Jailing Christians In Morocco

[Ruggedtouch]

Ya’ know, nothing will send a muslim into trembling, OCD reflexive fits of insecurity like what follows. Morocco jails German for trying to convert Muslims[/color]

RABAT (Reuters) - A Moroccan court jailed a German tourist for six months for attempting to convert Muslims in the southern resort of Agadir, officials said on Wednesday.
The court in Agadir, Morocco's main tourist destination, found the 64-year-old man guilty of trying to "shake the faith of a Muslim," they added.


The court also fined him 500 dirhams ($60) in its verdict issued late on Tuesday.


Court officials named the German of Egyptian origin as Sadek Noshi Yassa, who was arrested last week as he was distributing books and CDs about the Christian faith to young Muslim Moroccans in the street, the officials said.


Under Moroccan law "anyone who employs incitements to shake the faith of a Muslim or to convert him to another religion" can be jailed for up to six months and fined.


The verdict came after local media reports that some Christians had launched a clandestine campaign to convert thousands of Muslim Moroccans to Christianity.

So… let’s examine for a moment the Islamic concept of a set of universal rights which belongs to muslims exclusively: Hundreds of thousands of Muslims coming to infidel nations to proselytize their hate and revulsion for the <i>Shirk</i> notion of mans law and their need and desire to topple the very institutions that they cynically hide behind while plotting our destruction vs. a Christian offering CDs and books about Christianity in a Muslim nation which warrants prison time.



I guess questioning the Islamic logic makes me an <i>islamophobe™</i>.

[Faith Hope Charity]

Hmmm...


As a Christian, if I were in Morocco knowing that proselytizing is forbidden, I'd respect the laws of the country (regardless of whether I agree with them or not) & not attempt to break them. It's the same as a Muslim man living in Australia who is guilty of domestic violence. Islam may allow it, but the Australian government does not, therefore, if the woman reports him, he can, should & most likely will be prosecuted.


I'm a big believer in freedom when it's in accordance with the natural law. So my question to Muslims is this...


Why doesn't Islam give human beings the freedom to follow the religion of their choice? Why is evangelization banned in Islamic countries? Are the authorities concerned that many will stray from Islam?


I call myself a Christian because I freely choose to be a disciple of Jesus Christ (& by the grace of God)... not because I was forced into it. In my opinion, if you're not free then you can't love. For example, my boyfriend doesn't say to me, "I demand you to love me so you have no choice but to love me" - that's not real love! It's the same with God. He wants us to love Him freely, totally, whole-heartedly & willingly.


If Muslims in Morocco can withstand the attempts of evangelization & remain Muslims, then it's obvious they're faithful believers, however, if they're obliged to be Muslims by law & are denied the opportunity to explore other faith traditions, then in most circumstances, they're Muslims due to restraint & ignorance.


Faith... Hope... Charity... Openness... Acceptance... Equality

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


salam Faith, hope Charity,


Let me explain first, that neither Morocco, nor any other so called Muslim country applies Islamic Sharia` (law) with exception of Saudi Arabia. Thus, i m not sure that this sentence is a fruit of Islamic law.


For example, here in Egypt, local Nasara (Christians= Copts) have a huge missionary efforts including the use of money to convert Muslims in slum areas specially.


The government does not do anything. But as Muslims, since this is our duty and if it shows anything it shows our shortcoming to curb our brothers and sisters socio economic problems, Muslims do work to apply comprehensive development in such area. However, those efforts are simply public that has nothing to do with the government.


But as for the position of Islam from one who apostates, you will find threads on this issue, run a search I suggest.

[Ruggedtouch]

Bismillah


salam Faith, hope Charity,


Let me explain first, that neither Morocco, nor any other so called Muslim country applies Islamic Sharia` (law) with exception of Saudi Arabia. Thus, i m not sure that this sentence is a fruit of Islamic law.


For example, here in Egypt, local Nasara (Christians= Copts) have a huge missionary efforts including the use of money to convert Muslims in slum areas specially.


The government does not do anything. But as Muslims, since this is our duty and if it shows anything it shows our shortcoming to curb our brothers and sisters socio economic problems, Muslims do work to apply comprehensive development in such area. However, those efforts are simply public that has nothing to do with the government.


But as for the position of Islam from one who apostates, you will find threads on this issue, run a search I suggest.

I was surprised you responded as you did, Muslimah. If you intended as such, it was a refreshing bit of honesty. Your comment confirms that under a true sharia, (as practiced in the KSA), overt hostility and explicit suppression of competing religions is a part of orthodox Islamic faith.



