A GROUP of Muslims who attended a multi-ethnic dinner at a Methodist Church hall in Malaysia are to receive counselling because Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the constitutional ruler of Malaysia’s central Selangor state, believes they may have been contaminated by their encounter with the infidels.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah
Shah is reported here as saying that Islamic officials who inspected a dinner at a Methodist church hall in early August found:
Evidence that there were attempts to subvert the faith and belief of Muslims.
The sultan did not elaborate on the evidence or mention Christians in his statement, but said the evidence was:
Insufficient for further legal actions to be taken.
However:
We command that (Islamic officials) provide counseling to Muslims who were involved in the said dinner, to restore their belief and faith in the religion of Islam.
Rev Hermen Shastri, the general secretary of Malaysia’s Council of Churches, said the sultan’s statement:
Brings closure to the case. No one should speculate or aggravate the situation further.
The sultan said yesterday that he was:
Gravely concerned and extremely offended by the attempts of certain parties to weaken the faith and belief of Muslims. We hope that after this, any and all activities … for the purposes of spreading other religions to Muslims in Selangor must be ceased immediately.
Church officials had repeatedly denied any proselytisation occurred at the dinner, which they described as a multi-ethnic gathering to celebrate the work of a community organisation that worked with women, children and HIV patients. Christian leaders had also criticised Islamic state enforcement officials for what they called an unauthorised raid.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
October 10th, 2011 at 5:40 pm
The muslim faith must be a fragile thing indeed to have such a tenuous hold on its adherents. I suppose if belief resides in an imaginary diety and is underpinned by a fantastical holy book the sultan has cause for concern. Happily, as an atheist I have no such concern as reason, underpinning atheism, ultimately takes care of itself.
October 10th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
Just as having the death penalty for apostacy is an admission that the whole thing is nonsense. If the religion were actually true there wouldn’t be any apostates, or infidels either for that matter.
October 10th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
Can’t really blame them can you?
The muslims who attended would have realised that you don’t have to pray 5 times a day to get to heaven and that attending just on sundays will be just as effective
October 10th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
What we needs here, says the King, is a brain-washing refresher!!
October 10th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Broga
Like you, I must admit to enjoying sitting back with a smug old smile on my face when stories like this surface.
Who gives a shit which particular non-existent sky fairy they want to believe in? Let them get on with their handbags-at-dawn little squabbles – they’re all as barmy as each other anyway. And more to the point, if they’re leaving the rest of us alone while they bicker about who tried to nick whose faithful, all well and good!
October 10th, 2011 at 10:39 pm
The Sultan said
#Evidence that there were attempts to subvert the faith and belief of Muslims.#
But didn’t offer any [evidence]
These twats need a good slap with a wet herring.
October 10th, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Have you seen this?
http://www.onislam.net/english.....hools.html
“Faith schools are by and large established to enforce the religious teachings of our lives, and the theory of creation is one of the cornerstones of our faith,†Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, from the Muslim Council of Britain, told the BBC.
"To expect faith schools not to teach this kind of religious teaching is unreasonable, but I also think it is important for faith schools to teach science to children as well so they are aware of modern day findings and can use the information to ask further questions and strengthen their faith.
"I don't believe any religious teaching prevents people from being creative and independent in their thinking."
Perhaps we should throw in the towel!
October 10th, 2011 at 11:42 pm
PS I’ll give Sheikh Mogadon one thing: when you believe the bullshit that he does, it certainly encourages you to be “creative in your thinking”!
October 11th, 2011 at 4:59 am
some lovely glazed ham and a rum cake. What’s wrong with that? …Oh. Oh dear.
October 11th, 2011 at 8:20 am
http://www.asianews.it/news-en.....22868.html
October 11th, 2011 at 9:07 am
“Perhaps we should throw in the towel!”
Do not dispair, barriejohn! The very same article also contained the following encouraging
news:
A 2005 survey published in Encyclopedia Britannica put non-believers at about 11.9 percent of the world’s population.
An official European Union survey recently said that 18 percent of the bloc’s population do not believe in God.
The Washington Post reported in September that atheist movements were growing across Europe, lobbying hard for political clout and airtime.
October 11th, 2011 at 10:34 am
I am always puzzled how easy is to “contaminate” some religious people. A believe that can be contaminated just by hearing some other ideas, at a dinner party how can be a strong belief?
October 11th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Anyone watch Spooks (4/6)the other night. After a few minutes, I thought WTF? They were showing islamics in their true (nasty) light. How did this get past the BC PC censors? Then it all turned out well in the end with a non-south-asian looking guy being the real “evil one” and the suicide bombers being the victims. Phew, I thought the BBC were going to suddenly start telling the truth for a change.
October 11th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Islam is the flakiest religion on the planet. Its childish adherents cannot be exposed to the slightest criticism of it or their faith is in danger of immediate collapse!
October 11th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
How about this, Newspaniard? It was on our local news!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-e.....e-15248883
October 11th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
@barriejohn I fail to see by what right the father has to forgive the death cultists for the injuries to his son. If his son did the forgiving or the soldier had not survived, that would be one thing but this looks like the father is siding with the taliban against his son. Very creepy
October 11th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Newspaniard: He has no right whatsoever. He doesn’t even appear to have consulted his son first!