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Pakistani gov degrades Wikipedia connections due to blasphemy

pta.gov.pk

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Re: Pakistani gov degrades Wikipedia connections due to blasphemy

#152
post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd describe Twitter as closer to a news site in the modern era. There are a lot of journalists and other important public figures sharing information there, and that's especially true for important live news events like earthquakes. (Twitter is the first place I check if I feel the house shake, for example.)

the presence of journalists does not make twitter a "news" site. Twitter is a firehose of misinformation and nonsense, a fraction of which has some value.

I agree with your point. But to be fair, many news sites are also a source of misinformation and nonsense, a fraction of which has some value. When hearing any news, I think it's important to get some independent verification before doing anything serious with it. News sites should be doing that verification, but they are strongly pressured to get news out fast, and verification often suffers.

Re: Pakistani gov degrades Wikipedia connections due to blasphemy

#154

I can hardly imagine an idea more ridiculous than "blasphemy". The G-d is not a psychologically immature human being easy to offend. Nothing a human might possibly say can change the state of G-d from perfect harmony to anything else.

"Blasphemy" as an excuse is no better or worse than its American cousins such as "election interference" and "sowing discord/disunity" as an excuse for quashing rights of expression.

Re: Pakistani gov degrades Wikipedia connections due to blasphemy

#155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where, how, when does Google say there are more that two genders? By the way gender is a spectrum. A narrow spectrum where two genders describes most of the spectrum. But you get exceptions. Maybe being narrow minded is not the way. Expand yourself.

I am not necessarily parents opinion and I am also atheist, but no, it depends on your definition on gender and sex. Maybe you should expand yourself.

[deleted]

Re: Pakistani gov degrades Wikipedia connections due to blasphemy

#156

I can hardly imagine an idea more ridiculous than "blasphemy". The G-d is not a psychologically immature human being easy to offend. Nothing a human might possibly say can change the state of G-d from perfect harmony to anything else.

How do you feel about banning hate speech? Blasphemy can be viewed by a believer of any faith as hate speech against God. Likewise, hate speech can be viewed as blasphemy against the values of liberalism.

Re: Pakistani gov degrades Wikipedia connections due to blasphemy

#157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, definitely comparable scenarios. I think it is. Pakastan can create whatever laws fit its culture. I would never dare to imagine imposing my values or beliefs on them. They should create their own Wiki alternative and make it popular within their nation. [Edit] Or if their people see fit change their laws, overthrow their government or whatever they deem appropriate for their culture. But that is entirely on the…

The death penalty is abhorrent and indefensible, and religious freedom and the right to free expression are both included in the universal declaration of human rights, to which Pakistan is a signatory.

>The death penalty is abhorrent and indefensible

Believe it or not, but some places don't have the resources to hold people in jail for decades.

If there was a murderer and the place had no way to actually keep the murderer away from the general population, what would you recommend? Just ask the murderer to not murder again?

Re: Pakistani gov degrades Wikipedia connections due to blasphemy

#158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is common in Judaism. I am not Jewish, so someone please correct me: I understand taking the name in vain or destroying the word once written are a no-go -- so if you never write it then there is not a big issue here.

Not Jewish, but that is indeed the Jewish tradition. The intention is respect/reverence.

Writing 'God' is disrespectful vs drawing God is disrespectful... Both of these are absurd. The above comment criticizing one while deferring from the other is comically absurd.

Re: Pakistani gov degrades Wikipedia connections due to blasphemy

#159
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

That implies that “modern” is unequivocally better than anything else.

One modern alternative is "no religion", which is better than any religion that enforces this kind of crap. This is the position any modern governing entity should take.

I don't have a problem with religion in principle, only when it is used as justification to mistreat others, as is happening here. At that point any spiritual benefits it offers adherents are outweighed by the societal harm it causes. There are good religions like this, they just don't preach about exciting fire and brimstone from the pulpit.

Re: Pakistani gov degrades Wikipedia connections due to blasphemy

#160
Other big most visited web-pages need to degrade their connection in to Pakistan in solidarity with Wikipedia, if they care even one bit about free and open Web, otherwise it will never stop and more and more countries will use these methods to get their demands through.
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