While that dynamic is patently obvious to even a casual observer, it clearly does portray an obvious double standard that muslims are loathe to admit.


It also makes a total mockery of the “no compulsion in religion” slogan. The following is from the U.S. State Dept
. website.

International Religious Freedom Report 2004
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor


The country is ruled by a monarchy with a legal system based on Islamic law (Shari'a). The Government does not provide legal protection for freedom of religion, and such protection does not exist in practice. Islam is the official religion, and <b>the law requires that all citizens be Muslims.</b> The Government prohibits the public practice of non-Muslim religions. The Government recognizes the right of non-Muslims to worship in private; however, it does not always respect this right in practice and does not define this right in law.

[Ruggedtouch]

Even as Pope Benedict was behaving like a good dhimmi and appeasing Moslems delicate sensibilities, Turkey shows us that infidels are to be reviled.



Let’s remember that the Pope was in Turkey for the purpose of soothing the outrage that gripped the Moslem psyche when he quoted Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus and used terms such as "jihad" and "holy war." While the Pope was excusing himself for being alive, some others weren’t fairing quite as well. Protestant missionaries face nine years for insult to Islam

When Hakan Tastan wanted to amend the religion on his Turkish identity card, his enthusiastic championing of Christianity exasperated the official barring his way. Eventually, the official gave up trying to oppose the controversial change. “Change this heathen’s religion and make him go away,” the devout Muslim told his clerks.
More than ten years later, the missionary zeal of Mr Tastan and his fellow Christian convert, Turan Topal, has led to much graver things than being called names.


They face up to nine years’ jail after going on trial last week for “insulting Turkishness” during their religious work, under the notorious Article 301 of the Turkish penal code. It is the same law that put Orhan Pamuk, the Nobel literature laureate, in the dock, and which the European Union wants amended.


The case against two members of the tiny Turkish Protestant community has attracted criticism from the EU and cast a shadow over Pope Benedict XVI’s visit this week.


Mr Topal and Mr Tastan, who are charged with illegally gathering information on people and “insulting Islam”, have faced public anger in Turkey, where a mistrust of Christians has been growing, fuelled by the Iraq war, the EU’s critical attitude, the Pope’s comments linking Islam with violence and the Danish cartoons row. [<i>basically, it's the Infidels fault that moslems hate anything and anyone not Islamic. —ed.]</i>


At last week’s hearing, a friend was punched and bystanders told them to leave the country if they didn’t like it. ...


The three plaintiffs, young men aged 16, 17 and 23, contacted them through a friend saying that they wanted to find out more about Christianity. After two meetings, charges were filed.

Say what? Islamists getting violent? Using scare tactics in a cynical ploy to coerce those who don't tow the party line? I find this shocking, just <i><b>shocking</b>!</i>

[NaSra]

Bismillah


salam Faith, hope Charity,


Let me explain first, that neither Morocco, nor any other so called Muslim country applies Islamic Sharia` (law) with exception of Saudi Arabia.

Asalamalaikuk Muslimah


Since when is saudi an Islamic state? Are you really sure that what they have there is shariah? I have learnt that they don't. What they have is their version of half-truth-shariah that isn't really according to the sunnah nor according to the quraan. and most of the time it's only applied to those (less fortunate).


I don't think there is anywhere on earth where "shariah" is truthfuly applied.


That kingdom needs to go!! :argue:

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


I know Nasra that u have issues with Saudi Arabia, but I also learnt from u when you once posted an excellent article by if I recall Siraj Wahaj, about the treasure and not to trash a Muslim.


Well, Nasra actually they do apply sharia, I know what you mean about what is being spread regarding their applications (Wahhabi versus Quran and Sunnah). Not all of what Mohamed Abdel Wahab wrote is wrong neither correct. Every human being is subject to make faults. I suggest that rather than hearing from there and here and then make judgments to learn more.

[NaSra]

Bismillah


I know Nasra that u have issues with Saudi Arabia, but I also learnt from u when you once posted an excellent article by if I recall Siraj Wahaj, about the treasure and not to trash a Muslim.


Well, Nasra actually they do apply sharia, I know what you mean about what is being spread regarding their applications (Wahhabi versus Quran and Sunnah). Not all of what Mohamed Abdel Wahab wrote is wrong neither correct. Every human being is subject to make faults. I suggest that rather than hearing from there and here and then make judgments to learn more.

Asalamalaikum Muslimah :)


Jezekelah khair..Insha'Allah I don't want to hyjack this thread. I actually don't really rely on complete heresay, I've been doing some research. :blink: and still learning InshaAllah.


That lecture was by Khalid Yasin btw. :thumb: