There’s been something that has been bugging me about the Cartoon War, some aspect that was just wrong, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Finally, while I slept last night, it clicked in my head — the fundamental question that so few seem to be addressing:
Do we have the right to not obey Islamic law?
As civilized, decent human beings, we certainly are obligated to take into account the sensibilities of others when we decide whether or not to take certain actions that may offend them. Indeed, that is the crux of the argument of the apologists, and it is a valid argument.
But the power of that argument — as persuasive as it may be — ends at the point of compulsion. We SHOULD respect them, and SHOULD consider them, but is has no duty assigned to it.
The Islamist world is not inflamed over a dozen cartoons published by a single newspaper in Denmark. (To be perfectly honest, they’re more inflamed by three counterfeit cartoons passed off as legit by a group of Danish Imams than the original Dirty Dozen, but that’s irrelevant to this point.) They are outraged because that newspaper carefully considered whether or not to respect Islamic law, and chose not to. Following that, the Danish government considered whether or not to enforce Islamic law against the newspaper — and came to the conclusion that they could not.
Now, the rest of the world is being presented with the Islamic demands that we not depict Mohammed. On the surface, it’s a silly issue, and some commentators, satirists, and cartoonists have had a field day with that (when they’re not facing their own threats). But underneath the giggles is a simple, fundamental issue: the Islamists are demanding that their religious laws hold sway worldwide, and are using every weapon at their disposal — economic threats, violence, and appeals to liberal guilt, just to name three — to get the non-Islamic world to submit.
And let us never forget: Islam does NOT mean “peace.” It means “submission.”
And let us never forget: Islam does NOT mean “peace.” It means “submission.”
Excellent observation, and one that needs to repeated often.
Great post, Jay. Being disrespectful isn’t unlawful, nor is having bad judgment. That’s good, especially now because I can’t wait for the “Cheney Goes “Hunting” With (fill in the blank)” cartoons. My money is on Howard Dean for most popular cartoon shooting “victim”.
My progressive mom is just starting to figure this out. A couple of years ago, she was insisting to me that Islam is “just another religion” and that there were no major differences with the other religions (we’re atheists).
I’m not sure how much she understands now about Islam’s incompatibility with classic liberalism, but she does see this cartoon furor for what it is: an attempt to make the world submit. And it has her fairly PO’ed. She will not “submit,” and that’s the word she used.
All we need now is for another 50 million Americans to wake up…
On it’s face, I find it quite sad that the actual question regarding the need to follow Sharia law need be asked. Apart from the face stupidity of the idea, basic American and western philosophy regarding the creation of body of law by the people who choose to be bound by them is completely foreign from the remote declaration of jurisdiction by Arab theocracies and religious leaders. No law in our culture withstands laws that no one agrees with.
To take a sillier view of the idea, traditional Catholic teaching views that abortion be illegal; yet I hardly forsee Chappaquiddick Fats rushing to suddenly ban abortion.
Second is the idea that bodies of law do require enforcement. Now, if I, a Christian white male of Hessian extraction were to be discovered to have the depicitions of Mohammed on my own blogsite, if we were to say that Sharia should be followed, would I be drug down to the local mosque (a place I have never been to before) to be placed under the doom of an imam with whom I don’t agree, has no responsibility to uphold community standards, and faces no jeopardy of running against the desires of the same public over which he rules?
Unfortunately, unlike the question, I hope these are answers that don’t need to be pondered.
Read Diana West’s column on Dhimmitude:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/dwest.htm
Bravo! – This is exactly what it’s all about. I wonder why it takes so long to get the real message out.
This all reminds me of an old “Maine Humor” story from years ago – bear with me.
A man visited his next door neighbor and asked to borrow his axe. The neighbor said he could not because it was Tuesday. When the man asked him what Tuesday had to do with anything, the neighbor replied, “Nothing! But if I don’t want you to borrow my axe, one excuse is as good as another.”
I believe that the cartoons were simply an excuse for Muslims to hit the streets and kill someone.
I would like to add another part to your query.
The second Commandment for the Jews say:
2- “You shall have no other gods besides Me…Do not make a sculpted image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above…”
One is required to believe in God and God alone. This prohibits belief in or worship of any additional deities, gods, spirits or incarnations. To deny the uniqueness of God, is to deny all that is written in the Torah. (2)
It is also a prohibition against making or possessing objects that one or other may bow down to or serve such as crucifixes, and any forms of paintings or artistic representations of God. (3)
One must not bow down to or serve any being or object but God. (4)
One is prohibited from making sculpture of human beings even for the fine arts. (5)
Do we need to follow these Commandments even we are not Jew? Can we make a cartoon of the Jewish God holding a gun in his/her hand, pointing to a Palestinian child with a stone in his hand.
Your trolls are getting stale. Hopefully we’ll get new more literate ones with the makeover?
PLUEEEZ?!?
NOMI, you can draw characterisations of jewish god holding a gun in his hand,and the muslim world has often done so. we do not see jews burning mosques and arab embassies though. because they are a logical people. as far as not worshipping idols, as a christian there is a cross in my church, yes. but i do not pray TO the cross. understand?
idol worship exists in every muslims life. how? you must face mecca to pray, a physical place on earth, therefore that rock in mecca is your idol. an idol that existed since pre islamic times. whereas christians may face anywhere and pray anywhere, for god is omnipotent. the hypocrisy of islam is astounding.
Not only that, Steve, but even when Christians are violently offended by something, our tendency is to trust that God will do what’s right — He won’t condemn us for tolerating what offends us, because in fact His Son counselled His followers to turn the other cheek, and to judge not lest we be judged.
Allah sounds kinda insecure, to me.
It was not intention to start a new debate, I have just added something to main topic so please be convergent to it. And I am not defending either Muslims, Christians, Jews or anyone else.
Out of topic:
By the way see a “third cheek” in this video.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/armyvideo.shtml