YOURSAY | 'Is Asyraf suggesting everyone should be forced to believe in God?'

No freedom from religion in M'sia, says Asyraf Wajdi

Anonymous 1719401496919916: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki told Parliament atheism was “unconstitutional” and an offence under the Sedition Act 1948.

What is wrong with being an atheist if one lives peacefully without influencing others? Freedom of religion means you either have a religion or believe in one, or you may choose to have none as long as you do not infringe on other peoples' religious rights.

Frankly, I don't even care what religion you choose to embrace but do not spew your extremist views or criticise other people's choices or affinities to their religion because it will build a negative impression of your religion and my views of you as a person.

To categorically make a statement that an atheist is a criminal or atheism is a crime is both careless and reckless.

It is as if we do not have enough problems in Malaysia and now you, Asyraf, are creating more, plus one which will result in peace-loving atheists being targeted for persecution.

Fair Play: What nonsense are you talking about, Asyraf? I am a non-Muslim and nobody cares who (which God) I believe in. Will the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) come after those like me?

There is this saying in personal motivation and development - by not moving, you are left behind. Therefore, using the same argument, by not believing in any religion, you are a “believer”, that is, of no religion.

So, everyone has a religion, don't you think?

Bluemountains: Even if "atheism" is not a religion, atheists have not violated the constitution. Which part of the constitution where it is stated that a person must have a religion, Asyraf?

Vgeorgemy: The constitution has written explicitly that freedom of religion is accorded to those who want to practice their religion. The constitution does not define the word “religion” and its various forms.

This matter will be tested in our constitutional bench if the authorities proceed to prosecute atheism as "unconstitutional" and an offence under the Sedition Act 1948.

The rakyat are in no mood to give in to the extremist views of religion. If the authorities believe that atheism goes against the Rukunegara principle of belief in God, then they should go have the constitution amended.

Wira: Freedom of religion is a larger set, of which freedom from religion, or atheism, is among its subsets. BN ministers or deputy ministers are, as usual, clueless.

Moreover, the Rukunegara is never part of the federal constitution.

Playfair: Don't play around with words, Asyraf. Your shallow understanding and knowledge of how the constitution was formulated and negotiated do not mean that you have the licence to impose your ignorance on others.

Mindful: Freedom means it is a freedom of an individual to believe what one believes in. What is wrong when a person does not talk about any religion or criticise any religion?

If that person confines himself to his or her own belief and lives in peace, then that person is definitely a better person than someone who creates problems in the name of religion.

The world is more divided today and it is not because of non-followers of any religion.

Tholu: "As for non-Muslims, as we are all aware, atheism goes against public order and morality laws," says Asyraf.

No, Asyraf, we are not aware that atheism can cause a breakdown in public order or be a reason for immoral acts of heretics.

Asyraf, do a survey of the people who are in jail for crimes ranging from robbery, corruption, murder, rape, incest, etc, and see how many of them are adherents of a religion, any religion or belief system and how many are atheist.

You can already make an accurate guess even before embarking on such an exercise. Don’t equate atheists with perpetrators of violent and immoral acts.

In fact, according to Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, “atheists, non-believers, secular humanists, skeptics - the whole gamut of the godless - have emerged in recent years as inarguably the most generous benefactors on the globe. Hordes of heretics are the world’s biggest philanthropists. Both individually and in groups, heathen infidels are topping the fundraising charts.”

Quigonbond: How can non-believers in any religion be seditious? They are simply running out of excuse. If the deputy minister is trying to be a hero, he should move for amendment to punish corruption at high office with death penalty.

Annonymous: First, it was an attack against the good Jews, then the "evangelical" Christians, next the communists, followed by the attack against the Shi'a Muslims, the DAP "Chinese", the kafir harbi, and the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community).

And now an attack against the atheists. These extremists are not only making seditious and unconstitutional rants, but are conducting an evil act against humanity.

The world's 6.2 billion atheists, Christians, Jews and "infidels" are watching this highly inflammatory development and will condemn, sanction and fight this serious threat against freedom.

Atheism alone is the largest "religion" in the world, with an estimated 1 billion adherents. These "infidels" are peaceful people, unless provoked.

Anonymous 278451459939581: The elections must be coming - people like Asyraf are coming out of the woodwork to get media attention and airtime.

His arguments are confusing - trying to lock in the constitution, Rukunegara, Sedition Act into his narrow perspective.

If someone wants to practice atheism, devil worship or whatever, let them do it. Religion is a private matter, not a matter for the bigots.

Gungadin: So are you suggesting everyone should be forced to believe in God, Asyraf? And that it is a criminal offence if they don't?

Where were these people educated?

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