What if I was a Muslim? Would I have liked this idiotic portrayal of Islam’s Prophet Muhamad? But of course not! So, why is such portrayal acceptable to some?

In my opinion, that is all the question that the journalists at Denmark’s Jyllands-Posten and their sympathizers all over Europe need to answer or resolve.

How would they feel, if their holy of holies is desecrated and demeaned?

It will be recalled that Denmark’s Jyllands-Posten in September 2005 published their silly series of cartoons which portrayed or depicted Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as if with a turban, but grenade like turban, with a lighted fuse.

In essence, it suggested that the prophet was a violent symbol or an explosive representative of Islam and by extrapolation, Islam itself is violent.

Expectedly, adherents of the Islamic faith, took strong exception to these calculated affront committed by these journalists in the name of press freedom. But press freedom must be exercised with a great sense of responsibility.

And media freedoms cannot be limitless or irresponsibly exercised.

How would Christians appreciate the portrayal of the Christian Cross and Jesus Christ if depicted and portrayed, in such depraved and violent manner? How would the Christians feel if the Cross on Christ’s shoulders is cartooned-caricatured to look like a shoulder-fired surface-to-air-missile (SAM)? Or Stinger Missile similar to the ones given to the Mujaheedeen by the CIA before Afghanistan morphed into the hands of Taliban?

And would the Jews not rightly call anyone anti Semitic if such non-Jew was caught depicting the Star of David as weapon or tool of violence?

Why does the world, particularly, Europe expect a different sorts of reactions by adherents of the Islamic faith?

The enthusiasms with which other European newspapers and publications embraced the denigration of Prophet Muhammad and the spiraling willingness to engage in these disparagements of the symbol of Islam is, to say the least, disturbing; It creates and reinforces the impression that there is an orchestrated war against Islam by America and Europe. Particularly since September 11, 2001, the appearance has been created and nurtured, to the effect that the so-called war against terrorism is actually a war against Islam. Contest between religions, Christian and Islamic civilizations.

It is therefore safe to say that this latest siege and unified attack from the European Press against Islam, is merely a continuation of a clash of cultures of Christianity and Islam.

Christianity postures as the superior culture, the superior religion and the superior civilization. And to that extent, it does appear, as if, there are repeated attempts to humble and defeat Islam through the contests of civilizations in wars, in portrayals and even the ridiculing of Islamic symbols as was engaged in by Denmark’s Jyllands-Posten and its copy-cats sympathizers all over Europe ballyhooed last week.

And of course, we are to pretend and feign surprise when our Muslims brethrens react to lampooning of their holies? Some prefer to believe that Muslims are just being unreasonable! That is not so. Muslims are merely resisting unwarranted attacks.

Here in the US, I have witnessed protests and picketing of movies and theater plays that are satirical of Christianity or Jesus Christ, notably, Jesus Christ Super Star.

And more recently, Mel Gibson was criticized by some Christians but more severely by Jews because of his movie “Passion of the Christ”. Mel Gibson had to engage in repeated explanations and at some point his movie was edited to assuage the feelings of his critics. Where was press freedom and artistic freedom as defense or superior argument when Mel Gibson was severally severely mauled by the critics?

Why is everyone now suddenly hiding under freedom of expression and press freedom as the excuse for tolerating and perpetuating what is clearly an inappropriate portrayal of Prophet Muhammad and Islam, with the subliminal auto suggestion, that Islam, its prophet and symbols are interchangeable with war, violence and terrorism in the same sentence? Why the linkage of Islam, its prophet with violence or tools of war, grenade?

Whatever happened to the Christian admonition of Do Unto Others as you would have them do unto you? I thought true Christian values requires that Christians have, and demonstrate respect and tolerance toward the holies of all others? Or is it The Inquisition all over again?

But why is it, that when it comes to Muslims, we pretend, that their feelings do not matter or that the rest of us are not obliged to respect their feelings and religious sensibilities? And when Muslim therefore reacts to these shortsighted policies, we are shocked and dismayed? Or conclude that Muslims are just unreasonable?

