“If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.” ~Noam Chomsky
~~~~~
I have a particular fascination with people with whom I completely don't agree. I can listen to them for hours, watch their shows and work to analyze and understand why they believe the way they do. I do this with a honest intent to see things from another point of view.
I have a strong passion for my own beliefs and this leads me to have a strong passion to defend others' beliefs, whether or not they reflect my own.
I know not all people approach life this way or understand this approach, but I see this as a way to help me understand the utmost importance of the freedom of expression.
Which brings me to South Park. I love South Park. I don't always feel comfortable when I watch South Park, but that's not the point. The point is to watch and understand the underlying message, which sometimes is about how humanity allows certain words and images to dig at them, even when the outlying consequences are minimal.
I have no issue with South Park depicting Muhammed, because that is their interpretation of something. I'm not particularly offended by images of Muhammed or any other prophet, mainly because such things have no meaning to me.
The people from whom Muhammed came were people who worshipped images. It is understandable, then, that in order to help those who chose to begin to worship a different concept of God to whom an image was not ascribed, a tradition developed to prevent depiction of the prophet who brought that particular concept of God to that group of people. Would such a tradition apply to all people for all time...no...because depending on many different aspects of differing groups of people, images might or might not have the same significance.
If having a depiction of a prophet prevents a person from connecting with their spiritual path, then removing those depictions would be important to that individual. However, the expectation for everyone to do the same because of a particular individual is extreme. The individual has the opportunity and power to ignore such an image or, if the individual is worried about others' reactions, could move to present another approach to the subject.
I worry about Comedy Central's decision to censor South Park. I hope there were other, non-public reasons for the decision. I hope the decision was truly not derived from actual fear from violence threatened by RevolutionMuslim.com. Fear, after all, has been the sponsor of too many terrible things and has caused people not to stand up and have a voice when literal lives were on the line...I'm thinking Holocaust proportions here...yes, it has the potential to be that bad.
What's the worse that can happen if we choose to stand up for our beliefs? We could die. That's not an ideal consequence, but for freedom, I know many willing to take that chance, including myself. It's that important...really.
I hope, hope with all my heart, that Americans will continue to remember that the freedoms we enjoy are definitely worth moving through any kind of threats...even those that might be real and might cost lives. The consequence of not defending such freedoms is a shell of a life lived in fear and darkness.
Keep strong.
Kelly
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
www.americanislamicfellowship.com
Showing posts with label Muhammed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muhammed. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Religion and the Media
Coming off of AIF's discussion of religion and the media are two interesting and related articles.
The first article is from the Wall Street Journal and covers a German professor and Muslim who has made the claim Prophet Mohammed never existed. This statement, sure to create waves in many sectors of the world, should be considered a step in critical analysis of Islam and in exploration and questioning of one's faith.
Professor Hired for Outreach to Muslims Delivers a Jolt - Andrew Higgins
Christianity (and Islam to a degree) has already dealt with this sort of challenge with scholars questioning the historical existence of Jesus.
This is not the first claim of the non-existence of Mohammed, but it is the most recent. Some earlier examples would be Christopher Hitchens in God is Not Great, Klimovich in an article entitled "Did Muhummed Exist?" and Ibn Warraq (citing Klimovich) in his book The Quest for the Historical Muhammed.
Muslims may be quick to dismiss the books mentioned above here, but it is hopeful the very question of the existence of Muhammed will have each Muslim looking into the very core of faith and why Islam instead of reacting in dismissive or other ways. This is a golden opportunity to evaluate and really understand why one believes what one believes.
One should consider such questions as, "what if Muhammed didn't exist?" Would that fact diminish one's faith? Muhammed as a prophet is certainly a foundation of Islam as a religion, but the cornerstone of the Islamic faith is God. Muslims have pondered similar questions, including the non-existence of the Qu'ran, other prophets, etc... One would hope a person would understand the vastness and adaptability of the concept of God in religion...Mohammed is how Muslims received the revelation of Islam, but God would have the capacity to have delivered the message regardless of the constraints of the world. Let's not discount the extreme importance of Mohammed as a messenger...someone who had the capacity to not only receive, but live and spread the message of God...but a Muslim or any person with belief in God should not fall into the philosophical trap of placing one's faith in humanity rather than God.
Mike Ghouse of the World Muslim Congress also cautions Muslims not to fall into the trap of reacting negatively to such news. He has a different spin on the approach and intentions of such challenges, but it is important to consider the consequences of a Muslim's response and how the world is watching.
Should Muslims Play the Game - Mike Ghouse
What do you think?
How would you react considering your faith perspective?
Here are the articles and sites referenced during the discussion meeting:
Religion and the Media
The Media Gets Religion - Fred Barnes
On the Spiritual Perils of Religion Writing - Andrea Unseem
When Religion Meets New Media
And here is a video, winner of the 2007 One Nation, Many Voices Online Film Contest, showcasing some thoughts of Muslims and what they would like to convey to the public about themselves.
A Land Called Paradise - Lena Khan
Think on!
~~~~~~
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
The first article is from the Wall Street Journal and covers a German professor and Muslim who has made the claim Prophet Mohammed never existed. This statement, sure to create waves in many sectors of the world, should be considered a step in critical analysis of Islam and in exploration and questioning of one's faith.
Professor Hired for Outreach to Muslims Delivers a Jolt - Andrew Higgins
Christianity (and Islam to a degree) has already dealt with this sort of challenge with scholars questioning the historical existence of Jesus.
This is not the first claim of the non-existence of Mohammed, but it is the most recent. Some earlier examples would be Christopher Hitchens in God is Not Great, Klimovich in an article entitled "Did Muhummed Exist?" and Ibn Warraq (citing Klimovich) in his book The Quest for the Historical Muhammed.
Muslims may be quick to dismiss the books mentioned above here, but it is hopeful the very question of the existence of Muhammed will have each Muslim looking into the very core of faith and why Islam instead of reacting in dismissive or other ways. This is a golden opportunity to evaluate and really understand why one believes what one believes.
One should consider such questions as, "what if Muhammed didn't exist?" Would that fact diminish one's faith? Muhammed as a prophet is certainly a foundation of Islam as a religion, but the cornerstone of the Islamic faith is God. Muslims have pondered similar questions, including the non-existence of the Qu'ran, other prophets, etc... One would hope a person would understand the vastness and adaptability of the concept of God in religion...Mohammed is how Muslims received the revelation of Islam, but God would have the capacity to have delivered the message regardless of the constraints of the world. Let's not discount the extreme importance of Mohammed as a messenger...someone who had the capacity to not only receive, but live and spread the message of God...but a Muslim or any person with belief in God should not fall into the philosophical trap of placing one's faith in humanity rather than God.
Mike Ghouse of the World Muslim Congress also cautions Muslims not to fall into the trap of reacting negatively to such news. He has a different spin on the approach and intentions of such challenges, but it is important to consider the consequences of a Muslim's response and how the world is watching.
Should Muslims Play the Game - Mike Ghouse
What do you think?
How would you react considering your faith perspective?
Here are the articles and sites referenced during the discussion meeting:
Religion and the Media
The Media Gets Religion - Fred Barnes
On the Spiritual Perils of Religion Writing - Andrea Unseem
When Religion Meets New Media
And here is a video, winner of the 2007 One Nation, Many Voices Online Film Contest, showcasing some thoughts of Muslims and what they would like to convey to the public about themselves.
A Land Called Paradise - Lena Khan
Think on!
~~~~~~
Kelly
American Islamic Fellowship
blog@americanislamicfellowship.com
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