http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/02/AR2006020200247_pf.html
Anger Over Drawings Spreads Among Muslims
By IBRAHIM BARZAK
The Associated Press
Thursday, February 2, 2006; 10:25 AM
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Armed militants angered by a cartoon drawing of the Prophet Muhammad published in European media surrounded EU offices in Gaza on Thursday and threatened to kidnap foreigners as outrage over the caricatures spread across the Islamic world.
Foreign journalists, diplomats and aid workers began leaving Gaza as gunmen there threatened to kidnap citizens of France, Norway, Denmark and Germany unless those governments apologize for the cartoon.
In Paris, the daily newspaper France Soir fired its managing editor after it republished the caricatures Wednesday, and Pakistani protesters chanting "Death to France!"
Gunmen in the West Bank city of Nablus entered four hotels to search for foreigners to abduct, and they warned hotel owners not to host citizens from several European countries. Gunmen said they were also searching apartments in Nablus for Europeans.
Militants in Gaza said they would shut down media offices from France, Norway, Denmark and Germany, singling out the French news agency Agence France Presse.
"Any citizens of these countries, who are present in Gaza, will put themselves in danger," a Fatah-affiliated gunman said as he stood outside the EU Commission's office in Gaza. He was flanked by two masked men holding up their rifles.
If the European governments don't apologize by Thursday evening, "any visitor of these countries will be targeted," he said.
The Thin Skin of Muslims
Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by carpro, Feb 2, 2006.
Page 1 of 5
-
-
It's misleading to call the thread "The Thin Skin of Muslims". The Muslims I know couldn't care less about a foreign cartoon.
-
The news seems to indicate the title is accurate. Are you saying the sentiments in the article are not widespread?
If so, please provide some backup for that opinion. Anecdotal evidence is a narrow criteria from which to judge. -
The best cartoon shows Muhammad wearing a turban shaped like a bomb with a lit fuse in it.
It can be viewed at the end of this web site in an article titled Image of Muhammad.
This justifies rioting in some minds!
Politicians far and wide will soon condemn the cartoons and some will even excuse the rioting.
It's a good thing most Americans don't get that angry over the political cartoons in our daily newspapers. -
-
It is not that they are thin skinned it is just that they worship a false god, and apparently a false prophet!
Incidently I think it is blasphemous for anyone to imitate the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross. -
Another opinion on the subject:
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCommentary.asp?Page=\Commentary\archive\200602\COM20060203a.html
What Ails Islam
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
February 03, 2006
(CNSNews.com) - The decision last fall by a newspaper in a small European country to publish cartoon depictions of the Muslim prophet Mohammed has done us all a favor.
Despite the threats of violence from radicals from Gaza to Pakistan -- yes, people may yet die before this is over -- and despite the economic costs to Danish companies boycotted in the Middle East, the West can thank Jyllands-Posten for the small step it took to get the world's attention.
More of us now know what we are dealing with here: Not a tiny minority of fanatics who have warped the tenets of a great faith, but a religion whose adherents -- if they are to be true to their beliefs -- cannot truly live in harmony with the West.
The fact that millions of them live in the West makes it our problem.
SNIP
What we are facing is the faintly preposterous possibility that the appearance in 2005-6 of a dozen cartoon sketches -- not all of them particularly good -- may pose for Islam a moment of truth.
There seems to be a relatively straightforward choice for the world's 1.3 billion Muslims: acknowledge that you share the planet with several billion other human beings of different faiths or none -- many of whom feel pretty strongly about such matters as freedom of expression -- and adapt accordingly.
You don't have to like or embrace our "infidel" ways, just accept their existence and move on.
SNIP
Blasphemy is troubling. Believing Christians have long witnessed, in films, books or works of "art," portrayals of Jesus Christ or the Judeo-Christian God that are profane and disturbing.
We are -- or should be -- no less offended about mockery of Jesus than Muslims are about the Mohammed pictures. We believe, after all, that Jesus is divine, and was there at the very foundation of the world.
But how Christians respond to these hurts says a great deal about the one whom we follow.
The same applies to Muslims. -
I have heard several Muslim leaders interviewedon the radio. There truly is outrage in the Muslim world.
I am amazed that mocking Christ is so many ways is seen as "art" or "freedom of the press" while there is outrage at mocking Mohammed.
I agree with carpro's perception -
Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
-
-
http://epaper.jp.dk/30-09-2005/demo/JP_04-03.html
All of the Danish cartoons, if a bit small. -
-
In this case, I don't think it's a problem with thin skins; the cartoon has offended their religious sensibilities. Just as we are offended by how Christians are portrayed on some of the TV networks. I really can't blame them for being offended, this time. It sure doesn't help evangelism, does it?
-
-
They sound very americanized to me, go have dinner in Gaza, and then we will talk again. California is not even American anymore is it, JohnV. Did you know 100,000 people per year are moving away from California.
-
You make that sound bad. For some reason, we tend to stereotype "Muslim" in America with "fress off the boat immigrant". When did that happen? About 2/3 of all the Muslims I've known were born here.
It's probably more American than many other parts of the country.
[ February 03, 2006, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: Johnv ] -
-
It's incorrect that Muslims worship a false God. However, they worship God falsely. Big difference. (note Paul's dissertaion to the Athenians)
-
"You make that sound bad. For some reason, we tend to stereotype "Muslim" in America with "fress off the boat immigrant". When did that happen? About 2/3 of all the Muslims I've known were born here."--------------------------------------------------------------------------
That was my original point, silly. You are basing your comments on experiences with Americanized Christians. I am just saying thing would take on a new tone if you were eating with Muslims in Gaza
The 100,000 exodus per year is cold hard fact. I don't know what is keeping the real estate prices up, unless you are also getting 100,000 immigrants a year. -
If i'm not mistaken, isn't it mostly the Palestinans who are pitching a fit about these cartoons? The same ones who have also elected a terrorist group to head their parliament.
Thin skin is a good description for Muslims...as well as Jews and even Christians.
None of us want to see our beliefs criticized in such a way.
The big difference is that the vast majority of baptists are not going to be on TV waving an assault weapon with armed-masked men in the background threatening violence if the commments are taken back.
Page 1 of 5