Maybe some of you have been waiting for my take on the development of things. Or to see what I'm going to do next, for example, take it to the authorities-ke, make it known to more important circles-ke, so that some kind of justice and action can be taken towards the kind of insult that so many of us have had to endure over the past week.

And then, if you sit and think again, is it really necessary? Because I'm not very keen on bringing in authorities into the picture when all that is warranted, is a public apology, and a commitment on Mohd Elfie's part to tone down on his mission 'to expose and destroy (misrepresentation of) Christianity'.

Which brings me back to the original discourse, and Mohd Elfie's fervent defense that 'Despite this, however, I have never reciprocated with something similar or do anything outright discriminatory to Christians in general who only wish peace and respect for others' faiths.'

You know it's far more macho and dignified to at least own up to the kind of discriminatory remarks you have been dishing out in liberal doses for the benefit of your visitors. You expect us to believe you? Come on, take a look, the Net is literally, an open net and it catches evidence.


Click on image to see enlarged version.

Clarification

Look, MENJ, please get your facts right. I respect the site, Bismika Allahuma. I understand the need for its existence, and I acknowledge that sites like Answering-Islam are less than desirable. But in all respect, make it an educational site, one that has, besides the goal of 'correcting misinformation about Islam', another goal of 'increasing positive knowledge of Islam' on the web. A site that will actually make Answering Islam look like the under-researched crap that you claim it is.

As it is, replacing a destructive site with ANOTHER destructive site with intentions of 'proving one's might' is less than desirable. The reason why I'm annoyed? No, it's not because you've insulted and blasphemized my religion. It's because you're a sore thumb sticking out of the same body I'm a part of, and I trust and respect you enough to expect that you're decent enough to apologize, ON BEHALF of your site and the Islam you represent. I would do the same if you were Christian.

Why? Because you're Malaysian, and whether I like it or not, whatever you're doing over at Bismika Allahuma and especially in your own site, sends out a terrifying message. Have you seen this? I know you get angry and irked every time somebody says Malaysia is a nation of oppressed citizens, that all the 'peace' and 'tolerance' our leaders preach is but a lie.

Well, you see, I'm hurt too, and the surprise is, I'm on your side. You know, when I meet friends from abroad, and they ask me, 'Can you go to church in Malaysia?' I get offended. No matter how much the country's PR-representatives try to paint Malaysia in a positive light, it doesn't seem to be working because more frequently, I seem to have to mend the bruised image that my country is already suffering, no thanks to the behavior of over-zealous fundamentalists like you.

I know you get distressed when you read the news in pro-West media instigating Islamic bodies as responsible in 'violent acts of terror'. It worries me when foreign friends tell me they don't really want to come to Malaysia because they're afraid that we're growing, into a terrorist state. Of course you and me both know the contrary is truth, but you're not doing anything to prove the BBC article as a shitload of lies. What you're doing is quite the opposite. You're telling the world that 'yes this is the kind of Islam I want for my country, and the rest of the world can go and eat shit for all I care, kappish?'

Well I'm not going to go 'kappish' with you, MENJ, I think that much is pretty obvious. Can you be at least, decent enough to know that you've insulted Malaysians as a whole, and rethink the position of your blog and consider the kind of freedom you want your speech to represent?

I'm not asking MENJ to be a good Muslim, I'm not qualified to tell him what's right or wrong in Islam. But I know it's troubling, to say the least, to know that this is a a fellow Malaysian who is behaving like a complete ignoramus who insists that any invitation to intellectual discourse and discussion about differences in opinions is an attack on his character.

Don't bring this to the authorities, please.

Everyone has a right to freedom, so please, respect the bloke for his right to speaking his mind. All right, maybe on his agenda there is a mission to destroy Christianity (because, to be fair, this religion is in complete contradiction with his beliefs and of course, he has a right to that agenda). See, the desired effect is to tell MENJ to 'keep his mission to himself and stop making his brethrens look like complete fools. As it is, it is neither distinguished for concerned citizens to think of 'the law' and 'the authorities' in this case, when we can very well settle it within the blogosphere.

And I think it was completely out of line to take his blog to his host-providers. Like I said, one destructive behaviour ought not be replaced with another of the same genre.

All the same, as much as I hate the censorship board, I think sometimes, censorship is necessary in order for us to be able to support our claims of a peaceful and tolerant Malaysia. Freedom of speech doesn't entitle you to the right to say detrimental things towards your religion. And please, 'do not make Allah a target for your oaths for doing good or avoiding evil or reconciling people (2:224)'.

That said, the final call doesn't come from us, you know. It comes from the person who affected the whole 'blown-out-of-proportion' uproar, really, and it does not have to end with concerned Malaysians writing to the PM or to the PDRM or any other authority, for that matter.

It's quite simple, really. Here's the requirement we want from MENJ: just acknowledge that you've done a fairly rude thing, that the things you've said about our country's leaders and concerned bloggers were uncalled for, and that you'll shift the style of 'negotiation' on your blog(s) to better represent the message you're intending to disseminate to the public. With all due respect, you're an eloquent writer, and you can write well, I'm sure you're able to handle debates with more class, yes?