Will God force his followers to follow blindly and give death to those who leave the religion?

   Will God force people to accept his religion blindly and give death to those leave it?

   The penalty for apostasy, i.e. a Muslim leaving Islam is death, in Islam. Though various scholars have tried to deny this, such as eminent Pakistani scholar Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, this penalty is present in many Islamic countries even today, such as Afghanistan, a country supposedly rescued by liberals from the fanatical Taliban. Also in Saudi Arabia. In some countries like Malaysia, one has to get permission from courts to become an apostate. The Quran does say that apostates are to be given death (4:89). so much do the ex-Muslims fear, that even in a relatively free country like the USA, they are afraid of being murdered by Muslims and do not openly show themselves. Pakistani-born former Muslim, Ibn Warraq has to use a pseudonym. His book which was published in New York, "Why I am not a Muslim" has of course been banned in India. The so-called liberal Europe, which is no longer safe for non-Muslims themselves, like Theo van Gogh and others is not even worth talking about.

   Now, would a true God force followers of his religion to kill those who leave it? Orders to kill apostates are given only by brutal dictators, who fear that defectors will encourage rebellion, and finally the organisation or group will collapse. A true God will always give freedom of choice to everyone, including followers of his own religion to leave Islam. Also, in Islam, questioning the prophethood of Muhammad and any other doubts on whether God wrote the Quran are given death penalty. Criticizing God may be allowed, but criticizing Muhammad is given death. No value judgment is allowed on any of Muhammad's actions, or on anything in the Quran. If Muhammad did anything, then it must be the right thing no matter how wrong it may look, such as getting engaged to Aisha when she was 6 years old, and marrying her when she was not even 9 years old. Now, will a true God force people to accept Muhammad without question and give severe punishment like death to anyone who disagrees? A true God will have nothing to hide, a true religion will have nothing to hide. A true God will ask, "Children, raise as many doubts as possible. Ask all your questions and get them satisfied. Do not believe in anything without reason. My religion is true, so ask everything and get it resolved". When someone forces others to believe in something without reasoning, and threatens and punishes him for not blindly believing, then it means that he has something to hide.