We all know that there are many religions in the world. And we also know that there are many, too many, political disagreements. We also know that religion and politics are a powerful combination.

You may not have heard the news about a young man from Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, who was working in Saudi Arabia. The man, Sivarasa Anojan, is Hindu, and the dominant religion in Saudi Arabia is Islam. The city of Mecca, where Muslims travel for religious pilgrimages is in Saudi Arabia. Also, South Asia also has a long and complicated history of conflict between Hindus and Muslims.

I am writing as a Christian, and I remember learning about the religious history of Sri Lanka. It’s complicated.

Centuries ago, Buddhism was founded in northeastern India, where the surrounding majority practiced Hinduism. Later, Muslim forces invaded from the west. Amid the conflict, many Buddhists migrated to the island known as Ceylon, located off the southern tip of India, and found sanctuary.

Today in Sri Lanka, about seventy percent, are Buddhist, and more than ten percent is Hindu. You might remember the civil war involving Tamil separatists, who were mostly Hindu. Also, about ten percent is Muslim, while slightly less than ten percent identify as Christian.

I have never visited Sri Lanka, but I guess that tolerance is a good idea with that mixed population.

Now, back to the story. That young Hindu working in Saudi Arabia became involved in a discussion about religious differences on Facebook.

I understand that the discussion became more like a religious argument, and the Hindu man wrote comments that were considered negative and critical of the prophet and founder of Islam; Mohamed. For some Muslims, criticism of their prophet is more than an argument, it is considered “blasphemy.” In some legal systems, “blasphemy” can carry the death penalty.

Note: Some interpretations of Islamic law, known as “Sharia”, prescribe severe penalties for blasphemy. But they can vary significantly by country.

Someone reported the young Hindu man to the Saudi Arabia authorities. He was arrested, tried and convicted of blasphemy. Initially, he was sentenced to five years in prison, but later, he as retried and sentenced to death.

At this time, he is on death row:

So, what can we understand from this news story?

Don’t do what he did.

Religion mixed with politics can be dangerous and complicated. People often believe that their way is the only way, and when they also hold political power, the results can be severe. That young man, Sivarasa Anojan, is in serious trouble, and may not survive.

Just north of his home country is the country with the largest population in the world, India. About 95 percent of the world’s Hindus—more than a billion—live there. There is a long history of strife between Hindus and Muslims, and there may be serious consequences, if the young man is executed.

Brace yourself, we should pay attention to where this is going. This is an important news story in India.

Even more importantly, we should consider where this story came from. Every story and belief has a foundation; it all comes from somewhere in history.

In the Christian Bible, we have the words of Jesus:

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7:24–27)

The foundation that the house is built on will cause it to either fall or stand. We may be about to see evidence of some foundations. As a Christian, it would be unwise for me to criticize other religions, especially right now, in this article. One man is on death row because of criticism.

If you want to know about the historical criticism of any belief system, remember that we have an Internet, and it has a powerful AI driver. Use words like these “criticism of …” and choose a subject for “…” You might safely look at Islam, or Hinduism, or Buddhism, or, to be fair Christianity, or maybe even Atheism. The Internet exposes the foundations of us all, with no legal consequences.

Where we begin—our foundation—can shape where we end up. The internet does not keep secrets.

We have one good ending in the Bible:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2: 1—4)

and also: I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling. (Verse 8)

It’s hard to criticize that.

There is a lesson here that we should all learn: