No other religions have carried out this kind of atrocity, and this is true. The madmen who murdered all of the victims in Paris have no religious excuse. As Simon mentions, compared to the torture and murder of those oppressed in many countries a few cartoon that some may take it upon themselves to take offence at are petty.
But here in this world we all live in there are clearly those who could be described as religious psychopaths and sadly, oh so very sadly, they find excuses in their interpretations of their books for such murderous behaviour.
Demanding freedom of speech doesn't stop a madman's bullets.
I completely agree that freedom of speech as a concept is wonderful, but in this world of madmen most of us can, and really do, censor ourselves because we don't want to cause offense, it isn't actually needed nor productive in real terms. Can I suggest that it may partly be because we don't like offending others that we stand up for freedom of expression to defend our fellow men's rights? I may think that my views are better than those of others but I do not feel the right to ridicule others nor offend by going for the jugular vein as does the magazine in question. Do they not imply that Mohammed is telling these madmen what to do? Mohammed is not. The madmen are taking Mohammed's words and fitting them to match their meglomania and thus dominating others with their views. This is not a good thing to do, If Mohammed were telling all Muslims to to this to Charlie Hebdo then are would have been far more than two attackers, there would have been millions.
This freedom of speech idea has been hijacked and we are being spoon fed this idea. What this is about really, to me, is that there is another thing that drives us human and affects us all to the core.
None of us want other people telling us what to think. All men are born equal, all have DNA. Demanding that all have freedom of speech can be viewed as a violation of a person's individual right to think for themselves. This can be viewed as being as dominatory as any religious views folk may hold.
I in no way attempt to imply that anyone had anything coming but in a world of cause and effect certain things occurred.
Cartoonists drew some pictures deliberately knowing they could be constrewed as offensive by some, as they have every human right to do.
Some men then published these for the world to see, as they have every right to do.
Then some men took it upon themselves to feel insulted on Mohammed's behalf, which again they have every human right to do.
Then the psychopaths saw these cartoons and the real time effect was murder, not humour. These actions do not acceptably exist in society.
Several people were so terribly murdered in the offices of the magazine. Then a policeman was killed, who had nothing to do with this cartoon what-so-ever. Then some innocent Jewish folk were dragged into this and paid for it with their lives. There was a real world catalogue of bodies at the end of the day. And it may not yet be over. The whole entire lot of this stinks to high heaven - all of it.
I cannot agree that freedom of speech in any way makes society better since society hasn't been improved by this series of events. The speech has become more hurtful, not less. Simply read your country's media headlines to see an example of this. It has increased the hatred and that is very sad. Our bombs simply get bigger, so that isn't an improvement. Children get blown up by Western bombs as well as ISIS. All of our hands are dirty. As a species we are getting worse. Freedom of speech doesn't mean we are getting better, if we believe that we simply fool ourselves.
Charlie Hebdo's hands are no cleaner. So I am still not Charlie. Drawing a cartoon of Mohammed with a bomb does kinda imply that Mohammed is a murderer.
I was formerly involved with the Mormon faith and I agree with Simon that I was very intolerant so your statement is not unfair, Simon, but very accurate. I claim no saintliness, just this common madness of humanity. All of us know better than this. The religious claim to be more ethical than the rest yet the hatred that fills many hearts isn't getting extinguished but enflamed.
I do not defend the madmen, there is no defense. I do think the politicians jumped on and hijacked the band wagon.
Was this an attack on freedom of speech or an attack, by madmen, on those who they felt had offended them? It makes me wonder. Many posts here support freedom but freedom comes with responsibility. I comes with a self imposed price - self censorship.
Perhaps in blaming Islam we really blame the psychopaths? For the first time in my life I recently found myself completely agreeing with both the Pope and Tony Blair. Do we really want to take it upon ourselves to exercise the ability, not the right, to offend? And if we do so, should we not expect cause and effect to take over? Scientists do.
I don't expect a mass cull at armageddon - that is the hysteria put out by the churches. We can agree the psychopaths need stopping for the good of everyone but to ruthlessly destroy humans ad-hoc is as horrible as Finkelstein says and I think that the Jehovah's Witness group has got this utterly wrong. I don't expect God to chuck out the baby, humanity, with the bathwater. That's neither wise nor loving. I look forward to improvements for all mankind not a bloodbath as they say is in the Bible nor the destruction of the one's I don't get on with. We've all got common ground somewhere and I think that the Creator takes that into account. But even Jehovah's Witnesse think I'm a heretic and that cheers me up immensely, 'coz, guess what? They are also as mad as the rest of us. I hope my views are in support of humanity -all of us - my profile pic sums it up and I think I'm right says me, Mr. Ego.
All men are equal and all men are bonkers - the bombs we all have prove it so clearly. The God Jehovah that I believe in wants and end to the killing, not more, ie, the lion will lay down with the lamb, maybe. Most people's view of those who believe in God is that we expect blood. Not all of us do and that's why I don't go near Kingdom Halls 'coz they expect mass murder which is a really sad interpretation and just their opinion, not mine. No wonder the Pope never really mentions it.
And finally, oh shut up me, I have to add one thing just to exercise my right not to shut up.
In the summer the difference between a snowman and a snow-woman is a cup of tea or coffee so how does yours taste today?
