Hindus and Jews call for change in blasphemy laws

Jane camilleri haber

Oct 23rd 2009, 12:38

a law exists in Malta which should protect the respect of the catholic religion however it is continuously being broken with impunity . It was never reported that anyone spent a night in prison for having blasphemed or in any other way showed disrespect to the Lord or to fellow catholics. so other religions are missing nothing for not being so privillaged. secondly while I never heard anyone blaspheme or disrespect other religious figures or diety in Malta. a new law will help to provoke a new strings of blasphemes to include other figures and dieties so better not move things. however I do not beleive that catholic religious instruction in Malta should be replaced by comparative religious study since most of our students rely on their school religious instructions to learn the basics of our faith as they do not have such instructions from anywhere else.and let us remember that malta is by far predominantly catholic than otherwise ( only a few hundreds jews and even less than that, hindus live on the island compared to thousands of muslims and hundreds of thousands of catholics) however i beleive that catholics should be sensitised to the core of other beliefs

Giovanni Debattista

Oct 20th 2009, 18:08

"in Malta, a person found guilty of vilifying the Roman Catholic religion may be imprisoned for up to six months". Please tell all the Football supporters at ta Qali and the party peo[le at the village festa, that they can be sentenced for 6 months imprisonment the next time they swear against any saint.

lgalea

Oct 20th 2009, 08:59

Would we then be expected nto to touch cows and let them roam wherever and do whatever they want because Hindus consider them sacred?
Would we then be required as has already been done in other countries, to remove crucifixes because they might feel offended?
Would we then be required to remove baby Jesus from mangers as they did in England and replace them with a teddy bear because other religions may be offended?
No, this is Malta and we have our own laws and custims and anyone must respect them not try to change them for their own purposes.

lgalea

Oct 20th 2009, 08:56

Joe Grima
Totally agree with you

NO interference from foreigners.
Hindu and Jewish leaders from the US, the religion of the majority of the Maltese citizens is Roman Catholic.

Ivan Attard

Oct 19th 2009, 21:55

Oh the joys of political correctness and above all multiculturalism! I for one, lest some interpret me as a catholic fundamentalist, do not give a hoot about ANY religion and have long stopped being given interpretations of a 'good way of life' by men of the cloth. However, I am now overjoyed at the extent to which our country's institutions and very cornerstone of our culture is being eroded and attacked by foreigners who want to dictate what we should do and what we must observe. Soon, very soon, even the word 'Christmas' will have to be obliterated from our vocabulary. And all this because some handful of foreigners have more weight and are helped on by some Maltese lackeys as have been writing here! When the hour beckons, it will be too late. And I will be happy that I have never endorsed an ounce of 'political correctness' or love for 'multiculturalism' in my life!
Enjoy what is in store for you oh little Malta!

T.gauci

Oct 19th 2009, 21:19

Does this has something to do with the rise of Muslim illegal immigrants community ?....the Jews better integrate anti-discrimination laws in Israel before they babble about other countries. it comes as no surprise that Jews and Hindus especially the Jews are well known for integrating multi culture in all western countries except Israel. the Jews believe they are god's chosen people and is an offense for them to integrate with other ethnics. as for Hinduism, Hindus have attacked Christians in India and no one said something about that. everyone with a common sense knows what this fuss is all about. at least we know who are the communists of the west.

Ramon Casha

Oct 19th 2009, 16:56

@victor pulis: None of them of course :-) It's interesting to note that the most fundamental belief in Christianity (that Jesus was a god) is blasphemous to Islam and Judaism, and conversely one of their core beliefs (that Jesus was NOT a god) is blasphemous to Christianity.

Dr Francis Saliba

Oct 19th 2009, 16:52

Before criticising Malta before the EU and the UN, Hindus, Jews and Moslems should give an intimation of their reasonableness by offering reciprocity. At this very moment countries where Hinduism predominates, Christians are being slaughtered - as also in Muslim countries.

