Sudan scraps apostasy law and alcohol ban for non-Muslims

[Porcupine]

Sudan is making progress, then! At least on those two issues!

Whether alcohol is good or bad it shouldn't be banned. Whether Allah is real or not nobody should be forced to believe.

That’s a silly remark - no one can be ‘forced to believe’ anything. They can be cajoled into believing and they can be forced into acting as if they believe, but belief itself is voluntary.

Boru

You are right. My remark was silly (and technically incorrect). Your refinement to my remark was what I, of course, meant and your correction is superior to my initial remark. I didn't intend to write a falsehood. I stand corrected, and I thank you for that.

[zebo-the-fat]

Sudan is making progress, then! At least on those two issues!

Whether alcohol is good or bad it shouldn't be banned. Whether Allah is real or not nobody should be forced to believe.

That’s a silly remark - no one can be ‘forced to believe’ anything. They can be cajoled into believing and they can be forced into acting as if they believe, but belief itself is voluntary.

Boru

If you put a gun to my head and told me I had to believe in XYZ, I would be able to put on a good show, say the right things, do whatever was required... but... that does not mean I would actually believe. (Only that I believe that I didn't want to get shot)

[Porcupine]

That’s a silly remark - no one can be ‘forced to believe’ anything. They can be cajoled into believing and they can be forced into acting as if they believe, but belief itself is voluntary.

Boru

If you put a gun to my head and told me I had to believe in XYZ, I would be able to put on a good show, say the right things, do whatever was required... but... that does not mean I would actually believe. (Only that I believe that I didn't want to get shot)

I am not sure in that case. If you are an unconvincing liar your brain might actually resort to dissociasting yourself from reality in order to temporarily be able to believe a falsehood in order to survive. Some people's brains might not do that but I certainly think it's possible. It's one why depression can, for some people, lead to psychosis but not for others. Because, for some people, psychosis is a way for the brain to cope with depression. True, there are other forms of psychosis---psychosis that make the depression even worse. But there are certainly some people who lose touch with reality, when depressed, and go into a psychosis that helps them believe falsehoods that make them feel less depressed. I think some extreme episodes of rapid-cycling bipolar can behave this way---where extreme depression can rapidly become extreme delusional mania.

[runewell]

Sudan scraps apostasy law and alcohol ban for non-Muslims

After more than 30 years of Islamist rule, Sudan has outlined wide-reaching reforms including allowing non-Muslims to drink alcohol, and scrapping the apostasy law and public flogging.

What happens if Muslims drink alcohol?  If there is true separation of church and state, Muslims shouldn't be punished for it either, right?  Why did they have to say non-Muslims?
theoretically...

[The Architect Of Fate]

What happens if Muslims drink alcohol?  If there is true separation of church and state, Muslims shouldn't be punished for it either, right?  Why did they have to say non-Muslims?

theoretically.

No one said this was a separation of church and state . Simply a lessening of the draconian Islamist state

[runewell]

What happens if Muslims drink alcohol?  If there is true separation of church and state, Muslims shouldn't be punished for it either, right?  Why did they have to say non-Muslims?

theoretically.

No one said this was a separation of church and state . Simply a lessening of the draconian Islamist state

You're right - I thought someone mentioned separation of church and state earlier in the thread and got mixed up, I guess.  
So yes, a lessening as you said.  I'll book my tickets and be right over...

[HappySkeptic]

Sudan is making progress, then! At least on those two issues!

Whether alcohol is good or bad it shouldn't be banned. Whether Allah is real or not nobody should be forced to believe.

That’s a silly remark - no one can be ‘forced to believe’ anything. They can be cajoled into believing and they can be forced into acting as if they believe, but belief itself is voluntary.

Boru

Actually, I don't think religious rulers care if people actually believe -- only that they don't air their disbelief publicly.  This keeps the religious higherarchy safely in power.

The same for supporting the government -- you can hate it, but as long as you can't say so, there will never be a movement to overthrow it.

[WinterHold]

[The Architect Of Fate]

Ignoring the elephant on the room and cheering for an ant is quite...lame.
It's also quite ignorant and hypocritical.

Get the people to eat first, get them to drink, get them to take every right they deserve, then come speak about religious choice

None of that has to do with anything

[Mister Agenda]

Y'know, WinterHold, you could always start a thread on Sudan's other problems if that's what you really want to talk about, instead of repeatedly trying to hijack this one....