Is it blasphemous to lampoon a prophet?

[danieldemol]

Why is it when someone mock or being insensitive towards the Jews, we call it anti-Semitism, when someone mock or make fun of people of color, we call it racism, when someone mock the women, we call it sexism, and yet when someone mock or being insensitive towards the Muslims, we call it freedom of expression !!!!

Actually you are confusing mocking a people with mocking their beliefs under the guise of the word "insensitive" here, but I can tell you there are a lot of people who don't believe in being excessively sensitive towards people and will happily mock Judaism and or Islam for the benefit of Jews and Muslims everywhere.

 

[rosends]

Who is stopping you 'sharing your opinions with others'?

But I'll tell you something....... if anybody should publish nasty comments and opinions about Judaism in my country they'd get in to serious trouble very quickly. AntSemitism and most AntiZionism is very heavily put down here, but 'hey ho' you think that stuffing nasty comments about another religion on the media is OK.

How unbalanced is that?

If he got in trouble under the law, and was fined or imprisoned by the court system then, well, that's how laws and governments work. But if someone walking down the street can be beheaded because he expressed an opinion, and the beheading is extra judicial as the behavior did not break governmental law, and you defend it, how messed up is that?

 

[rosends]

Why is it when someone mock or being insensitive towards the Jews, we call it anti-Semitism, when someone mock or make fun of people of color, we call it racism, when someone mock the women, we call it sexism, and yet when someone mock or being insensitive towards the Muslims, we call it freedom of expression !!!!

No, we just don't call it "rationalization for murder on the street."

 

[Clara Tea]

Islam (Muslims) define themselves by their actions (911 attack in New York, constant bombings in Israel). They are also defined by their beliefs (bible) which tells them to kill infidels.

Parts of the world are unfair, and parts are fair. They hope to defend their actions by pleading to the fair world that they are being picked on.

No one is picking on Islam. They are picking fights with sneak attacks around the world. They hide behind the dresses of women, and when bombed, they tell the world how horrible Americans are for killing innocent women (yet, their deaths are on the heads of the Islamic terrorists, not the ones trying to stop terrorists at all cost).

Osama bin Laden taunted Americans with the idea that they don't have the stomach for war.

According to God, we shouldn't tolerate war. But, what is the choice? Be sitting ducks for terrorist bombings? Let oppressors gain power and take over the world?

We would have had hell on earth if Hitler had won. Hitler was the bigot who targeted and murdered Jews. If we let evil win, surely their evil would live on.

Freedom is held only by continual vigilance and fighting.

Yet, there must be an alternative to war. Diplomacy was not possible with the al Qaeda. They wanted to engage the United States in perpetual war.

I think that we are free to object to the foul behavior of Islam (and the belief system that fuels it). However, we should draw the line at lampooning them for fun. We should be resolute in our desire to live. We should object to those who wish to kill us. Is that bigotry?

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

The issue of clothing appears to be tied in closely to that of terrorism. If a person's face and identity are being intentionally covered up, then this causes distrust. Of course, the same argument can be levelled against hoodie wearers as against niqab etc. The irony is that the police now feel it's necessary to wear face covering to hide their identities.

Yeah, which indeed makes the police all the more terrifying. Not sure how many chubby ladies covering their faces were also carrying shields and batons and wacking people half to death.

 

[stvdv]

Dispute surrounds preaching or evangelism

To my understanding, preaching and evangelism are not an imposition of faith but an attempt to persuade others of your viewpoint

The definitions I use:
1) Preaching: Sharing enthusiastically your views on your religion
2) Evangelizing: Sharing enthusiastically your views on your religion with the objective to get the other to convert to your religion
3) Proselytizing: Sharing enthusiastically your views on your cause with the objective to get the other to join your cause (can be religion)
4) Debate: Try to persuade others of your viewpoint; without the objective to get the other to convert to your cause/religion

 

[stvdv]

It's actually impossible to impose a belief on someone's mind

I agree to disagree on this

brainwashing can only occur where a person is not given the freedom to compare and contrast with other viewpoints.

I disagree. Television and internet do not use ads just for the fun of it

 

[stvdv]

As I see it, Muslims are not being encouraged to debate their beliefs

My Master said "IF others ridicule me/you, I do not want you to defend; explaining/defending is a form of weakness IF you know you are right"

Once a person turns inwards and avoids the interaction of ideas there is a far greater chance of radicalism.

