The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Intimidating

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Tuesday, Dec 04, 2007
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Intimidating

This refers to the editorial “Who needs Islamophobes?” (Dec. 3). Gillian Gibbons’ plight is a stark reminder of how religions can be merciless and horribly intimidating. If a human becomes a brute when he throws compassion and tolerance aside, religions too morph into a ridiculous passage of dry dogmas when they do the same. If Galileo was unfairly accused a few centuries ago by members of his religion, Ms Gibbon has incurred the unwarranted wrath of high priests of another religion. The instance reinforces the belief that among all religions, it is Islam that displays the least inclination for introspection.

T.S. Pattabhi Raman,

Coimbatore

* * *

Ms Gibbons should not have risked playing with the sensitivities of Muslims. True, Prophet Mohammed was against cruelty to animals but that does not mean one can name a teddy bear after him.

M.A. Hakeem,

Hyderabad

* * *

The editorial has hit the nail right on the head by pointing to the intolerant champions of Islam, who are waiting for the next opportunity to exhibit their appetite for inflicting medieval punishments wrapped in wrong religious interpretations. The Hindu should be emulated by the rest of the media in its courage to caution the civil society of the dangerous assaults on its freedoms by the religious bigots of different hues. Such fair and bold intellectual media interventions are needed for the faster evolution of a liberal and secular society.

Kasim Sait,

Chennai

* * *

Since the common people have no knowledge of the sharia, people at the top level misuse it for their own purposes. The so-called scholars interpreting the sharia have not lived in a pluralistic society and do not understand the basic features of the sharia.

Mohammed Fakrudeen,

Hyderabad

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