The Muslim Rohingya people

Interesting podcast from the BBC Today programme:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/today/today_20120407-1140a.mp3

[intro blurb on web site, not a transcript] Much has been made over the last week of Burma's march towards democracy following Aung San Suu Kyi's election victory. But the country's much trumpeted democratic reforms have done little to help Burma's Muslim Rohingya people, who have been described as among the most persecuted on earth. Now denied citizenship, they cannot travel without special permits and are frequently stripped of their homes and land. They are forbidden from having more than two children and any who marry without permission face long jail terms. The Today programme's reporter, Mike Thomson, has the latest in his series of reports from Burma.

As things currently stand in the world, which other religious groups, cults or sects might 'qualify' for inclusion on a list of "the most persecuted on earth"?

Originally posted by FMF
Interesting podcast from the BBC Today programme:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/today/today_20120407-1140a.mp3

[quote][intro blurb on web site, not a transcript] Much has been made over the last week of Burma's march towards democracy following Aung San Suu Kyi's election victory. But the country's much trumpeted democratic reforms have done l ...[text shortened]... lts or sects might 'qualify' for inclusion on a list of "the most persecuted on earth"?

....the group that RJ Hinds belongs to due to their blatant ignorance and stupidity they are persecuted for holding beliefs that have only previously been held by cavemen.

Originally posted by nook7
....the group that RJ Hinds belongs to due to their blatant ignorance and stupidity they are persecuted for holding beliefs that have only previously been held by cavemen.

There is a far-right/libertarian poster on the Debates Forum who has asserted, in all seriousness (several times), if I recall the exact 'profile' correctly, that Caucasian American Christians are the most politically and culturally oppressed group in the U.S. The poster in question is - if am not mistaken - an atheist, however.

Originally posted by FMF
As things currently stand in the world, which other religious groups, cults or sects might 'qualify' for inclusion on a list of "the most persecuted on earth"?

I suppose the Falun Gong would be up there on the list although they seem to have fallen off the media's radar bit of late... or maybe just my radar?

Originally posted by FMF
As things currently stand in the world, which other religious groups, cults or sects might 'qualify' for inclusion on a list of "the most persecuted on earth"?

A significant proportion of refugees and 'illegal aliens' - even in 'nice' countries.

Originally posted by FMF
Interesting podcast from the BBC Today programme:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/today/today_20120407-1140a.mp3

[quote][intro blurb on web site, not a transcript] Much has been made over the last week of Burma's march towards democracy following Aung San Suu Kyi's election victory. But the country's much trumpeted democratic reforms have done l lts or sects might 'qualify' for inclusion on a list of "the most persecuted on earth"?

edited away.

Originally posted by FMF
As things currently stand in the world, which other religious groups, cults or sects might 'qualify' for inclusion on a list of "the most persecuted on earth"?

The Ahmadiyya in Indonesia too, although on a smaller scale than other cases of oppression around the world perhaps.

Originally posted by twhitehead
A significant proportion of refugees and 'illegal aliens' - even in 'nice' countries.

The OP had 'people oppressed because of their religion' in mind, really.

Originally posted by FMF
The OP had 'people oppressed because of their religion' in mind, really.

How about the JW's claim of persecution? Is it legit?

Originally posted by RJHinds
How about the JW's claim of persecution? Is it legit?

Yes we are persecuted, it is documented and well known.

Like most Eritreans, I and my family had contributed to the liberation of Eritrea as
freedom fighters for a number of years before the independence. After
independence, I ( and one of my brothers) served in the police force. My religion is
Orthodox Christian. But one of my sisters (who also was a freedom fighter for 12
years before indepenence) changed her religion to Jeohvah's Witnesses in 2001. The
Government ordered us to convince her to get back to her 'normal' religon. She
was beaten and tortured, but never changed her mind. My brother saw her
determination and Faith and followed her footstep. My problem started then. All the
three of us were put in jail and labelled 'A family of traitors'. I was interogated
through torture to tell them 'for whom the family is working'. When they failed to get
any information from me and knew I have not changed to Jehovah's Witness, they
released me in October 2003. Later, I was able to cross the border and escape to
Sudan. I have no information as to what happened to my brother and sister since
then.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3663654.stm

There are at present countless other instances of harassment, beatings,
incarceration and torture, legal decrees, banning, men losing their jobs etc etc How
real do you want it to get RJH.

to FMF, i have met Burmese Muslims in my preaching in Glasgow, they were the
most hospitable of all the Muslims that i preached to. The two brothers owned a
small fruit shop on Paisley Road west, near Ibrox, and had many an excellent
discussion with me and accepted our literature readily 🙂

Originally posted by FMF
There is a far-right/libertarian poster on the Debates Forum who has asserted, in all seriousness (several times), if I recall the exact 'profile' correctly, that Caucasian American Christians are the most politically and culturally oppressed group in the U.S. The poster in question is - if am not mistaken - an atheist, however.

[That poster] is talking nonsense.

And certainly in the context of the persecution you are talking about here they don't
even come close to that level of 'persecution' if they are persecuted at all (which as
I say is nonsense).

It is not persecution to prevent the majority from using it's power to persecute and/or
marginalise everyone else.

Originally posted by FMF
The OP had 'people oppressed because of their religion' in mind, really.

People are persecuted when they are a minority and are different and especially when they maintain that difference over time. Religion, race, nationality, culture all serve to create and maintain such differences. Of course how much such minorities are persecuted depends on the culture and open mindedness of the persecutors, and the relative wealth and power of the persecuted.

Do you have any evidence that the people in the OP are persecuted because of their religion?

Originally posted by twhitehead
Do you have any evidence that the people in the OP are persecuted because of their religion?

Not that I can personally verify at first hand, no. I have not been to Burma and I've not met any Rohingya people. It's a good point. Perhaps they are an ethnic group as well as having distinct religious beliefs.

Do you know of any groups that are persecuted because of their religion or because of their religious beliefs?

Originally posted by FMF
Do you know of any groups that are persecuted because of their religion or because of their religious beliefs?

It is usually very difficult to determine whether people are being persecuted because of religion. Even the troubles in Northern Ireland may be as much cultural as religious. Religion may help determine whether someone belongs to a given group, but that doesn't mean religion is the reason for the persecution. I guess one test is to see how converts are treated. I suspect that in the case of the people in the OP, even converts (from Islam to something else) who remain part of the group are persecuted.

Originally posted by twhitehead
It is usually very difficult to determine whether people are being persecuted because of religion. Even the troubles in Northern Ireland may be as much cultural as religious. Religion may help determine whether someone belongs to a given group, but that doesn't mean religion is the reason for the persecution. I guess one test is to see how converts are tr ...[text shortened]... e OP, even converts (from Islam to something else) who remain part of the group are persecuted.

I'll take that as a 'no' then. 🙂

The Ahmadiyya here in Indonesia are an example of a group who are persecuted for reasons of religious doctrine alone.