The Nut Graph

Making Sense of Politics & Pop Culture

Allah debate #1

By Ding Jo-Ann and Lainie Yeoh


*Quote by Dr Mohd Farid Mohd Shahran taken from
“Allah” can be discussed calmly, The Nut Graph, 12 Jan 2010 


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Comments

  2. JH says

    Honesty is saying I don’t think I care very much about the issue itself. But I do care very much about the way our authorities respond to it… and in a way, the way they have responded in the past has reinforced mindsets and behaviours of the very people who, today, think terrorism will get them what they want.

    It’s shameful. It’s just a word and frankly, I want to say give it back to them, they can have it lah…but the game has changed. To do so now means we negotiate with terrorists.

  4. Lainie says

    U-Jean: Owls are sometimes seen as symbols of wisdom.
    Additional note, since this is about religion: owls are also companions of certain goddesses.

  5. azmo says

    i have the same opinion as JH. I also couldn’t care less who calls who what. As long as they don’t disturb me and tell me what to do, I’m good. […] I can understand that there will be the feelings of dissatisfaction, but the response from the police as well as the Home Ministry is totally pathetic. I’m not ashamed to admit that their response can be deemed irresponsible. The whole […] contest [over] my god is better than your god […] is not helping anyone, and it seems medieval. And that is very dangerous. Anything can happen.

  6. Ellese A says

    Why are you taking sides? Why is an issue affecting Catholics using the Malay bible, who represent less than 1% of population, be given so much preference? When on the other hand it affects Muslims representing more than half of population? Why give preference [to the] minority than [the] majority? Why not settle it by a referendum like the Swiss?

  8. minority says

    Good options presented by the author, let us all, all Malaysians, advocate tyranny of the MINORITY.

  9. KohJL says

    @Ellese A:
    “The majority” are supposed to be stewards; not oppressors. Big brother (not ala George Orwell of course); not big bully.

    There is more to democracy than just “majority rules”.

  10. Azizi Khan says

    I think the bigger question that begs to be asked is : Why are Malaysian Muslims disputing this ? If at all anyone should make a big deal out of this it should be the Arabs. After all its their language! The average Malay can’t even speak or understand Arabic – they simply memorize it. And we are seeing the repercussions now.

    In Malaysia, Muslims always seem to go on about how Islam is a religion of brotherhood and justice. Well, it seems to me that this is only true so long as everyone toes in line with them. It’s hypocritical isn’t it ?

  11. yusoff says

    In other countries like Indonesia, Egypt, etc, the Christians are the ones who want to avoid using Islamic words like “Allah”, “solat” etc, to prevent confusion among their followers. They also afraid the followers will come closer to Islamic by reading the holy book or other Islamic materials.