The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has launched
a campaign aimed at abolishing “blasphemy laws” worldwide. The campaign is
gaining momentum across Europe and beyond. But there is still no significant
support from groups in Africa.
The campaign focuses on getting world leaders to understand
that blasphemy laws are incompatible with human rights and democratic values in
this 21st century. Campaigners plan to get states to repeal legislations that
criminalize “insult to religion”, hurting religious sentiments, or any laws
that restrict questions, criticism, or ridicule of religion or religious
concepts. Blasphemy laws exist in many states across Africa. They are used as
tools to oppress and discriminate against religious minorities. The abolition
of blasphemy laws is in the interest of Africa and African emancipation. At the
end of the day, blasphemy laws are used to legitimize religious privilege not
religious liberty. They are employed to undermine freedom of religion, free
press and free speech.
Both Christianity and Islam are foreign religions. These
religions promote teachings and doctrines which some people can interpret as
insult to indigenous African beliefs or as offensive to traditional African
religious sentiments. But no one has called for the prosecution of christian
and muslims preachers who ‘defamed’ indigenous African religions. Exercising
their freedom of religion and expression, christian missionaries and muslim
scholars questioned, criticized, and ridiculed indigenous African religions. Both
Christianity and Islam owe their spread and dominance in the region to the
blasphemous mission against African traditional beliefs. If there were existing
blasphemy laws before the advent of these faiths, there would probably be no
Christianity or Islam in Africa or the two faiths would not be as dominant or
widespread as they are today. If making mockery of any religion were a crime
then most christian and islamic clerics would be in jail. Abolishing blasphemy
laws is not just in the interest of non religious or freethinking people but in
the interest of religious believers as well.
Yes, let us end blasphemy laws in Africa but also let us end
capitalism in Africa.
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