Religious Violence: Let respect leads.
If we wish to become a society that abhor religion violence, we need to grow up in tolerating one another. There is a high level of religious intolerance in Nigeria. I have been able to conclude, from experience, that this is not peculiar to a religion but both Islam and Christianity. Any of the two that dominates a place tends to show some level of intolerance to the other.
I grew up in a place where Muslim population dominates their Christian counterpart. The kind of preaching done by the Imams is a type that any Christian around must really be patient and tolerant for peace to exist. I once complained as a Muslim for such lines of preaching. I even frowned on blocking roads on Fridays during prayers because I felt the right of other road users were being trampled upon.
The whole thing was manageable because of literacy level of the populace. It happened in Kogi State.
On the other hand, when I got to Jos for schooling, I realized that the Christian majority in the University community were mostly insensitive to others.
I had an encounter with a preacher in one of our lectures. He was preaching when I entered the hall and he told me to wait till he finished praying (I met him in prayer session with about 90% of the students on their feet) before I enter. I felt that wasn't necessary because I shouldn't be forced to partake in the prayer session and as a result, I walked in straight and went to sit down. The preacher wasn't nice to me and Islam with words after that encounter. The Muslim students were patient and tolerant that day to avoid faceoff.
I shared these two experiences to buttress my point that religious intolerance is inherent everywhere in Nigeria. The reaction when one's faith is abused, degraded or ridiculed differs and that's where violence comes in. Some religious adherents leave such ridiculing to God to handle while some felt they can handle it by taking laws into their hands which is very unfortunate.
In my own opinion, for us to live together, we need to respect one another. We need to identify the red line of someone's belief that mustn't be crossed. Whatever you hold sacred should be respected by me and vice versa. In the case the red line is crossed, no one should take laws into his or her own hands. We agreed to live together under a constitution. Therefore, we should be guided by the constitution. Whatever our grievances are, we should respect constituted authorities.
On the issue of Deborah, those that killed her for blasphemy haven't been able to state where that instruction is found in the Quran. No where in the Quran is it stated that Muslims should kill for blasphemy. On the issue of respect, I believe Deborah crossed the line of not respecting the belief of others. But I repeat, killing is not the next thing. In fact no punishment is stated in Quran. If we concede to the opinion that she committed a crime, then mob action is never an accepted judgment in a country with law.
As a people, we need to work more on preaching respect and tolerance. We need to see religion as a personal business between us and God through whatever channel we do worship him. For unity and understanding to exist, we need to respect one another. Let's try and avoid anything that can cause animosity between us as a people.
The issue of Deborah shouldn't be taken with a kid glove because it is not the first. The country should come together once again and discuss the modalities of our continuous staying together. If the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remains the document biding on us all, then no action should be taken by any Nigerian or group of Nigerian outside the constitution. We need to take this discussion serious.
Let's see ourselves as brothers and sisters before religion.
Humanity first!
May peace be upon you all.
Ma sallam!!!
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5 years this has been happening to me, it started here, around people that are still here. Homeland security has done nothing at all, they are not here to protect us. Dont we pay them to stop shit like this? The NSA, CIA, FBI, Police and our Government has done nothing. Just like they did with the Havana Syndrome, nothing. Patriot Act my ass. The American government is completely incompetent. The NSA should be taken over by the military and contained Immediately for investigation. I bet we can get to the sources of V2K and RNM then. https://peakd.com/gangstalking/@acousticpulses/electronic-terrorism-and-gaslighting--if-you-downvote-this-post-you-are-part-of-the-problem
I totally agree with this post. No matter the level of offense committed, taking a life shouldn’t be the next thing. That’s totally inhumane.
Thank you for checking through.
Views and opinions matter a lot. Everyone has their different views and opinions to air out. As you clearly stated we have to respect and accept one another point of view. Thanks so kindly for sharing.
You are welcome. Thanks for reading.
I believe if we have respect for each other, then understanding can flow and surely there will be peace.
Yes bro. We will keep advocating for respect and understanding. May there be peace in Nigeria.
In Deborah's case, both parties crossed the line but I agree with your post, we all have to tolerate each other no matter the circumstance.