Fair Play
1:39 pm 02/24/06
When I linked the humorous (and blasphemous!) video titled “The Passion Of The Benny Hill,” one of my readers wondered if I would also post anything about the “anti-muslim” cartoons that have triggered violence. The commenter, Frosty Nuggets, seems to believe that I have an anti-christian bias, when in fact I am biased against ALL religions. I am also biased against superstition, psychics, ghosts, and other such nonsense. So in answer to Frosty Nuggets, and to demonstrate that all religions are equal in my eyes, here is one of the Danish cartoons that sparked such a firestorm (click here to see the rest):
Dave? Who is Dave? I don’t know any Dave.
Excuse me while I go stand over there by that other blog, where they sell apparel for explosives removal experts….
Well I see nothing wrong with the comics. They’re simply telling the truth but I’m a Catholic what do I know?
The thing that is strange to me is that cartoons could cause such an uproar. People make fun of my religion all the time, and you know what? Most of it is really funny!!
Jen, I do respectfully disagree. The cartoons tell a part of the truth, as seen by the cartoonists. I agree that many of us see nothing wrong with them, nor should we. But to those who see them as blasphemy against their religious teachings … eh. There’s too many damned people in this world who think violence is the way to win minds and hearts; and should there be a God, certainly he thinks them all stupid.
(p.s. ‘You ever gonna kick-start para-bellum again?)
Well the thing is - Europe has a problem with its immigration (v. open) and I think the comic used the Muslims to the point that out. Now people laugh and make fun of Catholics all the time. “Are we a real church,” “why do you have a Pope?”. The oomics do not paint all Arabs in a bad picture, just those who are tyrannical.
Soon Wulfgar, soon. [Sighs] I have to get in contact with the lady who owns my hosting company. Then I have to send her a check for this month. But I have layouts all ready to go.
“The oomics do not paint all Arabs in a bad picture, just those who are tyrannical.”
That’s not the problem with the cartoons, though. As Wulfgar alluded to, merely depicting Mohammad is blasphemy. Ridiculous as it is to apply that to us (and just in general, really), that seems to be the problem.
Well you don’t see Christians doing this do you? Hm - no.
That’s true to an extent. People like to point out that Christians didn’t riot over Piss Christ or that Virgin Mary covered in dung thing. As far as I’m aware, there isn’t anything in Christianity that says you can’t do that, so it’s not relevant.
Let’s not kid ourselves about violence and ugliness done in the name of supposed tenets of the Christian faith. Abortion clinics are picketed (and occasionally bombed), women going in are harrassed, gays are attacked for being gay, people like Fred Phelps protest funerals with some of the most vile messages you’ll ever see, etc. Those kind of things seem a lot like what’s going on in the Middle East, albeit toned down a bit.
It boils down to religious folk attempting to impose their beliefs on the rest of us. Christians are less violent when doing so. Congratulations.
Islam started about 700 years after Christianity.
About 700 years ago, Christians were very much into slaughtering each other in Europe.
Hmmm.
(That said, I have slight regard for such violence).
Like Jeff and Big Mike said: Christians have been guilty of mass murder and “crusades” too — only the majority of such slaughter occurred centuries ago. None of the major religions have “blood-free” hands.
Also, about 700 years ago (give or take a few centuries), when the Christians weren’t slaughtering each other, they were frequently off slaughtering others in the Crusades. And we all know which other people those were. I seem to recall hearing that throughout the Gulf War (both of them), the respective Bush administrations were careful to avoid using the term “crusade” to describe their aims in liberating the people of Kuwait and/or Iraq.
Dave I applaud you for posting this cartoon. I honestly didn’t think you had the stones to do it.
However it has sparked a flurry of ignorant posts.
It always makes me laugh when folks go back 1000 years or so and bring up the Crusades and compare that to the islam-inspired violence going on in the 21st Century. If you had an understanding of history you would realize that the Crusades were the Christian response to the violent spread of islam across Europe. As far as comparing abortion clinic protests to the murder of God knows how many people now inspired by some images of mohammed, it is laughable at best. Last time I checked the toll was 35,000,000+ dead/aborted babies. In that time there have been 7 (seven) abortion-provider murders. I got those numbers from a pro-choice website that tracks such violence.
The whole thing about attacking gays is not even worth responding to, suffice it to say for every “Christian” you find who has attacked a gay person I can find instances of a gay man/men attacking, brutally raping and/or murdering a child.
One last thing Dave, I never wrote that you had an “anti-Christian bias.” Please don’t put words in my mouth? Keyboard? You get the picture.
(Freudian slip maybe??)
I agree - the Crusades were fought to take back land that the Muslims took with violent force. This included the city of Jerusalem. Also it was fought because Alexius I appealed to Pope Urban II to help defend Byzantium against the Turks (Muslims). You could also say, it happened in a WWI fashion, with allies protecting allies… countries going to war with other countries even if they weren’t directly attacked.
And you can even see this in today’s War on Terror. It may not be a “War on Religion” (even though the Crusades weren’t about that) but it is an “War on Ideals” regardless if you play it up as Christians (our military is predominately made up on a lot of them) vs. Muslims - that’s fine. I can understand that. But it’s been Radical Islamists vs. Christians/Jews/Muslims for a hell lot longer.
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The first Crusade happened in 1095, almost a thousand years ago.
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If you really want to look at a religion who is attack their own, look no further than Islam. If they were really trying to down the “infidel” they wouldn’t be blowing themselves up where their fellow Muslims shop at, where Muslim children go to school. And last time I checked, you don’t see a Jew or a Christian walking onto a bus and blowing themselves up.
Frosty - I believe I pointed out that my examples of modern Christian violence and ugliness were not at the same level as the rioting. I was simply pointing out that Christians aren’t exactly saints in this area. They have demonstrated the same impulse, but are at the point where it causes less damage. I’m a bit confused about why you point out the number of abortions and the fact that gay men can be criminals. You don’t think that justifies any of what I mentioned, do you?
Jen - There have been a few Christian suicide bombers. There would be more, except there have been very few modern occupations of them by a different religious group.