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Promoters of pop concerts, other events may ditch Malaysia as hard-line Islam gets a grip

9 Comments
By Tavleen Tarrant and Praveen Menon

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9 Comments
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While I would, despite firmly being a non-believer myself, defend peoples right to believe as they like in their personal lives, there is a serious issue here..

Religion, public policy and law should not mix..

And importantly as everyone can be offended at more or less anything.. we can't control what other people think but offense alone is not a valid reason to interfere and limit other peoples lives and activities.

Unfortunately it has gotten difficult to have reasonable conversations about this, while there are undoubtedly issues and people using fear tactics for their own gain, labels of bigotry and phobias (and incorrectly racism, beliefs are unrelated to race) get thrown around all to easily especially when we start talking about Islam.

I think its possible to simultaneously defending someones right to believe as they do and responsibly practice those beliefs in their private life, and have an opinion that those beliefs are incorrect, possibly even dangerous and that those type of belief don't have place in the public arena.

If there are people that don't like the concert, or costume, or song, or movie or what have you, simply don't participate.....

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Promoting a more moderate Islam

The definition of 'moderate' Islam is very difficult to pin down.

A pity this kind of thinking is still around in the 21st century.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Mixing religion with anything is bad news, mixing it with politics is a disaster.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The popular Better Beer Festival 2017, which has been held for the past five years, was unexpectedly called off last week after the Kuala Lumpur city council banned the October 6-7 event. The ban followed protests by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), who said the event would turn the capital into “the largest vice centre in Asia.”

Think you need more than a few beers to turn KL into the biggest lupanar in Asia. Some pretty fierce competition across the northern border guys.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

A friend of mine is marrying a Malaysian man and he is insisting that she change her religion, diet, dress code, and of course uproot and go live in Malaysia.

She mentioned the last thing they mainly disagreed about was whether he would ALLOW her to come back for important Japanese events, like family stuff, etc.

Personally I dont think she knows what shes getting into. Can she even be allowed to get divorced from him if she goes there?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

@NZ2011

Good post. I've reached a point where I honestly couldn't care less about people throwing labels around, and particularly the use of ridiculous and nonsensical 'phobe'-type words.

I agree with the idea that many people still tread on eggshells when discussing religion and fear idiotic charges of racism for criticizing ideas. It's an effective method but it must be exposed for the pathetic and often disingenuous method it actually is.

Still, it's preferable to more emphatic methods such as execution, flogging and imprisonment for disagreeing with ideas and having alternative opinions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Shortly after, the catchy summer dance song 'Despacito' was taken off state radio and television stations 

Well, they got something right at least.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Religion, public policy and law should not mix..

Religion + public policy + law = Islam

While this particular melange may be an anathema for many people with a modern western point of view. For upwards of a billion Muslims, around the world, it makes perfect sense. Go figure.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@thepersoniamnow

If you care about your friend, you should convince her to not marry this man if this is how he acts. This is a big warning. If they marry she can divorce with him later but after converting to Islam, the Malaysian court will not allow her to change religion, she must stay as muslim. Probably it doesn't matter as she is a Japanese though and will go back Japan.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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