Several weeks ago we received a forwarded chain email from a fellow Muslim. Accompanying it was an attachment of several graphic files and a clamorous appeal to spread the message to as many Muslims here as possible.
Apparently another missionary group is spreading anti-Islam comics here in Singapore. This time they are specifically targeting impressionable Muslim youth with the message that Allah is a false God and that He has been fashioned out of an ancient pagan idol.
The email signed off with reminder that it is the duty of every Muslim to ensure that our youths are protected from the activities of these missionaries and to spread the message around.
The comic in question has been published by Jack Chick, an American zealot well acclaimed for his bigotry and erroneous knowledge on religions. His website has been banned by the Singapore authorities and the distribution of some of his works has been deemed unlawful. Earlier last year, a Singaporean couple was charged in court for distributing another copy of his comic titled “The Child Bride”. I wrote about that incident in a previous post.
Needless to say, the allegation made in the email is disturbing indeed. It’s not difficult to see from the sample tract above that such a literature does very little justice to the social fabric of this country.
But what is perhaps more unsettling is the fact that the email has been forwarded to several dozen Muslims here in Singapore, all of whom could have also forwarded it to relatives and friends of their own, ad infinitum.
Chain mails with religiously-charged messages could be vectors of dire consequences if left unchecked, especially in the context of a multi-racial country like Singapore.
Have we forgotten the fact that several decades ago, racial riots ignited across the country on the premise of several unverified rumours? Allegations that a Chinese mob had murdered a Malay trishaw rider sparked off a murderous wave that killed 13 people in 1964. With the speed of available technology, an unbridled chain email such as this could potentially do worse than that.
Yes, I am aware that certain groups here may be spreading hate against Islam. Some are distributing it physically via comic strips and popular literature while others prefer to hide behind a cloak of anonymity on the Internet. My advice to fellow Muslims is that if they were to receive similar hate literatures from any missionary group, report it immediately to the police. Such actions are against the law in this country and it will be best to leave enforcement action to the authorities. They will be in the best position to deal with, and most importantly, contain the matter. Loose lips sink ships and we wouldn’t want to blow it out of proportion that it really is.
Vile rumours on Islam and Muhammad are rampant on the Internet. Instead of reacting to them in a manner that will degenerate us, it will be best if we can clear the misconceptions that they might have instead. This could be the chance for them to get to know Islam better.
Adding on to the Myth Series of articles, I have added on the subject of the crescent moon symbol in Islam. Do check it out.
I have traced the source of the email and sent a message to the sender, offering my help in making a police report against the alleged propagator of the comics in Singapore. To date, the person has not replied. I sure do hope he changes his mind if he is serious about his duty.
Apparently another missionary group is spreading anti-Islam comics here in Singapore. This time they are specifically targeting impressionable Muslim youth with the message that Allah is a false God and that He has been fashioned out of an ancient pagan idol.
The email signed off with reminder that it is the duty of every Muslim to ensure that our youths are protected from the activities of these missionaries and to spread the message around.
The comic in question has been published by Jack Chick, an American zealot well acclaimed for his bigotry and erroneous knowledge on religions. His website has been banned by the Singapore authorities and the distribution of some of his works has been deemed unlawful. Earlier last year, a Singaporean couple was charged in court for distributing another copy of his comic titled “The Child Bride”. I wrote about that incident in a previous post.
Needless to say, the allegation made in the email is disturbing indeed. It’s not difficult to see from the sample tract above that such a literature does very little justice to the social fabric of this country.
But what is perhaps more unsettling is the fact that the email has been forwarded to several dozen Muslims here in Singapore, all of whom could have also forwarded it to relatives and friends of their own, ad infinitum.
Chain mails with religiously-charged messages could be vectors of dire consequences if left unchecked, especially in the context of a multi-racial country like Singapore.
Have we forgotten the fact that several decades ago, racial riots ignited across the country on the premise of several unverified rumours? Allegations that a Chinese mob had murdered a Malay trishaw rider sparked off a murderous wave that killed 13 people in 1964. With the speed of available technology, an unbridled chain email such as this could potentially do worse than that.
Yes, I am aware that certain groups here may be spreading hate against Islam. Some are distributing it physically via comic strips and popular literature while others prefer to hide behind a cloak of anonymity on the Internet. My advice to fellow Muslims is that if they were to receive similar hate literatures from any missionary group, report it immediately to the police. Such actions are against the law in this country and it will be best to leave enforcement action to the authorities. They will be in the best position to deal with, and most importantly, contain the matter. Loose lips sink ships and we wouldn’t want to blow it out of proportion that it really is.
Vile rumours on Islam and Muhammad are rampant on the Internet. Instead of reacting to them in a manner that will degenerate us, it will be best if we can clear the misconceptions that they might have instead. This could be the chance for them to get to know Islam better.
Adding on to the Myth Series of articles, I have added on the subject of the crescent moon symbol in Islam. Do check it out.
I have traced the source of the email and sent a message to the sender, offering my help in making a police report against the alleged propagator of the comics in Singapore. To date, the person has not replied. I sure do hope he changes his mind if he is serious about his duty.
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