Is Islam still a religion of peace? Maybe, you should ask those
caught up in the recent mall incident in Kenya or the victims of the recent Peshawar
church bombing in Pakistan. Frankly, I am unable with this short piece to give
a befitting and balanced response to this question myself, however I will leave
the platform open for you to form your own opinion at the end of the day. But
to help you out, I think it is pertinent we take another look at the events of
the last few weeks.
The event at the Kenyan Mall is still very fresh in our minds. I
will therefore leave that and jump into what happened at the same time in
Peshawar, Pakistan. Some days ago, two Muslim suicide bombers entered All
Saints Anglican Church in Peshawar, and slaughtered more than 70 Christians and
maimed many more as they worshipped God and praised Jesus. That ugly incident
occurred just at same time some Somali Muslims entered a mall in Kenya,
separated the shoppers into Muslims and non-Muslims and to be sure those who claim
to be Muslims are truly Muslims, they were asked the name of the mother of
Mohammed. Those who failed the test were slaughtered alongside those who did
not identify themselves as Muslims.
I am not sure if you actually know the situation of religious minorities
in Pakistan but from my own little research about the country it is safe to
conclude that if you are not a Muslim in Pakistan today, you are dinning with
the devil! In fact, you have your house dangerously built in the midst of a
drunken hungry shark, devil and a deep blue sea. There is no means of escape
for everywhere you turn is equally dangerous. One blogger summarized it thus:
"You have absolutely no idea how many Christians cower behind locked doors
and boarded-up windows, living in terror of those who say they follow the
example of Mohammed in cleansing the land of non-Muslims".
"Christians routinely have their houses burned, their schools
and hospitals destroyed, and their churches desecrated and vandalized. In
Pakistan, it is not uncommon for entire Christian families to be burned to
death inside their houses. The crime is allegedly 'blasphemy' against
Islam-invariably baseless, but the summary punishment is meted out by a baying
horde-sometimes thousands strong-and there is no mercy from the clubs, sticks
and stones", the blogger added.
In fact, situation on ground shows that Christian towns and villages
in Pakistan are being reduced to slums even as poverty amongst these
communities has reached an endemic stage. Christian children are often poorly
educated (except in the private schools) and local politicians are corrupt and
incapable of doing anything meaningful to safeguard these poor Christians
apparently in fear of provoking the Muslim majority, the members of Taliban and
Al Qaeda. These corrupt bunches also include some of the Christian leaders, who
have little concern for social welfare, security, justice or human rights. But
be aware also that not even some of these Christian politicians and others are
safe from the hands of these mad Muslim extremists.
"Christians in Pakistan are hunted by complete strangers and
haunted by fear. Muslims dare not convert or intermarry with Christians on pain
of death. The pulpits whisper their sermons for fear of upsetting the mosques,
and the graveyards are filling. There is social segregation, economic hardship
and political disenfranchisement. Abduction and forced conversion to Islam are
commonplace-especially among young girls. These are rarely reported to the
police for fear of the consequences", noted the blogger.
This is sad and the fact that these happen in the name of God makes
fun and mockery of the concept of God. Maybe, I maybe right after all after
being vilified for suggesting that religion and hatred go hand in hand and that
one needs a heart of darkness and wickedness to be a believer.
"To be a Christian in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is to be
persecuted and oppressed. The Muslims who persecute and oppress the infidels
are simply doing their job. Those who blow themselves up and kill Christians in
their churches are martyrs for the cause of Allah and the greater glory of the
Prophet of Islam", says the blogger.
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