I often hear people saying that Christianity is better than Islam. And I’m not talking about the far-Right that thinks the fight against Islam is a fight for Christianity and a new crusade but I often hear it from skeptics and atheists too.
As you may know even Ayaan Hirsi Ali had recommended that Muslim women become Christians rather than remain within Islam if they want to carry on believing in god. My response is that it’s a racism of lower expectations. If Ayaan and I can become atheists, so can other Muslim women.
But nonetheless there is this perception that Christianity is better.
But that’s a perception only.
As I’ve said before, Christianity only seems nicer because to some extent it has been pushed back by an enlightenment. A ‘better’ religion is generally one that has its back to the wall and has no political power.
And the minute it has access to some form of power, it rears its cruel and ugly head for all to see.
The US Christian Right, the abuse and violence faced by children deemed witches in Nigeria, the lack of accountability of the Church for it years of paedophelia and sex abuse are all current day examples of how Christianity is fundamentally no different. and that’s not even looking at the Spanish inquisition and the like. Of course there are many more current days examples but the most recent case is the complaint by the Mumbai Catholic Archdiocese against Indian Rationalist Sanal Edamaruku.
Following his exposure of a supposed miracle at a Catholic Church in Mumbai in March 2012 as nothing more than a leak, a complaint has been lodged against Sanal by local Catholic organisations with the police, who are now able to arrest him. He has been denied ‘anticipatory’ bail which means if arrested he faces a long term in prison merely for explaining the science behind yet another fraudulent claim by religion.
It is important to defend Sanal and also the many facing such charges by Islamists across the globe.
Here’s a petition you can sign on Sanal’s behalf.
***
I am blogging every half hour from 9am-3pm GMT to support the SSA during its 10 day blogathon. Support the SSA if you can; it’s important!
Petition signed – thanks for letting us all know about it and so much else.
I’m glad you pointed that out, Maryam. Xianity can be extremely abusive, esp to women and children, with Bile verses to support and even enable to the abuse. While Xians don’t often intentionally kill family members due to their beliefs, it sometimes happens unintentionally (ie refusing medical treatments, esp for children and alike) and they consider it “God’s will”. Still behind closed doors, because the woman won’t submit and obey the way the husband thinks she should or the woman believes she has to stay married to an abusive man, there is often abuse in Xian extremist households. Most of the time, what often happens is spiritual/religious abuse though, esp extremist sects of Xianity.
However, lately Fundamngelicals have been pushing their way into our government, trying to make it a Theocracy, controlling other people with religious views, esp women- ie The War on Women.
Message from Facebook about this page:
“The content you’re trying to share includes a link that’s been blocked for being spammy or unsafe:
http://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php
For more information, visit the Help Center. If you think you’re seeing this by mistake, please let us know”
What a surprise… Not.
I tried to post a link to this page at my Facebook prophile. It was blocked.
Very good article, Maryam. I agree 100% with what you have said about Ayaan. But to my surprise I see many famous Atheists are very enthuastic about Ayaan. They are ex-Christians. A bit nostalgic?
Also it’s the racism of lower expectations for sure…
yes maybe. Also I think they compare Islam and Christianity today and see that it seems better. Which is why I call Islamic, an Islamic inquisition, so they can make the comparisons that need being made.
I also get irritated at Ayaan Hirsi Ali for advocating all Muslims to just convert to Christianity, and I do agree that she has spent too much time mixing with neo-cons, but you can’t really blame her. The neo-cons were the only ones willing to help her out by giving her a job and paying for her security. I feel that, in the end, it’s nothing but a yet another failing in the long list of failings of the pro-Islamist left.
I’m sorry but boo hoo for her. There are a lot of us – including myself, Mina Ahadi, Taslima – who have no money and no security and don’t join the neo-cons. I think you should hold people accountable and not make excuses for them.