Raymond Sammut

Oct 19th 2009, 16:20

You need to look closer at what is being said here: “It is perturbing to note that [Malta] ... apparently treats crimes against religious sentiment of other religions and denominations as less serious than against majority religion,” they said.... This inequity is not apparent. It is real after it had been inserted in Malta's Criminal Code back in 1933. The point being made here is that a crime should have equal weight in the courts, irrespective as to who the victim is. Now, whether this inequity is to be removed depends on Malta's parliamentarians. I do not think the pressure on parliamentarians should emanate from the EU but from the Maltese public themselves. The public may feel it is not needed, but in principle it is. The fundamental issue here is that all must be equal before the law. The 1933 code is not giving this guarantee of equality.

J. J. Borg

Oct 19th 2009, 16:19

J. Grima: if our laws do not treat all religions equally, then we should change that. And the beneficiaries of that change will be the Maltese not the US, the UN or the EU.

A Cassar

Oct 19th 2009, 16:18

Why should anyone be threatened that maltese law should make it illegal to be blasphemous to other religions? Don't we want Christian minorites elsewhere in the world be protected from blasphemy?

E. Inglott

Oct 19th 2009, 16:10

Quite a number of Maltese citizens are NOT Catholics but belong to another religion. Does this make them any less Maltese? The law should not prescribe that one religion deserves more protection than another so blasphemy should be punishable with the same maximum punishment, irrespective of the religion involved. Also, what is wrong with teaching children about other religions in school? If one attends a Church school, then one would expect the curriculum to be more centered around the Church's teachings, but government schools should be more neutral and it should not be assumed that everyone is Catholic.

Joe Grima

Oct 19th 2009, 15:42

Here we go. This is the first shot across Malta's bow at multiculturalism and multietnicity. This is how it all started in Italy. After the failed attempt by Muslims to remove crosses from classes, now there is an attempt at introducing an hour of Islamic religion in schools. That is what these two Hindu and Jewish leaders and their appeal to the UN will lead to. I favour respect for all religions and I am not against the teaching in school about different religions and what the basis of their beliefs are but I believe we should resist the contamination of our country's values with imposed diktats from the UN, from the EU or from any other hell's kitchen. This is not a political issue as someone has tried to imply bringing in AN. I am a liberal and I know many liberals don't share my views but that's what I am - a citizen against a multiethnic and multicultural society. Why so much interest from Nevada in Malta? Why don't the US religious leaders take a look at what goes on in their own backyard? In a country where atheism is rampant, they will find richer fields to plough.

J. J. Borg

Oct 19th 2009, 15:34

Charlie Xrieha: you are correct, we have been very well served by not voting for the extreme right. And we will do so again in the next election so that opinions such as yours will remain on the fringe.

Stephen Grech

Oct 19th 2009, 15:33

It's high time that foreigners (be they of any denomination and even atheists etc.) respect our laws and customs, the way we respect theirs when we are in their country.

victor pulis

Oct 19th 2009, 15:32

@Ramon Casha
All religions should be treated equally - but first, all religions should be required to provide empirical evidence of the existence of their respective deities.

And which religion in your opinion can provide this proof?

victoer pulis

Oct 19th 2009, 15:26

I understand that every religion is offended if it's deity/ies is/are blasphemed by but I have never heard anyone in Malta mention Krishna or Brahma or Shiva or the hundreds other HinduGods in vain. neither have I ever heard anyone offend Yahweh. Ironically the only blasphemies uttered are always against the Christian God and saints So, while I agree that no one should insult people of other faiths I feel that the situation is not one to cause concern except among Christians that is.

L. Coleiro

Oct 19th 2009, 14:08

Who would swear with Hindi or Jewish saints anyway?

adrian aquilina

Oct 19th 2009, 13:30

Well done to the jews and hindus...this country is so full of fundementalists...people who have no religious beliefs should be respected too....some of us do not believe in imagonary friends

O.Galea

Oct 19th 2009, 13:16

in all my 45 yrs of living in malta (and commuting by bus for 29 of those yrs) I've never heard of a single blasphemous word uttered re either Hindu or Jews. At worst, i've hear people referred to as "a jew" - when somebody is unkind or a miser (which is an unkind thing to say... but is that blasphemy ?

E. Micallef

Oct 19th 2009, 12:58

Why did these 2 leaders turn to the EU and UN? It would have been more ethical to first seek communication with the local authorities.

Raymond Sammut

Oct 19th 2009, 12:56

@ J Farrugia All they are asking for is a little courtesy and due recognition, Mr. Farrugia. Since when the small Indian community on Malta interfered "in our internal matters or our religious believes"?

