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 A man cries as he prays at the graves of the victims from the May Lahore attacks against Ahmadiyya community mosques July 14, 2010 in Chenab Nagar, Pakistan.
January 5th, 2013
04:00 AM ET
My Take: New Year’s resolution – don’t get murdered
By Qasim Rashid, Special to CNN (CNN)–My New Year’s resolution is to not die for my faith. I’d hoped that 2012 would bring a revolution among Muslims and Muslim-majority nations to free oppressed minds. Yet I find myself still waiting to not die. That’s the “curse” of being an Ahmadi Muslim in too much of the Muslim world. Ahmadi Muslims believe Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) is the long awaited messiah and Mahdi the Prophet Mohammed foretold, sent to unite mankind and establish peace. But this isn’t an evangelical piece, so please, keep reading. Instead of peace, 2012 brought increased persecution in which vigilante murder, unjust arrest and outright discrimination against Ahmadi Muslims continued. A new type of persecution also increased, from which even death is not an escape. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter On December 3, armed extremists destroyed 120 graves belonging to Ahmadi Muslims at a cemetery in Lahore, Pakistan. When I condemned the attack on Twitter, the response from some was just as ignorant. “You’re an infidel! Stop calling yourself a Muslim!” “You’re causing Fitna (or chaos) stop with these infidel beliefs!” Across Pakistan, Europe, Indonesia—and yes, even here in America—this is reality for Ahmadi Muslims. I get it. Some Muslims aren’t thrilled that Ahmadi Muslims believe the messiah has come because they expect Jesus, son of Mary, to literally descend from heaven. Ahmadi Muslims believe the Quran is clear that Jesus died a natural death many years after surviving the crucifixion. But this isn’t about persuading anyone to believe us. Instead, it is about confronting Fitna’s actual source and recognizing the biggest poison for Muslims worldwide: religious bigotry. Sometimes that bigotry is peripheral. The other day I tweeted a quote from Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison praising the head and Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, “… under (your holiness’) leadership the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been a true blessing for us here in the United States." Like clockwork I lost a dozen followers. Sometimes that bigotry is disguised as a compliment. “You’d be such a good Muslim, if only you weren’t a Qadiani,” someone once told me in person. Qadiani is a pejorative for Ahmadi Muslims. The “compliment” reeks of patronization, is actually an insult, and ignores the shocking possibility that perhaps I am a “good Muslim” because I am an Ahmadi Muslim. Sometimes that bigotry is direct. “You Qadiani mother--er! You will burn in hell for your beliefs! You godd- Jewish agent I’ll kill you!” No comment. The above religious bigotry I can handle. When some of the above sometimes turns to death threats, I can only foolishly hope my wife doesn’t find out. (She has this funny thing where she doesn’t want her husband brutally murdered. I know I know, women!) CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories But sometimes that bigotry is full-blown state-sanctioned persecution and violence. Like in certain Arab states where Ahmadi Muslims are incarcerated and deported for the crime of being an Ahmadi Muslim. Or like in Pakistan where simply claiming Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is the messiah is a criminal offense warranting capital punishment for the use of derogatory remarks in respect to the Prophet. No exaggeration—as we lawyers like to say—that’s the black letter of the law. Fortunately, no Ahmadi Muslim in Pakistan has been executed for this crime, yet. But is it anything less than an execution when the Taliban murders 86 Ahmadi Muslims in broad daylight and the police, who admitted to knowing of the attack beforehand, look on from afar? Look, I’m not looking for special treatment. Nor do I want sympathy. But I do want one thing for the sake of humanity: That Muslims condemn all forms of religious bigotry—peripheral, patronizing, direct and violent. While this simple request is what’s right, some turn a deaf ear, despite Prophet Mohammed's pluralistic example. Ahmadi Muslim Islamic Sect has appealing message for U.S. politicians but has global enemies Mohammed championed religious equality in the Charter of Medina he signed with Jews. He assured protection of religious freedom in his letter to Christian monks at St. Catherine’s Monastery. He also afforded all Arabs carte blanche forgiveness when peacefully retaking Mecca—on the single condition that religious freedom reign free. Even Prophet Mohammed's rules of war were specifically designed to protect, not persecute, religious freedom. Every Ahmadi Muslim, Shia Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Baha’i, Sikh, atheist, agnostic, pagan—and the list goes on—has that fundamental human right to religious freedom. Establishing that right creates the peace and mutual respect we all ostensibly want. I say ostensibly, because when it comes to religious freedom in too much of the Muslim world, I’m still waiting to not die. I’ll continue to wait, alongside millions, until Muslims recognize religious bigotry for what it is—a cancer—and expel it from their midst. Yet, my in-box will reflect that this simple plea has, for some, fallen on deaf ears. Well, I guess I better not slack on my New Year’s resolution.
