Sudanese woman given death sentence for apostasy

[DoctorTwo]

Story here. So, this woman is going to be whipped for adultery, because having sex with her Christian husband counts as adultery, then hanged for believing in the wrong god.

How fucked up is that? So gods do oneupmanship. Who knew? To me they're all equally ridiculous, but I wouldn't condemn somebody to death for being from a different branch of atheism.

Until women leave Islam in protest this is going to continue. But women won't leave Islam because they seem to be under the illusion that Islam is a peaceful religion.

Jinsei, I don't condemn all Moslems for the actions of its zealots, just as I don't condemn all Christians for the actions of the Westoro Baptist Church or all Jews for what their government is doing in Palestine. Rather, I contend, as did Hitchens, that religion of any stripe poisons everything. Why, in the 21st century, people believe stuff that allows rich institutions and individuals to control them with the promise of an afterlife I cannot for the life of me understand. No religions stand up to any real scrutiny.

Unless you walk away and publicly condemn your own religion when it fails consistently you're part of the problem.

That's why Islam has aspostasy. You're dead if you leave it.

* Please sign the petition on the other thread: *
here

Thanks

This is revolting tyranny.

OP, I am in agreement with your last post. This is one of the reasons why I am glad to be an atheist. The amount of slaughter an oppression that has been carried out in the name of religion beggars belief, and not just Islam, quite a few others too.

Guardian website had a link to a petition on Amnesty International site to request this lady be pardoned and freed. Sorry I am nottechnically up to speed on how to post the link on here. Can anyone help please?

Sorry for the cross post Miranda, didn't see your link to a petition.

Just sickening.

Why, in the 21st century, people believe stuff that allows rich institutions and individuals to control them with the promise of an afterlife I cannot for the life of me understand.

Neither can I.

There's an Amnesty International email petition here too:

www.amnesty.org.uk/

Thanks as well PurplyBlue.

Bump.

This lady has now given birth to a daughter:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-27586067

Hi, I've also posted about Meriam on AIBU. Change.org have a petition. Christian Solidarity Worldwide are asking people to e-mail the Sudanese Embassy (and have provided contact info). Some posters also suggested e-mailing William Hague. There is a petition on Amnesty International but one of the posters mentioned that Amnesty are not recognised in Sudan.

Was reading today that Meriam is a Doctor. Makes you wonder if being an educated woman is also unofficially considered a crime.

Ps as for blaming religion, we all have free will, but that's for another discussion.

This is just fucking horrific! I've signed and shared the petition and sent emails, I wish I could just go and get her and her dcs. I read that she gave birth in shackles

How can the powers that be just sit on their hands and allow this to happen?

Glad to see on the first item of the BBC website Cameron wading in now and condemning the situation as 'barbaric'.

She's to be freed !! Good news eh

You see - international DOES work!

I'm delighted she is to be freed.

Really I am. But what about the next poor sod to be convicted of a crime called "apostasy". By a regime that forced itself in. That then decided to make sharia law the national law. What has ANY religion got to do with law making?

It's utterly shameful that this is allowed to continue. Pressure HAS to be maintained against this regime.

Yes I hope pressure will always be maintained from now on!!

And well done Cameron! Sometimes I am very proud of our country and our civilised values.

Please don't rest until she is actually out of prison. The Sudan Government might be saying this to get the matter out of the International spotlight.

Was reading that in Sudan, one of the punishments for apostasy is crucifixion- does anyone know is that is true?

I think the religious aspect is a red herring, same as it is in a lot of other similar news stories recently such as FGM, gang rapes in India, shooting or kidnapping girls that want to go to school, 'honour killings'. The issue is purely and simply the subjugation, oppression and terrorism of women. Gets dressed up as religious observance, culture, tradition or the 'protection' of women - and horrendously there are women that collude with the evil mediaeval barbarism of it - but it's state-sponsored, institutionalised misogyny, no more no less.

Men are put to death for apostasy too CogitoErgoSometimes :-(

Yes, they are ignorant, barbaric societies generally. But the real hatred is reserved for women.

Unfortunately, there are people in the UK of the same mindset.

Anyone in the UK wanting to treat women the same way should be hit with the full weight of the law. We are limited in what influence we can bring to bear in places like Sudan but we can and should enforce zero tolerance of misogynistic behaviour on home turf. Women & men in the UK are equals and anyone who doesn't share that basic core value is outside our society.

True CogitoErgoSometimes but that wouldn't be "politically correct" when it comes to dealing with the misogynistic mindsets of some of the minority cultures in the UK.

"I think the religious aspect is a red herring, same as it is in a lot of other similar news stories recently such as FGM, gang rapes in India, shooting or kidnapping girls that want to go to school, 'honour killings'. The issue is purely and simply the subjugation, oppression and terrorism of women. Gets dressed up as religious observance, culture, tradition or the 'protection' of women "

Well said Cognito.