• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Nigerian Singer Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
I admit, I was hoping for a less violent solution.
Okay, I agree, this was quite a drastic solution.

I remember my Master telling us "you need a thorn to remove a thorn"
So, IMO it's impossible to get rid of this kind of violence with non-violence (you were asking for a short term solution)
 

Terrywoodenpic

Oldest Heretic
I think blasphemy laws stem from a fear that an offended deity will punish not only the individual that personally offended the deity, but the community that allows it to happen so by punishing the offender, the community was spared the wrath of the deity - the deity is definitely viewed as able and willing to defend themselves. So it's actually the exact opposite of what you said. Such a concept was common around the world long before the Abrahamic religions and long after.

That hardly fits the fact that the call Allah the "Merciful"
Nor do they suggest that Allah punishes others for an individuals sins.
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
I think blasphemy laws stem from a fear that an offended deity will punish not only the individual that personally offended the deity, but the community that allows it to happen so by punishing the offender, the community was spared the wrath of the deity - the deity is definitely viewed as able and willing to defend themselves. So it's actually the exact opposite of what you said. Such a concept was common around the world long before the Abrahamic religions and long after.
That seems right, there was a lot of superstition, and big institutions like Christianity and Islam, both being exclusive religions, misused that fear.

BUT we live in 2020 now, so, are those 2000 million Muslims still under influence of superstition? Superstition is considered blasphemy even. According to your idea and that superstition is blasphemy it makes no sense they still have this system, unless they don't think for themselves.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is a Muslim singer from Kano, Nigeria. After singing a song deemed offensive and blasphemous to Muhammad, Yahaya was sentenced to death by a Sharia court for violating Islamic blasphemy laws. DO you agree that this is an extreme punishment for exercising freedom of speech?
well ....no

exile the guy

bound to be some place on this earth for him
 

Mike.Hester

Member
I find it disturbing that the religion of peace has so many circumstances where capital punishment is utilized. Just a few examples:
Insult the prophet..off with your head
insult Islam off with your head
draw a picture of the prophet of peace..off with your head
Being homosexual..off with your head
Joing another religion..off with your head
murder,rape,mahem or aggravated assualt..off with your head


The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter, Except for those who return repenting before you apprehend them. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

— Qur'an, Sura 5, ayat 33 & 34[7]
Capital punishment in Islam - Wikipedia
 

BilliardsBall

Veteran Member

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is a Muslim singer from Kano, Nigeria. After singing a song deemed offensive and blasphemous to Muhammad, Yahaya was sentenced to death by a Sharia court for violating Islamic blasphemy laws. DO you agree that this is an extreme punishment for exercising freedom of speech?

Yes, but there isn't freedom of speech where there is Sharia law. Sharia law emphasizes a theocratic nation where Muhammed and his image are worshiped.
 

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is a Muslim singer from Kano, Nigeria. After singing a song deemed offensive and blasphemous to Muhammad, Yahaya was sentenced to death by a Sharia court for violating Islamic blasphemy laws. DO you agree that this is an extreme punishment for exercising freedom of speech?
Blasphemy laws are the ultimate demonstration that you think God can't look after [him]self.

The idea that they should be backed with the death penalty is grotesque and monstrous.

As for 'freedom of speech' as such, it's an overblown concept. It's no defense in legal proceedings for defamation or for misrepresentation in all the Western jurisdictions I can think of, or in criminal trials for incitement to violence, sedition or conspiracy.
 

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Actually, the Biblcal God never called for capital punishment/ prison sentences for insulting a prophet.
That's Islam.
Only for not observing the Sabbath, cursing your parents, anal intercourse with a male, and a few things like that.

Though come to think of it, the boys who were rude to Elisha were murdered by a bear pair that God sent for exactly that purpose.
 
Last edited:

thomas t

non-denominational Christian
Only for not observing the Sabbath
never death penalty or prison sentences. Feel free to prove me wrong.
cursing your parents, anal intercourse with a male, and a few things like that.
never death penalty or prison sentences.
the boys who were rude to Elisha were murdered by a bear pair that God sent for exactly that purpose.
Eliah - not God - called for that, 2 Kings 2:24. Keep in mind that immediately before, Eliah saved many children's lives, too. 2 Kings 2:22.
Here it's best to look at the entire story to get a wider picture of the scene.
 
Last edited:

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
never death penalty or prison sentences. Feel free to prove me wrong.
Happy to oblige:

Exodus 35:2: Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death;
never death penalty or prison sentences.
Exodus 21:17
Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.

Leviticus 20:13
If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them.
Eliah - not God - called for that, 2 Kings 2:24. Keep in mind that immediately before, Eliah saved many children's lives, too. 2 Kings 2:22.
Here it's best to look at the entire story to get a wider picture of the scene.
2Kings 2:22
So the water has been wholesome to this day, according to the word which Eli'sha spoke.
23 He went up from there to Bethel; and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, "Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!"
24 And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys.

You're saying Elisha on his own could command bears to "tear" forty-two boys whose wickedness was suggesting he see a trichologist? I read that as a clear statement of God's causative involvement, sine qua non.
 
Top