I’ve just heard that Nabul Rajab, a human rights defender, is going on trial tomorrow for “publicly insulting official institutions”, with a possibility of three years in jail. I won’t say which country, in case someone is already collecting meta data here in Oz.

I also saw, a couple of days ago, a news report on IS (IS, IL, State…add your own ending) beheading people (including Muslims) who don’t agree with their methodology. Big surprise there. Who’d have thought they’d go to such extremes?

A young mother in Pakistan is currently waiting for her execution because she was accused of blasphemy. It seems when two Muslim women wouldn’t let her have a drink of their water because she’s “unclean” (she’s a Christian) there was a bit of an argument. Now she’s going to die.

Remember when the author, Salmon Rushdie, had to go into hiding for years (he may even still be in mufti) because of the Fatwah placed on him for insulting Mohammed? (A Fatwah is a “kill the man and get out of jail free” card.) I had hoped those days were past but I’m too naive.

Then I think of the many times I’ve heard “Jesus Christ” used as a swear word (no one ever says, “Oh Buddha!”); the many times people have said on FB, television, radio and in print that Jesus and God are simply fairy tales or superstition and that people are unintelligent troglodytes for believing in them; that God (who doesn’t exist) is a monster for killing his son (who doesn’t exist and who didn’t die anyway and if he did, he stayed dead) and so on and so on and it’s got me wondering.

I think that all the great civilisations encouraged enquiring minds, research, investigation and, most of all, questions. Admittedly, it sometimes took a few generations (or centuries) and a few were martyred along the way, but even so…

A sound, sensible civilisation makes room for critiques, reviews and intellectual and philosophical challenges. Without allowing intellectual critiquing of the status quo, there would never have been any advance in medicine, exploration, astronomy, engineering and, most importantly, human rights. Without the people who publicly questioned – and yes, insulted – public institutions, slavery would still be acceptable in Western society; women’s and children’s rights would be non-existent; education would still be just for the rich elite.

I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to give up the right to question the powers that be or to disagree with popular thinking. That is a freedom I cherish, as should anyone who lives in a civilized society. I might disagree with everything you believe in but I will fight to the death to protect your right to do so.

I’m just thankful I live here because, otherwise, I could well be in the next cell to Mr Rajab, or worse.