Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws
- November/December 2013
- November 1, 2013
It is perhaps a cliché in contemporary historical studies to ask the question “What would the Founders think?” or “What would the Founders believe about this or that particular issue today?” Despite being a largely fruitless academic exercise, dozens of books have been written on the subject, including Richard Brookhiser’s entertaining What Would the Founders
READ MOREFor many people, one of the most fearful terms to be found in the New Testament is the word “blasphemy.” Blasphemy is represented as a horrible sin, but what is it? Have I been guilty of it? Can one obtain pardon for it? These are serious questions that can engage the attention of the devout
READ MOREReligious blasphemy laws can be a touchy subject, especially in Pakistan, where just bringing up the subject of the blasphemy laws and whether they are right or wrong is considered, well …blasphemous. This wasn’t always the case. The sentiment behind most blasphemy laws is easy to understand. No person or group should insult another religion’s
READ MOREImagine being hung upside down by your feet. Electric wires are tied around your ankles and you are threatened repeatedly with electrocution. In addition, you are frequently pulled from your prison cell so that the police can beat you viciously. Why? Because someone accused you of making inflammatory statements about God. And even though your
READ MORESajjad Masih is a young Pakistani man 29 years old. He fell in love and became engaged to a young woman named Roma. He spent many hours communicating with her on his cell phone. But another man was also in love with Roma. He lived in the United Kingdom and made promises to Roma’s parents
READ MOREIn late June, at the end of its term, the Supreme Court decided two cases, each by a 5-4 vote, involving constitutional challenges to government refusals to recognize same-sex marriages. In United States v. Windsor, the Court struck down the provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which stated that for all federal law
READ MORE