An update on this story. Apparently the official word is that there will be "no further conditions" placed on the importation or local production of Bibles in Sabah and Sarawak, two provinces with major Christian populations. Outside of those two provinces, the language required on the covers of Bibles that said things to the effect of "Only for Christians" has been softened to "Christian Publication," though the intent is still obvious.
Have we heard the last of this? Almost certainly not, for as long as this story has dragged on. This report does not mention the matter of the use of the word "Allah" for "God," which has always been a prime sticking point. There will likely be fine print, loopholes with which to revisit the "Allah" issue, and selective implementation. And that doesn't take into account the potential response of Malaysia's Islamic supremacists (when they're not busy blaming their wives for not having sex with them).
It remains to be seen whether the government will keep its word and stand up to pressure from Muslims whose paranoia -- in their supposed show of strength -- gives the appearance they are afraid their faith cannot sustain itself in the face of free access to the Bible. "Kuala Lumpur authorizes importation and printing of the Bible in any language," from Asia News, April 9:
Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Malaysian government has authorized the importation of the Bible in all languages into the country and for it to be printed locally. The authorities have assured Christians that they will not demand any stamp or serial number on imported Bibles. These decisions are part of a 10 point solution to the dispute over the Malay language Bibles.
The government announced that there will be no further conditions placed on the importation or local printing of Bibles for Sabah and Sarawak, in recognition of the large Christian communities in these states. But instead there will be a condition for Bibles imported or printed locally on the peninsula of Malaysia. These Bibles will have a cross on the cover and the words "Christian Publication." This decision takes into account the interests of the majority Muslim community in the Malaysian peninsula.
The government has also announced that there should be no prohibitions or restrictions on people who travel between Sabah and Sarawak and the Malaysian peninsula with their Bibles. The Interior Ministry issued a directive on the Bible and officers who fail to apply it will be subject to disciplinary action. The government has also allowed importers to take delivery of the 35,100 Bibles locked in Kuching and Port Klang, at no cost.
Datuk Seri Idris Jala, a spokesman for the government said that "in spite of our shortcomings in the management of this Bible issue, we hope that Christians will forgive us," and added that there is a need for care, forgiveness and reconciliation among Malaysians, "despite all the wounds created by our differences." The Bible Society of Malaysia has accepted the solution proposed by the government. Its president, Lee Min Choon, in a statement said they were “deeply touched by the government’s humility in admitting its shortcomings in its management of the problem and in asking for forgiveness." "The Bible Society of Malaysia forgives, without hesitation," he said.
A study in contrasts.
Well, non-muslims are a plurality in Malaysia and do form a large part of its white collar workforce, despite the institutional discrimination/dhimmitude of 'bumiputra'. However, keep your fingers crossed, no doubt there will be some sort of muslim backlash over the government's (desultory) actions.
" ... This report does not mention the matter of the use of the word "Allah" for "God," which has always been a prime sticking point. ... "
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Actually, it would probably better if the Christians DON'T use the name "Allah" for God. Considering what the Perfect Prophet did, said, and approved of "for the sake of Allah", anyone with functioning discriminatory apparatus (ie, half-a-brain) can see that Allah is an entity QUITE DIFFERENT from the "God of Abraham". It would be no compliment to God to start confusing their identities.
A Nonny Mouse wrote:
Actually, it would probably better if the Christians DON'T use the name "Allah" for God. Considering what the Perfect Prophet did, said, and approved of "for the sake of Allah"
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Nonny, this is just linguistics. I tend to recoil at the word "Allah" myself, but Arabic-speaking Christians are *not* making a reference to the appalling deity of Islam when they call God "Allah". It is no different from French-speaking Christians referring to "Dieu", or German-speaking Christians referring to "Gott".
From the article:
"The Bible Society of Malaysia forgives, without hesitation," he said.
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Let's see if the Muslim supremacists who pushed for restrictions on Christian Bibles will be as "forgiving"...
Which language are these Bibles in? If Bahasa Malaysia, is there some naive Malay word for God rather than the Arabic Allah? After all, Malay is not a Semitic language at all.
On the covers of Bibles in "Allah-run" Malaysia: A cross and "Christian Publication"
On the cover of a magazine purchased in communist China: "Approved for Publication"
Enough said.
Fartwa: Muslims can use Bible for cleaning after defecation…
Muslim asswipes fartwa
See, Muslims really ‘respeck’ all religions: Istinja’ with the Torah and New Testament
http://sheikyermami.com/2011/04/08/fartwa-muslims-can-use-bible-for-cleaning-after-defecation/
According to this story, a 400-year-old Malay-Latin dictionary proves the Christian use of the word "Allah" in the Malay language goes back at least that far.