MBorg

Oct 19th 2009, 12:44

How dare these two Hindu and Jewish leaders tell us what subjects to teach in our schools ? Nobody has the right to belittle our Catholic faith.,and instruct us on what religion is taught in our schools @ charlie xrieha No the island does not belong to the Vatican. The island belongs to us Maltese. The majority of Maltese, whether you like it or not, belong to the Catholic faith. These two leaders , the EU and UN do not have any right over our beliefs. Nobody should play about with our religion.

Christopher Ebejer

Oct 19th 2009, 12:16

Could the Jews please stop once and for all interfering into others foreign laws ! I thought they should treat Palestinians as equal as them first before they pretend others to treat them as equal!

Ramon Casha

Oct 19th 2009, 12:11

All religions should be treated equally - but first, all religions should be required to provide empirical evidence of the existence of their respective deities.

@ J Farrugia: Catholic priests ARE allowed into the USA. In fact, although the persons mentioned are not from there, Catholic priests are allowed in India and Israel too. There is no correlation between religion and country.

David Buttigieg

Oct 19th 2009, 12:05

@J Farrugia,

The U.S. DOES treat all religions equally in case you didn't know.

Ian Chetcuti

Oct 19th 2009, 11:29

@J Farrugia. Nobody is interfering in our Religious beliefs. They just want us to respect other religions. With regards to the EU interfering in our internal matters: I'm afraid they can!

charlie xrieha

Oct 19th 2009, 11:27

I am agree. This island doesn't belong to the Vatican. Well done to the Hindus and the Jews. Keep up the good work....LOL

Qed taraw kemm hi tajba d- diversita' u l- multikulturalizmu. Mhux zgur hawn 200 Hindu u 100 Lhudi u diga bdew jindahlu.

meta l- AN ppruvaw jiddefendu l- kultura taghna ta' Kattolici hadd ma ried jivvutalhom.

hudu pjacir issa hi. Qed taraw pajjzikom jinbidel quddiem ghajnejkhom u tkomplu temmnu lil istess politici li ma jimpurtahom xejn mil- kultura u lanqas minnkom.

Serves you right, for not turning RIGHT

Godfrey Pirotta

Oct 19th 2009, 11:09

Mr J Farrugia still lives under the impression that to be Maltese you have to be Catholic or you are a foreigner. He does not know that there are Maltese who are Hindus, Jewish, Muslim and so on. In the case of some of them their Maltese citizenship goes back centuries. Probably even Mr Farrugia's ancestors were once foreigners his surname being Sicilian.
The appeal to the UN has probably been made on the grounds that the UN is the custodian, and Malta a signatory, of the Universal Declaration of INDIVIDUAL Human Rights which among other things lays down that there should be NO DISCRIMINATION on grounds of gender, religion, race and politics. This is reflected also in Malta's own Constitution and existing legislation is in breach of the Chapter on Human Rights.
Maltese Hindus and Jews and Muslims have a right not to be discriminated against for rights belong to individuals AND not majorities. The rest of Mr Farrugia's argument is claptrap.

Danny Apap

Oct 19th 2009, 11:04

Well said Mr. Farrugia am with you on this issue all of Malta should stand united on this! …. How quickly they call on human rights when in their Countries don’t recognise the human rights, not on just religion; but in all.

Peter Camilleri

Oct 19th 2009, 10:40

@ J Farrugia

Has it occurred to you that some of us Maltese might actually NOT be Catholic, but might belong to different faiths such as Hinduism, Islam and Judaism?
Treating other religions with respect does not mean denigrating what you call "our religion".

And incidentally, the fact that we are capable of tolerating and treating other religions with respect is what marks us as being civilised. If other States behave in an uncivilised way and do not respect freedom of worship, then that is hardly a good reason to emulate them.

J Farrugia

Oct 19th 2009, 10:27

Malta is a catholic country and this is recognised by the Constitution of Malta. And so it will remain.

J Farrugia

Oct 19th 2009, 10:18

Malta does not need any further impositions from foreigners especially where our religion is involved. When they reciprocate by letting in our catholic priests in their countries, yes we may talk about this matter. But hands off Malta. No EU country or UN will ever interfere in our internal matters or our religious believes.