There are times when Pakistan seems to be plummeting back into the Dark Ages of religious fundamentalism instead of forwards into a civilised 21st century.
Schizophrenia is a mental illness.
Pakistan ruling that Schizophrenia is not a mental disorder and is threatening to execute a schizophrenic man.
It’s not a case of seems to be plummeting back – it already has done for quite some time now.
It was becoming very westernised in the late sixties/seventies. I believe I have a few psychedelic tracks from back then. No burqas or beards on campus – lots of jeans and T-shirts.
It was westernised from the off in 1948, when Britain established it in order to keep the peace in India, as there were was too much in-fighting from Muslims. Troubles between Muslims flared up again and it separated into East and West, eventually resulting in war in 1970 and the renaming of East to Bangla Desh. West reverted to simply Pakistan. Once the Islamic State got control it was all over.
It has certainly gone downhill.
I don’t think that’s the only country flirting with a love affair for the dark ages…
I’d agree. There’s many countries in Europe heading in the same direction.
The rise of fascism, nationalism and black and white answers?
No. Islamification.
There has been a lot of immigration and that is a worry. I dislike Islam as an intolerant religion and I despise the indoctrination of children, though what an adult chooses to believe is up to them.
Seems to me to be a trend. A rejection of the emptiness of western values? A search for truth in black and white? A symptom of disgust at corporate greed and selfishness?
Wrong place to be if one objects to western values.
Values that tolerate choice. Some societies have very little.
That is one of a number that show remarkable intolerance to any questioning of the perceived wisdom. Certainly not somewhere I’d choose to live. I intensely dislike that autocratic religious tyranny.
Not when that adult demands special dispensation on account of their religion. That’s completely out of order.
I was referring to Islamics living in Europe – where there are western values. Too bad for them these values don’t quite match their lifestyle criteria.
Western values should trump everything else. People living here should do so because they respect the values of the society they are part of – democracy, secular government, tolerance and liberal views. They are free to have their own beliefs but not to impose them on others.
Nobody should have any dispensation because of their religion.
Hmm I don’t think Islam is inherently an ‘intolerant religion,’ it is just that a handful of extremists are creating that IMPRESSION. Western VALUES are great yes- but the sad fact is that the way governments conduct themselves, and the affects of that on vast swathes of the population of democratic countries, does work to undermine the validity of said governments commitment to those values.Belief is the strongest force- when that belief threatens governments, it becomes a threat. Thank you for sharing anyway- I have suffered with schizophrenia for ten years, and simply laugh at anybody that says it is not a real disease/condition. Take care.
Hi Alex, good to hear from you. It is absurd for anyone to suggest that any mental illness is not real. I hope you are coping with the disease OK.
I agree with you that governments do not conduct themselves with any credit. Wars have been wrongly fought and the economic control is almost as bad. Somehow we need to move to a system of fairness and justice. We’re a long way off.
Most religion has an element of intolerance. I do not think there are many that don’t claim to be the only way.
Following the enlightenment Christianity moved to a more liberal approach. Religion was removed from government and there was tolerance of other views.
It seems to me that it is more than a few extremists in Islam who are intolerant. The way women are treated in many Muslim countries and the strict enforced adherence to dress codes, worship and food seems intolerant to me. Religion should be personal – not political – indoctrinated or enforced.
There have been more liberal periods where different religions, and no religion (like me) have lived together amicably without conflict or persecution.
That is what I would like to see.
This is sad news. Mental Health awareness is a hot topic, and is only now gaining ground in established western societies. I can see why this is the case in a country perhaps as complicated as Pakistan.
I fear there is too much religion and not enough scientific fact.
