"I don't recall reading that he had misled the Pakistani government! What did he tell them?"

Daniel Pearl never revealed his real purpose for visiting Pakistan to the immigration authorities otherwise he would have been provided Police escort like other well known foreign journalists get or atleast he would have recieved some sane advice regarding people he was trying to trace. Recently one of the men Daniel Pearl was trying to interview, Khalid Khawaja, in strange twist of fate was murdered in exactly the same way as Daniel was when he accompanied a British Journalist to interview Taliban and Al-Qaida leaders. Anyways......these are all big conspiracies. The man who killed Daniel, Omar Saeed Shaikh was an LSE educated man with links to MI6. Its all mind boggling stuff~!

For people here its hard to understand how can anyone issue death threats of even kill someone for a game of sports! So yea.......its hard to understand the stupidity of human emotions sometimes.
--------------------------------
There was a baseball riot here awhile ago. Also, one father attacked another over a little league (children's baseball) game accidentally causing his death! That was neither the first nor the last violent incident involving outraged fathers sensing injustice toward their offspring while at the pitcher's mound.

Help.

He misled the security people here regarding the purpose of his visit and caused a great deal of embarrasment for Pakistan.
-----------------------------
I don't recall reading that he had misled the Pakistani government! What did he tell them?

I confess I would not have sought out at an interview with Al Quaeda, but that's me. :0

"It's also odd, sometimes, who gets offended by what."

I remember last year when Chelsea lost Barcelona in Champions League their fans issued death threats to the Norwegian refree because of some of his decisions (wrongly) percieved to have favored the other side. He had to go into hiding after the match. There have been many deaths due to football related hooliganism and violence all over Europe and South America. For people here its hard to understand how can anyone issue death threats of even kill someone for a game of sports! So yea.......its hard to understand the stupidity of human emotions sometimes.

Daniel Pearl was indeed a sad case. He was an innocent man. But he made a mighty judgement of error, trying to find Al-Qaida leaders in the blind alleys of Karachi during the height of 2 american wars in muslim countries. He misled the security people here regarding the purpose of his visit and caused a great deal of embarrasment for Pakistan. It was like me going into slums of Miami to look out for cocaine dealers. They'll make mince meat out of me.

But I would also say that the response of Pakistani Government is perfectly understandable considering the provocation~!
__________________________
I don't know what you mean about the response of the Pakistani government. As for Danny Pearl, no one really understood what the Center was trying to communicate, other than supporting the murder.

Danny Pearl was a popular figure here. The editors of the WSJ literally wept when they finally discovered what had happened to him. The Center did not endear itself to anyone sane. Musharraf said all the right things when Danny Pearl was found....
I doubt he condoned the killing.

NOr do I think that all Muslims are responsible for the South Park business. Lunatics issued death threats. However, many others expressed upset.

You see, the thing is that no one else has. Not JEws, not Christians, not Catholics, not African Americans, not Hindus, etc. I know some things take getting used to. It's also odd, sometimes, who gets offended by what.

We watched an episode once with a black couple. We were horrified. I said we should turn it off. They found it hilarious, and black people were the subject of the satire for the evening.

"If we issued death threats, if we threatened, whatever might some day be learned by the Moses idolaters would be lost."

No one is condoning violence of any sort against anyone. Those people who gave death threats spoke for themselves and their tiny fringe organization and not for 1.5 billion muslims. Yet the response was to punish every single muslim by ridiculing their most revered figure.

I agree with your post fully. I had no idea anyone would use Daniel Pearl's image to mock Jewish people. If anyone did this, its shameful. But I would also say that the response of Pakistani Government is perfectly understandable considering the provocation~!

The shadowy organization that made those threats is made up of former Jews and christians. They are not even allowed to enter most mosques in US.
-------------------------------
The death threats were made by Muslims. Bottom line. In this country, a great deal of accommodation is made for diverse groups.
A great deal and no more. Best to learn where the line is drawn if you want to live here.

Jews do not like statues of MOses (Moshe Rabbeinu) which abound throughout the world. And that isn't all we don't like.

Neither Christians nor Jews were fond of the picture of a bloody Danny Pearl hanging prominently outside an Islamic Center in Queens. No riots, however. And no death threats.

It may be that the draw Mohammad business got out of hand. Dunno. I ignored it. I will say, however, that there was provocation, and that are all sorts of things out of hand, aren't there.

As in the vicious drawings, films, pictures, of Jews, Christians, and Hindus throughout Pakistan, for instance.

I'm jes' sayin'.

I didn't approve of the draw Mohammed business, but I don't approve of liars either.

What are you going to do? Move on? Get a life? It's worth a try, IMHO.

Me? I'm waiting for Abraham to smash the idols in the Justice Department, explaining that the bigger ones did in the smaller.

If we issued death threats, if we threatened, whatever might some day be learned by the Moses idolaters would be lost.

"Bottom line. In this country almost everything goes. South Park, for instance, has depicted blacks, Jews, Christianity, Catholics, Hindus, etc., in ways that are cringe-worthy. (It's what South Park does.) No death threats from the aforementioned groups were forthcoming."

Stop trivializing the issue! No one condemned that South Park cartoon. The shadowy organization that made those threats is made up of former Jews and christians. They are not even allowed to enter most mosques in US. Not a single prominent Muslim in US or outside said a single word against the South Park cartoonists. The protests are against the obscene and insulting images facebook allowed to be posted.

IAMWEAVER,

You didn't respond to my question! There are taboo's assosiated with all religion and races that are given their due respect. However, with Islam it seems as if its become obligatory to ridicule muslims in a manners where it hurts them the most and besides there is a difference between random hatefull things and specifically designating a day to draw hatefull things against Islam and then trumpeting it all over. That Draw Muhammad Day included the most obscene and bigoted images of Prophet Muhammad including many as pig etc. That web page had become the meeting point of every goddamned racist Islam hater on the planet. The woman who started this movement was so disgusted with the content of the images she apolgized to all muslims and said this thing should never have happened. It was simply a kick in the teeth of millions of peace loving muslims in US who had nothing to do with that SouthPark Cartoon.

Or is it that many are so fixated on the letter of the law that they deliberately ignore its actual intent, and are using the law as a bludgeon to silence those whose views differ from their own?
-----------------------------
Of course, there are those who follow the "spirit" of the law, meaning the law is wherever the spirit takes them. They have been blowing through history this way for the last two thousand years. 's okay, though. They are forgiven.
-----------------------------
Bottom line. In this country almost everything goes. South Park, for instance, has depicted blacks, Jews, Christianity, Catholics, Hindus, etc., in ways that are cringe-worthy. (It's what South Park does.) No death threats from the aforementioned groups were forthcoming.

No one is forcing anyone to live in the United States or in Europe. If you want to, then you abide by their customs. It is reasonable to expect some degree of accommodation from enlightened societies. However, when they tell you they are drawing a line, so to speak, they have drawn it.

And they are telling you. Best believe it.

"Lead to idolatry"? As in we do not worship idols? (LOL!)

That freedom of speech argument of yours is a load of bollocks. Let me see if these same crusaders of free speech at facebook would allow a "Draw Holoaust Denial Day" or "Black People are Monkey day".
--------------------------------------------------------

Try looking for these kinds of hateful things - they are all over the internet - even on Youtube. There is a lot of garbage available out there in cyberspace. That's an unfortunate side-effect of free speech that can't be eliminated.

On a peripheral note - from what I have read, the prohibition against depicting Mohammed was to prevent idol worship. Do Muslims really believe that "Draw Mohammed" day is going to lead to idolatry? Or is it that many are so fixated on the letter of the law that they deliberately ignore its actual intent, and are using the law as a bludgeon to silence those whose views differ from their own?

The proscription against images and idolatry originates with Judaism. Yet, throughout the Justice Department, there are statues‎ of Moses ‎(Moshe Rabbeinu = Moses, Our Teacher), statues of him who banned idolatry.

To observant Jews, this is anathema, idols of Moses, oxymoronic, almost a return to chaos. What is most alarming, I think, is the appalling ignorance on one level after another that these figures demonstrate, of everything Tanakh strives to teach. These carvings, are, I think, emblematic of a certain blindness that pervades the world.

The idols line the Halls of Justice. Lest we forget.
---------------------------
There are limits on speech in the US, but they are very few. One cannot say the "N" word, not that one will be imprisoned, but she may lose her job, etc. I can't really think of much else.

In the Brooklyn Museum, there hung a picture of the Virgin Mary that offended Catholics. I, too, was offended and so informed the Museum. And that was that.

There was a scene from the Holocaust, a painting, offensive to a point hard to describe, that also hung in a museum. We Js said what we thought. And that was that.

Word.

IAMWEAVER,

That freedom of speech argument of yours is a load of bollocks. Let me see if these same crusaders of free speech at facebook would allow a "Draw Holoaust Denial Day" or "Black People are Monkey day". You can bet your bottom dollar facebook would cease to exist, the very next day it announces these competitions. So...... contratry to your beliefs, there ARE limits to free speech!

I'll stand by what I said. Its open season for the rabid muslims bashing in US. Just listen to the kind of hate speech radio talk show hosts and Fox news gets away with. Not to forget the odious campaign to brand Obama as a muslim by the republicans and their supporters as if its the worst crime in the world. No other group of people in US is subjected to as much hatefilled attacks as the muslims are. Thats is a fact no one can deny~!

yasseryousufi writes:

"When you attack black people, they call it racism. When you attack Jewish people, they call it anti-semetism. When you attack women, they call it sexism. When you attack homosexuality, they call it intolerance. When you attack your country, they call it treason. When you attack a religious sect, they call it hate speech. But when you attack the Prophet (peace be upon him) and by extension all muslims, they want to call it freedom of speech?"
--------------------------------------------------------

I am guessing you don't know what freedom of speech is in the US.

Every one of your above examples with the possible exception of attacking the country (assuming you mean advocating the overthrow of the elected government) is covered by freedom of speech. The act of creating a "Draw Mohammed" day might be juvenile, anti-arab, or what have you - but it is *also* covered by freedom of speech.

Despite posts by you claiming otherwise, in the US it is not a crime to deny the Holocaust. That's because the freedom of speech clause in the US constitution allows someone to make hateful and divisive statements. Thus, almost all of your examples are simply incorrect.

kkk123:
"If AIDS is spreading in these times in different continents the stigma is on people who are breaking Divine Laws by being promiscuous or injecting poisons into their bodies not on, say, the whole population of Africa where it is spreading at an alarming rate.

This is my last post here and I request all Muslims to do the same because we are ordered to step away from any gathering where God, our Prophet and Islam is being insulted and ridiculed until they move to another subject. "

First you said the ayet did not contain apes and swines. Now it is only for the transgressors. Would you like to see the ayets where Allah condemns all jews?

Your take on AIDS is similar to the Mullahs claiming that the earthquake was due to the women not wearing the black shroud that they consider not "revealing". The innocent that die as well do not matter.

Try to remove youf ignorance a little and find out who is being afflicted by AIDS and who is dying because of it across Africa!! If your Allah considers such punishment for the children justified then he is incredibly cruel and brutal.

How about the order of "Kill those who insult the prophet"?

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/22809

I guess it is hard to kill people on the internet especially those who cannot be traced. There have been apostates who were traced and killed.

First off it says that those people among the jews who transgressed were turned into "monkeys". A punishment for transgressing. These people were violating the Sabbath and thus breaking the laws laid down by God thru Moses. The jews that observed the Sabbath even raised a wall between themselves and those violators so that they would be spared the wrath of God. God to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth and everything between them can do anything if he so chooses. If AIDS is spreading in these times in different continents the stigma is on people who are breaking Divine Laws by being promiscuous or injecting poisons into their bodies not on, say, the whole population of Africa where it is spreading at an alarming rate.

