What constitutes blasphemy in Qatar?
This is a serious post. I am not trying to bash anyone.
I have read in the daily papers several stories of persons being given a prison sentence for "blasphemy". Can anyone tell me (without being blasphemous) what counts as blasphemy serious enough to get a prison sentence.
I was at a restaurant yesterday and heard the manager cursing in broken English and Arabic at a waiter, but it was the usual vulgarities rather than specific religious references. It bothered me, so I tipped the waiter and left, but it got me thinking about this.
Any serious comment from someone who is familiar with Qatar's laws or Sharia law on this would be welcome.
Hard one really as they are a very religious country so anything that goes against religion or culture could be viewed as blasphemy.
>>>>>Interesting post by Mandi:_
BE, no, I place no authority - moral or religious - in the Vatican. That's why I'm called a Protestant. I could draw a big clown face on the Pope's picture and (aside from bad taste) feel nothing amiss.
Mandi
Mandi is right in what she has just posted and as a Catholic I would not be offended by her doing this.
I am different though as I don’t respect this Pope at all. Perhaps if he was a good Pope and he was doing the right thing for the faith, I may have found that offensive. Even if I liked him, I would not react against it though.
She has every right as a Protestant to show her lack of respect to the Head of the Catholic Church.
Is it blasphemy?
No it is not, she is not Catholic; if I did it as a Catholic, maybe in some Catholics eyes I would have committed blasphemy.
Or would it be I would be called a dissenter?
Difficult one, what defines a dissenter and one who commits blasphemy?
Never met him edifis. No truth or lie exchanged.
WK did God lie to you?
sTrangR actually I don't believe in God
I humbly apologise for not fitting the stereotype.
repeat(deleted)
i know people from middle east doesn't know what is freedom of speech , especially religious ones . so buddy its not your problem , it is with society ,
but keep your hope as this world is changing , it took so long for Christianity to accept free speech , and young religions are its own way to reform itself . many of the harsh rules are eradicated already by now . it takes time for each religion to grownup and think like an educated , civilized old man
Touche :O)
Best thing is not to talk about anything at all...negatively, publicly, that is.
sTrangR where in the world has one got the right to free speech?
Pardon my ignorance but I have never of such a place
BE, no, I place no authority - moral or religious - in the Vatican. That's why I'm called a Protestant. I could draw a big clown face on the Pope's picture and (aside from bad taste) feel nothing amiss.
Mandi
FREESPEECH
Pushing a snooker ball up ur' anus to check the size before eating it constitutes blasphemy in Qatar.
uranus1, i think what you're talking about is not blasphemy,what the manager was saying, i think, was cursing.you can report this to the police if someone curses you or showed dirty finger towards you. but this are small stupid nonsense, only solution to this is a good punch to the face(as long as you're not in qatar., LOL)
Would reading the 'Satanic Verses' be considered a blasphemy?
Saying anything critical about the prophet or God to the wrong person. Or just pissing a muslim off enough about anything unrelated bad enough to make them run to the police and cry blasphemy.
Eating mango pickles allowed?
I would agree with you to an extent. yes, blasphemy can be subjective, but on the whole common sense can guide us.
We have had various discussions regarding blasphemy issues in the West. for example, films like The Life of Brian and The passion of christ.
However, i think here in the Middle east, the boundries are clearer. I would equate it to being in the Vatican. So we can make a comon sense judgement on what will be allowed here.
Would you agree ?
Gotta disagree. I cannot use common sense to determine what might be blashphemous in another religion. I perceive that blapshemy has a subjective compnent to it and I cannot determine another's thought process. And I am not well-enough versed to know the intricacies of every jot and tittle that could be considered blashphemous. You will have to enlighten me. And yeah, we do debate these things in Western Christianity. Look at the now-pulled Super Bowl ad. But it is a discussion of taste, not life or death.
Mandi
OP is asking:
"Can anyone tell me (without being blasphemous) what counts as blasphemy serious enough to get a prison sentence".
before saying any comments, person must understand the meaning of blasphemy in Islam. that meaning i gave is taken from encyclopaedia and not by me. please read the source :)
cheers
Just use common sense and you will be fine.
is a controversial Person with out any relevance to Main stream Islam.
(deleted)...! i miss sinigang... :(
since i came here, never had any of it...i guess im becoming muslim too...HARAM pork!
cheers
@Uranus1
Blasphemy in Islam
Main article: Islam and blasphemy
Blasphemy in Islam is irreverent behavior toward holy personages, religious artifacts, customs, and beliefs that Muslims respect. However, according to Pakistani religious scholar, Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, there is nothing in Islam which supports blasphemy law.[26]
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy
Let me ask you a question instead.
You are a sane and wise person, so given that you are talking about a country ruled by an Emir and having Islam as its religion -
What do you think would constitute blasphemy ?
And yes you can blaspheme by worshipping a pig or other idols and deities.
Hindu worship is banned here. Pig is one of the 10 Avatars or incarnations of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism. You can't show that in Public.
In Qatar you say anything bad about the Islam or the Emir then it will be considered blasphemy.
Nothing else is blasphemous!