Lacked of Sensitivity?

Above is a video titled "Iklan Deepavali 2010 FINAS". Some think this is a controversial video while others think otherwise. For me, when i first view it i find nothing controversial although i was irritated at how dramatic this whole ad is to the extend that she's giving birth at the end of the ad. I saw some comments on the vid and majority don't see the problem with this vid. Of course you don't see the problem because you are a Malay and you are a Muslim and this video is "siding" the Malay Muslims.

It's not my intention to create issues but i just want to point out what i think. Look at it from a Hindu perspective. What makes you think they enjoy watching their people being converted out from their religion? Especially since the conversion is because the child is going to marry another person of another religion. But for the need to get married, the child wouldn't need to convert to that religion. Ask yourself this, as a Muslim. Wouldn't you be very pissed off when your family member says he/she wants to convert out of Islam because he/she wants to marry a non Muslim? But we are aware that in Islam, you are not allowed to convert out of the religion, therefore when it comes to marriage, the non Muslims have to convert into Islam. There's no compromise to that. Non Muslims will see this as a very strict and non compromising rule. Perhaps this is one of the many reasons why Islamophobia happens among some non Muslims. It won't happen actually if they try to understand Islam and the reasoning for such rules.

Like the movie "Sepet". It's about a Malay girl and Chinese boy who fell in love. I didn't watch it but i know in the end the Chinese boy died. Good too so that the director don't have to touch on the sensitive part in deciding who have to convert to who's religion if they plan to get married. But this being Malaysia, we all know that the Chinese guy MUST convert to Islam. Some Chinese might not be very happy with such ending while some may be COOL about it.

It's understandable if a family with very strong religious beliefs choose to disown the child or becomes very angry if the child choose to convert to another religion.

The problem with this advertisement is that it lacks sensitivity. What happens if this ad was made the other way round? The girl actually converted to Hindu and comes back during Hari Raya with her Hindu husband. What an outrageous scenario! It will never be shown on tv because the Malay Muslims will be so damn angry and claim it's an insult to Islam. Of course it's an insult to Islam.

And don't you think some sensitive Hindu will be insulted by such video? "Oh you can do that, but if we want to do that we can't". This whole conversion thing is a sensitive matter. Yes, it's happening in reality but why do we need to touch about it? It's ok when a non Muslim convert to Islam but if a Muslim convert into another religion we have to keep in hush hush? Apostasy is UNACCEPTABLE in Islam and you shouldn't go around telling people it's ok to convert out because it's not. Yes, if you don't want to be a Muslim, don't practice as a Muslim then but don't declare to the whole world that you converted out of Islam because that will amount to putting ideas into people's head. And you can get killed for that.

What i'm really trying to say is that you don't go around telling people how a non Muslim can convert into Islam and his/her family members should learn to accept it while if the same thing were to happen with a Muslim convert into another religion you will create chaos. Be more sensitive, taking into account the perspective of a Non Muslim. Festival Celebration ads used to be so simply and straightforward. Just because our society has become so complicated, doesn't mean we have to make our ads so complicated and to remind people of this whole complication.

Remember the controversial Hari Raya advertisement where it seems elements of Buddhism and Christianity are being injected into the ad and many Malays were very pissed off about it? I think the ad was improper, but hey, the creators of the ads were probably into the mood of 1 MALAYSIA, where you "rojak" all the religions into one. Seriously, if it's Deepavali, just stick wholly to Deepavali. If it's Hari Raya, just stick wholly to Hari Raya. Same goes to other celebrations. If you want to involve other races in your celebration ads, just show one race visiting another for open house.