I don't think you would get imprisoned for denying the holocaust. People would think you were weird or just trying to get attention or something. If people want to say dumb things, that is their right. People in my country criticize the president all the time. They argue over whether he is good or bad. There are cartoons printed in the newspaper all the time that make him look stupid or dumb. Do they ever get thrown in jail? No. Do they get death threats? No. That is their right. That is freedom of expression. I hear my faith attacked all the time. Should people get in trouble for it? No. Do they? No. That is their choice. It may make them stupid people that say dumb things, but it is their right to make fools of themselves.
Actually Holocaust Denial is criminalized in a number of European countries where the denier faces imprisonment that could reach to 3 years. Examples of countries that criminalize Holocaust denial aer Germany, Austria, France, Slovenia, Portugal and Switzerland.
Personally i am all for the freedom of expession but i also think historical religious figures that are hold sacred to people should be off limits because blatant insult will only lead to violence and unneccessary sentivities among the citizens of a country. By saying that i also think some Muslims are guilty of that as well when they attack/insult a certain religion or defame their claimed prophets.
Drawing a cartoon does not constitutes as a crime. PERIOD.
I'm afraid a cartoon that promotes racial hatred, stir secretarian violence, insult the dead/victims and/or defame a sacred deity should be/is a crime especially in countries that take pride in displaying their human rights and anti-racism laws.
As to the cartoons, the cartoonists should not be arrested for insults. Unless you're in countries with dictatorship or communists, in a country with freedom of expression, cartoonists are free to draw what they want, whether it be politicians, celebrities or religious leaders, even if it is tasteless. They certainly don't deserve death threats.
When the sole purpose of the cartoons is to defame an entire faith, encourage violence/rape or/and incite racial hatred then imprisoning the cartoonist is the most appropriate punishment not because it teaches people not cross the boundary and exploit the very admirable right of freedom to expression to freedom to incite hatred.
I still see no difference between the Danish Cartoons, the Nazi anti-Semitism cartoons or the Australian imam opinion on rape. Anyone who finds one "ok" but not the other is the perfect example of a hypocrite. They are all irresponsible, dangerous and outrageous.
I have written a lot on honour killing, and so forth in this forum. If you are damn serious that Islam don't support honour killing
Say it again? So now Islam condone honour killings?
A muslim court would definitely resort to execution for his murderer, but as to the murder of the priest, the church would most likely forgive the murderer, and would protest that the law don't execute him. You don't seem to understand Christian teaching that the churches today, don't support capital punishment, even if their own priests were murdered.
No Christian churches will rather call for and support the invading and bombarding of an entire defenceless countries like the Evangelical church in US. Or perhaps the Orthodox Church endorsement of Serbian committed atrocities in Bosnia and Kosovo. I only went back 15 years. You know the list will go on and on about the Churches involvement in many crimes against humanity.
It seems funny how Bush, Blair and John Howard, all religious zealots, not only didn't beileve in "forgiveness" and "turning the other cheek", they actually ATTACKED other countries.
Man your statement was an utter rubbish.
And some Muslims have rise up and attacks, in regards to the Danish cartoonist; their have been violent attacks around the world, burning and destroying any property that were western, even if they weren't own by Danish owners. Many protests may have been peaceful, but some of these have been chanting for Danish cartoonist and editor's death.
Either you are too young to remmber what i am about to mention or too hypocrite to realize it.
How many non-Muslims specially white christians have gone berserk after september 11 and killed innocent Musilm citizens and other look-alike such as Sikhs? How many secular christians who live in a so called tolerant countries went out in the streets and vandalize mosques and muslims housings? You mention it US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia, etc.
Since you are Australian, i am sure you know about Cronulla riots. How many white christian seculars went on the street spouting racial slurs and screaming death threats to Australian of lebanese descendants. 5000 white christians came from all over Sydney to participate in that disgusting and abhorring riots. Shirts worn had violent labels such as "Kill Lebs", "Bash Lebs" and "Musilm Out".
So did the Chruch apologized for the actions of those 5,000??? Of course not, only Islamic institutions must speak every time a trash decided to be violent but happens to be a Muslim. Christians are immune from it or wait apparently they are also "forgiving" souls. Not so much in those photos, don't you think?
The pot can't call the kettle black.