Debate on Religion just what we Need

That's the title of my uncle's letter to MalaysiaKini to rebuttal the article written by Dr Ismail Ibrahim (on Agama Bukan Mainan di Media). The latter remarked that the Internet online newspaper abuses freedom of the press by opening a religious debate on various sensitive inter-religious issues and publishing cynical remarks. Dr Ismail also concluded that this media was playing with fire and setting off a possible time bomb!

When I read Dr Ismail's article, everything sounded fine as I do experience uneasiness and embarassment listening to loud slandering and condemning towards our country's PM on Islam Hadhari's failures in our own blogosphere-partly because I thought they are going across the wrong market readers and that this blogger should just channel those out by becoming a columnist for Harakah and such instead.

The part of my unc's letter that pulled the right chord in me is this:

This discussion on religion reflects the gap among Malaysians on each other’s religious and cultural heritage. It documents the failure of our educational system as well as institutions such as the Institute Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (Malaysian Institute for Islamic Understanding) which was once headed by Ismail himself.
On this score, we must admit that we have a lot more to learn and understand about each other in order to become better Malaysians.

And this mind blowing sentence which is extracted from Holy Al-Quran:

God created variations among us in order that we appreciate each other’s differences.

For those who still remember the late Johan Ismail of Joe-Blogs, I have an excerpt from his entry titled "It's only a movie for Bruce sakes!" (if you remember the huha about a Minister wanting to ban the movie, Bruce AlMighty) I would like to cross-reference with, and here's what he said:

"I just have this to say to the Minister, God in all His wisdom and greatness does not need a civil servant to protect His reputation. If anyone were to take this movie seriously then they belong in a psychiatric institution. If you are offended by the premise of the movie, DON'T SEE THE FILM. If you don't approve of the contest run by the radio station, SWITCH CHANNELS. Simple kan? No fuss, no bans required!"

Tsk! Tsk! It's so true, in reality, on any matters at all,
there are no sensitive issues, there are only sensitive people (proverb also by Johan Ismail)
I now see things in a different light, this IS a great place to document our thoughts and to look for others' thoughts, which helps us to reflect on ourselves. Although I wish subjects regarding spreading the religion should only be written beautifully. But, if limitations are imposed, particularly on religious matters, I guess we'll never get to see all these 'colours' and see things from many angles.

Conclusion for me: If I'm embarassed by any articles that're shouting negative vibrations for attention, ain't gonna read them. Heyh, I'm quite collected!! Ain't going near any psychiatric institution!

Here's mine since rules are largely imposed on printed matters:
Man created the cyberspace in order that we learn to appreciate each other’s differences.

It gives me piece of mind now that I know how to learn to appreciate them :)