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Editor’s Note: Qasim Rashid is a national spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. Follow him on Twitter 
There is always room at the table for one more. Try Unitarian Universalism: http://www.uunashua.org/100quest.shtml
Interesting take on Ahamdiyya:
http://muslimperspectives.com/?p=1179
Islam is the Arab word for bigotry (maybe I err). If bigotry is my faith, how can I than decide to be bigoted or not. Don't I have to be bigoted at any rate?
"... biggest poison for Muslims worldwide: religious bigotry."
This shall mean that a single Muslim could decide whether he wants to be bigoted or not. Yet, the Islam is simply bigoted in itself. If you are a "faithful", real Muslim, you have to be bigoted because your faith is bigoted, you have no choice at all.
Muhammed clearly says in his lousy Koran (which he made-up) that Christianity had been invented by former Muslims which had turned apostate from the genuine Islam. Hence, in Muhammad's eyes every Christian is an "infidel" which has forsaken the alleged genuine faith of Abraham, the alleged Religion of Truth. This causes that a real Muslim can consider a Christian only as a second-class person which he is allowed to handicap, and which he doesn't have to love, rather to hate. That is the dark mystery of Islam, and the Koran.
The only faith which causes love to all people independent from nationality, belief, colour, social status, etc. is genuine Christianity. Jesus Christ has died for the whole mankind, and by that he proved his love for the whole mankind, that means for every single human being which will ever live on this damned planet. I as a Christian have to imitate the love of Jesus Christ. Of course, it is good to tell the people the gospel but I will still love them even when they don't accept it. I mustn't be the judge of my fellow human beings, that is God's task, but my task and responsibility it is to love them with Christ's love (of course, criminal people are a case for the authority, don't get me wrong).
Muhammad presumed to be the divine judge of the mankind but in fact he was a murderer, a thief, a womanizer, everything which is nasty was found in Muhammad. Consequently, a follower of Muhammad can never be a loveable man but must rather be a beast or a monster like his master, and I guess that worldwide the Muslims more and more get this reputation.
Dear Muslim, if you want to change then accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ who died and rose again also for you (even for me). Get baptized and metaphysically connected with the releasing power of Jesus' death and resurrection. Die for the sin, and enter Christ through faith and baptism. Get a better life in Jesus.
http://confessingchurch.wordpress.com
This poster is only trying to get hits for their website, they are a troll and not a real Christian, don't bother clicking the link!!!
Do me a favor. If you're some uneducated, ignorent, gomer, that dont know crap about Islam, never met a muslim, never went to a masque, never read the quran or had it Interpreted by a muslim scholar, stop talking about something you dont know crap about. stop pulling quotes from the quran without its context or proper Interpretation, stop talking about a religion that you learned about on FOX news, or the internet.. if you dont know shut the heck up you ignorent, bigited fools!
I have nothing against your religious belief Reindeer, but let me tell you yes Jesus died but never rose, not for you, not for me, not for anybody, or not for himself, it is impossible thing to do
Peace be with you, Mr. Rashid. I'm a non-practicing Christian, and unfortunately there's religious bigotry everywhere. Fortunately, we can certainly co-exist with a little effort, and actually all be better off for it.
The 'peaceful' religion, right?
Do me a favor. If you're some uneducated, ignorent, gomer, that dont know crap about Islam, never met a muslim, never went to a masque, never read the quran or had it Interpreted by a muslim scholar, stop talking about something you dont know crap about. stop pulling quotes from the quran without its context or proper Interpretation, stop talking about a religion that you learned about on FOX news, or the internet.. if you dont know shut the heck up you ignorent, bigited fools!
Probably ought to extend that desire to end religious bigotry to ALL religions. Bigotry goes hand-in-hand with sanctimony.
If we go ahead an end all religion we won't have to worry about trampling on anyone's sensitive feelings about his particular imaginary sky buddy. And once those childish things are set aside we can get on with making our lives better in the here and now.
