Articles

Cartoons · August 01, 2006

By Hal Mayer

Several months after a Danish newspaper published cartoons about the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Danish embassies were attacked and gutted by rioting Muslims. Death threats prompted the cartoonists to go into hiding as imams demanded government apologies and punishment of the cartoonists. The daily reports told of death and destruction. Other western papers republished the cartoons in solidarity with the Danes and a general discussion arose about the freedom of the press to ridicule religion.

As I watched the riots unfold against the publication of these cartoons, I was profoundly impressed that here was a classic example of censorship through fear. The riots were deliberately orchestrated by the Imams, reportedly as a means of pressuring western nations to respect Islam. But how can respect arise from terror and fear? Many newspapers that would have published these cartoons before the riots, wouldn’t dare do it afterwards, in effect muzzling freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Something more caught my attention. The religion of Islam is about honor, and glory. But it is accomplished through murder and mayhem. You can force people to do what you want when you are in power, but they are not going to respect you. Years of communism in eastern Europe and Russia proved that. If you terrorize people, you similarly do not gain their respect.

The best means of gaining respect is to suffer abuse without retaliation. The Christian faith is built on this principle; Crucifixion followed by resurrection; another crucifixion followed by resurrection. Taking abuse without belligerence or attempts to get even greatly enhances the respect of God’s cause by those watching. It is when Christians act like radical Islam that brings genuine reproach.

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