J Bush (no relation!) Posted 2009-04-01

The president of the Moroccan Centre for Human Rights seriously mis-states the attitude of the United States government toward religious conversion. There is no government authorized effort to "protect secularism and the Christian faith from the spread of Islam". If this error is the sole basis for his assertion that Morocco has the right to forbid trying to change individuals' faith then the the "right" he asserts vanishes. Were Morocco to imitate the United States policy it might find that Christianity has the same success in Morocco that Islam enjoys in the United States--slowly spreading and finding gradual acceptance among those attracted to its practice. It is not Islam but fundamentalist-inspired terrorism that Americans reject.

ummunussayr Posted 2009-04-02

These missionaries, does not only existing in our present times, but we find that we have had a long history with them existing in Morocco. However, the Moroccan people even though they were exposed to poverty, ignorance, simplicity and hardships in their lives, they were steadfast in their faith (aqeedah) and could not be swayed easily from their belief. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether our youth of today are going to follow the footsteps of their forefathers or are they going to be inclined toward the materialistic life, which is no longer helpful - perfect example is the West today (America), who is taking a downward spiral in every way, especially spiritually. The danger now, is the fact that our youth, who are more inclined towards the Western idealogies and lifestyles could easily be influenced by these missionaries, seeing it as an escape. Ask any emigrant Moroccan who lives amongst the non-believers, who maybe thought that for them too it was an escape, but now find themselves more steadfast in their Islamic belief than before because they live(d) in the reality of trying to escape their situations in Morocco. Another factor which also should be considered to be a danger to our society is our 2 TV channels (2M and its shakika sister ElMagribiyya) which broadcasts not much interesting programmes but rather more music and naked western lifestyles. Lets ask ourselves, who is going to say something or try to protest about these channels? Nevertheless, a thunderous applause for the Moroccan government for everything they do and especially in trying to protect the Islamic Sunni Maliki doctrine in our great historical country. May Allah protect our youth, our country, our religion and enable us to remain victorious. Murabitun, Muwahidun......

simo Posted 2009-04-02

I have two remarks to make: First, do we guarantee the freedom of religion in our country or not? There are not 36 thousand answers to this question. Second, if the faith of some “Muslims” is this fragile, then let them try to get to know some other religions if they are healthy adults. According to the precepts of this religion, No one is constrained at all to Islam. Every time there is an article on religion in Morocco, the journalists ask the point of view of someone in charge at the Justice and Development Party. This is quite an aberration because this party is far from being the spokesman for Islam in Morocco. On the contrary, the effort this party makes to “use” Islam - its currency - does serious harm to the religion and to Muslims. Islam has always been was, currently is and will always be a matter of personal conviction, a direct relationship between God and the human being without any intermediary. Islam does not have a clergy and it never will need to have one. A word to the wise! -Bye

Abu Nussayr Posted 2009-04-03

Praise be to God, peace and prayer be upon the honorable messenger, his family and companions. One of the attitudes for which the Moroccan government is praised is its position for long years as a high mountain to the expansion of Shiism, the sweeping Christian conversion whose presence in Morocco in particular is not random or spontaneous. Its presence is deep in history and the struggle with the Christian West. Someone might wonder about the freedom of religions, religious tolerance hailed by the Moroccan government to this day as many Christian sides hail it. Supposing we blame the position of the Moroccan government for the expulsion of these groups which make people leave their religions on the grounds of freedom of religion, I want to ask a question hoping to find a solution. Would the west which boasts of freedom and freedom of religions authorizes the same thing? Muslims in Europe live in constant fear. They are also subject to numerous and varied prosecutions even in airports. If the non-European is really Christian or imitates them, he is treated very badly. But when the Muslim calls for the religion of God in the West, he does so from his conviction. He doesn't resort to money or temptations which attract some weak-hearted Muslims oppressed by poverty. But the Muslims uses argument, evidence and logic because he knows in his call that he calls for the right. So let them authorize us to call for our religion and we will let them call for their religion without money or temptations. Those who follow them will belong to them and we will thus have achieved the principle of the freedom of religion.

Des Fonctionnaires Posted 2009-04-08

The public workers of the Municipality of Paris have also been victims of proselytism. Indeed, they are currently being threatened by certain people in this municipality. Proselytism, suicide, discrimination and working conditions that are becoming ever more deplorable are realities disturbing certain public workers in the municipality of Paris. Here you have it, this is what is really going on in certain parts of the city services: agents have been reporting and lodging complaints with the police for several years now about the proselytising that has been going on at their work place, as well as about harassment and feelings of suicide and depression. Some agents have been depressed for over a year and others are suffering from great moral distress. What has the mayor of Paris done about this? He passed the buck. What did the City of Paris’ courts do? They passed the buck. What did the Office of Human Resources do? They passed the buck. What did the Bureau of Discrimination of Harassment do? They also passed the buck! With the exception of the investigations done on those who filed the charges, which was in disregard for the law protecting public workers, nothing – nothing at all – has been done since 2001. One investigation was even conducted against the victims of such activities by a director that was party to the proselytism at the workplace during work hours. False testimonies, anonymous letters and petitions were recorded in the victims’ administrative files. Some victims were judged by a more than dubious disciplinary council, whose head members at the union headquarters are also party to this affair. Some agents interviewed by the directors we even put…

hayzoun Posted 2009-04-09

45 plain-clothes police officers with two vans and a jeep forced their way into an apartment where 25 Christians, a man and a child were located. They took their cellular telephones and computers. After humiliating everyone, they all left in the vans. Four Spaniards and one German were expelled, they let the Americans go out of fear of the United States and the Moroccans got three months in prison with reprieve. So, what dialogue of religion are you speaking of? I think the Protestants must love their country and king a lot!

hayzoun Posted 2009-05-29

With God as my witness, I do not know what is happening to our Moroccan citizens. Islam is not a “man” – not even Christianity is. These are ideas able to be discussed, and every human being has the right to accept them or not. Yet, we know that a handful of politicos possess all the country’s resources, the Royal Family takes one third of the state budget for itself every year, all juridical and legislative power is concentrated in the hands of the monarchy. The ministers are only functionaries enforcing royal directives, and the parliamentarians are functionaries too. The problem for us Moroccans is the representation of the people and democracy. All of our rights are under at mast. Our individual liberties are being monitored. Poverty is increasing, as are unemployment and delinquency. Only a fair constitution which treats all Moroccans – men and women – equally can save us from under-development and illiteracy, which thoroughly envelop us. But, the fact of adoring Jesus or Mohamed can under no circumstances shake anyone else’s father, what ever it may be. –Ahmed Hayzoun

hamou Posted 2009-09-28

This is not acceptable. What the government did was the right thing.

ibrahim Posted 2010-07-17

i very rarely 'blog' however uopon reading these comments i felt it my duty to. re: wikings Posted 2009-12-02 secularism in europe caused all the fighting over the centuries it didnt remove it!! if christian countries had christian rulership none of the european wars would of happened read your bible from cover to cover, you will find christianity to be the violent religion true religion like islam seeks to destroy the illnesses of the heart and indirectly seeks to eliminate the causes of war such as intolerance, racism, tribalism, greed, love of land, love of money, love of power, love of position. re: مسيحي مغربي Posted 2009-08-25 you say that christians cannot openly talk about thier religion, lets put things in perpective, in muslim countries muslims cannot openly talk about their religion. also muslim countries try even harder to stop the growth of islam than they do to stop the growth of christianity because it means the loss of their own rulership. islam seeks to win over the hearts of all of mankind. will that be acheived by hating and alienating people??