ZUMA WORDS INSENSITIVE AND OFFENSIVE

President Jacob Zuma offends Christians when he uses religious concepts such as heaven and hell for political gains and for humoristic purposes. South Africa is a country with vast religious and cultural differences. It is therefore always a mistake if political leaders make clumsy remarks about these issues without any sensitivity for these differences.

Religion can not be removed from politics but it appears to be dangerous for any individual or political party to want to lay claim to religion for his/her own purposes alone. It is therefore quite ironic that the ANC and DA, who, for example, both had to endure heavy criticism for their un-Christian views on abortion and their constitutions, now take up Christian views before the forthcoming election.

It is as dangerous to make fun of religious concepts. The Danish newspaper, the Jyllands-Posten, learnt this lesson in a hard way with their religious cartoons about Islam which caused an international crisis. South Africa has enough problems and potential conflict situations for president Zuma not to add new ones with his irresponsible remarks.

Statement issued by Dr. Pieter Mulder, FF Plus Leader, February 7 2011

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