Caricatures of Prophet Muhammad Incite Muslims’ Fiery Rage…Part II

Today, Muslims in Asia (Afghanistan) joined the protest, whicspread like wildfire throughout the Middle East last week after European newspapers published caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad – drawn by Danish cartoonists. Unfortunately, most Europeans seem as dumfounded by their grievance as the French were about the grievances that ignited a fiery rampage amongst Muslim youths 3 months ago.

Of course, I can understand how centuries of cultural arrogance made the French ignorant of (indeed inured to) simmering rage amongst disenfranchised, disillusioned and disaffected Muslim youths. I can even understand how a gaggle of 12 cartoonists thought they had creative license to perpetrate this religious insult. However, I find it utterly deplorable that European editors published these caricatures knowing full-well that Muslims would consider them a desecration of their religion.

This was a callous, pernicious and blasphemous provocation – made craven by the specious justification that it was done in the spirit of freedom of the press. And, it only added fuel to Muslims’ understandable fury when German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave this lame justification state sanction by declaring that “freedom of the press is one of the great assets as a component of democracy….”

Besides, these 12 Tom Paine (“give me liberty or give me death”) wanna-bee disciples are hardly worthy of such principled ambition. Because, instead of standing up for this freedom, they’ve actually gone into hiding, fearing for their lives. Moreover, it betrays a hegemonic religious mindset that – instead of condemning this provocation – so many Europeans seem indignant about the Muslims’ reaction to it.

Indeed, this episode only feeds the suspicion amongst radical Muslims that their religion is under siege all over the world. And Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not miss this opportunity to stoke these fires by declaring that:

“the caricatures showed the impudence and rudeness of Western newspapers against the prophet as well as the “maximum resentment of the Zionists (Jews) ruling these countries against Islam and Muslims.”

Many Christians glory in the caricatures of Jesus Christ. But for them to expect Muslims to idolize caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in similar fashion is every bit as presumptuous as President Bush expecting that if given the chance to participate in free and fair elections, Muslims would only choose a government that pledges overt allegiance to the United States. After all, it is generally recognized that Islamic law forbids any depictions of the Prophet Muhammad for fear they could lead to idolatry.

To his credit, Pope Benedict XVI has offered the only appropriate reaction to this conflagration. He deplored the violence but added that:

“Certain provocative forms of criticism were unacceptable….The right to freedom of thought and expression…cannot entail the right to offend the religious sentiment of believers.”

Amen!

So, in this latest clash of civilizations, Muslims are burning businesses and embassies instead of cars. But it behooves us to appreciate that it could be more than just fire next time….

Note: I don’t mean to challenge them, but am I the only one who wonders why there have been no significant protests over these cartoons amongst America’s significant Muslim population?

Caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, Muslims fiery reaction, Danish cartoonists