Zach LarkinsMISTAKEN IDENTITY
An interesting article crossed my desk the other day, so I thought I'd share it with you.
It seems an ethnic Chinese Malaysian was mistakenly given by doctors to a Malay Muslim couple at birth nearly three decades ago. Now, we've all heard of hospitals mixing up babies and wonder how it could ever happen. I'm not about to go into how or why it happens. I just want to concentrate on the ramifications of this case in particular.
Zulhaidi Omar, 29, is in for a battle as he tries to renounce Islam. Why? Because the Malaysian constitution does not allow Muslims to renounce their religion, and doing so is considered apostasy and punishable by jail in several states.
Don't get me wrong, but I thought Catholics were the only ones who wanted to keep it ‘all in the family'. I know Catholics who had to attend marriage preparation classes from a priest who is not even allowed to marry. What's up with that? If you having a plumbing problem, do you call a carpenter to fix it? What does a priest know about marriage? They also had to promise to raise their children in the Catholic faith. Fine up to a point. Give the child a basic religious background but then let him/her choose whether or not to continue following that one religion or explore others or even become an atheist if he so chooses. That's what's wonderful about living in a free society. You get to make up your own mind with out fear of reprisal.
Not so in Malaysia apparently. If you're Islamic, you will stay Islamic or face jail time. Zulhaidi, raised in an ethnic Malay Muslim family, said he was revealing his story only now because he wants to take a Chinese name and change his religion to Buddhism. Now, about 20 per cent of the Malaysian population is Buddhist. He declined to comment further, citing sensitivities concerning religion in this predominantly Muslim country. It seems that the predominance of Muslims allows them to dictate what religion you will adhere to. That is not to say that they are trying to convert anyone. Yet. But if you do convert, you will not be allowed to change your mind.
Zulhaidi's claimed that he was spotted working in a supermarket eight years ago by his biological sister who noticed he was the spitting image of their father, Teo Ma Leong, 67. A DNA test later confirmed the relationship and Zulhaidi moved in with his parents three months later. Hopefully he will be successful in his quest.
But it raises a question. If the radical Muslims want to convert the rest of the world, what is to keep them from following in Malaysia's footsteps? Would all other religions cease to exist? Or would they be followed in secret, much like the Russians did under their atheistic communist government? I won't go into what will befall those who do not convert. Al-Quaida regularly shows tapes of beheading those who disagree with them.
Not all Muslims are terrorists, as I've said many times, but if people wonder why we are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, they only have to look at this example to know that people all over the world would rather have freedom than live under a dictatorship.
Zulhaidi's case could eventually be handed to the Islamic Shariah court, which presides over religious issues involving Muslims. I wish him luck.
Sources: The Associated Press
It seems an ethnic Chinese Malaysian was mistakenly given by doctors to a Malay Muslim couple at birth nearly three decades ago. Now, we've all heard of hospitals mixing up babies and wonder how it could ever happen. I'm not about to go into how or why it happens. I just want to concentrate on the ramifications of this case in particular.
Zulhaidi Omar, 29, is in for a battle as he tries to renounce Islam. Why? Because the Malaysian constitution does not allow Muslims to renounce their religion, and doing so is considered apostasy and punishable by jail in several states.
Not so in Malaysia apparently. If you're Islamic, you will stay Islamic or face jail time. Zulhaidi, raised in an ethnic Malay Muslim family, said he was revealing his story only now because he wants to take a Chinese name and change his religion to Buddhism. Now, about 20 per cent of the Malaysian population is Buddhist. He declined to comment further, citing sensitivities concerning religion in this predominantly Muslim country. It seems that the predominance of Muslims allows them to dictate what religion you will adhere to. That is not to say that they are trying to convert anyone. Yet. But if you do convert, you will not be allowed to change your mind.
But it raises a question. If the radical Muslims want to convert the rest of the world, what is to keep them from following in Malaysia's footsteps? Would all other religions cease to exist? Or would they be followed in secret, much like the Russians did under their atheistic communist government? I won't go into what will befall those who do not convert. Al-Quaida regularly shows tapes of beheading those who disagree with them.
Not all Muslims are terrorists, as I've said many times, but if people wonder why we are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, they only have to look at this example to know that people all over the world would rather have freedom than live under a dictatorship.
Zulhaidi's case could eventually be handed to the Islamic Shariah court, which presides over religious issues involving Muslims. I wish him luck.
Sources: The Associated Press
youranter
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opinionatedranter
Tales From The Green Lantern
Don, the minority seems to rule our countries. The squeaky wheel gets the grease? Our liberal PC society is trying it's best to drown these people in grease. It's time we took something back. Like making them realize that our countries were not founded on Islamic laws or perceptions. Let them get used to living in a society that was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs and they'd better grow a thicker skin if they hop to be welcomed here.
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
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Linking theocratic rules in Malaysia to the war in Iraq was a bit dodge though.
youranter
Opinions
opinionatedranter
Tales From The Green Lantern
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
Blip Blog
Gadget Museum
youranter
Opinions
opinionatedranter
Tales From The Green Lantern