This is my last post here and I request all Muslims to do the same because we are ordered to step away from any gathering where God, our Prophet and Islam is being insulted and ridiculed until they move to another subject. Therefore, I say to all seek the truth and save yourselves and stop being insolent and arrogant. You have until the last breath you take and no one knows when that moment comes.

Yasseryousufi:

We are getting educated about the barbaric religion called Islam from your posts. Small wonder that USA shall pass a law in the future to ban Muslims from entering USA.

"Allah has mentioned in three places stories of people who were turned into apes and pigs. Almighty Allah says: [And ye know of those of you who broke the Sabbath, how We said unto them: Be ye apes, despised and hated!)] (Al-Baqarah 2:65). He also says: [Shall I tell thee of a worse (case) than theirs for retribution with Allah? Worse (is the case of him) whom Allah hath cursed, him on whom His wrath hath fallen! Worse is he of whose sort Allah hath turned some to apes and swine, and who serveth idols. Such are in worse plight and further astray from the plain road] (Al-Ma'idah 5:60). In another chapter, He says: [So when they took pride in that which they had been forbidden, We said unto them: Be ye apes despised and loathed!]

(Al-A`raf 7:166). In these verses, you will see that that a group of people refused to follow Allah's commands that were given to Moses. They had turned against Allah's laws and were punished by being turned into apes and pigs."

Read more: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1140333528667#ixzz0oon1DZkF

And again from www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/754.htm

"Depicting Jews – and sometimes also Zionists – as "the descendants of apes and pigs" is extremely widespread today in public discourse in the Arab and Islamic worlds.

For example, in a weekly sermon in April 2002, Al-Azhar Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, the highest-ranking cleric in the Sunni Muslim world, called the Jews "the enemies of Allah, descendants of apes and pigs."[1]

@kkk123:

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/quran/002.qmt.html#002.065

002.065
YUSUFALI: And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/quran/005.qmt.html#005.060

005.060
YUSUFALI: Say: "Shall I point out to you something much worse than this, (as judged) by the treatment it received from Allah? those who incurred the curse of Allah and His wrath, those of whom some He transformed into apes and swine, those who worshipped evil;- these are (many times) worse in rank, and far more astray from the even path!"

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/quran/007.qmt.html#007.166

007.166
YUSUFALI: When in their insolence they transgressed (all) prohibitions, We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."

You can look up the context to see who is being referred to in these verses. It is the jews who are being humiliated and punished by Allah.

Continued:
"God himself took the responsibility to save the Quran from being adulterated like Torah and Injeel." Yes that is why there was no written record of koran for over 50 years after the death of MO. Ther probably wouldn't have been one but for Muwaiyah trying record as fewer and fewer people were around who knew the ramblings verbatim and lot of versions were circulating. So they gathered people to compile the official version, taking the verse written on scrap of goat skins etc. And wasn't there a story of the Aisha's goat eating the verse about stoning? Need I say more.

yasseryousufi:
Irreducible complexity has reduced to rubbish by Darwin, furthermore to nothing by the latter evolutionary biologists. William Paley's argument carried water before Darwin. For furthe enlightenment please read Richard Dawkins's Blind Watchmaker. You may also consider the fact that why most of the anatomy of Bi-pedals is the same as quad-pedals. Why the intestines of a horse hang nicely in a spiral with, while that of the primates piled like poorly gathered garden hose. This what is called the inheritance. As to your ant example, it is so because otherwise creature like an ant would not have continue to be.

Now coming to the knowledge of Koran is totally superfluous, just a knowledge Torah, OT, NT, any other scripture you name. They are as useful as the tomes on Al-chemistry. They are all should be dispatched to the dust heap of history, just like the Al-chemistry books. The only purpose it serves is to refute folks like, other than that there is nothing to discern from them. Speaking of which can you wiggle out of this. "In Surah 2, Al Baqarah, verse 106 the principle of abrogation is explained: For every revelation that is abrogated something better or similar is substituted."

With regards to your claim about that good for nothing cowardly-cheating-pimping-his-own-wife-twice-abandons-his first-born character Avram, building Mecca with his abandoned first-born? Did you know first of that Avram is fiction? Second there was no mecca at the supposed time of Avram existence. Go see in the ancient records and literature when Mecca gets the first mention. Don't ask me to buy into illiterate bedouin's epileptic ramblings.

This is in response to the untruth that YEAL9 claims about the verses of the Quran 2:61, 5:65 and 7:166 that he says calls Jews Apes and Christians pigs. Please go to the nearest library and look up the three verses in any translation of the Quran. There will be no such name-calling. To all who demean and degrade the religion of Islam and the Prophet I say, "you harm not Islam but yourselves". Seek the truth. You were once gathered in front of God as this verse of the Quran explains:7:172 When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): "Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?"- They said: "Yea! We do testify!" (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment: "Of this we were never mindful": When you understand this verse you will be saved from the eternal fire from which not even Jesus son of Mary can save you.

www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/754.htm

"Depicting Jews – and sometimes also Zionists – as "the descendants of apes and pigs" is extremely widespread today in public discourse in the Arab and Islamic worlds.

For example, in a weekly sermon in April 2002, Al-Azhar Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, the highest-ranking cleric in the Sunni Muslim world, called the Jews "the enemies of Allah, descendants of apes and pigs."[1]

from :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AIslam_and_anti-Semitism

The Judaism in theology section says " The conventional epithets in the qur'an are apes for Jews and pigs for Christians. ([Qur'an 2:61], [Qur'an 5:65], [Qur'an 7:166])[22] "

The claim of the comparison of the Jews to dogs and monkeys completely false. Even I don't think this kind of comparison is allowed for any human in Islam. Because, Islamic preachings claim Human to be the best creature by creation (not only Muslim but mankind). I've read many people claiming this nowadays, many non Muslims. But I asked many scholars and none of them is aware of this statement and most of them denied that this kind of statement is possible. Can anybody refer any verse which claims that?

PART II

You eat whatever you like......none of my business. You don't come across as an educated person judging by the contents of your posts. Cursing God makes you feel big 'eh?

What’s the confusion about Holy places?? Why can’t we dedicate some places for the worship of God? If you've read history, all the prophets of Abrahamic religions are infact from the tribe of Abraham. They were all born in and around Middle-East. It seems like a strategic place that’s why it was chosen I believe. From here Christianity more or less spread towards west and Islam towards east.

Yathrib wasn't just a Jewish settlement. There were people already living there before the Jews came who were locked in an eternal battle with the Jews. The Mosque in Makkah was built by Abraham himself along with his Ishmael. No doubt these three Abrahamic religions have many things in common because they came from the same source. In the early part of Islam Muslims used to face Jerusalem while praying as it had what was described in the Holy Quran as 'the furthest mosque'. There are many reasons for the change of Qibla, one of them being that the Jews of Medina started making fun of muslims. It is also said to be a test of firmness of belief of the very small number of followers of Prophet Muhammad. Back then Islam comprised of no more than a few hundred people. The fact that Angel Gabriel turned Prophet Muhammad towards Makkah in the middle of the prayer solidifies this theory.

Your knowledge of Quran is pretty poor. The Quran is a compilation of revelations Prophet Muhammad received over the course of his life. Not a single dot has been abrogated. Nothing has been added or deleted. God himself took the responsibility to save the Quran from being adulterated like Torah and Injeel.

I am no wiseman or anything of that sort. I am just here to educate the ignoramuses and haters of Islam.

Secular,

It’s nice of you to tell others to get their heads out of sand. Who shaped those impersonal physical forces causing them to evolve?? If you find a wrist watch in the middle of the desert that gives accurate time, would you think that somehow the nature's forces combined to create this watch? In the Universe that we live in everything goes in such perfect harmony. Heck even the ants have a perfect digestive system complete with a mouth opening to a rectum and anus. How do these impersonal forces shape to evolve such sophisticated minute details and pray tell what’s the hypothesis for an algae transforming into a dinosaur?

To ankhorite,

Dear friend, their are two different
things: reality and human discovery.

There was a time when it was really impossible to make people believe that earth is round. Though it was, so why it was hard to believe, because it wasn't part of human discovery. Let me tell you the story that what happens when we amend or hide the reality just because it doesn't comply with the human discovery, or not capable to a medicare mindset.

Some priests belong to a (don't wanna hurt the followers of that religion) religion amended some versus from their holly book which interprets that the earth is round because they were afraid of it's acceptability by people. Later on what happened a scientist discovered and claimed that the earth is round, this situation was really terrible for the priest, which knew it in the first place but amended the reality following the human discovery, but since the human discovery is subject to evolve, they were in a big trouble so instead of making another amendment in their book they start threatening the discoverer that he has lack of faith, so either he should accept the their prophecy (earth is flat) or he would fall because of the roundness of the earth (a warning of death sentence).

SO the conclusion is human discovery of possibility is subject to evolve. Discovery can seek it's way with the help of reality, reality shouldn't be limited in the boundary of human discovery.

test~!

Yeal,

When would you become wise? You're old and yet you're still an idiot. John himself wrote that liars go to hell. So what does he get for lying? You're a crazy man.

yeal,

You and crosan should walk on water first

"Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." John 11:25-26:

But did Jesus, the illiterate, peasant, preacher man utter this passage?

No, he did not as per the thorough studies of many contemporary NT exegetes.

e.g.

Said passage was a later addition/ embellishment to win converts. See Professor JD Crossan's commentary in his book, The Historical Jesus, pp. 331-332 softback edition.

Also, note said passage is a single attestation appearing no where in the NT other than in John's gospel which is so tainted with imagery that most experts consider it historially unreliable.

Jesus said "Iam the Way , the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me".

No man means nobody including Muhammad, Mary, Pope, etc.

The only way is a direct relationship with God himself who is Jesus Christ.

Anybody who wants to contradict this should first walk on water.

There are THREE valid reasons why evolution is false. I hope all evolutionists read this so I don't keep on repeating myself.

Reason no. 1 -- it is impossible that a single-celled bacteria can become or transform into a two-celled bacteria or into a multiple-celled organism. There is no available science to explain such a fairy tale. This is the myth of evolution.

Reason no. 2 - soil and water existed before any living thing existed. It is impossible that those brainless substances (soil and water) can form by themselves a very complex matter called plants and animals. There is no available science to explain that such a transformation is possible. This is the myth of evolution.

Reason no. 3 -- Science is the study of nature. Engineering is part of that kind of science. Engineers took many years to extract energy from sunlight and even at this moment they are still scratching their heads how plant leaves has been doing it for eons already. The level of intelligence nature demonstrates is just beyond human intelligence. The only probable explanation is the existence of a Supremely Intelligent Creator.

With these THREE valid reasons, I don't think I mentioned faith or religion. EVOLUTION IS A MYTH BASED ON REASON.

*****

On another topic, of course there are false religions. Jesus Christ who is God himself was crucified by worshippers of false religion.

Gravity has only one constant, all other numbers are wrong. The same can be said of religion. One religion is true and the rest are false.

yasseryousufi You asked:
So as a Secular you probably believe this world and everything in it came into being by accident??

No. In fact nobody of my ilk think it was an accident. They all came about in a stochastic manner, shaped by the impersonal physical forces causing them to evolve. The only big detail that is still not been solved is Abiogenesis, although there some very good candidate hypothesis for it. It is the theists who keep repeating that our explanation as random. Get your head out of the sand on this.

Then you asked, Do you like to eat everything that walks on this earth?

