"You have a point, but don't forget "Piss Christ" and the uproar it caused.
Fair enough, there are religious lunatics enough in all the major religions." - Mike wrote about Piss Christ, and various horrors committed by the Christians in defense of their religion at frogstylebiscuit.com.
"I recently read that that isn't in the Koran, but was a later interpretation. " - yah. I was kinda writing in shorthand. What I should have said is that their religion forbids pictorial depictions of Mohammad, etc. I believe that creating those cartoons could be considered equivalent to... wiping your ass with the American flag and publishing the photos of a celebration around said act?? And yes, maybe the U.S. populate wouldn't be rioting and killing people over it, but as you pointed out, they've got a lot more guns, material possessions, education and standing in the world than Muslims in Pakistan.
I wasn't saying that I sympathize with the rioting and killing, but that I sympathize - and I mean that intellectually - like I understand the point of view, of considering pictorial depictions of gods idolatry. Coming from a religion that seems more about pomp and pageantry than enlightenment and teaching. But I do sympathize with the rioting and killing in that, as you pointed out, if you have nothing but religion (belief), you are going to be fanatical. The Danes were ignorant not to realize this.
The story arc of the suicide bomber in "Syriana" is a good depiction of the harsh conditions that lead men to willingly die for their religion: displaced (Pakistanis in, I believe, Saudi Arabia) men living in shacks, slaves essentially. Islam offers them a purpose, and the promise of some money sent home to their families after the deed is done.
Re: Cartoons
Fair enough, there are religious lunatics enough in all the major religions."
- Mike wrote about Piss Christ, and various horrors committed by the Christians in defense of their religion at frogstylebiscuit.com.
"I recently read that that isn't in the Koran, but was a later interpretation. "
- yah. I was kinda writing in shorthand. What I should have said is that their religion forbids pictorial depictions of Mohammad, etc. I believe that creating those cartoons could be considered equivalent to... wiping your ass with the American flag and publishing the photos of a celebration around said act?? And yes, maybe the U.S. populate wouldn't be rioting and killing people over it, but as you pointed out, they've got a lot more guns, material possessions, education and standing in the world than Muslims in Pakistan.
I wasn't saying that I sympathize with the rioting and killing, but that I sympathize - and I mean that intellectually - like I understand the point of view, of considering pictorial depictions of gods idolatry. Coming from a religion that seems more about pomp and pageantry than enlightenment and teaching. But I do sympathize with the rioting and killing in that, as you pointed out, if you have nothing but religion (belief), you are going to be fanatical. The Danes were ignorant not to realize this.
The story arc of the suicide bomber in "Syriana" is a good depiction of the harsh conditions that lead men to willingly die for their religion: displaced (Pakistanis in, I believe, Saudi Arabia) men living in shacks, slaves essentially. Islam offers them a purpose, and the promise of some money sent home to their families after the deed is done.