Why can’t Christians and Jews demonstrate the same respect and care, when handling Islam and Muslims’ holies? Why can’t Christians and Jews simply put themselves in the proverbial shoes of Islam and Muslims as it were?

Christian Conservatives also known as the Evangelicals the US, currently drive and propel public policies in America foreign and domestic policies that is, however, same Christians Conservatives, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed etc who are excited agog at their policies successes at home and abroad, but are loathe to have Islamic influenced public policies in Palestine, Iraq, Iran or Afghanistan! But why is this fair?

Why is it okay for Pat Robertson to issue Christian fatwa against President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, but somehow, it is not acceptable for religious clerics in Iran, Afghanistan or Iraq to issue Islamic fatwa against a person or persons who affront their religion?

I personally abhor violence, but if force be the measure of strength and if might be deemed right, who is to determine who gets nuclear weapons power and who is to determine the superiority between Evangelical Christian propelled fatwa and its Islamic version?

I was raised as a Christian of the Catholic faith, even though I am now semi-retired Catholic, I would not intentionally or deliberately disrespect what the Catholics hold dear; Similarly, I would expect all of us, in the finest Christian tradition to show and demonstrate respect towards other peoples holies. Long Live Islam!

Robot  Villager

# 1 Why is it okay for Pat Robertson to issue Christian fatwa against President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, but somehow, it is not acceptable for religious clerics in Iran, Afghanistan or Iraq to issue Islamic fatwa against a person or persons who affront their religion?...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 07.02.2006 15:41

Allah

# 2 Every World Citizen over the age of 10 should watch this video..... and repeat twice daily as necessary until they understand the nature of the enemy we face. I've put up two versions of the video, to expedite access to this. This is HORRIBLE STUFF, but to not watch it is irresponsible, to NOT explain this to your children is even more so. We must not bury our heads in the sand, or we will find our sons murdered here, and our daughters enslaved and mutilated. Write your Congressman, your Senator, and demand that the war on terror be fought as a war, and not as a traffic stop. This is a war for our survival, it is a war that must be fought without mercy, and which must conclude with either the unconditional surrender (as was the case with Germany and Japan during World War II) or, preferably, the extermination of Islamic terrorists AND their sympathizers, financiers, and co-conspirators. Do remember this- The Friend of Your Enemy CANNOT be your friend. The friend of the Enemy, the advocate of the enemy, the sympathizer of the enemy, is every bit as guilty of murdering Nick Berg as the bastard who was holding the knife. The enemy IS here among us.... and he isn't the fellow pumping your gas, or working at the convenience store. The enemy is the politician, preacher, or journalist who would sell the World out for personal or political gain. http://www.dvrbs.com/IslamMurderedNickBerg.htm Posted by Allah| 07.02.2006 17:46

