The real insult to Islam

Submitted by Sidda (United States), Feb 8, 2006 at 15:58

Mikkel, I don't know how familiar you are with American pop culture but there are so many movies, tv shows, plays, artwork, and music that denigrate, ridicule, and blaspheme Christianity in this country that I couldn't even list them all here. It is non-stop. There was the Last Temptation of Christ movie years ago made by a famous director. That one had Jesus having sex with Mary Magdalene. Then there was Dogma, and Saved....well, I don't feel like going through the whole list of movie, tv, theater, literature, and artwork!!

You would be wrong in your assumption that the reason people didn't protest the "Piss Christ" exhibit in the streets is because the artist claims to be Christian himself. For sure there are bound to be unbalanced individuals who will react inappropriately. But, that is not the point. Nobody is saying that people don't have the right to feel offended and express that freely. That would also be "freedom of expression." There's no way you can explain away or make excuses for any of this behavior on the part of Muslims. No one else does this with so little provocation.

Here in America freedom of speech, expression, of the press are sacred cows. We are funny that way. They are enshrined in our constitution. If there were any blasphemy laws being enforced, surely the Serrano exhibit would have qualified so I don't think we have anything like that. And these are values which transcend politics--they are not right or left, they are sacred to most Americans. Some would say we are almost obsessed with it.

But, the bottom line IMO is the completely outrageous, disproportionate reaction of Muslims worldwide to these cartoons. Sure, people have the right to peacefully protest to make their displeasure known. Nothing excuses what we have been seeing for the past week. Don't even try. If I were these guys I would be more highly offended by the videos that are made by Muslims of Muslims sawing off the heads of helpless, bound victims while screaming "Allahu Akbar." That IMO is more insulting to Islam than cartoons.

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