Yes. Unless it is inedible or I feel squeamish about it. The latter is purely my personal preference. Not because some 3000 year old ignoramuses, who had no clue about what causes disease and ailments, told me. Nor because the same ignorance repeated by by an illiterate, some 1400 years ago does not make it a any more based in facts than the recipes from the Alchemists.

What amazes me is the theists like you claim that the universe was all created by a god. Then how is it that there are some places holy and the others not. The fact that people generally have some local place holy actually proves the point that all these religions are man made. How is it that the holy places are always at the epicenter of where the religion was born. How is it that god never names a real place which is far far away from where the religion was founded? The so called holy places of islam are really the holy places of the the religion of the times there. In fact the very same compound indeed. The second one is Yathrib, which was where Mo took refuge was a jewish settlement for years. I am sure you were aware that holiest of holies for islam was Jerusalem and when the jews rejected your Mo, he got a revelation telling him to change the holy of the holies. Can you explain why does the dog the perfect one change her mind so often. Isn't koran full of suras that have abrogated by new and better sura? My question to you is, pray tell how can a sura better than another? What is the metric or utility function that determines one better than another? But more importantly, it begs, really begs the question why did god give an inferior sura in the first place? How can we be sure that the latter ones are the better ones? Can you, please, please explain the objective methodology one should use to determine one is better than the other. Or do we just have to take the illiterate's bedouin's word on that?

Please Please enlighten us all, the wise one.

cont'd

And "out of context" is the lamest excuse muslims make about the hate in the quran. Anyone can look up the verse and the verses around it to get the context.

@Yasseryousufi:
"Societies can only co-exist if they learn to respect things that are deeply revered by other people."

I showed you that there is no respect for the non-muslims in Islam.

I am not a hindu, but that matters little to you. You are a pakistani muslim and you will curse the hindus. If you were an iranian you would have cursed the bahais or the majoosis, and as an arab you would have cursed the jews. But then that is Islam for you.

Secular,

Im afraid you are misrepresenting my point. Me and Kafir have been debating on this site for a while and some of those points were connected to previous posts. I dont give any justifications for calling anyone impure. He quoted a Quranic Surah out of context as usual, and I explained to him that non muslims are justifiable barred from entering just 2 Holiest mosques out of hundreds of thousands. I wouldn't comment on your cheap shots on my Prophet. If you want to exchange such obscenities you can find someone else to talk to. All this pure/impure thing is a figment of your and Kafir's mind.

So as a Secular you probably believe this world and everything in it came into being by accident?? Do you like to eat everything that walks on this earth? I think you should probably take the medication for whatever it is that ails you. You hardly seemed to make any sense to me.

More than 30 years ago, a famous author named V.S. Naipaul toured "converted" Muslim lands of Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia...

His views of Islam should serve as a jolt to rest of humanity. He calls it a worse imperial force than Westerners. Islam calls for wiping out any native populations and cultures wherever it goes/invades.

Posted by: rajeetishi

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

No kidding.

To whom is this not obvious?

.

yasseryousufi
In your post you criticized Kafir, that he should not be talking about impure people etc, because Hindhuism does the same. Is that your justification? Really? Do you think Mo even knew about hindhuism? He had hard time plagiarizing the jewish & x'tian stories. So all that stuff about impure people is just a retaliation against hindhuism Eh! Then how come islam also considers them as impure. By your logic or lack thereof all the poor hindhu untouchable should be pure too. You know the long and short of it is you are without any wind in the sails.

And by the way what is all this about pure animals that can be eaten and impure ones that have to be avoided. Didn't your perfect dog (sorry my dyslexia is getting better of me today) know how to create only pure animals. Or was SHE not so perfect that some of the creations turned out to be not so pure so cannot be eaten. In that case we should entertain the possibility that all the muslims may be the ones who are impure and so must be shunned. What do you think of that. Just a little bit of food for thought. Let me know.

I enjoyed the parable but, like admitted in the article, it is merely a parable and, unfortunately, there are plenty of examples of intolerance by the Muslim's prophet that provide inspiration for the religously inspired violent reactions to satire and criticism that demonstrate the concept of Islamic exceptionalism. When the poetess Asma bint Marwan wrote critical poems of the Muslim prophet, he had her killed. And she was not the only critic of Mohammad to suffer this unjust fate. Is it any wonder that Muslims, who revere their prophet as the example to be followed, would react with violence and intolerancein the face of criticism?

So, it is unclear what the Muslim prophet would draw but there is a good chance that he would say, "Kill the unbelievers who made these drawings that mock Allah and his messenger." I read the biography of Mohammad by Martin Lings. As a non-believer I found his behavior generally to be morally repugnant, although there were a minority of anecdotes that reflected more positive behaviors. Mohammad is not a "leader" I could ever follow.

Obviously, yasseryousufi also needs some help in conquering his Islamic brainwashing and we again offer the free Five Step Program for "Deflawing" Islam:

Using "The 77 Branches of Islamic faith", a collection compiled by Imam Bayhaqi as a starting point: In it, he explains the essential virtues that reflect true "faith" (iman) through related Qur’anic verses and Prophetic sayings." i.e. a nice summary of the Koran and Islamic beliefs.

"1. Belief in Allah"

aka as God, Yahweh, Zeus, Jehovah, Mother Nature, etc." should be added to your cleansing neurons.

"2. To believe that everything other than Allah was non-existent. Thereafter, Allah Most High created these things and subsequently they came into existence."

Evolution and the Big Bang or the "Gib Gnab" (when the universe starts to recycle) are more plausible and the "akas" for Allah should be included if you continue to be a "creationist".

"3. To believe in the existence of angels."

A major item for neuron cleansing. Angels/devils are the mythical creations of ancient civilizations, e.g. Hittites, to explain/define natural events, contacts with their gods, big birds, sudden winds, protectors during the dark nights, etc. No angelic thingies ever visited or talked to Mohammed, Jesus, Mary or Joseph or Joe Smith. Today we would classify angels as fairies and "tinker bells". Modern devils are classified as the demons of the demented.

"4. To believe that all the heavenly books that were sent to the different prophets are true. However, apart from the Quran, all other books are not valid anymore."

Another major item to delete. There are no books written in the spirit state of Heaven (if there is one) just as there are no angels to write/publish/distribute them. The Koran, OT, NT etc. are simply books written by humans for humans.

Prophets were invented by ancient scribes typically to keep the uneducated masses in line. Today we call them fortune tellers.

Prophecies are also invalidated by the natural/God/Allah gifts of Free Will and Future.

"5. To believe that all the prophets are true. However, we are commanded to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) alone."

Mohammed spent thirty days fasting in a hot cave before his first contact with Allah aka God etc. via a "pretty wingy thingy". Common sense demands a neuron deletion of #5. #5 is also the major source of Islamic violence i.e. turning Mohammed's "fast, hunger-driven" hallucinations into horrible reality for unbelievers.

Accept these five "cleansers" and we guarantee a complete recovery from your Islamic ways!!!!

Kafir,

You need help! Seriously! You're so full of hate for muslims and Islam, its taken away all your powers to think rationally.

Firstly your post had nothing to do with the topic being discussed on the blog nor it had anything to do with my post. You probably want to engage me in this discussion because you believe you've unearthed another stick to beat muslims with.

Firstly its a bit rich for a Hindu to talk about muslims calling other people filthy. You dont want me to get started on the 200 million untouchable whose lives have been turned into a living hell by upper caste hindus. I have written many times on the reason for not allowing non muslims to enter Kaaba' Sharif. Probably had a discussion with you as well. What would you wanna do at a muslim mosque anyway? An anti islam racist bigot like you must be upto some mischief so yea we wont allow morons like you inside our holiest mosque.

On the topic of being Najas.......even muslim cannot enter the Holy Mosque without performing ablution. He cant enter the mosque while he's drunk or if he hasn't taken a bath after having sex. Thats the the state of being najas, even muslims can be in that state. There are many more references where the Quran and Hadith talk about goodness for the whole humanity, surely that wont interest you. Go do a proper study before you post your garbage you filthy swine~!

@Yasseryousufi:

Those comments show that in Islam non-muslims are filthy, and unclean. Even your Allah calls them filthy. Is that hatred for the non-muslims?

Kafir.....you sure your last post was addressed to me? What was the point you were trying to make?

Draw Muhammad day is infact Hate Islam Day. It will attract all kinds of bigots, xenophobes and racist idiots (like this blog) to spew their innate hatred of Islam. Im not surprised that the site drew 70,000 subscribers. You can have hate Jew days, hate Hindu days and Hate Christianity days, there will always be enough number of morons to spew hatefilled vitriol and show their class. But whats the point? Why do you want to ridicule 1.5 billion muslims who had nothing to do with the South Park bs or those threats by zionist plants posing as muslim fundamentalists.

I am yet to see an article on WaPo on the background of the shadowy organization that gave those veiled threats to Southpark Cartoonists. Dont the readers deserve to hear all sides of the story? Who are these people? Were the born muslims or did they convert to Islam? Whats their story? what was their motivation to convert? Who converted them? What amount of support do they have among mainstream muslims?

@Yasseryousufi:
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http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=4076

Therefore, if and when the Muslim should come in contact with any of these animals or substances, they must observe the rules governing impure (najes) and pure (taher), especially before they prepare to say their daily prayers.
According to Muslim beliefs, impure things are divided into eleven categories:
1) urine 2) feces 3) sperm 4) corpse 5) blood
6) dog 7) pig 8) unbelievers 9) liquor 10) wine
11) the sweat of those who eat impure things
.....
Whichever the case may be, a human being who does not eat or drink pure foods, keeps impure animals in his home, involves himself in abhorrent activities, and the like, must be considered impure, himself, until the time that it becomes apparent that he follows the laws for purity.
Likewise, the sweat of anyone who is considered impure, according to the rules of purity, by way of reasoning is, also, regarded as impure.
The water of the body, after we exert ourselves, comes through little pores in the skin, to the outside of our bodies, in the form of sweat. This water carries with it impurities of the processes in the body. When we eat or drink or take drugs, and then sweat, residue of these substances come out with the water. Therefore, it only stands to reason, that if a person eats or drinks anything impure, after the filtering process, these will come out in the sweat.
We, then, conclude that the wet hands of an impure person, even though the original source of the wetness is not impure, are impure and anything he or she touches then, becomes impure.
......
***************************
Quran 9.28
O you who believe (in Allahs Oneness and in His Messenger (Muhammad SAW)! Verily, the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and in the Message of Muhammad SAW) are Najasun (impure). So let them not come near Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year.

When you attack black people, they call it racism. When you attack Jewish people, they call it anti-semetism. When you attack women, they call it sexism. When you attack homosexuality, they call it intolerance. When you attack your country, they call it treason. When you attack a religious sect, they call it hate speech. But when you attack the Prophet (peace be upon him) and by extension all muslims, they want to call it freedom of speech? Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom to offend. Societies can only co-exist if they learn to respect things that are deeply revered by other people. The argument that he's the muslim's Prophet not ours so we can insult and ridicule all we want is just the same as me saying that because your mother is only your mother and not mine its ok for me to call her a s-l-u-t and you have no right to be offended coz its about freedom of speech!

Muslims can be hurt for anything remotely connected to Mohammed but they can do whatever they want in the name of freedom and artistic expression. Check this out, the whole page. http://www.hindujagruti.org/activities/campaigns/national/mfhussain-campaign/

So, I say, carry on guys, draw a million cartoons of this muhammad in the name of artistic freedom. Let Pakistan block all internet and let them go back to their caves, to dark ages.

