Bangladesh Blocks Facebook Over Muhammad Cartoons

lbalbalba writes with a BBC story about Bangladesh following Pakistan in censoring Facebook. "Bangladesh has blocked access to Facebook after satirical images of the prophet Muhammad and the country's leaders were uploaded. One man has been arrested and charged with 'spreading malice and insulting the country's leaders' with the images. Officials said the ban was temporary and access to the site would be restored once the images were removed. It comes after Pakistan invoked a similar ban over 'blasphemous content.' ... Thousands of people joined anti-Facebook protests in Bangladesh on Friday demanding the site be blocked over the contest. A telecomm regulator there said, "Facebook will be re-opened once we erase the pages that contain the obnoxious images." And how do they propose to do that?

Comments

Idiots

[Anonymous Coward]

These sick fucks seem completely obsessed with him and his drawings. Isn't the point of this ban to prevent people from idolizing Muhammad?

Re:Idiots

[JamesP]

And that's the Religion of peace and understanding, everybody...

Re:Idiots

[TimSSG]

You do realize that renouncing being a Muslims means death. Muslims are commanded to kill any adult renouncing of the religion. Tim S.

Re:Idiots

[couchslug]

"The point of the ban is to try and force non-muslims to accept Muslim rules."

Precisely. That is really the way most religions work.

Re:Idiots

[Anonymous Coward]

You do realize that renouncing being a Muslims means death. Muslims are commanded to kill any adult renouncing of the religion.

There're passages like this in the old testament as well. Like this one:
"And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter." (I Samuel 6:19)

Oh, wait. That was God killing thousands for having looked at the ark. I meant this one:
"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads." (Leviticus 20:13)

I just keep making mistakes. That one was about killing homosexuals. This is the one:
"If even then you remain hostile toward me and refuse to obey, I will inflict you with seven more disasters for your sins. I will release wild animals that will kill your children and destroy your cattle, so your numbers will dwindle and your roads will be deserted." (Leviticus 26:21-22)

If you don't obey god, he'll kill your children.

Here's the quote I was promising you (for real this time):
"If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;" (Deuteronomy 13:6)
"Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him" (Deuteronomy 13:8)
"But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people." (Deuteronomy 13:8)

Re:Here's a better idea

[Bugamn]

Are you a college student?

Response to the ban in Bangladesh

[Orome]

What is nice to see is that there has been a protest against the ban by students and professors

http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=162813&cid=2

Unfortunately, this probably doesn't make for as exciting news as yet-another-theocracy-bans-facebook. A search on Google News for "bangladesh facebook" doesn't even throw up this link, and I haven't yet seen any mention of these sensible, logical voices on BBC,CNN etc.

Re:Here's a better idea

[snowgirl]

Ever notice how close the word empathy is to pathetic?

It's like they share a common root. Like passage and impasse.

Re:Start their own

[CRCulver]

The burka is not part of Bangladeshi culture. Islam can be fairly critiqued on terms that apply to most of the Muslim world, but choosing a custom that is really particular only to Afghanistan and some surrounding areas and making it the symbol of the entire faith just makes one look uneducated.

Re:Here's a better idea

[Wyatt Earp]

There have only been three racial lynchings in the US since 1968 and what, one gay lynching?

So really don't expect a lynching in the US ever.

Lynchings are more common in the Palestinian Authority with hate crimes on homosexuals and "collaborators" than Israel. In Jerusalem the danger is rock throwing groups for violators of the sabbath.

Re:that would doom an entire people to ignorance

[PopeRatzo]

Nice try at the package-dealing there, but "global warming" is a religion, too.

Considering last year was the warmest year since temperatures have been recorded, I'd say that if "global warming" is a religion, then it has a better record of prophecy than any other major religion on Earth.

Re:This is religious intolerance.

[Jeff DeMaagd]

If we made a website declaring Jesus Christ was a homosexual, wouldn't this anger Christians in this country and don't you think that certain individuals would want the website banned?

For one, most of them really wouldn't be bothered to the point of calling for a ban, and you're not going to see Christian leaders calling for the death of the webmaster, even Pat Robertson isn't that crazy.

