Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Hands Off Freedom of the Press
The latest thing in the world is Muslim anger and riots over the printing of some caricatures of personages in the Muslim world such as God and Mohammed, especially the latter. A Danish newspaper printed the images, and other European newspapers have reprinted them. This has caused Muslims to riot against Danish and other European embassies, and in some cases to destroy consulates. In so doing, they have damaged the Chilean embassy in Damascus. What's Chile got to do with it? They demand an apology from the Danish Government. What? They didn't do anything. The newspaper did. The Danish government is not responsible. They should be talking to the newspaper and writing letters to the editor of that newspaper. They will publish them.
As a matter of fact, what right do the Muslims have to complain in the first place? They insist that any depiction of God or of Mohammed is forbidden. In the case of God, or Allah, I can see part of their point. People have attempted to depict God many times; for example in the Sistine Chapel. Such depictions are meaningless. As soon as you represent God or anything else that represents the Ultimate, you haven't. The Sistine Chapel does not depict God. For by definition, the Ultimate is so much greater than us, that any attempt by us to describe it is insufficient. The god you draw is not the Real God. The Muslims believe in this, and for that reason they even forbid drawing God in the first place, for fear that people will worship the depiction. They even forbid drawing Mohammed, for fear that they will worship that depiction, even though Mohammed is not God, but rather was one of us human beings.
But that doesn't mean they go around the world and prevent everybody from making such depictions. If they want to forbid such depictions, fine. But then forbid it only for practicing Muslims. I am not a Muslim, for instance, and I resent having Muslims telling me what I can or cannot draw. If I want to draw Mohammed as a donkey, that is my prerogative. It may be demeaning, and maybe people will want me to stop drawing such things. I probably would not want to in the first place. But I still maintain my right to draw it. That is freedom of speech. It is freedom of speech that keeps people free, and one of the first things that the citizens of a country can do to preserve that freedom is to stop intrusions on that freedom, like the ones that Muslims are trying to impose on us.
They are even wrong on the idolatry score. It's not just depictions, Muslims. Verbal descriptions of God, and human recitations of stories of God are idols, too. They do not describe God, for God is so much beyond human representation, even in story. That's right, Muslims. The Quran is also an idol, and if you feel that way about idolatry, then forbid reading of the Quran. At least concede that the Quran is simply another idol. Also so are the Ka'aba, the city of Mecca, mosques, and imams. None are God, and all are idols to one extent or another.
In any case, respect other's right to speak out and to live the right they choose. Muslims need to stop the rioting and the burning of embassies and consulates now.
As a matter of fact, what right do the Muslims have to complain in the first place? They insist that any depiction of God or of Mohammed is forbidden. In the case of God, or Allah, I can see part of their point. People have attempted to depict God many times; for example in the Sistine Chapel. Such depictions are meaningless. As soon as you represent God or anything else that represents the Ultimate, you haven't. The Sistine Chapel does not depict God. For by definition, the Ultimate is so much greater than us, that any attempt by us to describe it is insufficient. The god you draw is not the Real God. The Muslims believe in this, and for that reason they even forbid drawing God in the first place, for fear that people will worship the depiction. They even forbid drawing Mohammed, for fear that they will worship that depiction, even though Mohammed is not God, but rather was one of us human beings.
But that doesn't mean they go around the world and prevent everybody from making such depictions. If they want to forbid such depictions, fine. But then forbid it only for practicing Muslims. I am not a Muslim, for instance, and I resent having Muslims telling me what I can or cannot draw. If I want to draw Mohammed as a donkey, that is my prerogative. It may be demeaning, and maybe people will want me to stop drawing such things. I probably would not want to in the first place. But I still maintain my right to draw it. That is freedom of speech. It is freedom of speech that keeps people free, and one of the first things that the citizens of a country can do to preserve that freedom is to stop intrusions on that freedom, like the ones that Muslims are trying to impose on us.
They are even wrong on the idolatry score. It's not just depictions, Muslims. Verbal descriptions of God, and human recitations of stories of God are idols, too. They do not describe God, for God is so much beyond human representation, even in story. That's right, Muslims. The Quran is also an idol, and if you feel that way about idolatry, then forbid reading of the Quran. At least concede that the Quran is simply another idol. Also so are the Ka'aba, the city of Mecca, mosques, and imams. None are God, and all are idols to one extent or another.
In any case, respect other's right to speak out and to live the right they choose. Muslims need to stop the rioting and the burning of embassies and consulates now.
