IMAGINE: YOUR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IS DYING: WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff | Quotable
By Jonathan M.A. Ghaffar | Chino, California
January 26, 2009

IMAGINE: WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Imagine you belong to a religious denomination that has some beliefs that are misunderstood or deliberately misrepresented by members of the mainstream orthodox religious groups.

Imagine that the government amends its own Constitution to outlaw your denomination and to make its members subject to life sentences or even the death penalty for “pretending” to be a member of the mainstream orthodox religion.

Imagine that you can have your legally-owned place of worship seized outright by the government and then handed over to some group that opposes you, simply on the grounds that you don’t think like they do.

Imagine that these groups and their members regularly hold rallies to call for the murder of the members of your denomination.

Imagine that the government, the military and the local police do nothing to stop these rallies or the mob-incited violence against the property and members of your denomination which often ensues.

Imagine if any member of your denomination is brutally murdered in cold blood, the local police and the government will usually do nothing to stop the crime or apprehend the killer, even if they know who the killer is and have the evidence to prosecute the evil-doer.

Welcome to Pakistan and the world of Ahmadi Muslims.

Jonathan M.A. Ghaffar serves as the local Interfaith Outreach Secretary for the Los Angeles East Chapter of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He is a professional essay editor and proofreader; and writes on many subjects including comparative religions and Historical Jesus.