Acute Sensitivity in Religion of Peace Adherents
I guess they use a lot of fabric softener in Muslim countries. They must, because the acute sensitivity of Muslims in the news is really something to behold. I’m sure some Muslims out there are made of tougher stuff, but these folks that have been spotlighted by the media are amazingly frail emotionally. The slightest criticism, whether it actually happened or not, of their religion results in the most extreme reactions.
Sheikh Sayed Tantawi, the head of Al-Azhar in Cairo, the major center of Sunni learning, called the purported desecration “a great crime,” while Egypt’s mufti, Sheikh Ali Gomaa, called it “an unforgivable crime” and “aggression” on Islam’s “sacred values.” The Gulf Cooperation Council, a set of American allies, called for the “harshest punishment” so that “the dignity of Muslims” could be preserved.“We can understand torturing prisoners, no matter how repulsive” Newsweek quotes one Pakistani saying, “But insulting the Qur’an is like torturing all Muslims.”
Link to article.
"Demonstrations serve no purpose, we should do something practical. I am ready to blow myself up for the sake of my religion to embrace martyrdom," said Mohammad Ghafoor, 18, a student protesting in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Other examples of Muslim sensitivity:
Death sentence for blasphemy.
Death sentence for assimilating into the society of the country where you live.
Honor killings.
Death sentence for short film criticizing Islam.
It’s a good thing Islam is the religion of peace – just think what would happen if they really got mad!
On the other hand, Christian and Jews are made of sterner stuff. We were distressed, but controlled ourselves and did not resort to violence when presented with the following provocations.
The “Piss Christ” photo (not to mention Mapplethorpe)
Portrait of Mary covered with animal dung.
Invasion of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, holding nuns and priests hostage, using the bible as toilet paper, and stealing sacred objects.
Desecration of Joseph’s tomb.
Jews not allowed to pray at Judaism’s holiest site.
Luckily, the media is unbiased, and reports on the desecration of all religious objects and site in a fair and impartial manner. Otherwise we’d get the impression that the only religion we need to show respect to is Islam.
Posted by Laura Curtis at May 17, 2005 12:48 PM
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Comments
| # May 17th, 2005 1:05 PM james |
heh, great article. i was going to make a similar point last week, but was afraid that a mullah might show up at my door with a scimitar. 
sadly, i'm only half-joking. |
| # May 17th, 2005 2:59 PM Laura |
| I loved that "We should do something practical," quote. A guy I know in the military calls that a "not so smart" bomb. |
| # May 17th, 2005 7:22 PM Laura |
| Hey it just occurred to me - the easiest, quickest, and cheapest way to end the war on terror.
We just need to send Mapplethorpe or somebody like him on a Middle East tour with a boatload of copies of the Quran, and a company of Marines for protection. Not-so-smart bombs will be going off like crazy, and before you know it, all of Al Queda (if it's not actually a Rovian invention) will be dead. Just a thought... |
| # May 17th, 2005 11:40 PM Daddy |
| I had a more sinister thought:
is there a boogeyman in Islam? Any werewolves, Jason's, vampires, etc? All you need are 4 special forces guys, a good makeup artist, and knowledge of the evils they fear. Hee. We could scare those idiots into submission faster and cleaner than any Matador offensive. |
| # May 18th, 2005 12:36 AM Laura |
| Sure, you want to fool us with a nice, warm, fuzzy username like Daddy and now an interestingly foreign sounding name like Thierrion... but I can tell from your diabolically genius comment that you are actually...
KARL ROVE!! Any chance you'd run for President? I'd vote for you at least twice. |
| # May 18th, 2005 1:50 PM mbrlr |
| sigh
You have to deal with enemies and prisoners and cultures as they are. If Christian soldiers were dealt with by treating crucifixes and bibles in the manner we dealt with the Koran, I suspect the American , if not the European, response would be similar. And Karl Rove is...words fail me. |
| # May 18th, 2005 2:02 PM BrianH |
| "If Christian soldiers were dealt with by treating crucifixes and bibles in the manner we dealt with the Koran, I suspect the American , if not the European, response would be similar."
What a load! You may not know it, but the things the Palestinians did to the bible and other religious articles when the took over the Church of the Nativity is just disgusting. That's one of the holiest Christian sites in the world! The FALSE report of US soldiers flushing a copy of the Koran doesn't even come close. |
| # May 18th, 2005 10:55 PM Laura |
| mrblr, don't take my word for it, click some of those links. Debunk them if you can. The bible, and the Christian and Jewish faiths are attacked early and often, while Islam is revered. If I hear one more government official apologize for abuse to the Holy Koran, I may scream. If the bible were treated with that much reverence, the ACLU would blow a gasket. |
| # May 19th, 2005 10:37 AM mbrlr |
| Taking Christianity and Judaism out of the argument for a moment, since we do have Muslim citizens here, isn't disrespect for the Koran by our soldiers and other folks in our employ wrong in any event and just bad decision-making? |
| # May 19th, 2005 10:59 AM Laura |
| In fact we have demonstrated more respect for Islam than for the faith this nation was founded on - it's even taught in schools whereas Christmas carols frequently are not permitted - and it has done us no good whatsoever. |