> This genteel act of prophetic kindness toward unfriendly (and overtly hostile) neighbors is the Muslim 'Ubuntu' standard that we should all use within our collective lives

If this is not al-taqiyya what is.
http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Islamic_Onslaught.htm

Islam is just a pirated version of Judaism, with the revelation of Christianity thrown in, so Mohammed could make himself seem relevant to the times.

I am glad you do not want to kill over a cartoon, but your piece still demonstrates a primitive, dark age mentality. And you are apparently one of the 'good' muslims. The western world has no place for using such primitive and apparently undocumented parables for justifying peoples behaviour. If the muslim world wants to live this way, that is their buisness. There is no room for islam in the secular west. If the film footage of those muslim vermin attacking the old Swedish cartoonist is not enough to prove my point, then nothing is. Oh wait, how about the daily arrests of our imported muslims trying to blow things up in the US? Lets not forget the daily muslim terrorist attacks committed against fellow muslims in muslim countries.

This article is silly. Why are all theses islamic apologists trying to convince us that their religion is indeed peaceful and that their prophet is an exemplar of the best of human virtues. Even if every sap in the western and secular world were to buy into their snake oil nothing would that matters would change. Mr. Ifthikar should take this hog-was of a parable to the OIC countries and sell it to them, not us. We are not going to kill or maim the cartoonists. It is their brethren, that would do that. Where was he and his fellow apologists before Mr. Van Gogh was brutally and cruelly butchered. Or for that matter when the clerics from Holland were fanning the flames about the cartoons that appeared nearly 6 months before they fanned the flames. Where were they before South Park canceled the show.

These cowards, that's right Mr Ifthikar et al are just plain cowards, were silent. However, they are ashamed of their religion and their fellow adherents. But they have no guts to face up to the wack-jobs amongst them. Because they are mortally petrified that they would suffer the same fate as Mr. Van Gogh(PBUH) - not their beloved mohammad. They don't raise a peep. Nonetheless they are ashamed of their religion. The honorable thing to do would be to keep their mouths shut tight and go on about their life, we don't really need to hear from them. If they are of some character, they would apologize for their religious tenets and their fellow adherents. But they won't for the fear of inviting retribution, or they are too dang proud to follow this course of action. Usually they go on the offensive and make all kinds of analogies to other religions, etc, etc. But Mr. Ifthikar and the ilk instead adopted a new approach they mouth their inane homilies and made up parables to the west to expiate their sense of utter shame. They derive some kind of pathetic sense of validation and cleansing in preying upon our credulity. Mr. Ifthikar and his ilk are not only cowards but are willful charlatans that prey on people's desire to be accepting of others. These are sick people who are worse than wackjobs, amongst them as they enable them. i would be more impressed, if he would take his homilies and made up parables to the OIC countries and try to sell them there. I know they dare not do that, for the same reason that they do not come out straight and apologize for the wackjobs amongst them. It would have been helpful if he done that 4 or 5 years ago, that would have saved Mr. Van Gogh's life. Its never too late Mr. Ifthikar, try it at least now may be you will save few more lives and this Secularist for sure would say "HIP, HIP HOORAY TO YOU"

Bravo Mr. Iftikhar!

The First Ammendment is dear, but not free. Freedom of Speech means that we must sometimes put up with what offends us. It is easy for me and most of us to support the free speech rights of those who would draw Muhammad. But it is a cheap and easy freedom os speech for us to support speech so indifferent, or perhaps even amusing, to us.

Let us pray that we are as tolerant and enthusiastic for free speech as Mr. Iftikhar when it is our own sacred oxen that are gored.

There are a number of cartoons making fun of the Holocaust.

See the winner of the Iranian contest at: http://www.iranian.com/Satire/Cartoon/2006/November/derkaoui.html

A Palestinian satire of the pope is found at: http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pictures/20060918PopeWithSwastika.jpg

You can find images of "piss christ" all over the Internet.

Yes, we see the attacks on Judaism and Christianity all the time; even from our own culture. But we don't kill people who disagree with us.

Any (and every) religion is nothing more than an elaborate myth created to allay human fears of death and the unknown in general. People who lived in the time of Muhammad, or Jesus Christ, or Buddha, or whoever you pick, were basically no different than the people alive in the world right now. However, the fact that news traveled and spread almost entirely by word of mouth made ancient times ripe for the creation of myths. People need hope; quite often they are in desperate need of it. Every so often the stars aligned and a great salesman came along. When a few zealous, influential followers jumped on the bandwagon and started spreading the word, amazing things became possible. Add a few people with writing ability and the where-with-all to distribute it, then a bonfide movmement was possible.

Many people, ancient or modern, want to believe, need to believe. For most of mankind's existence, there was no way to check and see if what was being sold had any basis of truth. All the prayers to all the deities that ever existed have never changed the multi-faceted character flaws of human beings, or stopped the terror and havoc they often wreak. And of course, they never will. After all, we're simply beseeching our own creations.

By the way, a very large number of stories in the Koran are the same stories in the Old Testament. The style is a bit different; kind of like reading from different versions of the same story from different versions of the Bible; one by a Baptist preacher, and one by a Roman Catholic.

The amount of violence that the Koran tells people to do isn't any greater than the amount of violence the Old Testament exhorts people to commit. The difference is what the old men in authority tell people it means.

A great column.
Now, go get all your Islamic buddies to act the same. Other faiths have differing sects, but none of them "breed" the kind of extremism that Islam is capable of. What is it about Islam that allows for this. Why is there such a feeble outcry from the "real" Islamists against the extremists. In other words, which Islam is the false one, the hateful or the peaceful.
Islam must decide on this basic tenent.

go to google.
select images
type "draw muhammad day"
settle back for the resulting hilarity

Look up muslim in the dictionary. There you find a picture of a jackasz.

What would Muhammad draw?

The female sexual organ.

While teaching English to a class of soldiers in Saidi Arabia, words in a menu came up. "Teacher! What mean bacon?" I explained it's meat from a pig and common in the western world. "You eat pig meat!" was the response. "Yes, I do. When I was a little boy my father put pig meat in front of me and told me to eat it. What would you do if your father told you to eat something?" I was met with silence. Then from the front row a soldier with a gleam in his eye asked, "How does it taste?" It blew me away.

In case Mr. Iftikhar missed it the first time:

Obviously, Mr. Iftikhar is in need of the Five Point Program for "Deflawing" Islam so once again we provide this service free of charge:

Are you ready?

Using "The 77 Branches of Islamic "faith" a collection compiled by Imam Bayhaqi as a starting point. In it, he explains the essential virtues that reflect true "faith" (iman) through related Qur’anic verses and Prophetic sayings."

i.e. a nice summary of the Koran and Islamic beliefs.

"1. Belief in Allah"

aka as God, Yahweh, Zeus, Jehovah, Mother Nature, etc." should be added to your cleansing neurons.

"2. To believe that everything other than Allah was non-existent. Thereafter, Allah Most High created these things and subsequently they came into existence."

Evolution and the Big Bang or the "Gib Gnab" (when the universe starts to recycle) are more plausible and the "akas" for Allah should be included if you continue to be a "creationist".

"3. To believe in the existence of angels."

A major item for neuron cleansing. Angels/devils are the mythical creations of ancient civilizations, e.g. Hittites, to explain/define natural events, contacts with their gods, big birds, sudden winds, protectors during the dark nights, etc. No angelic thingies" ever visited or talked to Mohammed, Jesus, Mary or Joseph or Joe Smith. Today we would classify angels as fairies and "tinker bells". Modern devils are classified as the demons of the demented.

"4. To believe that all the heavenly books that were sent to the different prophets are true. However, apart from the Quran, all other books are not valid anymore."

Another major item to delete. There are no books written in the spirit state of Heaven (if there is one) just as there are no angels to write/publish/distribute them. The Koran, OT, NT etc. are simply books written by humans for humans.

Prophets were invented by ancient scribes typically to keep the uneducated masses in line. Today we call them fortune tellers.
Prophecies are also invalidated by the natural/God/Allah gifts of Free Will and Future.

"5. To believe that all the prophets are true. However, we are commanded to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) alone."

Mohammed spent thirty days fasting in a hot cave before his first contact with Allah aka God etc. via a "pretty wingy thingy". Common sense demands a neuron deletion of #5. #5 is also the major source of Islamic violence i.e. turning Mohammed's "fast, hunger-driven" hallucinations into horrible reality for unbelievers.

Accept these five "cleansers" and we guarantee a complete recovery from your Islamic ways!!!!

I think "Draw Muhammed Day" is a great idea, as I think all religions are obsolete and a complete joke. I'm amazed that in 2010 people are still forcing themselves to accept fantasies and mythology as truth. I wish I could be alive in 500 years to see which new religions are in the mainstream and which have died off.

Spidermean wrote:

a bunch of babble about the "myth of evolution"...

-----------------------

That there is some magical sky father who created life in all of it's myriad of forms... this is the myth of creationism.

BTW, please explain where your god came from in the first place...

Muhammad (((:~{>
Muhammad as a pirate (((P~{>
Muhammad on a bad turban day ))):~{>
Muhammad with sand in his eye (((;~{>
Muhammad wearing sunglasses (((B~{>

Posted by: ram_lopez | May 20, 2010 1:46 PM
-------------------------------------------
Now, thats funny - I like the Muhammad wearing sunglasses

Some take the idol worship position for the ban, some the Great Prophet was a warrior never dressed in a king's regalia making enemy identification near impossible. I generally take the live and let live position, but when you preach my death for my beliefs not being yours, I want you killed.

I hope for the day when humans across the globe will get up off their knees and stop worshipping these false deities that other humans before us created. We've thrown off a lot of them, there is just one left: the Abrahamic god. We must replace the supposed virtue of faith with critical thinking. It is only through the latter that humanity can progress.

What Would Muhammad Do? (WWMD)

Good question; whatever the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) might do - reality is, there are thousands of Muhammads, it seems, who would just WWMD - Wield Weapons of Mutilation and Destruction.

Muhammad (((:~{>

Muhammad as a pirate (((P~{>

Muhammad on a bad turban day ))):~{>

Muhammad with sand in his eye (((;~{>

Muhammad wearing sunglasses (((B~{>

Ignorance is bliss.

Religion is an excuse for one's failure to think for ones self.

There are THREE valid reasons why evolution is false. I hope all evolutionists read this so I don't keep on repeating myself.

Reason no. 1 -- it is impossible that a single-celled bacteria can become or transform into a two-celled bacteria or into a multiple-celled organism. There is no available science to explain such a fairy tale. This is the myth of evolution.

Reason no. 2 - soil and water existed before any living thing existed. It is impossible that those brainless substances (soil and water) can form by themselves a very complex matter called plants and animals. There is no available science to explain that such a transformation is possible. This is the myth of evolution.

Reason no. 3 -- Science is the study of nature. Engineering is part of that kind of science. Engineers took many years to extract energy from sunlight and even at this moment they are still scratching their heads how plant leaves has been doing it for eons already. The level of intelligence nature demonstrates is just beyond human intelligence. The only probable explanation is the existence of a Supremely Intelligent Creator.

With these THREE valid reasons, I don't think I mentioned faith or religion. EVOLUTION IS A MYTH BASED ON REASON.

POSTED BY: SPIDERMEAN2 | MAY 20, 2010 11:35 AM

A single cell cannot become a multi-celled creature? Talk about showing your ignorance. Do you know nothing about how you were born, the facts of life, sex, sperm/eggs etc.

Oh, by the way, even if science cannot as yet give an explanation for something it does not mean that the answer is "god dunnit", it means that, as yet, science cannot give an explanation.

Good response and argument. If only extremists could agree with that. But, I guess that's why they are extremists.

