Comments (125)

Asslam o alikum!

The first words of these comments are Asslam o Alikum, May the peace be upon you. These are the words which I learnt right from my childhood being born in a muslim family. And I practice it.

I had an opportunity to work with the Christian Missionaries a few years ago.

Believe me I had a very different thinking about the christianity. But when I started reading Bible I have changed my ideas. Because I found many things in Bible which are not practiced by many of the christians even in the missionaries.

I believe this is not bible that these christian practice but this is these christians own way of treating people we can not blame bible for it.

Keeping what is said above in mind, anything happening in the Islamic world especially in Saudia and Afghanistan Koran can not be blamed for it- if you pick up and do the same as I did with bible - you will certainly find many things you like.

Asslam o alikum!

The first words of these comments are Asslam o Alikum, May the peace be upon you. These are the words which I learnt right from my childhood being born in a muslim family. And I practice it.

I had an opportunity to work with the Christian Missionaries a few years ago.

Believe me I had a very different thinking about the christianity. But when I started reading Bible I have changed my ideas. Because I found many things in Bible which are not practiced by many of the christians even in the missionaries.

I believe this is not bible that these christian practice but this is these christians own way of treating people we can not blame bible for it.

Keeping what is said above in mind, anything happening in the Islamic world especially in Saudia and Afghanistan Koran can not be blamed for it- if you pick up and do the same as I did with bible - you will certainly find many things you will like.

binyameenkhan@hotmail.com

Asslam o alikum!

The first words of these comments are Asslam o Alikum, May the peace be upon you. These are the words which I learnt right from my childhood being born in a muslim family. And I practice it.

I had an opportunity to work with the Christian Missionaries a few years ago.

Believe me I had a very different thinking about the christianity. But when I started reading Bible I have changed my ideas. Because I found many things in Bible which are not practiced by many of the christians in the missionaries.

I believe this is not bible that these christians own way of treating people we can not blame bible for it.

Keeping what is said above in mind, anything happening in the Islamic world especially in Saudia and Afghanistan - if you pick up and do the same as I did with bible - you will certainly find many things you will like.

binyameenkhan@hotmail.com

You mentioned Malaysia, and you seems to think that there's no slaughter sanctioned by Islam.

Read the entry on this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaariibuugiin_Altantuyaa

The Mongolian model was not only murdered, her body was blown into pieces, and the whole thing is sanctioned by the government of Malaysia.

I'm a Malaysian, and I know what I am talking about.

The above mass-posting of the same message - so as to disallow anyone else from posting is such a typical move for someone who's argument has no merit. Threats and more threats.

So I'll repost my message, just once more:

I read a while back that Gen. MacArthur faced an islamic insurgency after recapturing the Phillipines during World War 2. It was immediately quelled when the insurgents believed that their martyrdom would be thwarted.
MacArthur had a firing squad dip their bullets in the blood of a pig before executing a handful of the fanatical islamics. He spared one of the insurgents and returned him to his people, who were told about the pig blood covered bullets that were used to execute the rebels.
Since it was one of their many superstitions that it was impossible to gain paradise with porcine blood upon the dying body, the martyrdom avenue was closed to the insurgents, and thus it was fruitless. The rebellion ended shortly thereafter.
I am not sure if this was a true story, but it poses an alternative to the west dealing with these nutcases.

Peace out babies

I read a while back that Gen. MacArthur faced an islamic insurgency after recapturing the Phillipines during World War 2. It was immediately quelled when the insurgents believed that their martyrdom would be thwarted.
MacArthur had a firing squad dip their bullets in the blood of a pig before executing a handful of the fanatical islamics. He spared one of the insurgents and returned him to his people, who were told about the pig blood covered bullets that were used to execute the rebels.
Since it was one of their many superstitions that it was impossible to gain paradise with porcine blood upon the dying body, the martyrdom avenue was closed to the insurgents, and thus it was fruitless. The rebellion ended shortly thereafter.
I am not sure if this was a true story, but it poses an alternative to the west dealing with these nutcases.

Muslim man(talk about an onxymoron),

I am one of the Westerners & believe all Westerners should assist Moslems in their sacraments whenever possible.

In the name of all that is sacred in a multicultural society, we should assist Moslems in performing their highest sacrament whenever possible. Martyrdom.

Martyrdom will place all Mohammadans at the Left side of the Prophet.

The Jews can't be blamed for Jesus'death. To believe otherwise is to wallow in ignorance.

It was all God's plan. Remember,

God so loved mankind that he sent his only begotten son. Jesus suffered & died for our sins that we didn't have to & so that we could be saved.

In fact, he repeats himself a couple of times.

Most of his statements could be broaded to any fundamentalist religious movement, including christians.

By the way Jay, Christianity at the moment, has a higher total death toll than Islam. however, it sure as hell looks like they are trying to beat the Jesus followers' record within our lifetimes.

And to any rebuttals from muslims that christians have done all the things that Kactus lists as offenses by muslims I say; "Yes, you're right. Christians have done all those things. But what have they done lately? Some people can learn to act in a mature, respectable fashion. Unfortunately, the current world news very strongly shows that muslims haven't reached that level of maturity yet."

