I’m glad I live in a country that takes religious freedom and seperation of church and state at least somewhat seriously, even if it isn’t always as much as we should (see also here, here and here, and, frankly, most of this site).
This is unlike the Kingdom of Jordan, where they recently charged someone in another country with blasphemy.
Geert Wilders, the man in question, made a film critical of the role of violence in modern Islam, particularly it’s links with terrorism. Apparently the film superimposes quotes from the Koran with images of terrorist attacks.
The fifty-six member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), seems to have no problem with this, and instead are “deeply annoyed” that the Dutch government won’t force this guy to go to Jordan to face trial. They had this to say on the issue:
The decision … encourages and supports the irresponsible defamatory style followed by some media outlets and instigates feelings of hatred, animosity and antipathy towards Muslims. – OIC statement
No, guys, that’s not true. What really encourages and supports the irresponsible defamatory style that instigates feelings of hatred, animosity and anitpathy towards Muslims is the terrorists who use your religion to justify their acts and your lack of desire to really issue hardcore condemnations of this behavior!
This cannot be emphasized enough. If the OIC was a little louder in condeming terrorism, likely the “attacks” against Islam wouldn’t be happening, or if they were, they wouldn’t be as loud and forceful. But when there’s a dearth of other Muslims standing up in public to decry these acts of evil, it falls on the rest of us to do so.
Beyond that, of course, the Dutch government is perfectly correct in telling Jordan, a moderate Muslim state, scarily enough, where to go on this issue. Freedom of speech is very important; far more important than a few people’s hurt feelings.
Here’s a quick last though to the OIC, the Jordanian legal system, and people in general who get offended at having their religion criticized: grow the hell up! Do you really think Allah is incapable of dealing with Geert Wilders if he really wants to, or are you just arrogant enough to assume you must be his agent here on the Earth?
Please understand that we believe our freedom of speech, and, yes, of religion, is far more important than your hurt feelings, and rightly so. Keep in mind that you’re welcome to go to the Netherlands, or most any other country in the “civilized” world and protest the actions of Wilders to your heart’s content. You can even, if you wish, make a movie showing Jesus making out with Satan. That’s what free speech is all about.
Lastly, to the censors here in the USA: what I said to them applies to you, too. Our freedom to say and do what we want is more important than your ability to go around without your feelings getting hurt or without feeling offended. If you can’t deal with that, tough. I know 56 countries where you’d likely feel more at home.
