Dear Bill Maher

Dear Bill Maher,
I like you for telling the truth. Not many celebrities are as intelligent and courageous as you. But I think, to get more truth, you should visit India and paint Hindu Goddesses naked like M F Hussain. You would most likely be killed by Hindu fanatics, or you would be imprisoned because of laws against blasphemy. Many cases would be filed against you by Hindus for hurting their religious feelings. It is a punishable crime to hurt people’s religious feelings in the Indian subcontinent and many other countries in the world. And if you speak against Christianity, catholic bishops will put your life in danger. You have to run away to save your life like Sanal Edamaruku. In Europe, ninety-nine individuals were convicted last year by the Maltese Courts for public blasphemy, and 119 were convicted previous year. You know three members of Pussy Riot, Russian Music group were sentenced to two years in prison for staging a performance at the Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. If it were not a church or a cathedral, Pussy Riot members would not be in prison. Dear Bill Maher, why don’t you try to do abortion in some of the states of your country, and see what happens. You know how Christian fundamentalists kill doctors in the name of Christianity. Why don’t you go to Italy just to see how impossible it is to get an abortion?

It is true that Islam is the most rigid, and non-reformed religion in the world and young Muslims get brainwashed to stop their thinking minds and become terrorists. But it is not true that other religions were bad only in the Middle Ages and now they are all good and safe. If Christian/Hindu/Jewish etc. fundamentalists get the opportunities to be terrorists, like Muslim fundamentalists get, they will become as intolerant and dangerous as Muslim terrorists. All religions have the potentials to make terrorists at any time. Even Buddhism, a so called peaceful religion can make terrorists. I hope you know how Buddhists in Myanmar killed and displaced thousands of poor Muslims. No one should forget about anti-Muslim pogrom of Gujarat in 2002. 2000 innocent Muslims were killed by Hindu extremists.

Islam has been used politically more than other religions. If there were no enlightenment era in Europe, most European Christians would have allowed the churches to continue their barbaric inquisition or their crusades against infidels today. Islam has not been given much opportunities to get critical scrutiny like other religions have been given. Muslims have been prevented from going through the enlightenment process other religious communities have been gone through. If the right of ex-Muslim atheists to freedom of expression were not violated, many Muslims would become atheists the way many Christians and Jews became atheists in the West. The problem is, not only foolish Muslim leaders , many clever non-Muslim leaders also want Islam to stay stagnant in the darkness.

You are a visionary man. I am requesting you to broaden your vision a bit.

Humanistically
Taslima

Justin Bieber’s mother is brainwashing women to go against abortion.

“We really need to get over this love affair with the fetus and start worrying about children.” – Joycelyn Elders

Justin Bieber’s mother is now brainwashing women for not to have an abortion, because their babies can become world famous & billionaire like Justin Bieber.

Pattie Mallette, better known as Justin Bieber’s mother, has been very open over the years about her anti-abortion stance. The single mother got pregnant while she was still in high school, but after converting to Christianity, she decided to keep the child, which worked out pretty well considering he turned into the most famous pop star in the world.

Earlier today, Mallette announced she’s executive producing an anti-abortion short film that will be shown at various events across the country starting on February 28. Entitled Crescendo, it was conceived and shot with a goal of raising $10 million for pregnancy centers across the country that will advise women to consider options other than abortion. Here’s what Pattie had to say…

” (I want Crescendo to) encourage young women all over the world, just like me, to let them know that there is a place to go, people who will take care of you and a safe home to live in if you are pregnant and think you have nowhere else to turn.”

Mack Rawden from Cinemablend wanted to know whether or not people would watch this short film if it was available for free.’What do you think? If Crescendo was available on YouTube, would you watch it?’
My answer is, I will watch the film to see how far Justin’s mother has gone to brainwash women against abortion but I will never agree with them who think women should not abort their fetuses because fetuses become babies and babies can become Biebers. They can become Biebers, but they can become Monsters too. Women must have an abortion if they want to have an abortion. Their body, their choice. Nobody has the right to force women to go against their choice.

Not celebrating Christmas the Mass of Christ

Most Christians believe December 25th is the birthday of Jesus, but some historians do not believe December 25th is the birthday of Jesus. Among Ex-Christian atheists most celebrate Christmas, some don’t. I am in favor of not celebrating Christmas. Atheists treat Christmas as winter solstice, the Pagan holiday. I am nor in favor of celebrating Pagan superstitions. Both Christians and atheists love Christmas trees, Christmas gifts, Christmas lights, Christmas songs and snow-man, Christmas family dinner. I like trees, lights, gifts, family feast too. But I can get those things any other times, I do not need a specific day for those, especially not the day when millions of non-scientific minds, superstitious souls, celebrate their religious holy day.