Turning inwards means "contacting the Divine within". That is the best way to avoid radicalism

 

[Redemptionsong]

Freedom is held only by continual vigilance and fighting.

What kind of fighting makes us free? Is an eye-for-an-eye really the road to freedom? I seem to remember Gandhi saying that it was the way to turn the world blind.

Israel is facing an irrational hatred from its neighbours. God is Israel's only real defence, IMO.

 

[Redemptionsong]

I agree to disagree on this


I disagree. Television and internet do not use ads just for the fun of it

John 8:36. 'If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed'.

 

[stvdv]

brainwashing can only occur where a person is not given the freedom to compare and contrast with other viewpoints.

I disagree. Television and internet do not use ads just for the fun of it

John 8:36. 'If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed'.

Your example does not prove that your first quote is correct

My example proves that your first quote was not correct

 

[Valjean]

What kind of fighting makes us free? Is an eye-for-an-eye really the road to freedom? I seem to remember Gandhi saying that it was the way to turn the world blind.

Israel is facing an irrational hatred from its neighbours. God is Israel's only real defence, IMO.

The problem is, Israel is behaving badly, and beginning to mirror the tactics of the oppressors who necessitated its formation.

 

[oldbadger]

If he got in trouble under the law, and was fined or imprisoned by the court system then, well, that's how laws and governments work. But if someone walking down the street can be beheaded because he expressed an opinion, and the beheading is extra judicial as the behavior did not break governmental law, and you defend it, how messed up is that?

Nobody, absolutely nobody has the right to terrorise and murder any body.

Now, do you want to stuff nasty stuff out there on the media about any religions at all?

Do you? Look at what has happened in recent weeks... Why? There are nutters following all kinds of politicals, religions, and so forth... why deliberately upset millions of decent Muslims, and spark off terrorist nutters?
Where I live this stuff is not lawful.

 

[stvdv]

What kind of fighting makes us free? Is an eye-for-an-eye really the road to freedom? I seem to remember Gandhi saying that it was the way to turn the world blind.

The only fight that sets us free, is to fight the demons inside us: desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride and jealousy
And live a life according to virtues like: truth, righteousness, peace, love, and nonviolence

 

[rosends]

why deliberately upset millions of decent Muslims, and spark off terrorist nutters?

It isn't a question of "why." Freedom of expression laws never ask "why would you want to do that?" Instead they say, "you can do that but not that other thing". And no one who isn't part of the group that makes/enforces the laws can do anything about it. If we now question behavior because we are afraid of triggering terrorists (akin to victim shaming -- why wear that and encourage people to rape you), then the terrorists have won, as we live our lives terrorized.

 

[Redemptionsong]

All peace-loving people want solutions to the violence. What are the solutions?

 

[Valjean]

Tolerance?

 

[stvdv]

Israel is facing an irrational hatred from its neighbours. God is Israel's only real defence, IMO.

In Holland I have been in quite a few churches where they preach "Israel is the chosen land" (hearing this made my stomach turn). In Judaism, "chosenness" is the belief that the Jews, via descent from the ancient Israelites, are the chosen people, i.e. chosen to be in a covenant with God.

This is not such a friendly attitude to say the least. Sounds quite arrogant and is belittling other (non)faith (good people who have virtues)

IMO: This sets bad blood, and might be one of the major reasons that there is hatred towards Israel. There is one way to cure this, by making a worldwide announcement that they set this straight with "Israel is not the only chosen country, and Jews not the only chosen people". When God gives a lot He expects a lot they say. Israel was given a lot, they should drop this attitude. Humility is number one when it comes to spiritual life.

 

[Mock Turtle]

In Holland I have been in quite a few churches where they preach "Israel is the chosen land" (hearing this made my stomach turn). In Judaism, "chosenness" is the belief that the Jews, via descent from the ancient Israelites, are the chosen people, i.e. chosen to be in a covenant with God.

This is not such a friendly attitude to say the least. Sounds quite arrogant and is belittling other (non)faith (good people who have virtues)

IMO: This sets bad blood, and might be one of the major reasons that there is hatred towards Israel. There is one way to cure this, by making a worldwide announcement that they set this straight with "Israel is not the only chosen country, and Jews not the only chosen people". When God gives a lot He expects a lot they say. Israel was given a lot, they should drop this attitude. Humility is number one when it comes to spiritual life.

We can expect all religions to do similarly - where they have such beliefs?

 

[stvdv]

We can expect all religions to do similarly - where they have such beliefs?

YES