Written by Stefan van der Berg: Ministry Leader at dia-LOGOS
Blasphemy is the blade, but those who swing it often have anything but religion on their minds.
For millions of Christians around the world, simply following their faith comes at a heavy price.
According to Open Doors International, an estimated 365 million experience persecution and discrimination due to their identification with Jesus Christ. Ranked seventh on Open Doors' World Watch List of countries most restrictive towards Christianity, Pakistan serves as a stark example.
A recent event in Lahore, a bustling city within Pakistan, exposed a troubling reality simmering beneath the surface. A married couple's shopping trip took a horrifying turn, highlighting the weaponization of blasphemy laws in this nation.
The woman's "crime"? Wearing a dress adorned with Arabic calligraphy. This seemingly innocuous act sparked outrage in a passerby, who, blinded by self-righteous fury, deemed it blasphemous. Here's the crux of the issue: the calligraphy simply read "Hilwa" – Arabic for "good" or "beautiful." This man, clearly lacking basic literacy skills, ignited a mob fueled by ignorance and blind faith.
In Pakistan, the mere accusation of blasphemy carries the weight of a death sentence. The woman found herself trapped, facing a bloodthirsty mob baying for her head. Thankfully, courageous shopkeepers and bystanders intervened, creating a human shield against the impending violence. Leading this charge was Assistant Superintendent of Police Shehrbano Naqvi, a beacon of bravery who rescued the woman at great personal risk.
This incident wasn't an isolated event. Remember Mashal Khan, a brilliant student brutally murdered over a fabricated Facebook post deemed blasphemous? The truth? A personal vendetta disguised as religious outrage. Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan manager, lynched by a mob for "blasphemy" after disciplining unruly workers, exposes the exploitation of this law.
The legal system itself becomes a labyrinth. Fear of mob violence and legal persecution often leads lower courts to impose harsh sentences on flimsy evidence. Aasia Bibi's case is a stark reminder: eight years stolen before the Supreme Court overturned a baseless conviction fueled by personal animosity. In all these cases, the true perpetrators – the false accusers – walked free.
The woman's ordeal doesn't end with her escape. Even after the revelation of the harmless Arabic word, the mob demanded a public apology. Visibly traumatized, she complied, surrounded by intimidating clerics. This begs a crucial question: what does this say about Pakistan? Where a woman is forced to beg forgiveness for simply existing and wearing a dress?
Meanwhile, the self-proclaimed religious vigilantes remain unrepentant. They shift blame, accusing the woman of misleading the "ignorant" public. Their interviews expose a chilling truth: their motivations were never religious, but a twisted desire for control and violence.
The Devastating Impact on Minorities
The brutal attack on the Christian community in Jaranwala in August 2023 wasn't an isolated incident. It served as a chilling reminder of the precarious situation faced by many religious minorities in Pakistan. Pakistan's blasphemy laws, notorious for their misuse, are wielded disproportionately against these groups, creating a climate of fear and persecution.
Christians, despite being a mere 1.8% of Pakistan's population, bear the brunt of these accusations. A 2023 report by the Movement for Solidarity and Peace (MSP) found a staggering statistic: roughly 25% of all blasphemy accusations target Christians. This disproportionate targeting exposes a clear bias within the system.
The harassment extends far beyond accusations. Forceful conversions, particularly of Christian girls and girls from other minority religions, are a growing concern. These conversions, often backed by lower courts, highlight the vulnerability of these communities. Churches engaged in outreach activities face constant opposition, further stifling their religious freedom.
The Pakistani legal system isn't the only weapon used to marginalize minorities. Christians, along with other minority groups, face deeply ingrained societal discrimination. This manifests in the form of limited opportunities for education and employment. They are relegated to menial jobs deemed "low, dirty, and degrading" by the authorities, reinforcing social and economic barriers.
Statistics on Forced Conversions and Discrimination
According to a 2020 report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) Pakistan, there were over 1000 documented cases of forced conversions of girls from religious minorities between 2014 and 2020.