I have decided to celebrate some of the birthdays this week. On December 24, I will celebrate the birth of physicist James Prescott Joule, who discovered a simple law connecting the current and resistance with the heat generated, and investigated the conversion of electrical and mechanical work into heat. On December 25, German author Charlotte von Stein’s birthday, I will celebrate the day by reading her books. It’s a great great day. Sir Isaac Newton, the English physicist, mathematician, astronomer’s birthday will be celebrated with music. Newton described universal gravitation and the three laws of motion, which dominated the scientific view of the physical universe for the next three centuries. On December 26, I will celebrate the birth of Charles Babbage, a mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer who originated the concept of a programmable computer. On December 27, I will celebrate the birth of German astronomer Johann Kepler who discovered elliptical orbits and of Louis Pasteur, a French chemist and microbiologist, who created the first vaccines for rabies and anthrax and invented a method to treat milk and wine in order to prevent it from causing sickness, and of George Cayley who founded the science of aerodynamics and invented gliders. On December 28, it will be Auguste Lumiere and Louis Lumiere who were twin brothers opened the first commercial cinema, and American scientist, Kary Mullis a Nobel Prize winning American biochemist, author, who developed the polymerase chain reaction or PCR technique. December 29 will be celebrated for Charles Macintosh, a Scottish chemist and inventor of waterproof fabrics (Mackintosh raincoat). And for Charles Goodyear who invented the vulcanization process for rubber. On December 30, I will definitely drink a few bottles of Coca-Cola to celebrates the birth of Asa Griggs Candler who invented Coca-Cola. And will use my photo printer to celebrate Larry Bartlett’s birthday, Larry invented black and white photographic printer. And on December 31, I will celebrate the birth of American astronomer, Robert G Aitken, who was the first to discover binary stars. Then comes New Year’s Eve. I do not celebrate New Year’s Eve because I feel the first day of a new year is just like any other day. I do not find any reason to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Are you thinking I am weird? Don’t worry, you can think whatever you like. I respect your right to have a thinking mind.

Why do atheists need to celebrate Christmas?

I celebrate no religious festivals since my childhood. I don’t celebrate because I am an atheist. I can’t find a reason to celebrate Eid, Puja, Christmas, Hanukkah etc. Do I need to celebrate something? Not really. But if I feel like celebrating a special Day, there are plenty of Days out there. Human Rights Day. Women’s Day, Children’s Day, International Labour Day, World Poetry Day, World Health Day, Darwin Day etc. A humane holiday is universal. [Read more…]

Women Bishops!

Everybody thought the Church of England general synod was going to vote for women bishops. But they voted against it. I am not surprised. Don’t we already know that religionists are against women’s equality?

But anyway, what is so revolutionary about women bishops!

The truth is I am not very excited about women becoming priests or bishops, imams or monks. I do not think women should believe in anti-women religions.

I have recently learned about ordination of women. [Read more…]

Islamic fairy tale

Muhammad visited heaven and hell. He met Allah, the creator of the universe. It was 7th century. There was no space-shuttle or airplane or helicopter. He did not have wings to fly. Angle Gabriel brought a buraq, a white animal, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey. Some people imagined buraq as kamdhenu, a beautiful winged animal with a face of a human and with a body of a horse. Muhammad rode buraq from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque in Jerusalem. After his prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque he was raised to heaven in the sky. Where the hell is heaven? We do not know, our astronauts also do not know anything about it. The Quarn says, ‘Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al- Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.’ (Qur’an 17:1), ‘Behold! We told thee that thy Lord doth encompass mankind round about: We granted the vision which We showed thee, but as a trial for men,- as also the Cursed Tree (mentioned) in the Qur’an: We put terror (and warning) into them, but it only increases their inordinate transgression!’ (Qur’an 17:60), ‘For indeed he saw him at a second descent, Near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass:Near it is the Garden of Abode. Behold, the Lote-tree was shrouded (in mystery unspeakable!) (His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong! For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest!'(Qur’an 53:13-18).

Muhammad saw heaven.

He met Abraham, Moses, and Jesus in heaven.

Muhammad visited hell.

Muhammad met Allah. The bargaining part is the best part. After much persuasion, Allah reduced the number of prayers from 50 times to 5 times a day.