Re:Here's a better idea

[css-hack]

Indeed. They both stem from the Greek "pathos", which means, roughly, emotional suffering in response to something.

So... I guess I don't see your point.

Re:This is religious intolerance.

[nedlohs]

I guarantee if you made a website declaring Jesus Christ was homosexual the US government would not block access to the website for the entire country.

And as proof see that this isn't blocked by the government: http://www.jesusinlove.blogspot.com/ and there are not riots in the street.

Re:They'll just ban you rather than stone you.

[Pharmboy]

So no you cannot say these people aren't still trying.

That is the 10% I spoke of, who are mainly annoying. Meanwhile, gay marriage (and military service) is slowly moving forward, fewer people in the US are christian than ever, sodomy laws were held to be unconstitutional, etc. I didn't say it was paradise, but at least we are moving in the right direction with a little momentum and the majority of Jews and Christians are not trying to convert us all.

Re:What about Utah?

[Sir_Lewk]

Are you saying that Utah a Mormon controlled state is currently being run by uncouth primitives?

Yes. Women oppressing primitives.

Re:Here's a better idea

[Wyatt Earp]

Thats because there have been no religious lynchings in the United States or Israel in the modern era.

Sure there have been some abortion killings, but those weren't lynchings and the victim set is small (abortion doctors).

Race and religion were intertwined in the pre-Civil Rights era lynchings, but the main motivator was race.

errr what google did you query ??

[Archfeld]

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=lynchings+due+to+religion&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=f&oq=lynchings+due+to+religion&gs_rfai=CEE2SowcDTJjdFY3CNvmm1NwHAAAAqgQFT9DdSUY&fp=3ef5d51874c14a12

Althought I do have to admit my google did not "say" anything about the topic either, but rather printed some text at the top of the page. I suppose you could have been using a text reader and querying 'some other google'

Re:Here's a better idea

[Pharmboy]

I'm certainly not a scholar when it comes to the Koran, but I have read it more than once.

""Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him." (Hadith Al Buhkari vol. 9:57)"

"Whoever seeks other than Islam as his religion, it will not be accepted from him, and in the hereafter he will be with the losers" "Slay the idolators [non-Muslims] wherever ye find them, and take them captive, and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the last Day.... Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! (Sura 9:5,29,41).

We can argue semantics, but that seems to support my claims pretty clearly.

Re:Here's a better idea

[WillDraven]

According to this over 50 LBGT's under the age of 30 have been killed in the USA between 1997 and 2007.

Don't think we're all one happy family yet. Prejudice still exists in America.

Re:Here's a better idea

[kasimbaba]

When ye meet the unbelievers smite at their necks” (Koran 47:4)

Here's the whole translation of Quran 47:4:

" Therefore, when ye meet the unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks; at length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (Is the time for) either generosity or ransom: until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye commanded): but if it had been Allah.s will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) In order to test you, some with others. but those who are slain In the way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost."

- Yusuf Ali translation (emphasis mine).

The key phrases that you conveniently omit was, "until the war lays down its burdens." As you can see, the phrase deals with conduct during a war. It's normal to kill people in a war, is it not? The phrases clearly tells us to stop killing once the war stops.

Re:Here's a better idea

[BluBrick]

As you are a Muslim familiar with the Qur'an, please tell us about the principle of al Taqiyya and why, in the face of that principle, any non-Muslim should believe anything a Muslim says about his (or her) faith.

For the benefit of other non-Muslims like myself, al Taqiyya is the principle under which a Muslim may lie (conceal or disguise ideas, beliefs, opinions and strategies) in order to protect himself or the Islamic faith. That's right folks, even the most devout of Muslims may exhibit behaviour which is otherwise considered sinful, as long as it is done under the all-encompassing cloak of al Taqiyya.

Or have I misunderstood al Taqiyya? And if I your answer is yes, how do I know you are not invoking al Taqiyya in your answer?

Re:Here's a better idea

[Curunir_wolf]

How do you explain these verses, then. Just claim they are "mistranslated" - without offering any "accurate" translation that disputes the meaning?

"5.18" : And the Jews and the Christians say: We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones. Say: Why does He then chastise you for your faults? Nay, you are mortals from among those whom He has created, then take your sword and separate his head from him, for the heads of the Jews and the Christians are to be praised only when they are removed from their bodies.