Posted by: sux123 | May 20, 2010 11:04 AM:
Of course it is not "true" - the stories in the Bible and Koran are just that - stories, parables meant to instruct. Only fundamentalists actually beleive they are true. The point is what the story teaches about tolerance and humility. Does not matter if it actually happened.
*************************************

sux123,
You obviously have not read the Koran. The issue is that the story that Arsalan is telling is not told in the Koran and it is not even told in the Hadiath (collection of sayings of and about Muhammad). The parable is a pure fabrication that has gained currency in the muslim world and is being taught to muslim children as "history".
Very very few muslims would be willing to say that the stories in the Koran are not true. Challenge to you: See if you can find any muslim to agree with you that "any" story in the Quran is not true. When you find that nearly ALL muslims are unwilling to even entertain your notion of stories in the Koran being false, then perhaps you will have learned something about Islam as it exists today.

Dear SPIDERMEAN2: It was because of "REASONING" that the United-Sates Of (Holy) America, born via Miracle and not Sin, was made possible!

And it was/is Curiosity that got us into this post Atomic and Electric age. And it took "Collective Consciousness" that made this planet a better world to enjoy on, during ones current Amazing [Odyssey] Birth awareness. Not born into Sin or via Curses. Sorry!

Remember the ENLIGHTENMENT? Note: Many 'Believers' [Secular-Classes, not only of the theology or Deist Classes] died for this so called "REASONING" of which you boldly or ignorantly flout. And MANIFEST DESTINY, is same as saying, "Invisible-Hand." And the word "NATURE" is same as saying EVOLUTE or keep MOVE, based on Holy Temperature.

So, Amazing-Nature + Amazing Grace = OUR RELIGION-FROM-NATURE, not [MY] RELIGION-FROM-DEITY(s). And every Body/Mind has Religion. Be it belief/feelings in the old "Let There Be Biblical LIGHT story" or the Modern "Let There Be PHOTON Story." Did you know (Modern-World) that we humans use the venom of SPIDERS (less MEAN2) as a way to Stop Pain in Modern Medicine (not by Shamans, not by Prayers nor Meditation)?

Like wise, all our awareness via 6+ senses lets us experience Reality by challenging us, tempting us and or Pushing-Us so elegantly (even though Miraculous-LIFE can be rough and tough) into understanding what this amazing INVISIBLE-WORKER (as if god is the Employer) being "Holy-Nature" a/k/a One with many-Names is simultaneously doing for itself (thus also Surviving for its own sake) and US (Being FROM: and in the Middle of its Miraculous Work (never Sin) includes the current-Events taking place in our Nation and on Earth (internally and Externally) and In [THIS] life via holy-time?

HOPE + TIME = ONE RELIGION. [Nature + god. Or god + 0 Nature. or Nature + 0 god or 0 god + 0 Nature. Or none of the above. So TAKE YOUR PICK]. Enjoy [LIFE/this] while you can. So if you believe in an "After-Life" or No such "FAIRY TALES", then Live and let live.

RELIGION IS NO SCIENCE. Religionists want it to be so. Note: Albert Einstein Only Told the Jewish/Christian, Islamic, Vedic/Buddhist World WHAT they-Wanted-To-Hear!?

So "RELIGION" and SCIENCE is "IMPOSSIBLE" to Compare. Example: Biblical "water" or biblical "light" (RELIGION story) is no match or has no place for in the Secular/Atheist/Deist thinkers that "H2O" and "PHOTONS" (SCIENCE story) are contrary to ANY, EVERY and ALL man-made Mono-Theo or Poly-Theo Religion Exigency's in existence today and future. (even if a Human imagines/believes god spoke and wrote such STORY or "MYTH", is not Comparative-Science. Contrary to comparative-Religions).

ignoranceisbliss:
"no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States"
-United States Constitution, Article VI, section 3
The United States is whatever its citizens decide it is.

I don't know anything about Muhammad or the Muslum faith but this how I pray and hope that all faiths pray. Thank you

The root causes go much deeper than religious sensibilities. Deep in the anthropoid brain is tribal impulse that seeks to destroy anyone who is not of the same tribe. The religious component has just been layered over top to rationalize acting on this impulse.

The United States of America is a Christian nation based on Christianity whether Obama, Progressive liberals, and Muslim / Islamic peoples like it or not.

Obama is a National DISGRACE.

@SPIDERMAN2

Youre genious man, very funny!

I would love to see a Southpark episode were the people are protesting the showing of pictures of Muhammad by holding up crossed out pictures of Muhammand and chanting something like "No pictures of Muhammand!" Hurray free speech!

More than 30 years ago, a famous author named V.S. Naipaul toured "converted" Muslim lands of Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia...

His views of Islam should serve as a jolt to rest of humanity. He calls it a worse imperial force than Westerners. Islam calls for wiping out any native populations and cultures wherever it goes/invades.

The problem here is it is not just the cartoons that are inciting terrible violence by the extremists.They tout all kinds of reasons for killing innocent people indiscriminately.They don't use the " ubutu " example at all.It is usually the "ubomb ".

Thank you, clearthinking. It is clear that we must update our supply of neutron bombs for the coming conflict. We do want to leave the petroleum production facilities intact.

Vardhakhalil wrote:

"Regardless any faith or religion, hurting people’s sentiment is sin in the language of humanity and when it comes to the matter of loved one then never tolerable."

Freedom of Speech (First Amendment) does exactly opposite of what you have stated. It is intended with purpose to provoke and incite offense. In USA offensive speech is protected speech. That's what makes USA so damn unique.

I can offend you very intentionally by stating what I feel about a doctrine that you may love (as you love Islam and Muhammad). I have the right to say nasty things about Muhammad's way of doing things. Basically if you can propagate a pro-Islamic agenda, then I have an equal right to promote legally an anti-Islamic agenda. If you feel offended, tough ! The US government is obligated to provide equal protection to both me and you. That's the consequence.

And since you are upholding some rubbish that states "...hurting people’s sentiment is sin...", I can state that I find Quran's passages equally offensive and it hurts my sentiments (as a non-Muslim) too. So, why Quran should be preached ? Implicit, however, in your statement is the fact that only Muslims deserve the entitlement to thrash others who show offense to Islamic sentiments, values; the non-Muslims are lower forms of human beings whose sentiments can be trashed at will since Quran states [Quran(009:029)]that all other non-Muslim religions are inferior and thus their followers should receive inferior, derogatory treatment.

Which means that all else being equal, Islam can trash other non-Islamic views and values because that has "divine sanction", but, non-Islamic views cannot sound offensive to Islam, simply because they are non-Islamic and inferior to Islam.

That (Islamic) view (which is implicit in your posting) smacks of racist bigotry. USA is not a place for legalizing racist bigotry, and hence the posionous growth of Islam must be arrested in USA. They way to do this is to ban Muslim immigration to USA.

The cartoonists all over the world should draw Muhammad marrying a 6 year old and then "consumating" the marriage when she is 9.
How could someone like that be holy? They worship a CHILD RAPIST, people. It's not that much of a stretch from believing Muhammad was a good man to blowing up innocent civilians and thinking that will get them into heaven. At least Christians(now) don't think killing women and children will bring them eternal life.

I'm so sick and tired of this backwards, violent, ignorant religion being waved in my face. I get it. Your god is the greatest thing since sliced bread and you will kill anyone who says otherwise. But don't think we will let you bully us into treating your prophet as if he actually had a direct line to "god" because none of us really dig the fact that he said you should kill all infidels and have sex with children. I really don't think any moral or just god would have approved of that kind of behavior. Or, it just proves that there is no god, at least not the one made up by a little tribe in the middle of a desert 2,000 years ago.

I think the best thing to do would be to make a flip-book of Muhammad and religious figures performing the Aristocrats joke. Bin Laden and the late Jerry Falwell can make guest appearances.

It is a hopeful sign that a few Muslims exist who have decided to move past the violence Mohammed put forward in the Koran. In the few years between his first revelation and his death, the Prophet led or ordered more than 70 battles and raids.

It is indicative, as the note at the bottom of the article says, that the parable is neither in the Koran or the Hadith. Those are the texts with the strongest backing that Mohammed said the words.

There is another thing missing, when did the parable happen? The Koran is ordered by length, but scholars look at the quotes chronologically. There are two key periods: Mecca and Medina quotes. In the first, when he still thinks that Christians, Jews and polytheists might follow him, he's understanding and accommodating. After he gives up on that thought, it's all intransigence and violence, as when he approves the killings of innocents.

Jews had to add the Mishnah and Talmud to move past the violence of the Torah and reinterpret god for the more modern worlds of those Rabbis.

Christians have a prophet/god who preached peace.

Other religions have similar histories of either starting peacefully or changing their understanding of the will of their supernatural authorities.

Islam did not start peacefully, and it is still looking for enough people to both put forward new views and to openly espouse them against the violence of mainstream Islam. The few should be applauded and nurtured.

Arsalan Iftikhar is one of those few, and he should be applauded and supported.

All of you people comparing depicting the Holocaust with the Muhammad cartoon controversy are missing the point. If someone were to draw a depiction of the Holocaust (people do, I don't think it would be hard to find neo-Nazi cartoons wistfully recounting the Holocaust on the internet) Jews wouldn't go berzerk and riot in the streets about it. Many people would find it distasteful and disrespectful but not enough to kill others or threaten violence. A piece of 'art' called the Piss Christ which was just a crucifix floating in a fishbowl of urine didn't provoke this level outrage from Christians. There is a lot to be offended by out there but you need to choose your battles. Anyone threatening violence over a cartoon needs to grow up.

Mr. Ifthikar:
Citing Omid Safi's book written in 21st century is not enough. That is not the way citations work. If you are indeed trying to make this intellectual point then please take us back to some episode from koran or at least from the hadith. Above all this article should be written in the muslim media through out the world and all of the 47 OICs specially. Doing it in the secular western media is not even needed. The goal of this article ought to be the wayward muslims, period (so to speak) to change their ways.

When you do the above two things, citations from historic record and in the media that would reach the target audience and makes more sense and would have some salutary effect. Doing it in secular western media is like preaching to the choir, and is not at all necessary.

And now to all you islamic apologists, this is a great a parable if only it can be shown to be remotely true. You apologists seem to come up with the all kinds of rationalizations to justify your credulity. You bring up passages from bible and other scriptures. That is the argument to be had with the x'tian and jewish wackos. By and large the x'tians & the jews in the west are reconciled to the fact that the scripture at best are inspirational work (although I can hardly see any inspiration in them). They are by and large at least purged the foul texts as guidance in their lives. Yes, yes there are some who have not, whenever such a nutcase pops his/her head up he is castigated by most. The wingnuts are then shamed and mouth some insincere apologies and crawl back under the rock they crawled out of. Case in point moron Pat Robertson's recent comments about Haitians. So do not engage in this foolish apologia for islam.

Frankly very few in the west threaten the islamists for polygamy, or marrying pre-pubescent girls, although it is mightly more offensive than drawing a silly cartoon can do to anyone. Nobody absolutely nobody in the west threatens to maim or kill the islamists who do that. Those few who do condemn (mind you without threat of violence) it do that boldly and are prepared to take the consequences for it. That is not the case with this issue. If the islamists claim that the laws of their lands allow it and we shout plainly butt out then they must also do the same. The laws of the land here allow free expression of ideas and thoughts and so they butt out of it, just the same as they would like us to butt out of polygamy, child marriage, etc, etc.