So Muhammad is sitting next to god, literally right next to god, asking all kinds of questions about what people should eat, how they should pray, how best to subjugate women, and god tells him that there is going to be a Mahdi that will come to the earth to unite all men (not women) in peace under Islam. The thing is that this great writer of all things divine doesn't ask what year this will happen, or where we can look to find this Mahdi. He's more interested in how many women he can marry, do they have to be older than 12, stuff like that.
Anyway, this guy Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is born and tells everyone he's the Mahdi. Then one day (May 26 1908) he dies, and guess what, Islam isn't united, there is no peace, and the end of the world doesn't happen. So all those people who followed him should be smart enough to figure out he's not anything but some dead guy. WRONG.
So how many incorrect religions will have to exist before humans (men and women) grow up and realize it's all just a con game to take your money and your energy? There has to be some time in the future when people refuse to be fooled.
As it turns out, and surprisingly to some, it takes at least several millennia for a majority to shake the delusion.
We're working on that... one Atheist at a time...
There is a lot mythic krap in peoples brains... takes a long time to evolve out of the Age of Supernatural Stupidity..
Were are getting there.... after all we did not get locked up in this myth madness prison over night..
but as time goes on. and more and more of the mythic ideas are proven wrong by science. Then we will stop k1!!ing each other over mythic dogma and k!11 the gods and put them in the graves of those who created them.. where they belong.
CNN: you dont have no news but to l publish this stupid story..only less then .0005% people are ahmadi and they are mostly in West then why pakistan was mentioned..
jared.. good one, your 100% right, a little cold, but right..
My wife thinks I'm a loser for posting about articles (talk about oppression). DISQUS just deleted a long, personal, totally appropriate response. I'll get to my points immediately this time.
– Silly rabbit, RELIGION is the obvious problem.
– We're all terrified of all (your and everybody else's) crazy beliefs.
– Certain Christians and academics have put their religion down after 800 years of oppression, philosophic and financial domination....all based on an old dude(s) and anecdotal history. Certain Muslim groups have decided to take on the role of 12th century crusaders.
++Religion is the enemy of peace, plain and simple++
Hi Matt,
Good post. Thank you.
Your posts will not be deleted here on these blogs (no live mods), but beware of the automatic word filter which flags odd word fragments which causes posts not to appear. Someone can put up a list of them for you if you need it.
Spot on! You hit the nail on the head about all religion. It's time people realized that most problems in the world are caused by, and because of, religion!
I am going to jump in here and thank Matt as well. It is amazing how much time and effort people in this world put into defending their faith. As long as you all keep it to yourself I have absolutely no problem with it. Unfortunately history tells us again and again that this just isn't possible. So in the end, we all suffer for it. As for me, I am just looking forward to another Vikings victory against the Pack tonight (yes, I lead a simple life).
AP treated me well in fantasy, been to a few Vikings games myself...
This cult was patronized and its adherants were elevated to elite position by British colonialists. They still remain after the exit of British as fifth columnists. They should have all left alond with their British masters.
How does it matter who patronized whom? What matters is freedom of thought !
No, not all Muslims are terrorists. Please do not be such a bigot. Ahmadi Muslims are very peaceful. Can you name one single act of terrorism by Ahmadi Muslims? = None!
Sunni Muslims are the most brutal Muslim terrorists. Sunni Muslims are the founders of their "holy" organization called A-Qaeda. Sunni Muslims are terrorizing all infidels: Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and even other Muslims like Shiites and Ahmadis.
Qasim, you guys fought for Pakistan. So now explain why it was a bad idea. Have the guts to say it openly. Any Ahmadis living in India, whose forefathers chose not to go to Pakistan, are living in peace in India without any of the worries you mentioned. Their forefathers could stay in India because Hindus did not kill them as Pakistani Muslims did to Hindus and Christians. You wrote a long article lamenting about safety of Ahmadis, lets hear your view point on what mistakes your fore fathers made. You are paying the price of your fore father's serious mistakes as all children pay for their father's mistakes.
Ajay I know your type.. just say it, your a hindu.. a hindu that hates muslims, the same hindus that kill muslims openly in india.. a hindu full of hate, your prob got dumped by a muslim girl, or got picked on by muslim guys.. but your full of hate and miss information, may god save you my friend.. your heart is black full of hate, your bin laden but on the other side.
