Letter to George

In response to a couple of my recent posts about Khalid Saeed, the anonymous commenter who I have named George made some statements that I still have difficulty getting my head around. For sheer head in the sand denialism coupled with intolerance he can’t be beaten. 

Let’s start with his comment “I don't think Pakistan or anywhere else would give a toss whether he 'believes' or not”. This is so contrary to all the evidence that I can only assume George’s blindness to be wilful and absolute. In Pakistan apostasy is a capital offence and a survey last year found that 75% of it’s citizens believe that apostates should be killed. 75% George that do give a toss. And it is not just Pakistan. In Saudi Arabia apostasy ranks up there with rape, murder and drug trafficking and is punishable by death, as it is also in Iran. I think if a state or individual feels strongly enough about an issue to murder for it they probably do “give a toss”. Don’t you agree George?

Secondly there is George’s statement “still want punishment for the disrespect caused to societies, and I agree with that because the rights of the majority is paramount” There is something I keep trying, without success, to get across to George, as he has been here before. He talks about the “rights of the majority” but does not know what it means. George, in the UK there is no legal “right” to respect, there is no legal “right” not to be offended. There are however hard legal rights to freedom of speech.

I suspect what angers George so much is that his ardent desire for me to be punished for exercising my right to freedom of thought and speech is not about to be fulfilled. That I am getting away with expressing my contempt of his, and every other religion. You would have thought that if the big man up there was so disapproving he could sort me out himself. After all he must know where I live. But he doesn’t, because he doesn’t exist.

Thousands of people every day, like Khalid Saeed, come round to this realisation and George’s response is that they should be killed for it. But George, when you and the other millions of various faiths, prostrate yourselves and grovel on your knees in the dust in supposed piety and supplication, don't you realise? don’t you see? There is no one there.