Nigerian atheist Bala 'deemed mentally ill in Kano state'

[Seshmeister]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28010234

Nigeria atheist Bala 'deemed mentally ill in Kano state'




A Nigerian man has been sent to a mental institute in Kano state after he declared that he did not believe in God, according to a humanist charity.

Mubarak Bala, 29, is said to have been forcibly medicated by his Muslim relatives, despite being given a clean bill of health by a doctor.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union say a Lagos-based group has asked a lawyer to take up his case.

Kano is a mainly Muslim state and adopted Sharia (Islamic law) in 2000.

The IHEU says that when Mr Bala told relatives he did not believe in God, they asked a doctor if he was mentally ill.

Despite being told that he was not unwell, Mr Bala's family then went to a second doctor, who declared that his atheism was a side-effect of suffering a personality change, the group says.

Mr Bala, a chemical engineering graduate, was forcibly committed to a mental institution, but was able to contact activists using a smuggled phone.

IHEU spokesman Bob Churchill said the group was concerned about his "deteriorating condition" and called for his "swift release".

[Anonymous]

One thing I don't get about atheists.

You guys profess not to believe in Gods, yet you treat religions as equal to your beliefs.

By doing so, you justify them. It's like you just want to spend hours on pointless debates, pretending you're intellectually superior to those who do believe in Gods. Wait, that IS it.

You're all very silly, really. I'd feel very stupid if I went 'round telling people Mickey Mouse isn't really real, so why would I do the same about Gods?

Atheists are the gays of religion. They have to run around telling people how gay they are.

I would, & have, berated friends or family in private conversation when they're being silly about God or Jesus, or whatever. But even then, I choose when it's worth it, or not. My elderly, crazy, horrible, very religious aunt is a hopeless case, for example. Why would I argue with her? Let the crazy bat think she's going to heaven, in spite of all the horrible things she did.

My point is, that dude should've shut the fuck up. When you argue with crazy people, you're only validating their opinion.

Cheers!

[Seshmeister]

He wasn't campaigning, it was his family that got him committed. Maybe they asked why he wasn't going to the mosque.

[Seshmeister]

Funny you mention gays, in the North of Nigeria the punishment for that is death by stoning.

[Anonymous]

Well, he should know his own family, like I know my own crazy aunt.

That said, my point still stands. My niece wanted to be baptised because her friend at school was being baptised & you know how kids are, monkey see, monkey do. I wholeheartedly agreed, because of two reasons:

Primo, why not? Censoring her would only make her look at the whole thing like a forbidden fruit. Irony is rarely lost on me, so let her do it. The motive was innocent enough.

Secundo, in my country, to be her Godfather, I would have to either simply be at her baptism, OR go through a whole ordeal of bureaucracy to achieve the same effect - in case something happens to her parents, I'm her legal guardian.

Which brings us to this dude. If I lived in a cuckoo place like that, you bet your ass I'd go to the mosque, or church, or rituals, or whatever. It'd be far easier & it wouldn't change a thing. It wouldn't betray MY beliefs, simply because I have none. Hell, who knows, they might all get together for a drink aferwards.

When my friends go some place to watch football, they invite me along for a drink. This would be no different.

Life is simple, stop fucking it up, people!

Cheers!

[Anonymous]

Funny you mention gays, in the North of Nigeria the punishment for that is death by stoning.

That's completely & utterly wrong, but unless foreign powers exert their influence to change that, there's nothing gays, or you & me can do about it.

I know I must sound defeatist all the time, but look at history. And let me bring up Big Poppa Orwell again.

The reason I hold his opinion above everyone else's is that he actually lived through the whole shit he tried to warn us about. His beliefs were strong enough that he not only served his country's military in their hour of need, he took up arms against Franco, even though it had nothing to do with him. That's how much he loved his vision of justice & freedom.

What did he get? Two very successful books & then he died right after.

He could've written those at home, instead of getting shot in the throat by a Spaniard.

Wouldn't make a bit of difference.

Add to that that none of us are as smart and/or intelligent as Jojo, & there you have it. Let's just have a drink.

Cheers!

[vandeleur]

Wow ima , ya big quitter

[Anonymous]

Wow ima , ya big quitter

Alright, hold on to your beliefs & suffer for them all your life.

We'll talk again when we're Zahzoo's age & we'll compare achievements. Not professional or personal achievements, those are highly subjective, I mean true, world-changing achievements.

I have a feeling it'll be a tie, but don't let that stop you.

I'll be here by the pool sipping on my Rum.

Cheers!

[vandeleur]

You do know am batman right ? Dp told you

[Anonymous]

Besides, if none of us had these silly beliefs, we'd all get along much better.

It'd take personal insult to start an altercation & that would be just between the two people involved, not a large scale war.

There wouldn't be hatred for someone just because he's a Wetback or a Towelhead, even though they never did anything to you personally.

That's because without silly beliefs, there'd be NO Wetbacks or Towelheads. No patriotism, no religion, nothing.

Hell, we probably wouldn't even need leaders. Just respect your neighbour's property & don't give a shit.

If you guys want to keep fighting for your values, go ahead. I'll be here being a loser.

Cheers!

[twonabomber]

was able to contact activists using a smuggled phone.

Don't use that phone, you don't know where that phone has been!

[Anonymous]

You do know am batman right ? Dp told you

I somehow doubt Batman would be a Geordie. And he'd probably be a better speller, being the world's gratest detective mind & all.

Unless this is all just a clever ruse... hmmm...

Cheers!

[DONNIEP]

there'd be NO Wetbacks or Towelheads

I'll take one ticket to Honkey City, please.

[Anonymous]

I'll take one ticket to Honkey City, please.

No honkeys, either.

In fact, if there were no beliefs, racial prejudices wouldn't've been an issue, & we'd all probably be a weird race of light brown, olive-tinted, slanty-eyed cholos by now, dudester. What with all the mixing & stirring going on.

Basically, this is my take on life - if you believe something, you're part of the problem. Your views will inevitably clash with someone else's & who's going to be man enough to admit they might be wrong? Noone & the ride starts again.

Cheers!

[vandeleur]

I somehow doubt Batman would be a Geordie. And he'd probably be a better speller, being the world's gratest detective mind & all.

Unless this is all just a clever ruse... hmmm...

Cheers!

Speller ??

And sorry it's am actually why aye man ( Geordie joke )