Magic Statistics

Muslims around the world loudly objected to the twelve Danish Mohammed cartoons on the alleged grounds that Islam forbids images of the Prophet.  Now, Naseem Bibi, a Pakistani Christian, is in jail on a charge of blasphemy for purportedly defacing an image of a building—the Kabah, the holiest shrine in Saudi Arabia (photo at right).  A report in Asia News says she’s been framed for objecting when some Muslims profaned a Christian cross.  She is presently being held in solitary confinement pending her trial.  The incident took place on 3 March during an anti-cartoon protest near her home in Kasur.

The woman’s family said she protested against a group of Muslims who were drawing a cross on top of a rubbish heap. The prison authorities have not allowed members of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan (SLMP), a Protestant organization, to visit the detainee. The SLMP has disseminated a statement by Gulzar Masih, the woman’s husband, narrating Naseem’s story.

Everything started on 3 March when many Muslims were protesting the blasphemous cartoons of Muhammad near Naseem’s house in Kasur. “They were raising slogans against the US president George W. Bush, abusing him and Christianity too,” said Gulzar. “Naseem saw the protesters draw a cross on top of a rubbish help and so she went out to protest the desecrating gesture.” The woman told the demonstrators they were violating a sacred symbol of Christianity while protesting about exactly the same offence against their own faith.

According to her husband’s account, Naseem was beaten and stripped. The group of Muslims then left only to return after a few hours with an image of the Kabah soiled with excrement. The men accused Naseem of blasphemy and the police, who came to the spot, took her away to the local police station. Gulzar admitted that he did not intervene to help his wife because he was afraid.

The SMLP said a blasphemy case has been opened against the woman and her husband has been unable to visit her after more than a month.

An English translation of Pakistan's blasphemy laws is posted here.  I don’t see where defacing an image of the Kabah is prohibited, but these laws are notorious for being used as a cover for persecution of Christians and other religious minorities.  Since “blasphemy” is not actually defined in the Pakistani Penal Code, it can be used against any non-Muslim on virtually any pretext.

via Dhimmi Watch.
Text of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws via Western Resistance.

The collects for today, Good Friday, from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross, who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified; Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen.

O merciful God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing thou hast made, nor wouldest the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live; Have mercy upon all Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Hereticks, and take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word; and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites, and be made one fold under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.  Amen.

The Epistle: Hebrews 10:1-25
The Gospel: St John 19:1-37