Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Religious Intolerance and Islamic Extremists

It was the Roman colonial government that was in power then, but the complainants were indeed "Judaism zealots" led by the High/chief  priest and other judaism clerics who were intolerant of the new order that Jesus went about teaching: "to fear and obey God, to have a forgiving spirit, to love one's neighbor as one's self, to pursue holy living, to know the Truth and be set free by the Truth, and finally, to care for the needy." The intolerant  religious extremists went as far as hiring a crowd to prevail on the Roman judicary to crucify Jesus the Christ. 

So Segun was perfectly in order.

Ademola Omobewaji DASYLVA, PhD,
Professor of African Literature & Oral Literature;
Coordinator, Ibadan Cultural Studies Group,
Room 68, Faculty of Arts,
University of Ibadan,
Ibadan, Nigeria. 

Visiting Professor,
Department of English,
Redeemer's University,
Km 46, Lagos-Ibadan Express Way,
Ogun State, Nigeria.
Mobile: +234 (0)802 350 4755/ +234 (0)706 226 4090

 Web:arts.ui.edu.ng/aodasylva
E-mail: a.dasylva@ibadanculturalstudiesgroup.org
a.dasylva@mail.ui.edu.ng
dasylvang@yahoo.com

Sent from Samsung Mobile

-------- Original message -------- Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Religious Intolerance and Islamic Extremists From: kenneth harrow To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com CC:

i thought jesus was crucified by the romans
ken

On 9/28/12 11:44 AM, Segun wrote:
> I have pondered very deeply on religious intolerance in recent time which is not a new phenomenon. What is new is the unnecessary killings that the world has witnessed in the last twenty years particularly the Islamic extremism with violence in several parts of the world.
> Religious intolerance is a symptom of religious arrogance that has its historical antecedence documented in the historical background of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Jesus the Christ  was crucified by the zealots of Judaism. When Christianity became a dominant religion in Western Europe, their followers became intolerant of any form of criticisms. The Bible was held sacred and anyone who dare to criticize its teachings or doctrines would have himself to blame. Galileo who, from his scientific knowledge, gave a contrary view about the universe was put in inquisition by the Church where he died. I am aware that Pope John Paul apologized for that extremist practice of the Church at that time but the damage cannot be completely assuaged.
> The history of Islam manifested that sense of intolerance when Prophet Muhammad felt that the traditional religion of his people was idolatrous. His religious arrogance was challenged by his people and he had to run to Medina for safety. If he had not run for safety in Medina his people would probably have killed him and there would not have been any religion called Islam. The intolerance of his people and his intolerance of other faiths subsequently became part of the canon of Islam he founded. His Jihad and the call to eliminate infidels is the height of his religious intolerance.
> If Prophet Muhammad criticized the religious beliefs of his people why should Islam not be criticized?
> Christian missionaries came to Africa and in many ways showed their intolerance for the indigenous religious beliefs and practices. As a matter of fact  indigenous religion was given derogatory names and terminologies. Some of them called the indigenous religion of Africans primitive, idolatry, paganism etc. In spite of these insults on the holy order of traditional Africans the Church have not been attached by the people whose religion they have desecrated.
> Muslims from time to time have poured invectives on traditionalists. They are labeled as infidels and yet no Muslims have been killed or their property destroyed. Now, why is it that the Muslims feel offended when they are criticized or their religion is ridiculed by others? They have no reason to be upset to the point of killing innocent people who have nothing to do with a film or magazine produced in the US or France.
> Knowledge comes from self evaluation and criticisms from others. They are challenges that should not be ignored. Religious beliefs have to be subjected to criticisms or even ridicule and when  critics are tired of their blasphemous and provocative statements they will give up the "fight".
> Let us allow freedom of speech and expression to thrive because that is one of the cornerstones of knowledge and development.
> Muslims must learn to wear the mantle of tolerance and embrace dialogue in any seeming provocations from any part of the global village.
> Segun Ogungbemi.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>

--
kenneth w. harrow
distinguished professor of english
michigan state university
department of english
619 red cedar road
room C-614 wells hall
east lansing, mi 48824
ph. 517 803 8839
harrow@msu.edu

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