There is a bizarre case out of India this week where four people were arrested after they allegedly converted to Islam without state approval. In India, under the ironically named Freedom of Religion Act, you must get state approval before changing religions. The law is meant to guarantee that people are not coerced into conversions. In light of the ongoing forced conversions of ISIS or the Islamic State, that is a legitimate concern. However, it would seem a problem that can be addressed by just criminalizing forced or coerced conversions as opposed to forcing everyone to get state permission to change faiths. The obvious concern is that in the largely Hindu nation, such permission can itself be coercive for those who want to leave the Hindu faith.
Tularam Jatav, his son Keshav and relatives Manikram and Makhubhai Jatav were arrested in Madhya Pradesh despite telling a court that they had not been forced into adopting another religion. Seven others have been held for questioning.
The Jatav family went to a district magistrate with affidavits affirming that they were converting willingly. Notably, local Hindu activists arrived and began protesting the conversion. After hours of such protests, charges were filed against the family. The appearance and timing of the protest/charges magnifies the concerns over the law and its use against religious minorities. Villagers were the ones to alleged forced conversions to Islam despite the family’s insistence that it was voluntary.
Notably, Tularam Jatav reportedly converted to Islam two years ago, but retracted the move to settle a property dispute. He then reportedly converted to Islam again last year. (Such recantations do not sit well with some Muslims who view it as apostasy and subject to the death penalty).
Source: NDTV as first seen on Reddit
Maybe I should expand on that, but The Feds dealing with the States is looking after its taxpayers somewhat. As for foreign policy its all money and power with a slight concern to not completely outrage those sheep at home, like the bodies plugged into the Matrix. Sorry if long gaps… I’m working, selling rugs in Montana. Was slow but picking up now & may have to shut the computer down.
I just gave you the reason, Paul! What planet are you on?
The Lusitania has nothing to do with the Illuminati. And it was the Zimmermann telegram that was the tipping point for getting the US into the war. The British were kind enough to send us a copy of the decoded telegram. And of course the British denied the war material was on board the Lusitania.
I have an idea; I may be plagiarizing; see what you think:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
This would carry over into economic issues if the word “religion” were replaced with the word “business” or “enterprise” or “corporation” or “company.”
But then, this is so intuitive, so obvious, so ubiquitous, so globally understood
that IT DID NOT NEED MENTION…or so the Framers thought.
They thought you knew that the “blessings of liberty” were all endeavors, businesses and industries in the free markets of the private sector, clearly differentiated from governmental activity which was limited in the Preamble to Justice, Tranquility, Common Defence and General Welfare – security and infrastructure. They thought everybody knew that business, just like religion, was to have no law written affecting its establishment or free exercise.
GOVERNMENTS SHOULD MAKE NO LAW AGAINST RELIGION AND BUSINESS.
P.S. Marx said religion is the “opiate of the masses.” Marijuana is now legal. Recreational drug use has not been prosecuted for multiple decades. Drugs were legal until a few decades ago. Separation between religion (i.e. opium); church and state.
Governments should make laws against behavior, not religion or drugs.
India does have a pre-British history of Muslim armies recruiting & laying waste by the sword. The Sihks (spelling?) were supposed to be the go-between religion, keeping peace. Invading their Golden Temple about 40 years ago changed that when Indira Ghandi’s guards assassinated her in a revenge killing. I was coming into New Delhi at that time; we were confined to a curfew for about 3 days, watching Delhi burn in so many places as the Hindu’s attacked the Sihks. Later we watched the old bag burn in a ritualistic funeral attended by thousands.
Or the Lusitania. (WWI)
TL – the Lusitania was carrying war material as the Germans rightly claim, but the British lied about. The Germans warned the passengers not to travel on the ship, that it was at risk, but they still did.
Or Pearl Harbor.
Countries don’t get your taxpayer dollars for being good. They get money from the US when they make the Illuminati richer or more powerful. There is a SLIGHT consideration of not totally outraging the American public on whom it relies for taxpayer dollars; very slight because most of us are obedient sheep, barely blinking at outrageous lies like 9/11.
Another thought, we, the US, can learn from the mistakes other countries make and endeavor not to make the same mistake. Observing other cultures and society is instructional.
Paul there country their rules. No problem. Our money our rules. No money to India or any other country who decides this is the way. Of course that would cover a lot of countries. Just think of the money we would save for roads and bridges.
Justice Holmes – our money, our rules is how the US government works with the states. I see no reason we cannot do it to countries.
‘Convert to Islam or die’ is as old as it is stupid, doglover, and we have seen what this group is doing. You can’t go around disbelieving everything.
Nick-
How do you know that is what ISIS says? What is the source of that analysis? Surely you don’t believe everything you read or hear from those with financial interests in their reporting. Is each ISIS participant fighting for exactly the same reasons and using only one set of tactics and strategy? If so, it’s amazing that a large group of men from many different locations are so unified in their motivations and tactics.
ISIS is saying become Muslim or we will cut off your head and then the heads of your children. No law is going to have ANY effect. “A salaam alaikum,” sir.”
What happens if a person converts from atheism to Buddhism?
Another article that shows how we take the I Amendment for granted here, and how valuable, in this case the free exercise clause, our rights are.
Is this a case of “when you can’t beat Sharia Law, invent your own restrictive version?”
Time to move out of India. Especially if you have female relatives.
Ami, I sense you are in or from India. Thanks for your informed and cogent comment. There’s been a dearth of them lately.
Their country, their rules.
Keep State and Curch separate, another reason why.
Under a Narendra Modi government, Indians who wish to convert outside of Hinduism to any faith (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism) will find a lot of bureaucracy and roadblocks. This was anticipated long before his ascent to the Prime Minister role, and a new concern is that inter-faith marriages will not be allowed.