Narrated Abbas bin Malik: Malik bin Sasaa said that Allah’s Apostle described to them his Night Journey saying, “While I was lying in Al-Hatim or Al-Hijr, suddenly someone came to me and cut my body open from here to here.” I asked Al-Jarud who was by my side, “What does he mean?” He said, “It means from his throat to his pubic area,” or said, “From the top of the chest.” The Prophet further said, “He then took out my heart. Then a gold tray of Belief was brought to me and my heart was washed and was filled (with Belief) and then returned to its original place. Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me.” (On this Al-Jarud asked, “Was it the Buraq, O Abu Hamza?” I (i.e. Anas) replied in the affirmative). The Prophet said, “The animal’s step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal’s sight. I was carried on it, and Gabriel set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven. When he asked for the gate to be opened, it was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel answered, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has Muhammad been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!’ The gate was opened, and when I went over the first heaven, I saw Adam there. Gabriel said (to me). ‘This is your father, Adam; pay him your greetings.’ So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.’ Then Gabriel ascended with me till we reached the second heaven. Gabriel asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel answered, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel answered in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!’ The gate was opened. When I went over the second heaven, there I saw Yahya (i.e. John) and ‘Isa (i.e. Jesus) who were cousins of each other. Gabriel said (to me), ‘These are John and Jesus; pay them your greetings.’ So I greeted them and both of them returned my greetings to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Gabriel ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is!’ The gate was opened, and when I went over the third heaven there I saw Joseph. Gabriel said (to me), ‘This is Joseph; pay him your greetings.’ So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed, what an excel lent visit his is!’ The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idris. Gabriel said (to me), ‘This is Idris; pay him your greetings.’ So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked. ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is! So when I went over the fifth heaven, there I saw Harun (i.e. Aaron), Gabriel said, (to me). This is Aaron; pay him your greetings.’ I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Gabriel ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked. ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. It was said, ‘He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!’ When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Moses. Gabriel said (to me),’ This is Moses; pay him your greeting. So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ When I left him (i.e. Moses) he wept. Someone asked him, ‘What makes you weep?’ Moses said, ‘I weep because after me there has been sent (as Prophet) a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.’ Then Gabriel ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked,’ Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!’ So when I went (over the seventh heaven), there I saw Abraham. Gabriel said (to me), ‘This is your father; pay your greetings to him.’ So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.’ Then I was made to ascend to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary) Behold! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajr (i.e. a place near Medina) and its leaves were as big as the ears of elephants. Gabriel said, ‘This is the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary) . Behold ! There ran four rivers, two were hidden and two were visible, I asked, ‘What are these two kinds of rivers, O Gabriel?’ He replied,’ As for the hidden rivers, they are two rivers in Paradise and the visible rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates.’ Then Al-Bait-ul-Ma’mur (i.e. the Sacred House) was shown to me and a container full of wine and another full of milk and a third full of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. Gabriel remarked, ‘This is the Islamic religion which you and your followers are following.’ Then the prayers were enjoined on me: They were fifty prayers a day. When I returned, I passed by Moses who asked (me), ‘What have you been ordered to do?’ I replied, ‘I have been ordered to offer fifty prayers a day.’ Moses said, ‘Your followers cannot bear fifty prayers a day, and by Allah, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel (in vain). Go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers’ burden.’ So I went back, and Allah reduced ten prayers for me. Then again I came to Moses, but he repeated the same as he had said before. Then again I went back to Allah and He reduced ten more prayers. When I came back to Moses he said the same, I went back to Allah and He ordered me to observe ten prayers a day. When I came back to Moses, he repeated the same advice, so I went back to Allah and was ordered to observe five prayers a day. When I came back to Moses, he said, ‘What have you been ordered?’ I replied, ‘I have been ordered to observe five prayers a day.’ He said, ‘Your followers cannot bear five prayers a day, and no doubt, I have got an experience of the people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel, so go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your follower’s burden.’ I said, ‘I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allah’s Order.’ When I left, I heard a voice saying, ‘I have passed My Order and have lessened the burden of My Worshipers.” (Book: 8, Bukhari Hadith: 227)

After meeting with Allah Muhammad returned to Mecca. The end of the fairy tale. But the Quran and the Hadith claim Muhammad’s visit to heaven is a fact, not a myth. Islam says that he who does not believe in the Quran and the Sahih Hadith is not a Muslim. ‘Do Muslims really believe this fairy tale is a true story?’ I asked a friend. He said, ‘Of course they believe in Miraj, Muhammad’s night journey to heaven.’ I said, ‘How can they believe in such an weird thingy?’ He laughed, said, ‘Muslims believe in weird thingy exactly the way Christians believe that Jesus walked on water or Jews believe in heaven and hell or Hindus and Buddhists believe in reincarnation!’
I smiled and said, ‘It makes sense.’