"5.73" : Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely Allah is the third (person) of the three; and there is no god but the one God, and if they desist not from what they say, a painful chastisement shall befall those among them who disbelieve. Remove from them their heads, therefore, and place thy excrement in its place.

"9.30" : And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; and castrate them, and placeth their testicles within their mouths, and remove their hands and get them into the place where they defecate.

"5.33" : The punishment of those who depict Allah and His apostle in drawing or clay and strive to make mischief and mock them in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement,

"8.39" : And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah; but if they desist, then surely kill them.

"9.5" : Slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush,then if they repent kill them anyway. Kill them, behead them, castrate them, cripple them, burn their buildings and rape their women.

Seems pretty clear to me.

Re:Here's a better idea

[kasimbaba]

How do you explain these verses, then. Just claim they are "mistranslated" - without offering any "accurate" translation that disputes the meaning?

"5.18" : And the Jews and the Christians say: We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones. Say: Why does He then chastise you for your faults? Nay, you are mortals from among those whom He has created, then take your sword and separate his head from him, for the heads of the Jews and the Christians are to be praised only when they are removed from their bodies.

Your post is a lot of bullshit.

The translation of Quran 5:18 is:

(Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah, and His beloved." say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay, ye are but men,- of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)"

I won't bother correcting the rest of your worthless comment.

Re:Here's a better idea

[shutdown -p now]

Ever heard the terms "Islamic republic" and "Islamic democracy"?

They aren't quite the same as the mockery that is communist "people's republic". They are true republics and true democracies - democracies, in which the mob chants, "kill the apostate!".

Re:Here's a better idea

[GooberToo]

The answer, of course, is that it appears the majority thinks everyone must become Muslim.

The real answer for such contradictions is because Islam is learning an incorrect translation of the Qu'ran. That's also why various bits don't make any sense at all and why other parts contradict each other.

In the valid translation, Islamic martyrs are to be provided 72 grapes - not virgins. The basic tenets of faith appear to be correct but there are huge and never ending errors which permeates all facets of what most of the world calls the Qu'ran. And oddly enough, it explains why every forth or firth (sorry I forget) stanza makes not sense - usually even after one attempts to stop comprehension within the current context. Shock of shocks, with a valid translation, suddenly everything reads smoothly and, gasp, even becomes comprehensible.

When the entire basis of your religion is corrupted and incomprehensible, additional corruption to manipulate the masses goes had in had. That why so many religions have had a "priest cast" such that the ignorant masses wouldn't actually know what it is they are supposed to do. In doing so, they are able to obtain ultimate control. In this case, everyone has a copy of the instructions but the instructions are so fucked up, the "cleric cast" can supply their own meanings so as to completely control every aspect of their ignorant masses.

You might even have to feel sorry for Muslims. This might just be the ultimate fuck up of mankind to date. Literally. That of course assumes the mistranslation was in fact an accident.

And of course, the last shock, the professor performing the proper translation has of course received numerous death threats and has already been denounced by most Islamic states; despite the fact he has both the proper credentials and the research which validates which translations. And yes, several others have also stepped forward and independently validated small portions of the provided work.

Replacing verses won't prove your point

[Anonymous Coward]

5:18 (Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah, and his beloved." Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay, ye are but men,- of the men he hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)"
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5:73 They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.
5:74 Why turn they not to Allah, and seek His forgiveness? For Allah is Oft- forgiving, Most Merciful.
------
9:30 The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!
9:31 They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah, and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but One Allah. there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him: (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).
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5:33 The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;
5:34 Except for those who repent before they fall into your power: in that case, know that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
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8:39 And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, verily Allah doth see all that they do.
8:40 If they refuse, be sure that Allah is your Protector - the best to protect and the best to help.
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9:4 (But the treaties are) not dissolved with those Pagans with whom ye have entered into alliance and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided any one against you. So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for Allah loveth the righteous.
9:5 But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.
9:6 If one amongst the Pagans ask thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah. and then escort him to where he can be secure. That is because they are men without knowledge.

www.islamicity.com/ps