On body and soul, law and love

My friend Elizabeth Wong has written a very insightful article in malaysiakini. Simply but very meaningfully headlined Body or soul?, the article argues that the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Affairs Council has only won the body of M Moorthy, not the soul. (for her full argument, please subscribe to read malaysiakini)

Indeed, by winning the mere body of one M Moorthy under a very controversial man-made law, the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Affairs Council has alienated the souls of countless other people, inside and outside Malaysia and including his Hindu wife and relatives, who now see 'Islam', rightly or wrongly, as a dogmatic, legalistic and bureaucratic belief-system without 'a heart'.

It is certain an irony that while Islam claims to have superceded Judaism and even Christianity, the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Affairs Council now gives the very strong impression that it is not unlike the Pharisees before and during the time of Jesus Christ or Nabi Isa.

It follows logically that if the claim that Islam has superceded Judaism and Christianity is right, then the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Affairs Council must be wrong, or if the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Affairs Council is right, then the claim that Islam has superceded Judaism and Christianity is in serious doubt. Natural reasoning suggests that there are no two ways about it.

Body or soul?
http://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/45202

Moorthy's burial - views from the other side
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/45204

Muslim burial for Malaysian hero
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4563452.stm