20yrskinfan:
Perhaps you don't know the history of the whole Mohammed cartoon controversy. It began when a Danish publisher wanted to find someone to illustrate a children's book about the life of Mohammed (a regular book, not something mocking islam or anything derogatory). but he found that no artist he contacted was willing to draw Mohammed because they literally feared for their lives. That incident led the Danish newspaper to publish the cartoons mocking Mohammed as a way of saying we (the west) should not be cowed into self-censorship by radical Muslims. This "draw Mohammed" day is simply the latest iteration in that ongoing issue--it is designed NOT to offend Muslims per se but instead to stand up for the right of free speech which must indeed trump the supposed "right" of Muslims to not have their prophet ridiculed otherwise free speech becomes meaningless if it can threatened away by violent thugs.

TO ALL "MODERATE" MUSLIMS:

BE TRUE TO YOUR RELIGION AND STOP TRYING TO COMPROMISE WITH THE WEST.

THE HOLY KORAN CH.9 VERSE 5: "SO WHEN THE SACRED MONTHS HAVE PASSED AWAY, THEN KILL THE IDOLATERS WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM, AND TAKE THEM CAPTIVES AND BESIEGE THEM AND LIE IN WAIT FOR THEM IN EVERY AMBUSH."
[9.14] FIGHT THEM, ALLAH WILL PUNISH THEM BY YOUR HANDS AND BRING THEM TO DISGRACE.
[9.29] FIGHT THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN ALLAH.

FORTUNATELY, THE HISTORY AND THE CURRENT BEHAVIOR OF MOST TRUE MUSLIMS ESPECIALLY IN PAKISTAN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE KORAN. THE VIOLENCE IS NOT NEW AND IS NOT ACCIDENTAL. IT IS AT THE CORE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL RELIGION. GOD IS GREAT.

BIN LADEN, LASHKAR-E-TAIBA, TALIBAN, PAKISTANI ISI ARE TRUE TO THESE BELIEFS.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN THE KORAN, JUST WALK AWAY. BUT REMEMBER THE FOUR MAJOR SUNNI MADH'HAB (SCHOOLS OF ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE) AND THE TWELVE SHI'A JAFARI MADHAB AGREE THAT A SANE ADULT MALE APOSTATE MUST BE EXECUTED.

THE KORAN SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. THAT IS WHY TRUE MUSLIMS FOLLOW THE KORAN AND KILL NONBELIEVERS.

A LOT OF ISLAMIC TERRORISTS LOOK QUITE PEACEFUL WHILE THEY KILL. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MUMBAI TERRORISTS OR DANIEL PEARL'S BEHEADER, ETC... LOOK QUITE CALM. THIS IS ALL THAT IS MEANT BY "RELIGION OF PEACE."
DO NOT BE FOOLED BY WESTERN PROPAGANDA.

I was eavesdropping on a discussion a couple of off-duty nazi sergeants were having over their lunchtime schnitzels the other day.

1st Sergeant: "Du ever notice dat different races smell differently when we burn der bodies?"

2nd Sergeant: "Ja! Ich alle zeit dat notice! Das Jews like roast goats smell."

1st Sergeant: "Und der homosexuals like burnt excrement smell. Aber der gypsies like chicken smell."

3rd Sergeant: "Bah! Du like chicken smell everything think."

1st Sergeant: "NEIN! Mohammedians not like chicken smell. More like roast dogs smell. Und not hot dogs either."

General laughter ensued as they finished off their biers and headed back to the death camp.

i find it funny that the reasoning behind the ban on drawing Muhammed comes from the 10 commandments where it specifies no graven images. So you have the Muslems being more faithful to one of the basic tenet's of what Christianity is supposed to based on and getting flack over this from Christians.
The fact that Christians want to draw Mohammed (or even have statues of the Virgin Mary or other idols they worship) and go against the 10 Commandments exposes the truth that Christianity is a lie.
Christians just stole the old testement and don't follow it and added their own cult stories to it.

I believe without verification that Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is most influential and admired personality of this world. People who are arguing by giving examples of terrorism, even don’t know that Islam never support violence against weak and poor. So Muslims all over the world condemn terrorism.
For the quick information for all the readers, in recent years more Muslims became subject of this violence in the name of Jihad, wether it is Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq or Somalia.
What I believe… a struggle by a Muslim for his survival is termed as “Jihad” by west and anti Islamic powers.
Jihad is integral part of Muslim belief… It will continue until the single Muslim is exits in this world.
I support this believe that these silly drawing can not effect his personality but everyone has right to express his feelings about his liking or disliking.
People who claim this contest is not aimed to hurt Muslim feeling and call it freedom of expression. Then I must say it is a mad step taken by the organizers of this contest.
Regardless any faith or religion, hurting people’s sentiment is sin in the language of humanity and when it comes to the matter of loved one then never tolerable.
Freedom of expression can be used for uniting the people not only for creating a havoc.
I pray for all unbelievers .... May Allah show them the right path as he showed to the people of Taieef. Ameen

I'd like to see more analysis of what Mohammad would do when his so-called followers murder and bomb in the name of his religion. So many main stream Muslims are quick to decry the casualties of war (blaming the soldiers who are trying to rein in terrorists), but very silent about the degradation of women swathed head to toe (why aren't men supposed to be 'modest' - the purported reason for such coverings, or threatening cartoonists who call attention to so much hypocrisy ( of all religions and ideas).

i think a pig is a good depiction of Islam...every muslim i ever pass by smells like a pig so therefore their god must be a pig

Why? Why bother to have a day that's going to bother people? It's pretty silly. I'm all for freedom of speech, but I'm not going to back controversy. It's just plain dumb.

Now, how would all of you feel if we had "draw the Pope as a pedophile" day?

The whole concept of no images in Islam is that ordinary people are very very ignorant and are not well educated about the teachings of Islam. It's human nature, that if they see something powerful as Prophet's picture, they will probably pray to it eventually, which is probhited in Islam against praying to any human. All prayers are for God and God alone, no humans. Therefore, Prophets said to not draw his picture so that people may just pray to God and not to him.
Get it Stupid?
Posted by: Shahm1 | May 20, 2010
**********************************
Shahm1 ...you are the spook worshipping idiot...and your people are the ignorant ones that kill themselves for heavenly virgins!...get it stupid!!??

Ricardo Mesa

you wont stop blasphemy and We (Muslims) should not allow this which hurts the feelings of other person/nations.

Since you are a freedom speech boaster, I would like you to make fun of holocaust in you upcoming article. Also I would like face book users to celebrate a holocaust day. Lets have freedom of speech!!!

The author here attempts to dismiss "Draw Muhammad Day," as merely a "silly" and "sophomoric" idea and depicts Muhammad as a purveyor of non-violence. But he doesn't even get close to addressing the motive for such cartoons, which is frequent calls by Muslim clerics and fanatics for death threats and violence against people simply for their artistic, literary, behavioral or religious choices. There is a clear dissonance between the Islamic sense of pacifism seen by the author and the real and common practices of followers of Islam.

@ SPIDERMEAN2

lol

BerkeleyBW wrote:

"In the larger public policy arena, we should end immigration of Muslims, who have nothing in common with our values and often want to murder us just for being devoted to free speech, individual liberty and gender equality."

Indeed this should happen. In 2010 and
2012 elections, I predict this maybe a very big issue. (Arizona immigration bill -which is a sign of desperation - could easily spawn into something similar to what you have described/postulated.)

Indeed, Islam is opposed to Free Speech (First Amendment) as Arslan Iftikhar (civil rights lawyer) defines it in his column. (I am not opposed to Mr. Iftikhar's viewes.) Reverend Franklin Graham, from his perspective, is totally right when he stated that Muslims cannot practice "true Islam" in USA. The First Amendment needs to be tossed out, existing US Constitution needs to be revised top down, to accomodate Islam and Islamic principles. This would make Muslims practice their religion in USA more freely and with closer parallel as to how it is practiced in Pakistan for example. Prophet Muhammad maybe one of the world's law givers like Moses, but I do not see his laws (Shariah) being adopted or forming any basis for US legal system.

However being a capitalist country, the danger that USA faces is that many business leaders would oppose such a ethnic/religion specific immigration ban (as BerkeleyBW states) simply because they would fear that Muslim countries would stop doing business, and also use terrorism against their overseas business operations. Thus, I am betting that any such measure would fail.

The whole concept of no images in Islam is that ordinary people are very very ignorant and are not well educated about the teachings of Islam. It's human nature, that if they see something powerful as Prophet's picture, they will probably pray to it eventually, which is probhited in Islam against praying to any human. All prayers are for God and God alone, no humans. Therefore, Prophets said to not draw his picture so that people may just pray to God and not to him.

Get it Stupid?

There are THREE valid reasons why evolution is false. I hope all evolutionists read this so I don't keep on repeating myself.

Reason no. 1 -- it is impossible that a single-celled bacteria can become or transform into a two-celled bacteria or into a multiple-celled organism. There is no available science to explain such a fairy tale. This is the myth of evolution.

Reason no. 2 - soil and water existed before any living thing existed. It is impossible that those brainless substances (soil and water) can form by themselves a very complex matter called plants and animals. There is no available science to explain that such a transformation is possible. This is the myth of evolution.

Reason no. 3 -- Science is the study of nature. Engineering is part of that kind of science. Engineers took many years to extract energy from sunlight and even at this moment they are still scratching their heads how plant leaves has been doing it for eons already. The level of intelligence nature demonstrates is just beyond human intelligence. The only probable explanation is the existence of a Supremely Intelligent Creator.

With these THREE valid reasons, I don't think I mentioned faith or religion. EVOLUTION IS A MYTH BASED ON REASON.

Silly young religions. When will you just accept you have been bested by the all mighty science.

Isaiah 14: 29 & 30

29Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

31Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, ART DISSOLVED: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.

Doomsday won't spare Muhammedan Land.

That's the prophecy.

Mr Arsalan Iftikhar

Although I believe ignoring is the best answer, you have fabricated this story and such a event has never happened.

Wow--what a great story. It would make a wonderful children's book to help promote the idea of islam as a religion of peace--except of course that if anyone tried to illustrate that book some jihadist wacko would threaten to cut off his head, blow up the publisher, etc.

Sir, this proud American Episcopalian thanks you and wishes you peace.

To all muslim bashers..here christianity 101 for you

The earth is flat (Ezekiel 7:2, Isaiah 11:12, Revelations 7:1)

A married virgin woman had sex with a ghost, became pregnant and gave birth to God. LOL!

So long as we're laughing, why don't we read a few good verses?

Deuteronomy 23:1: "No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord." ha ha ha!

Genesis 38:8: "Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her... but he wasted his seed on the ground... What he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so God took his life. hee hee hee!

1 Samuel 18:25: "The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Palestinians... Before the time had expired, David killed two hundred of the Palestinians and brought their foreskins." LOL!

Exodus 4:24-25: "Then Zipporah cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.” LMAO!

4. Ezekiel 16:17: "You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. ha ha ha!

Numbers chapter 31: Moses commanded his army: "[upon entering the city] Kill all the men and all the boys. Kill every woman who has slept with a man, but keep the young virgins for your pleasure."

Its easy to draw Mohammed. Just draw a rectum.

Arsalan:
You say the parable appears in
"Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters" by Omid Safi.
But there is no source of the parable given by Omid. Where did he get it? You put so much faith in the character of Muhammad because of that parable, does it not behoove you to try to find whether it is even remotely true or it is like the children stories created to make children feel good. Where is the original source
----------------------------------

Of course it is not "true" - the stories in the Bible and Koran are just that - stories, parables meant to instruct. Only fundamentalists actually beleive they are true. The point is what the story teaches about tolerance and humility. Does not matter if it actually happened.

What about the historic tale of Muhammad looking the other way when one of his followers murdered a poet for speaking against him?

