Happy Blasphemy Day, Happy Birthday 'Mukto Mona'

I wrote a piece in Bengali on Blasphemy day, 2013. I could not find time earlier to post this in English blog. Here it is:

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Today is September 30^th, also known as Blasphemy Rights day. This day is dedicated to those who are systematically being persecuted, harassed, or killed for their simple expression of Freethought (more precisely, for their ‘blasphemous’ views towards religion).

In medieval ages “blasphemy” was equated with sin, as it was considered an insult to a deity or Holy Scripture. But as time progressed, we apparently became more civilized by promoting the idea that any belief should be open to examination and taboo-free. In most progressive parts of today’s world, particularly in Europe and North America, the old blasphemy laws have been overturned. However, few other parts of the world have retained social ideas that are reminiscent of the mediaeval age. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Bangladesh are some prime examples. In Bangladesh, as we already know, several bloggers were recently put behind bars on the sole basis that they were openly atheist (Pls. refer to my write up published in current issue of Free Inquiry Magazine on this topic). In Pakistan (as from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom report), at least 203 incidents of violence in the name of religion have resulted in some 1,800 casualties and more than 700 deaths in just the last 18 months. These Islamic countries, based on their religious legal code known as Sharia, are deeply anti-woman as well. Recently, a 19-year-old gang rape victim (yes, you read right – rape victim, not the rapist) was sentenced to 200 lashes and to six months in jail for the crime of indecency and speaking to the press in Saudi Arabia (read here). In another incident, Raif Badawi, a blogger in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes on charges of blasphemy (here). The nonbelievers in these Islamic countries face the most severe treatment at the hands of both mullahs and the state.

Today, we state clearly that considering apostasy to be a criminal offense in state level in fact is an inexcusable offense. If being religious is someone’s right, then being critical to religion is also one’s right. There is nothing wrong to be critical to any idea or ideology, as CFI aptly put on its Blasphemy day banner – ‘Ideas do not need rights, People do’!

I wished I would write more on this year’s celebration of blasphemy day, but one unexpected email changed the entire theme of my planned write-up. The email arrived from Patuakhali, one of the remote districts in South-western Bangladesh:

“Every human being wants to be happy; but if we don’t know how to find a way to walk the road of happiness then we will just grow up naturally and die someday without getting the taste of real happiness.

Few years ago, I was desperately looking for a way to find the path of happiness. I guess I have found it at last. Now I know the real happiness is reading “Mukto-Mona [Freethinker] blog” every day. The real feeling is to know the truth and all I have got from you. I’m really thankful to you for showing the right path. I wish your happiness and bright future always”.

However, it was the last paragraph of the email that really touched my heart. It says:

I have a daughter. As a mark of respect to you and your creation – Mukto-Mona blog, I call her ‘Muktomona’ [freethinker is Bengali] as well. She is two years old now. I will try my best to make her real muktomona I look forward to my daughter growing up and one day asking me, among the millions of names, why did I pick and choose her name ‘muktomona’. That day I would tell her about you and show her your site and explain -‘That’s why’!

This was a wonderful gift for me on ‘Blasphemy day’. I founded this ‘blasphemous site’ Mukto-Mona (www.mukto-mona.com) in the year of 2001, with a singular intention: to debate and discuss on controversial, but utterly important issues. Only with this principle, I thought, can the construction of a progressive, rational and secular society be possible in mainstream Bangladesh and South Asia. I was proud of MM’s growing popularity in the progressive community over the years, but I never imagined that a person from remote Pauakhali would one day inspired one day so much that he would name his little girl ‘Mukto-Mona’.

What a pleasant surprise! I hope just as her name suggests, the little girl will one day grow up to be a ‘blasphemous’ freethinker. I hope she maintains an inquisitive mind throughout her life, and will be a wonderful person and that she will enhance her life with an ethical, scientific, and philosophical outlook. I wish her all the best.

Happy blasphemy day 2013. We will celebrate the day as ‘Mukto-Mona Day’ from now on.

Avijit Roy
Founding Moderator, Mukto-Mona
Blasphemy Day, 2013
(September 30, 2013)

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Dr. Avijit Roy is a Bangladeshi-American blogger, published author, and prominent defender of the free thought movement. He is an engineer by profession, but well-known for his writings in his self-founded site, Mukto-Mona—an Internet congregation of freethinkers, rationalists, skeptics, atheists, and humanists of mainly Bengali and South Asian descent. As an advocate of atheism, science, and metaphysical naturalism, he has published seven Bangla books, and many of his articles have been published in magazines and journals. His latest book, Obisshahser Dorshon (The Philosophy of Disbelief), has been critically well-received and is a popular Bengali book on science, skepticism, and rationalism. He writes from Atlanta, Georgia. He can be reached through twitter (@avijit_roy_MM) and Facebook.

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Avijit Roy

@Dr A Rahman,

Thanks for you reply once again. I have gone through your articles. They are really nicely written. I would request you to write to Mukto-Mona as well. I am sure moderator would give you access soon.

