Solidarity of Faiths

by Editor · November 12, 2014

Recent reports from Pakistan of Christians being sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy, and even murdered for it, should alarm not only other Christians, but all people of goodwill.

A Syrian Muslim girl stands at the top of Mount Qassioun, which overlooks Damascus. (CNS/Khaled al-Hariri/, Reuters)

While Pakistani Christians are allowed to exercise their faith more or less freely (unlike their counterparts in, say, Saudi Arabia), unjust laws reduce them to second-class citizens who are easily accused of offences they did not commit.

Many Christians have faced severe punishment, even the death penalty, for allegedly blaspheming against Mohammed or the Qu�ran. Often such charges are trumped up to settle interpersonal disputes.

Last month a Pakistani court upheld the death sentence of Asia Bibi, a Catholic who allegedly insulted the prophet Mohammed, a charge she denies. Currently another Christian, Sawan Masih, is sitting on death row, also having been convicted of blasphemy in a trial earlier this year.

Most shockingly, this month a lynch mob of more than 100 kidnapped, tortured and then burnt to death two young Christian parents over unproven blasphemy accusations.

In all this, where is the world�s outrage? Where is the political pressure on Pakistan to do away with its unjust blasphemy law?

Leaving aside the terrorism of the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, of Boko Haram in Nigeria or of Al-Shabab in East Africa, Christians in most Muslim societies experience daily prejudice because of their faith. Even in more tolerant countries, such as Tunisia, public expressions of Christianity are against the law.

This reality, however, must not descend into Islamophobia. The inhumanity of some, or even of many, must not lead to prejudice.

It is not helpful to blame all of Islam�which is fragmented, with competing philosophies at times in violent conflict�for the persecution of Christians in predominantly Muslim regions, just as it is absurd when Muslims attribute Western hostility, never mind gratuitous provocation by individuals, to all Christians.

Distorted perceptions are quickly exploited by people of ill will, and almost always create a backlash. Only extremists and bigots benefit from that.

Christians in Muslim countries almost invariably have long traditions there. Their roots are in Pakistan, Iraq, Iran or Indonesia�often the Christian communities there predate the advent of Islam. By contrast, in almost all of Europe, the growth of Islam is a fairly recent phenomenon, brought about by immigration.

Muslims living in Europe have also experienced a measure of discrimination. Such restraints have included bans on external expressions of their faith, such as bans on wearing headscarves in schools, or the denial of building permission for mosques, as well as informal forms of prejudice.

None of these compare to the threat of death for exercising one�s basic human right to religious freedom in choosing one�s faith, of course, but no injury to religious freedom can be tolerated. For that reason the postconciliar Catholic Church has vigorously defended Muslims� rights to religious freedom, wherever they are.

Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI were eager to dialogue with Islam. When Pope Francis visits the Sultan Ahmed mosque in Istanbul later this month, he will continue that tradition.

But Pope Benedict XVI also pointed out, rightly so, that just as Muslims enjoy substantial religious liberty in traditionally Christian countries, so should Christians enjoy corresponding religious freedom in Muslim countries.

The Church holds that different religions should collaborate in ensuring religious freedom.

In ideal terms then, Catholics in Italy would support Muslims in building mosques, while Muslims in Saudi Arabia would support the building of churches in their country. And Muslims would condemn the terrorism of fundamentalist Islamists and iniquities such as Pakistan�s blasphemy laws, while Christians would protest against legislation that prejudices Muslims and oppose general Islamophobia.

Even if this model is unattainable, the Church argues, religious freedom is not negotiable.

So even if our brothers and sisters in Muslim countries are being intimidated, persecuted and even killed, Catholics must regardless advocate religious liberty for all and strive to build a sense of reciprocity. And such a mutual solidarity must then find a forum.