Young Christian Murdered in Pakistan

[LAGC]

SIALKOT, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Tensions remained high Thursday, September 17, in Pakistan's Punjab province after police dispersed angry crowds protesting against the death of a young Christian prisoner, who was held for allegedly desecrating the Koran, viewed as a holy book by Muslims.

The violence broke followed the funeral of 20-year old Robert Fanish, whose body was found Tuesday, September 15, in his cell in the city of Sialkot.

Jail Superintendent Farooq Lodhi was quoted as saying that Fanish hanged himself using the draw string that held up his pants. The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), a Catholic-led advocacy group, called the death an "extra-judicial murder" and demanded an investigation, Pakistan media reported.

His death is part of a rising trend of violence against minorities in Pakistan, a panel of Pakistani human rights groups said. It follows the burning deaths of six Christians in July, and mob attacks against Christian houses and a church in March and June.

http://www.bosnewslife.com/9096-breaking-news-violence-overshadows-funeral-%E2%80%9Cmurdered%E2%80%9D-pakistan-christian

It's always a tragedy when religious violence occurs, especially when a minority religion is being suppressed by the majority. We really need more Christians to go into Muslim-dominated countries and spread diversity, just as we need more Muslims to break up Christian hegemony here in America.

I'm not real fond of either religion, but if people are going to believe in supernatural forces, its good we have a wide variety of views, so that one doesn't become dominant and try to force those views down everyone else's throats.

[rd_kent]

1. "We really need more Christians to go into Muslim-dominated countries and spread diversity" !!!

Are you NUTS???!!! Sending xtians ANYWHERE is the LAST thing we need. The last time xtians were "sent" to the middle east, it was called the crusades, and we know how that worked out, right?
No, what we REALLY need, is for religion to GO AWAY, so that the human condition can evolve into something better, more enlightened, more RATIONAL.

[LAGC]

2. Well, consider it this way...

Would you prefer to see all these missionaries trying to work over the "godless" here in America, or would you prefer they were sent overseas to try to convert some of the other religionists instead?

[rd_kent]

3. I would prefer if they stayed in church

or at home and practiced their religion among themselves. We all know that the doors to the churches are open and if we need god, we know where to go.
And why do they need to "convert" ANYONE? They are just as wrong (or right) as any other religion. Perhaps THEY need to be converted. I would like it of they would just accept that they do not have any truth or evidence other than their opinion, same as everyone else.

[LAGC]

7. There's nothing wrong with wanting to convince others toward your point-of-view.

So long as you don't use the government to force those views on people (including brainwashing children in state-sponsored public schools) I don't see anything wrong with people trying to spread their views. Its only natural, if you believe that what you believe in is truly right, that you try to convince others of the same. The key is that its done peacefully, not forcefully through the manifestations of the State. Missionaries fit this bill. We should encourage and export more of our Christian brethren abroad, if for no other reason than that they won't be here doing their thing. The more diversity, the more people will step back and say "Wait a minute, what if none of these different views are correct?" and I think you'd see a higher rate of atheism and agnosticism as well.

[rd_kent]

9. When xtians embrace diversity, then we'll talk.

Until then, you are plain delusional to think that sending xtians anywhere is a good thing.

[laconicsax]

4. What an amazingly naive position.

You don't put out fire by adding fuel.

[darkstar3]

5. Yeah, sure, that'll work.

Take all the religions of the world and spread them around, distributed evenly, just to keep the "crazy" down.

Because different religions living together on the same land worked SO well throughout history. Have you NEVER heard of Isreal, Northern Ireland, the Iran/Iraq war, or the COUNTLESS other conflicts that have arisen throughout history when different sects of religious believers attempt to live together and share?

:wtf:

[LAGC]

6. The problem with those scenarios you mention...

Is that you're talking about two dominant rival religions going at each other. But what if there was true diversity within each country? Imagine an Israel without Jewish hegemony, or Ireland without its Catholic super-majority? I'm talking about returning to the days of ancient Greece and Rome, with dozens of gods and goddesses, none reigning supreme. THAT would be ideal, I think. With real diversity comes exposure to different views and tolerance, and it prevents any one sect from using government to impose its will on everyone else.

[darkstar3]

8. What you're ignoring is that religion is a social construction tool.

It creates social groups, and among the purposes they all seem to hold for themselves is to grow. Think about it, if everyone in the same room is of a different faith, then you'll get great discussion and no one will be in power. However, keep those people together over time and watch as they try and sway each other to their own way of thinking. It's a natural part of the debate process to try and sway the opposing side to agree with you. And once they succeed...

With social construction comes power, with power comes the desire for more power.

There's a reason the religious structures found in Ancient Greece and Rome didn't survive. These places were pinnacles of thought and culture. They were idealistic and forward thinking societies that we STILL look back upon in order to learn about ourselves. But someone along the way figured out that too many gods = too many different ways the people can jump.

In short, your solution is idealistic, and while it will work for a time, it will not work for the long haul. People have a natural tendency to seek out those like them, and to shun "the other." Even if no one is able to sway anyone else to agree with them, you'll still get those of like-minded faiths living together sooner rather than later, and the cycle starts over again.

[rd_kent]

10. You know what I imageine?

An AMERICA without christian hypocrisy. Fix your OWN house before trying to fix someone else's.