Regards
Avijit
Dr A Rahman

Thank you for your prompt and very eloquent reply. I agree with every thing you said here. I do not condone the so-called ‘blasphemy’ at all. I only mentioned it to point out that some religious zealots may take offence. But that is irrelevant now. I myself had written many articles in bdnews24.com in the Opinion Pages on similar lines opposing aggressive religious teaching, religious bigotry, religious conflicts etc over a long period of time. My latest article on ‘Internecine conflict in Islam’ can be found in
http://opinion.bdnews24.com/2013/09/17/internecine-conflict-in-islam/

When I read articles (the URL of one is given below) that Jamaat has such widespread tentacles in Bangladesh that it is becoming difficult even for the government to contain their vicious messages, I feel really depressed. Bangladesh came into existence as a secular state, but because of political incompetence and leaders’ preoccupation with corruption, the country had literally been allowed to slip into their hands. It is time to fight back.
http://commonwealth.sas.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/Publications/Section2.pdf
At the end I must express my gratitude to you for opposing religious excesses, when ever it comes from.
Avijit Roy

@Dr A Rahman,

Thanks for your nice comments. I understand from where you are coming on ‘blasphemy’ to call it ‘somewhat inappropriate’. However, I would like to state that I see blasphemy as a right. As American Atheists pointed out: Blasphemy Day matters because it seeks to educate people about the importance of freedom of expression, even when these expressions are contrary to others’ religious beliefs or offensive to religious people. In the words of Justin Trottier:

“We’re not seeking to offend, but if in the course of dialogue and debate, people become offended, that’s not an issue for us. There is no human right not to be offended.”

I would rather state clearly that we have every rights to criticize any dogma. I know that religion is so entrenched in the mind of the common people that they have been able to foist off onto popular culture the notion that religion should always deserve a kid glove treatment. Republicans can criticize the political philosophy of Democrats and vice versa. BNP can criticize the political ideology of AL, Jamat can criticize any other party and call them anti-islamic. Socialists and capitalists can criticize each other’s basic worldview. I do not see any reason why religion needed to be exempted from the trend and protected by so called blasphemy law, unless we all agree, ‘Blasphemy law is nothing but to prevent your religion from loosing argument!’

There is definitely a time and place to make religion or any such dogma look as ridiculous or insulting as it actually is. When I know from history how many of women were burned for the sake of religious practice named, ‘Sati’, I feel insulted. I feel insulted when I know how inhumanly Hinduism treat the fellow Dalits, their own ‘schedule-cast people’. I find insulting when I know Islam prescribes that men have an advantage over the women, or Quran not only denies women’s equal right to their inheritance , it also regards them as imbeciles and decrees that their testimony is not admissible in the court of law unless it is accompanied with the testimony of a man etc. I find insulting when Saudi Sharia law prescribes 19-year-old gang rape victim to be sentenced to 200 lashes and to six months jail for ‘getting raped’. When I am writing this comment, I see the news media has been flooded with the story of the blast that took place at Jamayetul-Ulum-Al Islamia Madrasa, run by Hifazat-e slam leader Mufti Izaharul Islam in Bangladesh. I think we have every rights to point out the facts no matter how brutal it sounds, without being bothered if some are getting offended or insulted by the reality.

Thanks for your comment though. I appreciate for visiting the site and writing here.
Dr A Rahman

Thank you, Dr Avijit Roy, for the courageous title of your article. I like your website as it offers a platform for exchange of ideas without fear or favour.

But I must say that the title ‘happy blasphemy’ is somewhat inappropriate. The word ‘blasphemy’ conjures up some adversarial notion, some sort of insulting attitude towards others’ religions we don’t condone. My understanding is that this site is not to insult others for their beliefs but to propagate views, beliefs and ideas (atheism, agnostics, paganism, darwinism etc) freely without insulting others.
I personally do not believe in religious edicts at all. Religions are remnants of the bygone days of human civilisation. The sooner this trait is removed the better it is for human society. But it should be done delicately, otherwise people will cling to it even more strongly (as they have been brainwashed) for their salvation.
Avijit Roy

@Jiten Roy,

Thanks Jitenda. Perhaps you noticed that Today’s newspaper reported : Parliament has passed the Information and Communication Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2013 with increased jail term of maximum punishment for cyber offenses. This bill is nothing but ‘Awami-Digital Blasphemy Law‘. Seriously, some countries have decided to stay in medieval ages.
Jiten Roy

Yes, you are right – Mukto-mona is a wonderful blasphemous site, where we all come to vent our frustrations. I want to thank you for your wonderful creation. Yet, I feel – I need to say more, but I can’t. I have to restrain myself. Blasphemy guards are everywhere, and free world is under seized now. Even the government administrations in the so called free world cannot say and do whatever is needed to be said and done. You cited Saudi rape victim; everybody knows that such blatant injustice should not be allowed to practice in this day and age; but, nothing can be done about it. As per Hindu mythology, such an impasse can only be ended with divine intervention. Let that be the guiding light to move us forward.

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Happy Blasphemy Day, Happy Birthday ‘Mukto Mona’

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