A 2022 report by the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) found that 90% of sanitation workers in Pakistan belong to minority religious groups.
The weapon of blasphemy is wielded by those who exploit religious fervor often for personal gain.
It's a blade that carves a path of destruction, silencing dissent and extinguishing innocent lives.
A Christian Response:
The question we need to ask ourselves is how we respond when our faith is under fire?
How do we approach sinners, knowing that we are sinners ourselves?
Are we proclaiming a religion of remission or an angry God who seeks, condemns, and judges?
The Ear of Malchus
One of my favourite examples of a remissive God is found in the garden of Gethsemane, and from a man you probably don’t remember – MALCHUS. And yet, the interaction between Malchus and short-tempered, defender-of-faith, self-righteous Simon Peter, sets an example so definitive that it simply cannot be ignored.
The question we need to answer is where are we in this crowd?
If we see ourselves as defenders of faith, exposers of sin, guardians of truth and protectors of Christian virtues, we need to take the following to heart: (by Gerald M. Bilkes )
Armed with swords and clubs and torches, a band of about two hundred soldiers and temple guards arrived in Gethsemane, led by Judas. Jesus then allowed these soldiers to bind His hands – hands that had healed the sick, blessed children, and done so many miracles (John 18:8-12). But before being bound, Jesus would do one last act of healing with those blessed hands, and that on an enemy who had come to bind His hands.
Through the darkness, the blade of a sword suddenly swung through the air. Had some soldier from the temple guard gone on attack? No. One of the Lord’s disciples reached for his sword and pulled it out of its sheath. He lunged towards the group and aimed for the head of one of them. Perhaps in the dim light the man named Malchus saw the shining blade coming his way and, throwing his weight to one side, survived the attack. John tells us that the victim’s name was Malchus.
Malchus was one of the most recognized people in Jerusalem during the First Century. He was the personal assistant to Caiaphas, the High Priest, and his chief duty involved listening. He was the “ear” of Caiaphas. Malchus listened to the Roman militia that occupied Jerusalem. He listened to the Pharisees, the Herodians, even the common-folks. And he reported all that was significant back to Caiaphas. It’s strange that you hear nothing of his name until John 18:10 where the Bible says “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)”
Although his name appears as an afterthought there is nothing insignificance about this narrative. Here was Malchus tracking Jesus, most likely, for the three years of His public ministry. Malchus, ready to arrest, suddenly became the victim. The sword missed its intended target and instead cut off Malchus’s ear.
Imagine Malchus reaching for the right side of his head to find his ear gone and his head bleeding profusely. John tells that the perpetrator of this crime was Simon Peter, known for his impetuous words and actions.
What did this sword-wielding disciple’s action accomplish? Was he helping his Lord here? No; not only did Peter do damage to Malchus, he brought damage to his Lord and to his reputation. Christ had just said in Peter’s hearing: “Let these go their way” (John 18:8). He should have taken this as a cue that what was going to happen would not involve him, but instead of getting out of the way, Peter got in the way. His sword dripping with blood, he was more ready for Armageddon than for the Passion.
We often respond like Peter did when we see more of the enemy around us than we do the guilt within us. We are so easily persuaded to see Christianity as a cause in which we must fight. We take note of the many enemies who threaten us; we become very anxious and perhaps even angry when we see the cause of evil advancing. But we should remember that Christianity is not, in sum and substance, a cause to be fought outside of us as much as a work of grace within us. That grace causes us to rest in the finished work of Christ. If we had to add one sword stroke to the cause of our salvation, we would be lost forever.
No wonder, then, that the Lord admonished Peter: “Put up thy sword into the sheath” (John 18:11). Scripture elsewhere codifies the lesson as follows: “Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). This is not the time for fighting. “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God” (2 Cor. 10:4).
So, the question remains, in our good endeavours to expose sinners and sin, do we reflect the God of remission, the year of favour, or a god like all others, a god of vengeance, quick to anger and slow to forgive.