I think we've already been over the Brij-is-not-a-Muslim thing, but I have a few more things to say on the subject in light of recent developments.
Firstly, let's start with the Quran-burning protest. Fair enough, the Quran isn't exactly on my daily reading list, but it's a religious text. I get offended when I hear of people using the Bible to roll smokable items (I'm told it makes lovely rolling paper); some right-wing religious radical burning the Quran is exponentially more offensive. It's the deliberate destruction of a religious text with the intention to provoke a response. I fully support the right of people to protest, but destruction of sacred items is taking it too far in my opinion - an opinion that is shared by the Vatican (not that I feel that justifies my opinion, it's just interesting to note).
Terry Jones (the pastor who started the burning initiative) says he's sending a message to radical Muslims by burning their holy book on September 11. Yes that's, like, a fantastic idea, because radical Muslims, like, totally don't take the Quran seriously and, like, won't find that offensive at all. They, like, totally won't retaliate (because, you know, like, 9/11 wasn't about the US's attitude towards the Islamic world at all).
In response to his hate-crime (vandalism is a crime, even if it is a relatively petty one), people are organising to distribute copies of the Quran to replace those that are being destroyed (full stories here and here). I think Jones's mission missed the point. Not only is the entire Muslim world offended, non-Muslims are joining in the fight against Jones's brand of "Christianity" (yes, I put that in inverted commas. I can't believe that a God of peace would sanction ignorant, offensive actions like that). If he was trying to make people like Christians more and Muslims less, I think he failed (and if he is killed by someone over this, I would like to nominate him for a Darwin Award).
Secondly, a quick word on the "Ground Zero Mosque". An interview has been released with Feisal Abdul Rauf, the imam driving the project. The imam sounds very balanced, very moderate, and very keen to start the healing process between the Islamic community and the rest of America. Okay, he was possibly a bit mis-guided in terms of his assumptions about American feelings towards Islam, but his heart is in the right place. He has been running a mosque within ten blocks of Ground Zero for a number of years now, and, it would seem, is only interested in the wellbeing of the community.
So, in the end, we get back to this: tolerance. If one live in a country where religious freedom is legislated, one should respect the religious freedom of others while being free to practice one's own. Actually, even if one doesn't live in a country with legislated freedoms, it should still happen as a matter of course, simply because it's the right thing to do.
Firstly, let's start with the Quran-burning protest. Fair enough, the Quran isn't exactly on my daily reading list, but it's a religious text. I get offended when I hear of people using the Bible to roll smokable items (I'm told it makes lovely rolling paper); some right-wing religious radical burning the Quran is exponentially more offensive. It's the deliberate destruction of a religious text with the intention to provoke a response. I fully support the right of people to protest, but destruction of sacred items is taking it too far in my opinion - an opinion that is shared by the Vatican (not that I feel that justifies my opinion, it's just interesting to note).
Terry Jones (the pastor who started the burning initiative) says he's sending a message to radical Muslims by burning their holy book on September 11. Yes that's, like, a fantastic idea, because radical Muslims, like, totally don't take the Quran seriously and, like, won't find that offensive at all. They, like, totally won't retaliate (because, you know, like, 9/11 wasn't about the US's attitude towards the Islamic world at all).
In response to his hate-crime (vandalism is a crime, even if it is a relatively petty one), people are organising to distribute copies of the Quran to replace those that are being destroyed (full stories here and here). I think Jones's mission missed the point. Not only is the entire Muslim world offended, non-Muslims are joining in the fight against Jones's brand of "Christianity" (yes, I put that in inverted commas. I can't believe that a God of peace would sanction ignorant, offensive actions like that). If he was trying to make people like Christians more and Muslims less, I think he failed (and if he is killed by someone over this, I would like to nominate him for a Darwin Award).
Secondly, a quick word on the "Ground Zero Mosque". An interview has been released with Feisal Abdul Rauf, the imam driving the project. The imam sounds very balanced, very moderate, and very keen to start the healing process between the Islamic community and the rest of America. Okay, he was possibly a bit mis-guided in terms of his assumptions about American feelings towards Islam, but his heart is in the right place. He has been running a mosque within ten blocks of Ground Zero for a number of years now, and, it would seem, is only interested in the wellbeing of the community.
So, in the end, we get back to this: tolerance. If one live in a country where religious freedom is legislated, one should respect the religious freedom of others while being free to practice one's own. Actually, even if one doesn't live in a country with legislated freedoms, it should still happen as a matter of course, simply because it's the right thing to do.
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