Political Cortex: Muslim Cartoon Stirs No Laughs or Riots from Christians

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Muslim Cartoon Stirs No Laughs or Riots from Christians

By Dood Abides
02/04/2006 08:53:00 PM EST

(APE) Al Jazeera struck back today on the heels of worldwide rioting which resulted from the publication of 12 drawings in the Danish press. The drawings, various depictions of Allah and Mohammed, were subsequently reprinted throughout the European press, resulting in widespread rioting by Muslims who found them offensive. Today, in answer, Al Jazeera published its own rendition of Christ from a contest conducted throughout the Middle East this last week. The winning drawing depicted George Bush as Christ gently coddling a nuclear weapon with a mushroom cloud in the background

The contest itself was controversial as fundamental Islamists prohibit the depiction of any religious figure be it Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, or any other faith.

A spokesman for Al Jazeera denied that this was a direct attempt to incite rioting and violence in America as had been experienced earlier this week in the Middle East. He stated that the news agency was frankly surprised at what was instead an overwhelming number of requests for reprints, sales, and marketing deals.

"Our polls are showing an almost 60% positive response to the artwork overall, and when the responses are broken down over the various denominations of Christianity, there is almost a 98% positive response from fundamental and evangelical Christians," he stated. "In fact, the only hate mail, if you will, came from a Reverend Phelps, a pastor of a small church in Idaho."

"Allah does indeed work in mysterious ways," the spokesperson stated with a smile. "If our revenue projections are accurate, we will be able to outfit over a dozen new state-of-the-art camera crews, and upgrade the armor on all personnel and vehicles that we currently have in Iraq to a level equal or better than that of the average American occupation force."

White House spokesperson Scott McClellan stated that the Bush administration was also puzzled over the absence of a backlash in America. He wrote it off as a cultural difference between the average American, and the average citizen in the middle east. "Here in America we are much more comfortable with icons and idolatry and that the fine gray line that separates the two."

: Muslim cartoon, satire, Jesus Bush

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Muslim Cartoon Stirs No Laughs or Riots from Christians | 5 comments (5 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Loved it over at dkos (none / 1)

Love it here.

I was shocked my neutral post there sparked such an uproar. I even received some emails asking me to delete the pictures from the comments. As for the diaries it spawned...well, let's say I spent too much time repeatedly editing the tags so that they were free from LGF speak.

Some of the concerns were justified, but with a community of 70,000 members, you're bound to have a few irrational people thrown in.

Thanks for bringing some levity into an otherwise tense situation. :)

My blog is pretty.

by Georgia10 on 02/04/2006 12:34:54 PM EST

: I live for the irrational... (none / 1)

by Dood Abides on 02/04/2006 12:44:16 PM EST

[ Parent ]

The Dood ROCKS! (none / 1)

Great stuff, amigo.

Next time use the "Submit New Article" Link rather than the New Diary!

I know! My fault. Details are coming as soon as I get a second.

Political Cortex -- Brain Food for the Body Politic

by Tom Ball on 02/04/2006 08:56:05 PM EST

Love the Bush pic... (none / 1)

The fact that only Phelps objected makes the real point - Muslims need to lighten up. I think it's great that they have such devotion to their beliefs, but they have no right to expect the same level of respect from others. Opinions differ. Writing an angry letter to the editor of the paper who published the pictures, and demanding equal time is a reasonable response; throwing bombs is not. Voting against gay marriage is a vaid choice; picketing the funerals of slain soldiers because you hate gays is not.

The problem with Fundamentalism, whether from Muslim or Christian extremists, is that it refuses to consider that their own opinions might be mistaken. The simple cognitive ability to think in abstract terms, considering that there are other ways of seeing the world that might be equally, or even more correct, is all that is necessary to make the world a more peaceful place.

"It is rating our conjectures too highly to roast people alive for them." - Michel de Montaigne

Support the Women's Autonomy and Sexual Sovereignty Movements.

by Morgaine Swann on 02/09/2006 05:54:53 PM EST

WARNING ! - not satire (none / 1)

[ from Talk To Action story by Jonathan Hutson ] The infamous anti-Mohammed cartoons from Denmark have been published online by the Christian Communications Network (CCN), a Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm run by Christian right activist and anti-abortion crusader Gary McCullough. McCullough distributed press releases calling for even wider publication of the inflammatory cartoons, including one caricature of Muhammad with a fuse-lit bomb tucked in his turban, and another of the prophet on a cloud in paradise, telling newly arrived suicide bombers, "Stop, Stop! We have run out of virgins!"
Islamic tradition forbids any depiction of the religion's holiest figure; such stereotypical, bigoted cartoons have sparked protests across the Muslim world.
McCullough stated in interviews that no one paid him to post the cartoons, and that he is not "speaking on behalf of the Christian faith." McCullough claims to be making a brave stance against terrorist violence and intimidation by Islamic fundamentalists. However, he has a history of condoning intimidation and violence -- including killing -- in the name of Christ.

by Bruce Wilson on 02/10/2006 03:43:57 PM EST

Muslim Cartoon Stirs No Laughs or Riots from Christians | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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