More squalid airless stupidity from Malaysia: banning Irshad Manji’s book and confiscating copies from bookstores.
The Home Ministry has banned the controversial book by liberal Muslim activist Irshad Manji as it could cause confusion among Muslims.
In a statement yesterday, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusop said the book Allah, Liberty and Love and its translated version Allah, Kebebasan dan Cinta was banned as it contradicted the Quran and Hadith.
The fact that a book “could cause confusion” is an imbecilic reason to ban it. The fact that it could cause confusion among a particular brand of theists is even more so. The fact that it contradicts the Quran and Hadith is an appalling reason to ban it. It represents obedience to arbitrary rules and demands written down many centuries ago in the guise of Roolz from Godd; not being allowed to contradict something so absurd at this late date is pathetic, tragic, horrible.
He said the decision was made following a report by the Islamic Religious Development Department (Jakim).
“Based on the report, it says that the book promotes mixed marriages between Muslims and non-Muslims. This could lead to pluralism.
“It also contains insulting elements towards the prophet, which were described in such a way that could pollute the sanctity of Islam.”
The deputy minister also said that the book defended secularism by confusing the Islamic faith.
Worse and worse and worse. Religious xenophobia and anti-pluralism; brainless worship of a long dead man; brainless worries about pollution and sanctity (cue Jonathan Haidt explaining why it’s not brainless at all, only different); anti-secularism and dogma preferred to putative “confusion” (which clearly means just dissent).
“The book also says the five fardhu prayers can be done in various movements and languages more than five times a day. This statement may confuse the public.”
He said the ban was made according to Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984 as its content could cause disturbance to the public.
In a related development, Jawi enforcement division senior principal assistant director Wan Jaafar Wan Ahmad said they would monitor book stores to prevent them from distributing the books.
I’m embarrassed to be a human being.
And then there are the foul comments underneath the article…
Agreed, but on the upside, consistent application of this policy would have done away with my junior E&M textbook.
But yeah. This is anti-epistemology in action – by “confusion” they mean a willingness to alter one’s opinions.
I see an opportunity here.
The Bible contradicts the Quran.
The Quran contradicts the Bible.
Parts of the Bible contradict other parts of the Bible
Parts of the Quran contradict other parts of the Quran.
Do you suppose, if we push, we could get the whole lot banned?
Yes, Feel-good Haidt – what a waste of money his latest book was, with its simplistic oppositions and pretentious and woolly good-will to all. Has anyone taken that book apart yet?
I suspect that when they say “cause confusion” they really mean “cause people to realize that we’ve been bullshitting them all along.”
Do they have any idea how they look from the outside?
Based on the report, it says that the book promotes mixed marriages between Muslims and non-Muslims. This could lead to pluralism.
Oh, no! Not pluralism! Then we might have to deal with ambiguity!
Keep clutching those pearls and you’ll break the string.