Dr. Saniobifemi

# 3 If truly "allah" is ALLAH, then who is this allah? I have observed closely the religion called Islam for so many years, and my research shows that the so called “allah” is not the true GOD of the Universe. The way and manner Muslims treat their god is different to other religions. If "allah" is truly the almighty "GOD" the Olodumare of Yoruba or the CHUKWU of Igbo, Ubangidi of Hausa, I don’t see any comparisons with the same “allah”. The true GOD is the one that does not need anybody any Prophet to fight for him or solicit for him. HE is capable of doing everything. I always wondering about the god called "allah" is it a coward god that cannot fight for itself? Or is it a god that always thirsts for blood of innocent souls in the name of worshipping? I begin to wonder where Mohammed got his so called "allah" that is bringing more troubles to the world. Is “allah" a suicide bomber? Or a coward god who cannot even defend itself unless it worshippers rise up for him. An average Muslim can kill because of his or her "allah". Even idol worshippers in my village give respect to humanity and life but it seems to me that the Muslims' "allah" is hater of humanity. What a manner of religion that kill innocent people even with their heads slashed off with a knife!!! In 21st century where everybody is working toward sustenance of human dignity and life preservation. Billions of people today are going to hell because of this falsification of religion (Islam) brought to them by Mohammed. An average Muslim is a frail of terrorism. During a religion riot in Kano last year a Professor was killing and has his body slashed into pieces in the presence of his children, Yet Nicholas Berg an American was beheaded in the presence of a camera for world to see. Numbers of innocent souls were killed past years in Nigeria religion crisis. Yet Islam is called a peaceful religion. This religion is a sheer hypocritical inhibition of evil incarnate called “allah” Muslim Religion has caused serious damage to humanity and economy development of the world. In Nigeria alone from Muritala to Shehu to Mohammed Buhari to Ibrahim to Sani to Abdulsalami 234 billion dollars varnished into pockets of Swiss account. If truly there is life after death. Mohammed and his god have score to settle with ALMIGHTY GOD the owner of the universe. If “allah” is allah I will prefer serving “Ogun” god of iron which is better than blood thirsty god called “allah” Posted by Dr. Saniobifemi| 07.02.2006 17:48

Mohammed

# 4 haven't i said that more disgusting revelations are coming, just right now we received the latest news from our correspondent in saudi- arabia that many moslems are denouncing their faith and believe. they're refusing to recognize mohammed, cos now they know that mohammed was just human, he is never a prophet, he is fake! mohammed is declared as a rapist, he raped his mother, the worst thing; his mother was pregnant! DISGUSTIN! DISGUSTING!! DISGUSTING!!! Americans should go in and destroys all the fanatical nations that still practice islam... Allah has spoken! Posted by Mohammed| 07.02.2006 17:51

Sanni

# 5 he more I read the more I questioned the sense of Justice of Muhammad. The following is very disturbing. I dare to say that any man who reads it and is not taken aback with disgust has a long way to go to become a human. Sunan Abu-Dawud Book 38, Number 4348 Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas: A blind man had a slave-mother who used to abuse the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and disparage him. He forbade her but she did not stop. He rebuked her but she did not give up her habit. One night she began to slander the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and abuse him. So he took a dagger, placed it on her belly, pressed it, and killed her. A child who came between her legs was smeared with the blood that was there. When the morning came, the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) was informed about it. He assembled the people and said: I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action and I adjure him by my right to him that he should stand up. Jumping over the necks of the people and trembling the man stood up. He sat before the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and said: Apostle of Allah! I am her master; she used to abuse you and disparage you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not abandon her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was my companion. Last night she began to abuse and disparage you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her. Thereupon the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Oh be witness, no retaliation is payable for her blood. I felt the above story was a manifest injustice. Muhammad condoned a man killing a pregnant mother and his own unborn child just because he said that she insulted the Prophet! (Arabs used to sleep with their maid slaves. Quran perpetuates this tradition Q.33: 52 Muhammad himself slept with Mariyah the maid slave of Hafsa his wife without marrying her.) Forgiving someone for killing another human being just because he said she insulted Muhammad is unacceptable. What if that man was lying to escape punishment? What does this story say about Muhammad’s sense of Justice? During the past 1400 years, how many husbands escaped punishment for killing their innocent wives by accusing them of blaspheming the prophet of God and this Hadith made them get away with it? Posted by Sanni| 07.02.2006 17:56

nirenen  Villager

# 6 "press freedom must be exercised with a great sense of responsibility." Paul, I agree with you. However, any protests must be done in a civilized manner, whether by christians, muslims or budhists. Burning and killing in protest can never be justified. Such actions merely confirm the perception that Islam is synonymous with violence. I don't like what you're doing? You hurt my feelings? Simple. I burn down your house; I kill your children. What kind of solution is that? And yes, there were protests against Mel Gibson's film. But as far as I can tell, no houses were burned and no one killed. Moreover, Pat Robertson had to publicly retract his statement after being rebuked by christians for his very "unchristain" remarks. The Danish newspaper involved issued an apology. Why is the muslim world thirsting for blood? All this violence, in my opinion, is being orchestrated by certain elements for some well defined motive having little to do with the hurt feelings of moslems. And whoever is behind this can sure count on "semi-retired Catholics" among others to help them sustain their agenda. By the way, does the Koran forbid images of the Prophet Or that of Allah? Can anyone in the know elucidate this? - Nosa Posted by nirenen| 07.02.2006 19:29