Want to prove your first amendment rights? Tired if insulting one small underrepresented minority that cannot defend itself? Try having an "Everybody can draw a black man as a monkey" cartoon contest. Or "Everybody can draw a Nazi death camp" contest. See how it works out for ya. Better yet, recommend that your kid draws those cartoons at school for an art exhibit.

Cowards!

The writer should be careful with his movements and security. Moderate Islam is still bound by the Quran, the literal word of Allah. When will the moderates forcibly end the sinning by terrorists? When will they call them the fake muhaideen warned of in the Quran? When will they say that forced conversion is sinful? Both the Quran and Bible have passages which are not embraced by many followers. Does Turkey cut off the hand and foot of thieves or do they jail them? Do Christians bathe in flowing waters to cure infections or do they take anti-biotics? A modern world requires a modern interpretation.

I don't know what Arsalan's little parable will do to placate angry Muslims, but I guess we should assume that he understands the people he is trying to communicate with better than I do.

Taking that into consideration, it is interesting that in order to communicate with that demographic he chose to portray the West as an "unruly female neighbor" that should be tolerated by the enlightened Muslim. I'll leave you all to disect that metaphor in its appropriate cultural context. When you're done, think about what it should tell us about the worldview of Arsalan's target demographic.

Since there are no pictures of the prophet that we know of today, why not have a picture drawing competition of the prophet and then have the Muslims decide which picture they like to represent the prophet.

This would not eliminate the whole problem, however, it would minimize the controversy.

Is it not what the Christians have done with Jesus?

Arsalan:

You say the parable appears in

"Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters" by Omid Safi.

But there is no source of the parable given by Omid. Where did he get it? You put so much faith in the character of Muhammad because of that parable, does it not behoove you to try to find whether it is even remotely true or it is like the children stories created to make children feel good. Where is the original source? The same parable is told in the sunni middle east with the neighbor being a jewish man and not a woman, and the conversion of the Kaafir at the end is the big ending in both cases. However, both of these are fabrications. Now be serious and provide a source that at least goes back to the early Muslim scriptures.

It takes a special sort of a nobody to defend the human rights violating cult of Islam. Seems like there is lots of nobody's in the liberal pack of hyena's.

Until you remember that this is the state run WAPO, the bastion of neo-commies and they are but a tiny minority of Americans.

November we get to stuff all this liberal nonsense up their arses and begin again.

don't most of you realize that even the bible says 'no idol worship'? idol.....pictures, statues all those things in churches

What??? "Have you ever heard any outrage from Muslims when innocent civilians are killed all over this planet by their extremists?"

Uh... yeah. It's called: WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. Terrorism, War. You really think people "hate us for our freedom?" Wake up.

Great Post. Judging by the parable, Muhammed was confident, strong and kind and Islam certainly seems confident, strong and kind. Muhammed would not be threatened by such silliness as cartoons of his image and Islam should not be. All of that being said, we Christians, Jews and others should be well aware of how our own minority voices routinely call for the heads of "offenders." I think of the hue and cry that went up amongst some in the christian community over "the last temptation of christ." Christ would forgive....

"End the immigration of Muslims?" Get real. I'm agnostic, and would love to deport you, ignorant Jesus-lover. Islam is not the cause of violence. Blind faith and radicalism within any religion is what leads people to violence. And throughout history, Christians have been just as guilty of violence and persecution as any other religion. So come off your high horse. We're all going to keep bombing each other as long as you zealots keep drawing lines in the sand to separate us. Stop the brainwashing on both sides, and start regarding your ancient texts for what they are: folklore.

"With 2 billion Muslims, you'd think they could rein in the small percentage that is out of control.
But I think that about Christians, too, and that hasn't happened."
Posted by: blackmask | May 20, 2010 7:47 AM
--------------------------------------
I disagree. When the right wing Christian nut jobs get out of control, there is a lot of criticism in this country, through the media and other outlets.

Have you ever heard any outrage from Muslims when innocent civilians are killed all over this planet by their extremists? The only time you hear outrage from Muslims is when their delicate sensibilites have been offended.

Let's draw Mohammed consummating his marriage to a nine year old and we don't even have to make things up about his life.

Then we can run afoul of both Muslims and secular authorities in this country on pedophile charges.

"What Would Muhammad Do?"

When it comes to a bunch of silly and sophmoric cartoons, the answer would be two very simple words: Absolutely nothing.

If this is REALLY true, you need to talk to the rest of your flock that puts out death threats, cuts off body parts, treats women like sh## and hijacks airplanes to send them into buildings killing thousands.
When will YOU do this?

These bottom fish took advantage of America's hospitality and then betrayed it. How many others will do the same.

What's next:

>Let's draw Mother Theresa in the most erotic phase day.

>Let's draw how your mother conceived you day?

>Let's draw George Washington's secret life as a homosexual day?

See, there are a lot of things to draw about if you put your mind to it.

Islam, as with most other major religions, was founded by men to oppress others and gain power. By using mystical guidance, they convinced masses of people that they alone had the divine answers. Most major organized religions promote their singular and exclusive guidance of human thoughts and actions. The most fundamental proponents of these religions can not tolerate any careful, thoughtful examination of their basic tenets. That would expose the human intervention of the radicals that perverts the true word of "God".

So this is why Muslims treat women so badly, the old garbage grudge.

Okay, I won't draw Mohammed. I'll draw the murder of Theo Van Gogh instead.

Muslims can reciprocate by drawing the murder of Muslims because they blaspheme another religion in return. Good luck with that.

Screw muhammad (note lower case "m"), and all his dumbasz followers.

The problem is that some Muslims think they know better than their Prophet. Like Khomeini and his fatwa against Rushdie.

Isn't that called blasphemy?

AK1967 did you know you are Presbyterian? From the Westminster Catechism: what is the chief end of man? to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Not that much of a stretch to include His creation.

I'm not Muslim and I don't think much about Islam, but this campaign seems puerile. Like a kid trying to prove he's big and important by annoying others. ("Hey, let's have a 'Call Mikey's mother a wh*re day to show we have free speech!'").

I'm sure that if some foreign countries organized a "Let's p*ss on the US flag day!", Americans wouldn't rejoice that they were asserting their right to freedom of expression. It would seem utterly stupid and it would be.

With 2 billion Muslims, you'd think they could rein in the small percentage that is out of control.

But I think that about Christians, too, and that hasn't happened.

Why there is so much religion in people's lives.

God supports all religions and wants us to use common sense and expects us to get rid of bad things in our religion.

He/She created this Universe for us to enjoy and explore.

Mr. Deb Chatterji, you are absolutely right. However, we should feel sorry for a moderate Muslim like Mr. Ifthikar. It is always faith first for hard line fundamentalists and moderate Muslims are losing the battle.

The real question is why so much attention to religion in our lives.

God loves all human beings and lives equally and supports all religions. And expects us to remove bad things that have crept in every religion; For example: some religions do not treat women equally and so on.

God wants us to explore and enjoy the universe he/she has created by indulging in science, math, biology, astronomy, gardening, cooking, raising children, playing sports, walking etc etc.

"I am Mohammed and I taste good,"
______________________________________________

It's like saying, "look at me!", or "look how pretty I look"(female or male).

The truth is that this fool doesn't begin to qualify in Muhammad's league. Muhammad is the most influential person in the history of human kind. Google it! This little idiot is simply making statements that are designed to attract attention.

I am NOT a religious person, but I've got to tell you: At least five times a day, almost 2 BILLION Muslims utter words attributed to Muhammad, in addition to Quranic passages...

This nonsense may be enough to fuel Fox's idiotic machine, but it's obvious that this idiot is desperate.

I shall say no more.

mohammed, the pedophile, would do the same thing that any other muslim criminal would do -- kill you. I guess we could discuss whether he'd behead you old-school, or blow you up with a suicide belt.

No one explodes themselves (and slaughters innocent men, women, and children) for political reasons. They do it for deep seated religious reasons. These killers call themselves muslims, and I think we can probably take them at their word.

Nevermind. We'll just keep telling ourselves, "islam is a religion of peace" -- as the slaughter goes on. A slaughter, by the way, that is met with resounding silence from the "real" muslim community -- probably for reasons of self preservation.

You muslim apologists can pretend that muslim extremists are not "real" muslims. Perhaps we could ask what their victims would say.

Just so there's no confusion, the terms allah, mohammed, islam and muslim are all intentionally written here in lower-case letters as a sign of disrespect.

What would Muhammad do?

Muhammad would recommend to "choose the middle course".

What would YOU recommend?

In case people have not actually seen the SOUTHPARK in question, I think you should all know that in that same episode from which Muhammed was censored also contained scenes of the Buddha snorting cocaine and Jesus of Nazarath talking about his problem with internet porn. Those, of course, weren't censored.

I'm sure a lot of people, not just Muslims, were offended by a lot of things in that episode. THAT is the fault (and no the intention) of Parker and Stone. You may think what they did was offensive, provacative and juvenile but, as free citizens of a free nation, they have an ABSOLUTE right to express their opinion.

If other people can't handle that expression and react with threats and violence then that is THEIR fault, NOT the fault of Parker and Stone.

This crusade against "offensive speech" and "hate speech" is imperiling the free speech of EVERY American. We need to stop this. Left, right and center we all need to start standing up for OUR rights and refusing to let ourselve be intimidated into silence by religious fanatics. Comedy Central should be ashamed of themselves.

I am boycotting Comedy Central until they air the Muhammed episode uncensored. I am not doing this because I want to offend Muslim but because I am disgusted with the cowardice of people who allow themselves to be muzzled in the name of "political correctness". If we don't nip this in the bud and if we allow a noisy, violent minority of Muslim community to have their way censor OUR speech about Muhammed using threats and violence, then sooner or later ALL religions are going to demand similar immunity to criticism and mockery.

Having freedom of speech means having to defend speech we don't like in order to ensure that our own right to speak in not infringed upon.

I have heard three versions of this story about someone dumping garbage on the Muslim prophet. None quoted a reference. More importantly, such a meek behavior as claimed in the story is foreign to the character of the man as recorded in the biographies written by his followers.

Why piss these people off? Isn't it enough that we have combat troops positioned throughout the Muslim world?

Of course, we see no media celebration of Neo-Nazi hate festivals. No links to funny drawings of Jews depicted in extreme ethnic stereotypes or as objects like bars of soap and lamp shades? Why? Well, those are neither funny nor are they in good taste.

Sad to see it.

Hindu's consider cows holy - no one is stopping beef production out of respect for the Hindu religion.

American's consider the first amendment holy - no one should expect us to move from that position out of repect for any religion.

The comparison with Holocast is not fair. Dening the holocast might be considered disrespectful by the Jews - but more importantly dening it is wrong because it ACTUALLY did happened. We have FACTUAL records - multi-media and audio-visual of survivors and perpetrators. Hardly a fair comparison.

You will never know about prophet Muhammad until you read about his model. The problem here in the west emerges from the fact that people do not like to read, they rather, inhirit and believe ready-made opinions and conclusions about what they do not bother to read about. My advice is: Never let others (anti-Islam) shape your mentality and take your decisions for you. You have a mind that can decide... Decide for yourself

Raoulduke: The prohibition in Islam against depiciting Muhammed doesn't really have alot to do with Muhammed himself but rather because such depictions might lead to "idolatry"; that is, people will worship the images RATHER than god. It doesn't matter if the pictures are actually accurate representations of what Muhammed looked like.

No one know what Jesus of Nazareth looked like either but that doesn't stop people from making all kinds of icons, statues, etc. The "traditional" Jesus with the beard and mustache looks almost identical to the traditional image of Zeus-Jupiter.