In a free society, believers of any faith could call their deity what they choose, be it Allah or Jim-Bob. But the Muslims want to pressure Christians here to use an alternative name in order to help discredit them as supposed "polytheists," so that they can say, "See? Those Christians worship some strange, other god!"
That, and, nothing sticks it to the kuffar quite like depriving them even of calling upon God in the name they and their ancestors have used.
Malay men in Malaysia are becoming more violent and stupid with the increasing Arabization-Islamisation (I'm Malay ex-Muslim by the way)! Majority Malay women who used to be progressive and modern now are dressed in disgusting Arabic-style rag veil! And the Arab-led Islam, including through their Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslim footsoldiers are targeting oil-rich Malaysia especially in Borneo (as of oil-rich Indonesia, Brunei and elsewhere) and trying to sow primitive Arabic-style murderous hatred amongst Muslim and non-Muslims especially with the Chinese and Indians. If the British had never colonize Malaysia, it would have been worse - we would have ended up becoming like the savage Pakistan or Saudi Arabia; the British brought education including for girls and modernity. I wish the British had never left - that Cameron, should stop apologizing to Islam and the Muslim world, including his hero, Hussein Obama, like a pathetic dhimmi SLAVE and start behaving like Churchill, the liberator of humanity from Fascsim and the Nazis!
Well, I heard that a Dutch Reformed clercyman named Leidecker or something like that was posted to the Indies back in the late 1600's and produced the first complete Bible in Malay. So, it seems that Arab-Muslim influence was that deep even that far back.
Blaming their wives for not having sex with them? That's funny! May be they should try a threesome... just like their prophet!
http://crossmuslims.blogspot.com/2011/04/threesome-in-islam.html
Honestly the Bumis can jam their allah up their klackers. This is an islamo-supremest political issue.
The indigenous Malay people are not the moslem Bumiputra, but the tribes known as Orang Asli on the peninsular and the Dyaks and Iban in the east. The Bumis, Chinese and Indian populations in Malaysia all descend from migrant stock.
The Bumis descend from invading Acenese fishermen and pirates from Sumatra, under pressure most Malays who know anything of their culture outside of islam will reluctantly admit this although they like to look down on Sumatrans and Indonesians in general as inferior.
Malaysia tries to put forward the false assertion that the rest of South East Asia use their language, Like wise they are rather fond of stealing dance and culture from other Indonesian Islands (bearing in mind they come from Sumatra) and claiming it as their own.
The Bumis however rule the roost on the Peninsular and treat Orang Asli, Iban, Dyaks, Chinese, Indians, Indonesians (moslem or not) and any other non-moslem with disdain.
Malay is a simplistic sub dialect of the wider bahasa languages which in Austronesian language group extends to include Tagalog and Cebuano in the Philippines, Indonesian and Cebuano, all variants are heavily afflicted with foreign words for non-native items.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Austronesian_languages
Many variants of bahasa are far more complex and advanced than Malay, and pure Javanese is more sophisticated, (likewise Tagalog and Cebuano) and Javanese would have more adherents alone than the Malay dialect.
For example, Malaysia its a "refrigerator"(English), in Indonesia a "coolcast" (Dutch), and Philippines a "Kelvinator"(American).
Likewise Allah is an Arab word, it has no source in the local language, nor is it part of it. Apparently Malaysians are not content to use their traditional language as their national language.
The bahasa word for God is "Tuhan", contrary to the misleading viewpoint of the Malays,
Rarely a non_moslem bahasa speaker would use allah in lieu of Tuhan for God. They may sometimes use "Astaga" in certain circumstances.
Like all moslem groups, the Malays have destroyed and lost their own history and culture and supplanted it with an Arabic one, the most prominent but often unrecognized feature of which is lying and deception.
As an amusing side note story, Apparently Malaysia was a name given relating to the apparent lethargic laziness on the locals by the English colonist's referring to the English word "malaise".. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/malaise
Hence the English brought Indians and Chinese to the peninsular as workers. In later days the name was changed to Malaya by the English. But after independence the Bumis threw away "Malaya" reverting to "Malaysia" believing they had dumped the foreign name.
I only know that when spending time in Malaysia those afflicted with the "malaise" are pretty obvious.
"The government announced that there will be no further conditions placed on the importation or local printing of Bibles for Sabah and Sarawak, in recognition of the large Christian communities in these states."
I bet it won't be long before the Muslims prove this statement to be dust in the wind...