I Love Nigeria  Villager

# 7 By the way, does the Koran forbid images of the Prophet Or that of Allah? Can anyone in the know elucidate this? - Nosa Thanks Nosa. Your above question is really the crux of the issue/debate here. Those who published offensive cartoons KNEW full well that the Koran prohibits such renditions to forstall idolatory..... but they went ahead and published anyways.... in complete disregard of the known feelings of Muslims... other European Journalists/Presses or publications piled on more insults in a sorts of in-your-face attitude! My thing is... if you spit in my face, you should not be in the business of predicting my reaction to your distardly act of spitting on my face! The cartoons were first published by a Danish newspaper in September. As Muslim protests mounted, numerous European newspapers have reprinted them in recent days in the name of free expression, provoking wider and angrier protests This was not a case of inadventence.. it was deliberate and caculated to test... and here we are! The test is *****ic and offensive..... but it sells papers and so, copy cats everywhere followed suit The drawings -- including one depicting the prophet wearing a turban shaped as a bomb -- have touched a raw nerve in part because Islam is interpreted to forbid any illustrations of the Prophet Muhammad for fear they could lead to idolatry I personally abhor violence and the taking of innocent lives... but I will not provoke anyone with my bad behavior and then argue that the aggrieved party is hot-tempered! If anyone says something unflattery about Jesus I would ignore them, but I also understand that there are some Christians who would not ignore such statements.... it is relative/comparative... How do you measure? Posted by I Love Nigeria| 07.02.2006 19:45

Naija for life

# 8 Just wondering, how would moslems feel, if the US (a largely Christian nation) obliterated that idolatrous black stone of kabba and all of Mecca and Medina in retaliation for the burned churches and other atrocities that have transpired in the wake of this cartoon? Following is a listing of some of the more demonic actions of the adherents of the "religion of peace" 1. They have flown planes into buildings in the US, a country in which moslems have suffered no persecution, killing thousands in the process. 2. They have attacked embassies belonging to the US, with fatalities, 3. They have murdered school children, innocent passangers, wedding guests and restaurant patrons in countless suicide bombings in Isreal, a land they have no valid claim to. 4. They have kidnapped and murdered American citizens, murdered American citizens during numerous hijackings and blown up an apartment complex killing many Americans. 5. Their primitive compatriots in Nigeria have murdered their fellow countrymen for the most inane reasons, the most glaring of these, a Southerner inadvertently backing over a koran. Islamic conventions are unequivocally primitive, misogynistic and prejudicial to non adherents. Moslems should be grateful that the United States has not wiped their backward, pre teen-marrying, child molesting asses off the face of the earth. Islam is a vile and degenerate pestilence unworthy of the dignity, religion. Posted by Naija for life| 08.02.2006 00:52