The Muslims are entitled to their opinions and their beliefs. If they don't want to look at pictures of Muhammed then don't lool at them and don't draw them. If they feel strongly enough about it, write a letter or organize a boycott.

No one, however, is entitled to threaten and murder others for expressing THEIR beliefs, even if one finds them terribly offensive. Savagery is more offensive then ANY icon.

Arsalan Iftikhar says, "What Would Muhammad Do?"

In following in this same attitude, I would ask Christians to ask themselves,

"What would Jesus Do?" and act accordingly, as well.

The world would be a better place for the rest of us if Christians, Catholics, Muslims, and Jewish people's actually followed their teachings instead of using their teachings to beat others over the head. OUCH!

Patrick

Violence is the only argument of tyrants and fanatics. Never knuckle under to religious tyranny and superstitious opression!

Give Trey Parker and Matt Stone each a medal for standing up for free speech!

From the beginning, I have found this cartoon controversy simply befuddling, and not a little amusing. I can agree with the basic premise: Islam prohibits depictions of the Prophet Muhammad. OK, got it; no depictions. Whatever lights your candle.

If this is true, however, how can anyone know what he looked like? And if you don’t know what he looked like, how can anyone, believer or infidel, blaspheme against Islam by drawing an earthly image of him? Where’s the reference point? Where’s that simple coal-pencil scrawl on a piece of sacred parchment handed down over the centuries, the only known surviving image of the guy, peace be upon him, when he still walked the earth? There is a basic disconnect here which no one seems to have grasped, and I find it hysterical!

That leads me to another thought: When Muhammad was walking the earth, doing his best to be, well, prophetic, I am certain that at least one of his followers felt obliged through pure devotion to break out papyrus and pencil and faithfully record an image of him. Did the prophet’s enforcers rush over and break the kid’s fingers like some paparazzi? You have to wonder…

Arsalan:
Your Muhammad depends on your story:
"One day, the Prophet noticed that the woman was not present to throw garbage outside of her window. In true prophetic kindness, he actually went out of his way to inquire about her well-being and then proceeded to visit this unfriendly neighbor at her bedside inside of her own home when he had found out that she had fallen sick.

This genteel act of prophetic kindness toward unfriendly (and overtly hostile) neighbors is the Muslim 'Ubuntu'"

The fact is that the story is fabricated and has no basis in Muslim "history". You think pathetic lies like these make Muhammad a kind prophet? Challenge to you: show that the story is at least based on some reliable early Muslim historian. Should it not be part of some reliable ahadeet? Provide a reference.

You cannot because it is a lie that Shia Muslims stole from the Bahai's of Iran.

The Muhammad you are trying to sell is based on cheap lies. Your Muhammad has little to nothing to do with the Muhammad of the Islamic "scripture".

Mohammed himself was an arch-terrorist. He made peace agreements and broke them. Now, his followers have as a law that they are allowed to break their word as their disgusting cheat of a prophet did. He killed many innocents just like his followers do today. He raped, pillaged, and plundered, just like Muslims have done ever since.

Islam is not a religion founded by Allah, who was a mere moon-god for the Arabs for hundreds of years already. Islam is a religion founded by Arabs as a reflection of the way they live. It means "submission" and that is certainly the Arab view of life.

The bigger question is WHY???...why initiate such an act which hurts RELIGIOUS feelings...dont in the west people have enough subjects to proove their liberty of speech and freedom.....JEWS all over world have reacted to denial of holocast and world has respected generally respected their stance,,,,why not apply the same format here !!

Abu Safian was the chief of Mecca when Mohammad was a child. He was a world class trader. His Caravan from Syria to Mecca was attacked in first ghazwah. His son was Moawyia, the writer of Koran. What Yazid, the son of Moayia, did with the grandson of Mohammad in the holy month of Ramadan was not a joke. The religion which literally means peace for mankind has become symbol of terrorism due to failure of its followers.

The use of the parable is well-inspired but, sorry, as it is known, the antagonist in the parable is not a woman but a jewish neighbor. Touched by the Prophet's behavior, the Jew finally converts to Islam.

I think he'd draw a cartoon with himself in it. Every other answer seems rather obviously wrong.

All gods laugh, it's fools that don't.

Before spending time to think about the ideas of making cartoon on prophet Muhammad (PBUH)will it not be a right thing to take a neutral stand first and then read authentic books on prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the last & final testament Holy Quran to understand him and his teachings.

For many muslims physical description of prophet Muhammad carries an emotional punch similar to the holocaust for the Jews. Both are sacrosanct issues that have to be accepted and not debated. Holocaust deniers have been convicted, jailed and ostracized over the years. Muslims want the same for anyone who defies their basic belief that Muhammad should not be graphically depicted in any form, cartoon or otherwise.

Silly cartoons? Apparently not to the pea brains who kill in response to them. It's time to stop kowtowing to those stuck in the 7th century. It's time to mock them and confront them and make them come to terms with this century.

Liberty-loving people are threatened daily by Muslims who think their prophet is more important than free speech.

So I don't regard the grassroots speak-out as a "silly faux controversy" as the Muslim author believes.

And thanks for the kitchy parable about Mohammed. So informative. But out in the real world of Pakistan, the local Allah people are filling the streets in a frenzy looking for some western doodlers to head-chop.

http://tinyurl.com/2f9w6y7

In the larger public policy arena, we should end immigration of Muslims, who have nothing in common with our values and often want to murder us just for being devoted to free speech, individual liberty and gender equality.

Dear… Lets put this issue in a different perspective, After 9/11 when world came to practically encounter clash of civilizations there were many problems,,,muslims cannot be eliminated, they cant be asked to change their belief or convert,,they are in growing numbes, religion is also spreading much faster than any other,,some even predicted that soon many European countries may have more muslim population than the originals ,,,a term MUSLIM EUROPE was also reffered to occaisionally...now, many people view it as a calculated strategy to make lives difficult for muslims in west…how it can be done??,,,ban on veil and burqa in Europe is a glaring example…cartoon controversy in Europe is again another one,,..it is indirectly aimed to force muslims to react violently ,,,this may trigger a situation thereby bringing tougher lifestyle on them in western countries so people may be discouraged to immigrate or may with a view to reduce or maintan muslim population..
Personally this act is a direct message to muslims,,,”u can react to few individuals , now what shall u do”…In my opinion peaceful demonstration of feelings coupled with diplomatic level pressures and debate is the answer…but as muslims we need to atleast consider it a violation and theres no 2nd opinion on it. However such actions will definitely fuel anti west feelings which is used by terrorist ideology, which is detrimental to world peace. Lets not make make moderate muslims task harder in order to contain militancy.

Thank you for a wonderful parable and explanation, Mr. Iftikhar.

It is always amazing that the same anonymous readers who scream and yell, demanding a "moderate" Muslim to comment on ("disavow" is the usual term) issues like the depiction of the Prophet, suddenly turn into great scholars of Islam and Sahari'a, and admonish ordinary everyday Muslims for not being rabid and crazy enough.

Shame on the likes of "Yeal9" and "DebChatterjee" and "Karsanghasi" for being the intolerant bigots they are, and for expecting all Muslims to conform to their twisted, idiotic, childish view of what a "proper" Muslim is.

Some of these people who claim ultimate superiority of their perverted views also claim to be "Christians". Perhaps some "moderate" Christians could be persuaded to "disavow" their sick, insane rantings?

Jesus said, "And you shall know them by their fruit." We know Islam by its fruit.

He is dead and gone. He would o nothing. The end.

How about telling us of numerous wars and battles that Mohamed fought. Did not he marry 9 women, including a 9 year old child, did not he say Muslims should cast "terror" into infidels' hearts; did not he compare Jews to dogs and monkeys...?

What would Mohamed do?

From Wikipedia:
"Muhammad is said to have had thirteen wives or concubines. Traditional sources dictate that Aisha was six or seven years old when betrothed to Muhammad[55][56][57] but the marriage was not consummated until she was nine or ten years old."

Sounds like he kept himself busy with profound and sublime thoughts. As a man of decency and dignity, he waited till Aisha was 9 or 10 before having intercourse with her. Anyone "moderate" out there have a 9 or 10 year old daughter?

Arsalan Iftikhar writes above, "I can honestly say that I love both my Prophet Mohammed and cartoons like South Park." What exactly is so unique and special about Mohammed that inspires such effusive rhetoric? The good things in the islam are in every religion. The bad things are not.

Thanks for this article. Glad to see someone capable of having a sense of humor about life when it comes to these issues.

Arslan Iftikhar, the clerics in Pakistan could put a price on your head (fatwa). I am in full support of your views. But note that Pakistan has banned all Facebook because of the competition of drawing Prophet Muhammad's face. That's BLASPHEMY according to Quran. Is it not ?

The specific quote from Quran [005:033] states this:

YUSUFALI: "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;"

By supporting Free Speech Rights (First Amendment), you are indeed in violation of the Quranic dictates as quoted above. If Islam prohibits painting Prophet's picture, no matter how redundant such ban might appear to you and others today, your opposition, as viewed your stated support for Free Speech, means you are opposing Allah's decree (which is Islamic dictates). And, at the same time you state to love Prophet Muhammad. These two are contradictory. Hence you could be viewed as creating mischief. To you it may seem OK and fine, but to clerics or orthodox Muslims such as in Pakistan this is not a joke. It is blasphemy, and the punishment for blasphemy could be death (as stated explicitly in the Quran).

Am I totally wrong, Mr. Ifthikar ?

Thank you for repeating the ubuntu parable.

Obviously, Mr. Iftikhar is in need of the Five Point Program for "Deflawing" Islam so once again we provide this service free of charge:

Are you ready?

Using "The 77 Branches of Islamic "faith" a collection compiled by Imam Bayhaqi as a starting point. In it, he explains the essential virtues that reflect true "faith" (iman) through related Qur’anic verses and Prophetic sayings." i.e. a nice summary of the Koran and Islamic beliefs.

"1. Belief in Allah"

aka as God, Yahweh, Zeus, Jehovah, Mother Nature, etc." should be added to your cleansing neurons.

"2. To believe that everything other than Allah was non-existent. Thereafter, Allah Most High created these things and subsequently they came into existence."

Evolution and the Big Bang or the "Gib Gnab" (when the universe starts to recycle) are more plausible and the "akas" for Allah should be included if you continue to be a "creationist".
"3. To believe in the existence of angels."

A major item for neuron cleansing. Angels/devils are the mythical creations of ancient civilizations, e.g. Hittites, to explain/define natural events, contacts with their gods, big birds, sudden winds, protectors during the dark nights, etc. No angelic thingies" ever visited or talked to Mohammed, Jesus, Mary or Joseph or Joe Smith. Today we would classify angels as fairies and "tinker bells". Modern devils are classified as the demons of the demented.

"4. To believe that all the heavenly books that were sent to the different prophets are true. However, apart from the Quran, all other books are not valid anymore."

Another major item to delete. There are no books written in the spirit state of Heaven (if there is one) just as there are no angels to write/publish/distribute them. The Koran, OT, NT etc. are simply books written by humans for humans.

Prophets were invented by ancient scribes typically to keep the uneducated masses in line. Today we call them fortune tellers.

Prophecies are also invalidated by the natural/God/Allah gifts of Free Will and Future.

"5. To believe that all the prophets are true. However, we are commanded to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) alone."

Mohammed spent thirty days fasting in a hot cave before his first contact with Allah aka God etc. via a "pretty wingy thingy". Common sense demands a neuron deletion of #5. #5 is also the major source of Islamic violence i.e. turning Mohammed's "fast, hunger-driven" hallucinations into horrible reality for unbelievers.

Accept these five "cleansers" and we guarantee a complete recovery from your Islamic ways!!!!