Outlawing Religiously Offensive Cartoons

That is the question posed by Jehan Sadat, a self professed Muslim who lives and works in the USA since 1985 but is not a citizen:

"There is no law that says cartoonists cannot draw caricatures. There is no law that says television commentators cannot equate terrorism with Islam. There is no law that says we should not defame the religions of others. But there should be! There should be a law that says reasonable, responsible people of any faith, or no faith for that matter, cannot attack others simply because of their beliefs. There should be a law that requires us to appreciate the cultures and beliefs of our fellow human beings."

I have just one or two comments for Jehan. So what will be next? Book burnings, the censorship of blogs and other media or anything else that a few fanatics might consider offensive? Because that's what this is really all about isn't it. Pandering to the interests a few militant fanatics.

We have all heard of religious intolerance and abuse in Singapore and Malaysia. And what about other Islamic countries that have laws denigrating and persecuting Christians and people of other faiths? Does the word hypocritical ring a bell?

You should be thankful that we have a free press so the truth can set you free. I'm not saying that I agree with the cartoons. But I am saying that the media can be a barometer of what (at least some) people are thinking. And that can be a good thing because it will force you to look into the public mirror and see yourself as others do.

I also write for other social blogs and have found intolerance for the Christian faith in the US to be far more invective than a silly cartoon. But I don't see Christians acting like thugs running in gangs killing and setting things ablaze.

The fact is the west is far more tolerant than most Muslim countries will ever be. And it is because of those very freedoms why people are lining up in droves to emigrate here.

So here's another idea for you to ponder. Don't you think God is big enough to fight his own battles? Rather than taking away our freedoms that so many have died for, why not take yourself a little less seriously. Find a sense of humour and learn to laugh at yourself. The world will be a much better place for it.

Peace be unto you.

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