Abraxas  Villager

# 9 Mr. Paul Adujie; Esq. (alias I Love Nigeria): It has become very necessary and urgent for me to intervene before you, wittingly or unwittingly, lure Villagers into grand disinformation. I intend to follow this up, much, much later with a more definitive piece on the matter. For a start, you claim that the cartoons, “including one depicting the prophet wearing a turban shaped as a bomb, have touched a raw nerve in part, because Islam is interpreted to forbid any illustrations of the Prophet Muhammad, for fear they could lead to idolatry�. If I may ask, have you seen the so-called offensive cartoons at all? I doubt. At any rate, if you have not, please visit the following websites: http://www.diepresse.at/dia... http://weblog.theviewfromth... http://r100rt.blogspot.com/... At this juncture, let us minimise the euphemisms (i.e. cut the crap), and systematically deconstruct just a tiny bit of the above glaringly populist pretensions, at the end of which, we might be able to get a glimpse into the deeper recesses of your thinking style, and hopefully, also answer the question: Why, actually, did Mr. Paul Adujie Esq., a well-known pro-Baba Gbenga sycophant, a regular darling of the Aso Rock mob of official praise-singers, name-droppers, and influence peddlers, write this piece? And so, we will ask questions. Here goes: Question #1: If, over 14 centuries ago, Islam expressly forbade, and still forbids any depiction or illustration of Prophet Muhammad (for whatever reasons), how then do you now know that a caricature, published over five (5) months ago, in a relatively innocuous Danish newspaper, is a blasphemous resemblance of Prophet Mohammed, (or, for that matter, of GOD, or the Buddha, or The Virgin Mary, or Jesus Christ of Bethlehem Local Government Area), knowing very well that there are no known pictures, or drawings, or even records of images of Prophet Mohammed available on Planet Earth, by virtue of the original taboo, decreed some 14 centuries ago? In other words, a caricature, a random artistic rendition, a mere cartoon, cannot suddenly be made to be a disrespectful replica of a definitely non-existent image of Prophet Mohammed. It is like you, Mr. Paul Adujie Esq., having the nerve to tell me that enjoying a cartoon character called Fred Flinstone, his wife Wilma, and their daughter, Pebbles, disrespects the office and person of General Obasanjo and his family (Stella, and Iyabo), or that Tom and Jerry is an insult to Lt. General Jerry Useni, or that the Powerpuff Girls offends the egos of the trio of Mrs. Mariam Babangida, Mrs. Mariam Abacha, and Mrs. Fati Abdulsalami-Abubakar. My friend, you cannot eat your cake and still have it in your hands! Question #2: How does a cartoon character wearing a turban, shaped as a bomb with a lighted fuse, touch raw nerves, unless we callously want to glorify intolerance? The reasons given for the resultant mayhem are simply frivolous, and supremely inane. So, because a cartoonist produces a Tarzan cartoon movie, depicting a Caucasian jungle superhero as usual, therefore Africans can go on a rampage, indulging mindlessly in a binge of pure vandalism, bombing Disneyland to blazes, simply because of the direct and indirect derogatory symbolisms involved? Question #3: Why should you feel raving mad, and murderous, impudently insinuating that a harmless cartoon desecrates and demeans your so-called “holy of holies�? Question #4: Why are you trying to be more Catholic than the Pope, or rather, more Islamic than the Grand Kadir, or Chief Imam of Mecca, with your rather paternalistic, patronising, conniving, opportunistic, and very irritating regurgitation of the phrase, “Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)�, knowing fully that, as a non-Moslem, or a so-called “semi-retired Roman Catholic�, you are not obliged to go through all that sanctimonious tongue-twisting rigmarole of salutation protocols? See you later, Cheerio! Abraxas. Posted by Abraxas| 08.02.2006 04:11

TASLIM

# 10 Paul. I Pray That God Will Bless You And Your Offsprings For This Piece. Honestly, I Pity All Those Who Take Delight In Either Writing False Things About Islam Or Deliberately Go Out To Ridicule Islam. Muslims Will Never Ridicule Jesus Or The Christian Faith So Why Do Christians Ridicule Islam. The Quran Is Clear On The Relationship Between Muslims/jews/christians. Laa Iqra Fii Din - There Is Not Compulsion In Religion. The Prophet Also Directed Muslims Not To Speak Against The Religion Of Others So That They Wont Have The Opportunity To Insult Islam And Muslims. These Are Documented . And Allah Is Simply The Arabic Word For God (english), Shineke(igbo), Olorun(yoruba), Obangidi( Hausa) Paul,once Again Allah Will Reward You With The Best Place In Paradise And The Best In This World. Taslim Posted by TASLIM| 08.02.2006 04:19

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