Frank, you're a stupid person, stupidity of a Sunni skunk, goon
Do me a favor. If you're some uneducated, ignorent, gomer, that dont know crap about Islam, never met a muslim, never went to a masque, never read the quran or had it Interpreted by a muslim scholar, stop talking about something you dont know crap about. stop pulling quotes from the quran without its context or proper Interpretation, stop talking about a religion that you learned about on FOX news, or the internet.. if you dont know shut the heck up you ignorent, bigited fools!
Frank, just because someone has a view point different from yours, DO NOT ASSUME that you are the only one who understands ISLAM. Maybe Islam has closed your mind for good.
You are right. Not all Muslims are terrorists. It's the Sunni Muslims who founded their "holy" organization called A-Qaeda. They are terrorizing all infidels, Christians, Jews, Hindus and even Shiites and Ahmadis.
On December 3, armed extremists destroyed 120 graves belonging to Ahmadi Muslims at a cemetery in Lahore, Pakistan. Sunni Muslim terrorists are the most brutal ones. This is clearly a horrific human rights violation. What were these monsters thinking?
that perhaps they could prod the USA into giving them another billion in aid?
or was it that they were told they needed to cause more terror in order to insure the next billion already promised?
For me it is "no problem" to hate a heresy (Islam or Catholicism), and to love the certain believers (I regard them as people which have gone astray). In Christ I can distinguish between the person and the false faith he or she has got. Of course, there is some danger to lump together a person and his or her belief. I pray that God preserves me from hating any human being. I don't like the Holy Rat and Imams because they are heretics, and according to the New Testament they are not welcome.
This poster is a troll and not a real Christian.
Sunni Muslims started their holy organization called A-Qaeda. They are terrorizing all infidels, including Shiites and Ahmadis.
Rain, you do realize that you just reinforced the problem with Christian religion is by your cheap shot at Catholicism, right? Fool, I'm not even a Catholic and I can see that...
Not to mention that you epitomize what this article is about, being a religios bigot yourself. I have a feeling you won't be welcome in Heaven, either.
if the USA (equivalent to the taliban – something radical) chatholics started taking out the protestants – do you think the muslims would care – other than to be yet further entertained at more soul jerking commentary? Why don't you convert to another religion – why would you even consider dieing for that one unproven prophet belif anyway?
you are comparing American Catholics to the Taliban? That is a great example or ignorance. Show some respect for other peoples beliefs. If you truly believe in any religion it should be worth dying for.
i prefer to not have suicidal thoughts about religion – thank you anyway for your encouragement
wasn't comparing anything actually – just a metaphor
chill
Seems a lot like Islam's version of Mormonism, but it's important to stay accurate and note that it's the Muslim radical fundamentalists who murder these guys. Even then, in comparison, Christian fundamentalists only go as far as to call Mormonism a sect and not a religion. But you've got to wonder what would happen if Christian fundamentalists ever did gain the same control over our government that Muslims do over theirs. God knows the Christians would love to have that kind of power. Hopefully they never get it.
It isn't just Muslim radical fundamentalists who murder these guys as you suggest but almost every common man in Pakistan- educated or uneducated.
really you said (air quotes) "Christian fundamentalists" went as far as mormons. Ever heard of the crusades or the Spanish Inquisition or hell the settlers that said good guided them west and they almost wiped out the entire native American population. Yes Christians never do anything wrong, only the brown religions do that
Dude, good luck, but you're on your own.
Hey fkr don't be a Ahmadi Muslim. Just be a regular Muslim and don't throw your religion in other peoples face. Just work for a living and you will be alright. Your religion is not better than anyone else's so stop pushing it.
Last I checked he was just asking for equality not trying to convert anyone.
"... biggest poison for Muslims worldwide: religious bigotry."
This shall mean that a single Muslim could decide whether he wants to be bigoted or not. Yet, the Islam is simply bigoted in itself. If you are a "faithful", real Muslim, you have to be bigoted because your faith is bigoted, you have no choice at all.
Muhammed clearly says in his lousy Koran (which he made-up) that Christianity had been invented by former Muslims which had turned apostate from the genuine Islam. Hence, in Muhammad's eyes every Christian is an "infidel" which has forsaken the alleged genuine faith of Abraham, the alleged Religion of Truth. This causes that a real Muslim can consider a Christian only as a second-class person which he is allowed to handicap, and which he doesn't have to love, rather to hate. That is the dark mystery of Islam, and the Koran.
