to define what "belief or religion" made her such a strong supporter of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) rights.

JMM secretary-general Tengku Amalluddin Sani Raja Ahmad Sufian urged Ambiga to come clean about her actual beliefs and why it merited such a stand.

He said it was important to understand Ambiga's stand as she was a prominent figure of society.

"What belief drives her (Ambiga) to advocate LGBT so seriously?

"As far as we know, divine rights are paramount and far above human rights. This is the basis of every government administration and the law," he said when contacted yesterday.

He also said that the laws of any country were not inherited on the basis of human logic.

Amalluddin added that Ambiga had a duty to declare her religious faith so that the public would be able to understand the connection between her beliefs and her struggle for LGBT rights.

Ambiga has been under fire regarding LGBT rights since last year, when it was reported that she would officiate a festival organised by Seksualiti Merdeka, a movement championing freedom of sexual orientation and identity.

The festival was subsequently banned after police reports were lodged against it.

Prior to the Bersih rally this year, former Pas deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa also labelled Ambiga "unfit" to lead Bersih and a "threat to society" for supporting homosexuality.

Meanwhile, when contacted yesterday, Ambiga refused to comment on the matter.

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The Persian Empire existed around 550 BCE in the area that is now Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Israel, Palestine, etc. Invariably, most of the area was dry and arid desert and most of the population lived in squalid huts and tents. Many were nomadic and did not settle in one place or in towns and cities.

The rulers, however, lived in huge and lavish palaces within walled gardens. These walled gardens had streams, grass, flowers, trees, fruits, vines overflowing with grapes, and whatnot. Basically, the life of the rulers and their immediate family was way above the level of the rakyat. And only the rulers and their family enjoyed the luxury of these walled gardens.

These walled gardens, in the Persian language, were called pairi, which means ‘around’, and daeza, which means ‘walled’. Those two words combined would be pairidaeza, which means ‘a walled-in compound or garden’. In the Greek language it is called paradeisos while in English it is called paradise.

Hence, pairidaeza, paradeisos or paradise was the ultimate in luxury and comfort -- a walled compound or garden with streams, grass, flowers, trees, fruits, vines overflowing with grapes, etc. And the Persians believed that this would be what you would be rewarded with in the next life if you were good in this life -- pairidaeza. Hence good people get to enter pairidaeza while bad people will be sent to the opposite of pairidaeza when they die.

That was the old belief more than 2,500 years ago, long before Christianity and Islam emerged.

But then, in those days, 2,500 years ago, the ultimate in luxury and comfort was a walled compound or garden with streams, grass, flowers, trees, fruits, vines overflowing with grapes, etc. -- something that only the rulers could enjoy while the rest resided in dry and arid desert and lived in huts and tents. They had no other notion of luxury and comfort. They had no notion of Lamborghinis, Ferraris, superbikes, iPads, iPhones, Blackberry, golf clubs, speedboats, yachts, holiday resorts, beach bungalows, and whatnot. They only knew walled compounds or gardens with streams, grass, flowers, trees, fruits, vines overflowing with grapes, etc.

That is why when Middle Eastern religions talk about the ‘good’ afterlife they talk about paradise, which is basically the concept of gardens with streams, grass, flowers, trees, fruits, vines overflowing with grapes, etc. That is the ultimate in luxury and comfort, with some virgin maidens thrown in for good measure. There is no other notion of paradise -- no Lamborghinis, Ferraris, superbikes, iPads, iPhones, Blackberry, golf clubs, speedboats, yachts, holiday resorts, beach bungalows and whatnot.

And that is what most proponents of the Abrahamic faiths, the Zoroastrians included, believe -- that good people get to go to paradise, a garden with streams, grass, flowers, trees, fruits, vines overflowing with grapes, etc. They will lie beside flowing streams of cool and clear water on the laps of virgin maidens drinking wine and eating grapes. It is a belief 2,500 years old before Christianity and Islam came onto the scene.

Do you believe all this? So what if you do and so what if you don’t? Your belief is your belief and who am I to question what you believe? You are entitled to your beliefs whether I think they may be right or wrong. Even if I think you are wrong you are still entitled to believe what you believe how stupid I may think these beliefs are.

Jaringan Melayu Malaysia wants Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan to come clean on her beliefs, according to theNew Straits Times today.

“Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) yesterday issued a plea to Bersih co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan to define what "belief or religion" made her such a strong supporter of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) rights,” said the JMM secretary-general, Tengku Amalluddin Sani Raja Ahmad Sufian.

Who is Tengku Amalluddin Sani to question Ambiga’s beliefs or religious beliefs? Ambiga’s beliefs are her beliefs. That is not for anyone to question. How would Tengku Amalluddin Sani feel if I question his beliefs or religious beliefs? Does he believe in paradise, the good place where people go after they die? Does Tengku Amalluddin Sani believe that paradise is a garden with streams, grass, trees, fruits and vines where you enjoy the company of virgin maidens while you sip wine and eat grapes beside cool and flowing water?

The concept of paradise is a 2,500-year old concept in the days when the ultimate in comfort and luxury was very different from today’s concept. People had a very narrow and shallow concept of luxury and comfort 2,500 years ago. Paradise was a walled garden of streams, grass, trees, fruits, vines and so on.

Hence, some people may think that this is a stupid belief -- and, therefore, people who believe in this are also stupid. But do we question those who believe in this and demand that they declare what they believe in? If you believe in paradise and the concept of what paradise is, well and fine. That is your choice. No one is questioning your belief. So why question Ambiga and demand that she declare what her beliefs are? That is her business and the concern of no one else.

Why are the Malays so kaypoh? Why are they so concerned about what other people believe and don’t believe? Even if Ambiga believes in the tooth fairy or Father Christmas or whatever that is her business. Malays should take stock of their own beliefs and do some soul searching as to whether what they believe in are fact or fiction.

That is the trouble with most Malays. They like to jaga tepi kain orang lain. Just so that Tengku Amalluddin Sani Raja Ahmad Sufian is aware, I too am a strong supporter of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) rights. I too, just like Ambiga, believe that LGBTs have a rightful place under the Malaysian sun. That is my right to believe what I believe.

So there! Condemn me if you want to.