Cartoon Update

I'll list some of the stories from today and some comments.


Nigerian MPs burn Denmark's flag (link)

An actual government sponsored flag burning. In addition multi-million dollar deals are being called off between Denmark and Nigeria. One is a 25 Million dollar hydroelectric plant. So Nigeria will now make the people suffer to make this point. If the people are Ok with that, then fine. These are peaceful protests so far. But for one government to sponsor an event that burns the flag of another country is nuts. What do they think that the government can do? Denmark can not arrest the newspaper workers. They can not kill them. They can say, we don't approve of the cartoons. And they have.

Q&A: The Muhammad cartoons row (link)

A good overview from the BBC


Iran calls for 'Holocaust cartoons' (link)

You have to go halfway down the page to get to this headline. The basic premise is that Iran wants to see if the west supports freedom of expression for this type of cartoons as well. In America we let Nazis march. There are peaceful, yet heated, protests, every time. Freedom protects your right to be an idiot. It protects your right to offend people. Taking away the freedom to be hateful does not take away hate. It is not that simple. Hate is destroyed by love and education. I'm sure the west will object to the cartoons, but I'm sure they will not burn any embassies.

Beirut Rioters Attack Church (link)

Yes, the Church published the cartoons. you would almost think that Muslim fundamentalists would take advantage of any excuse to attack Christians.


Violence, fatwas and online anti-Jew images: a world of protests (link)

In the interest of being fair I'll repost the quote from the worlds leading Islamic Body:

Violence was condemned by the world's leading Islamic body. "Overreactions surpassing the limits of peaceful democratic acts ... are dangerous and detrimental to the efforts to defend the legitimate case of the Muslim world," the 57-nation Saudi-based Organisation of the Islamic Summit said in a statement from its secretary general, Ekmelettin Ihsanoglu. He called the protests "regrettable and deplorable".

Now the question: Will a moderate voice be heard? Or will the governments, who are Islamic fundamentalists or pander to them, not heed the call. I fear I know the answer.


Fr. Santoro's assassin confesses and claims to have been provoked by the Muhammad cartoon strips. (link)

This was my worst fear. The Vatican has condemmed the cartoons. They have said that people should be allowed freedom, but use judgment and understanding and not attack a faith. But this has become an excuse to attack Christians. The Vatican and the Catholic church does not control the west. We can't even get 60% of our own baptized Catholics to go to Church.

The Left wing view says we are too rigid and dogmatic and oppress everyone. The Right wing view says we are idolaters and not true Americans because we owe allegiance to the Pope (they don't understand it is not a Country type thing, but a moral guidance). I'll go on record now, the Pope has never called me and said, "Dave could you spy for the Vatican."


Tension after South African paper prints Muhammad`s cartoon (link)

A quote:

"What was the intention of these publications when it is a well known fact that he (Muhammad) was a paragon of peace, mercy, tolerance and forgiveness?" council spokesman Mufti Zubair Bayat said.


Then perhaps those who want people to know that, should stand up to those who are making people believe otherwise. I do believe that Islam is a religion of peace at its' heart. I know Muslims who are wonderful people. I know from history what my own church was like at times during its' history. There were moments made infamous by horrible things done by the Church, and Christ was a man of peace and love. We have grown; we have held onto the heart of our faith and made great progress in moving toward a genuine expression of the love of Christ. And a greater Unity.

Coptic Pope Shenouda III is going to South Africa in route to Brazil for the conference of the World Council of Churches. I pray for his safety in a country that is having such tensions. I also pray that he may make the council more aware of the sufferings of his people.

May God open our hearts to each other.