The only faith which causes love to all people independent from nationality, belief, colour, social status, etc. is genuine Christianity. Jesus Christ has died for the whole mankind, and by that he proved his love for the whole mankind, that means for every single human being which will ever live on this damned planet. I as a Christian have to imitate the love of Jesus Christ. Of course, it is good to tell the people the gospel but I will still love them even when they don't accept it. I mustn't be the judge of my fellow human beings, that is God's task, but my task and responsibility it is to love them with Christ's love (of course, criminal people are a case for the authority, don't get me wrong).
Muhammad presumed to be the divine judge of the mankind but in fact he was a murderer, a thief, a womanizer, everything which is nasty was found in Muhammad. Consequently, a follower of Muhammad can never be a loveable man but must rather be a beast or a monster like his master, and I guess that worldwide the Muslims more and more get this reputation.
Dear Muslim, if you want to change then accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ who died and rose again also for you (even for me). Get baptized and metaphysically connected with the releasing power of Jesus' death and resurrection. Die for the sin, and enter Christ through faith and baptism. Get a better life in Jesus.
http://confessingchurch.wordpress.com
The most damned individuals which ever lived on earth: Judas Iscariot, Muhammad and the popes.
Finish Islam and Catholicism, revive the true Christian Church.
This poster is only trying to get hits for their website, they are a troll and not a real Christian, don't bother clicking the link!
Do me a favor. If you're some uneducated, ignorent, gomer, that dont know crap about Islam, never met a muslim, never went to a masque, never read the quran or had it Interpreted by a muslim scholar, stop talking about something you dont know crap about. stop pulling quotes from the quran without its context or proper Interpretation, stop talking about a religion that you learned about on FOX news, or the internet.. if you dont know shut the heck up you ignorent, bigited fools!
Umm..The catholic church was the original church bro. And you sound just as bigoted as the muslims you complain about.
Catholics are the ORIGINAL Christians, you hapless bigot. May your kind expire soon.
Finish Islam and Catholicism but not genuine Christianity. Let us revive the true Christian Church, and expel the wolves in sheep's clothing (false teachers, pastors, bishops, heretics and the like).
"... biggest poison for Muslims worldwide: religious bigotry."
This shall mean that a single Muslim could decide whether he wants to be bigoted or not. Yet, the Islam is simply bigoted in itself. If you are a "faithful", real Muslim, you have to be bigoted because your faith is bigoted, you have no choice at all.
Muhammed clearly says in his lousy Koran (which he made-up) that Christianity had been invented by former Muslims which had turned apostate from the genuine Islam. Hence, in Muhammad's eyes every Christian is an "infidel" which has forsaken the alleged genuine faith of Abraham, the alleged Religion of Truth. This causes that a real Muslim can consider a Christian only as a second-class person which he is allowed to handicap, and which he doesn't have to love, rather to hate. That is the dark mystery of Islam, and the Koran.
The only faith which causes love to all people independent from nationality, belief, colour, social status, etc. is genuine Christianity. Jesus Christ has died for the whole mankind, and by that he proved his love for the whole mankind, that means for every single human being which will ever live on this damned planet. I as a Christian have to imitate the love of Jesus Christ. Of course, it is good to tell the people the gospel but I will still love them even when they don't accept it. I mustn't be the judge of my fellow human beings, that is God's task, but my task and responsibility it is to love them with Christ's love (of course, criminal people are a case for the authority, don't get me wrong).
Muhammad presumed to be the divine judge of the mankind but in fact he was a murderer, a thief, a womanizer, everything which is nasty was found in Muhammad. Consequently, a follower of Muhammad can never be a loveable man but must rather be a beast or a monster like his master, and I guess that worldwide the Muslims more and more get this reputation.
Dear Muslim, if you want to change then accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ who died and rose again also for you (even for me). Get baptized and metaphysically connected with the releasing power of Jesus' death and resurrection. Die for the sin, and enter Christ through faith and baptism. Get a better life in Jesus.
http://confessingchurch.wordpress.com
The most damned individuals which ever lived on earth: Judas Iscariot, Muhammad and the popes.
The Orthodox Church is the true Christian Church.
This poster is only trying to get hits for their website, they are a troll and not a real Christian, don't bother clicking the link!!
Sometimes I think that the Christian Church had to suffer the same fate like her Lord: Maybe she had to die but maybe she will resurrect one day.
yeah.. that's what all the flavors of the christian myth say..
Rain is a bigot. People like him are the CAUSE of all the religious upheaval today. How do you live with your nasty bigotry?