I am a muslim and I am declaring gtravity does not exist anyone who ever brings it up will be executed? Haha! Just because I bear the identity of being muslim does not mean whatever I say is what Islam says. Mental illness has been acknowledged in Islam 1400 years ago. I do not expect you or anyone else to know that. Why? Because you and everyone else would rather know from the news about Islam than take even a second to confirm any ridiculous statements. Maybe that is the case for you and everyone else because you involve your emotions instead of your logic. How do you believe something you heard without confirming whether it is true or not. I do not blame you, I just feel like people should learn to separate their emotions or opinions from facts. As a law student, I have an open mind and I am disappointed in you and everyone else in this forum for being way too stereotypical to be logical! Any statement not backed up by facts is simply an opinion. Where are your facts? Perhaps in your world, your primary source for primary data is news.
thelifeofakenyanarb: I am extremely surprised that Kenyan news services will be any more accurate than the above reference website address. I would also suggest that perhaps anybody who is only moderately familiar with the extremities and bazaar behavior of Pakistani politics would not be entirely surprised with regards their decision. I would completely disagree with your point that mental illness had been acknowledged in Islam 1400 years ago because the condition only became recognized in the early 20th century. I suggest that you research and verify this for yourself before you believe something you heard without confirming whether it is true or not.
What is true however, is 1400 years ago would tie in with Muhammad’s own onslaught of schizophrenia that began in his early 40’s. He was recorded to have personally experienced audible voices, hallucinations and visions. Despite an extensive career dedicated to systematically massacring minorities, his crimes were exemplary of insanity, yet Mohammad was always aware of his actions. He may have suffered with anosognosia and wholeheartedly believed his hallucinations, but the fact that his crimes were calculated, methodical and systematic, speaks volumes. Invariably, he was always influenced after a schizophrenic episode, never during. In truth, Mohammad’s hallucinations were a byproduct of his already burgeoning anti-semitism, magalomania, inferiority complex, constant infestation with head lice, acute OCD and his intolerance for alcohol, all of which were manipulated by the circumstances of his location, dietary constrictions, exposure to unhygienic environments and his punitive self-inflicting ordinances served to be his own undoing.
The one unescapable fact that completely destroys the ‘insanity’ defense for Muhammad is that he never carried out a crime while experiencing any hallucination – it was only after his episodes had subsided when he was inspired to act upon his criminality.
I need not go into any details of Mohammad’s claims of travelling around on a flying donkey.
All of the above forms the fundamental basis of criteria for the Pakistan judgement on this issue. Because the fact of the matter – (and you were requiring facts, yes?) was they had the perfect study character, that of their very own schizophrenic Mohammad.
You make claims to being a law student. Have I heard that one before – and always used as some kind of quasi bogus leverage of conceit when attempting to disengage what had already been agreed upon as consensus of general opinion. As for your ‘open mind’, I don’t think you fully understand what you have just said. Suffice to say an open mind does not become brainwashed with proselytization and exercising Taqiyya.
thelifeofakenyanarab – welcome to the debate. I think you will find that it was a Pakistani court that made the pronouncement that schizophrenia did not exist and that this man should be sentenced to death. I have put the link below.
Unfortunately this is fairly typical of a series of equally concerning cases, such as the poor Christian woman sentenced to death for breaking blasphemy laws by daring to drink from the same water vessel as Muslims.
You say we don’t apply logic but respond with emotion but seemingly do not apply logic yourself. Is it right for a court to declare a mental illness doesn’t exist? Is it right to persecute a woman because she does not believe the same as you?
I do not think it is emotional to say no.
Religion should be completely separate from state and courts. The blasphemy law should be done away with. People should have the right to believe and say what they like without repercussion.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-37731083
Opher: Considering her claims of exalted personal attributes, I am surprised that she did not understand nor deduce for herself that because Mohammad WAS evidently completely mad and also a sufferer of schizophrenia, therefore, in order to save any embarrassment appertaining to the religion of Islam, the Pakistani authorities could ONLY be seen to ignore the issue entirely. Did anybody ever for one fleeting moment expect them to say “Mohammad was schizoid, so it must be OK”?
Do you think that was really the court’s reasoning?
Yes, certainly the best part of it. imo.
Well I have never thought of it quite in that way before.