I've seen a lot of cartoons derogatory, or obscene of Jesus, or just plain offensive. I've seen movies that denounce the divinity of Jesus, or portray him as a semi-debased man wallowing in the "human" condition. However, unlike Mohammendean cartoons or movies, I haven't heard or read of anyone being murdered over them. Nor have I heard or read of people's stores, homes, or property being destroyed because of them. Boycotted, yes! Banned from certain insular, provincial communities, yes! But not a cause for violence.

This whole threat has become meaningless. This will be my last post here about cartoons.

So Muslims are offended by cartoons.

Well, let me tell them what offends me...

I am offended by the lack of respect that Muslim have for others

I am offended by the hate and anger in the Quran against non-Muslims

I am offended by the respect attributed to Mohammed, a man that according to Islam's own writings (hadiths) was a murderer, torturer, slaver, rapist and wife beater. These things are written by his own followers and admirers. Yes, these are all there - Do your research!

I am offended that, for Muslims to feel good about their religion, they must restrict my freedom of speech and thought.

I am offended by the oppression and persecution of other religions in every country where Muslims dominate.

I am offended by the severe restrictions against Non-Muslim religious activities in Muslim countries (Are they afraid?)

I am offended by the hate preached in the mosques and written in Islamic books and pamphlets throughout the Islamic world.

I am offended by the naked malice in the media of Islamic nations, and their constant portrayal of non-Muslims as demons, including with images far worse then the Danish cartoons.

I am offended by the treatment of women in Islam and in the Muslim world. I am offended by the fact the so many Muslims consider women and girls second class citizens, denying them educational, political, professional and social rights.

I am offended by honor killings, forced marriages, female genital mutilation - all common practices in Islamic societies.

I am offended by the violence that follows Islam like flies after excrement.

I am offended by countless videos of Muslims shouting "Allahu Akbar " as they behead hostages, shoot innocents and bomb civilians.

I am offended by the astronomically high crime rates of Muslims immigrants and their propensity to rape and kill.

I am offended by the lack of morals within the Muslim community, which will protest, threaten and even kill over silly cartoons about a man their own scriptures say was a murderer, torturer, slaver and wife-beater, and not show any indignation relative to the multitudes of evils in Islamic societies.

I am offended by the fact that Muslim must blame all their problems on others.

I am offended by the constant lies and distortions that Muslims tell about their religion and societies.

I am offended by the constant excuses Muslims make (out of context, bad translations, you don't understand, etc.) to hide the vile nature of the Quran.

I am offended by the denial and ignorance of Muslim about their own writings, and that they refure to look at the dark soul of Islam.

I am offended by the constant affirmations that the behavior of some Muslims, who quote from the Quran and practice acts commanded in the Quran, is "un-Islamic".

I am offended by the constant denials that terrorism has anything to do with Islam when it enjoys broad support in the Muslim world.

I am offended when Muslim try to portray Islam as a 'religion of peace' when it is by far the bloodiest, most oppressive and repulsive religion on the planet.

I am offended by the little value given to human life in Islamic countries, where people are killed and beaten and there is no pity or recompense.

I am offended by Muslims' need to impose their morality, or better, lack of morality, on others.

I am offended by the lack of freedom, equality and opportunity in all Islamic societies.

and so on.... And Muslim are offended by stupid cartoons.

Kactuz

I would just like to tell the Western People not to intermix Muslim and Middle East. Not all muslims are from West Asia and not all Middle Eastern folks are muslims...so there is no correlation between muslims and middleeast.

I wonder if even Sigmund Freud could help untangle the messed-up thinking of these poor souls who believe all this nonsense about the "evil jews". Oh wait, I forgot... religious fanatacism is the solution - who needs to sort out fact from fantasy when you have the blind convictions of a zealot.

gadds! what a depressing collection of rabid rants against the jews. the big scary jews have control over the world, bla bla bla. what stupidity. dimwits with weapons. all this anti jew crap is spread by saudi arabian clerics and their near total control over the islamic prostelizing worldwide. all this poop about the jews is completely fabricated - completely. if they did control the world there would be no terrorism because they would have nipped it in the bud 40 years ago. the poor idiots showing their hatred on this blog are too full of lies to be able to even begin to understand how they have been lied to. it seems hopeless with such ignorance. fill your head with lies, your hearts with hate, your hands with weapons. looks great for the future. NOT

Thanks Post for this excellent report. Fascinating to hear what the taliban has to say, even if I disagree

muslims kill few
american troops killed 3.6 million innocent iraqi civialians for oil
is that what jesus would have done
even hitler was not that crazy
all christians are evil

really

Islam, like any other religion in the world, has it's power structure which seeks to perpetuate itself. It does so by inciting it's followers to arms for one reason or another. The difference of course, is the level of violence that the so called "leadership" incites.

To be told that we in the west are being "mislead"
by the media is absurd. To be told that we are "stereotyping" is equally absurd. Things will only change when the true followers of Islam
finally put their foot down and change the current power structure that incites the violence that is on display in front of the entire world.

If the followers of Islam want the world to respect them and their religion, then behave responsibly (& take responsibility) and join the civilized world.

I believe we call it "practice what you preach".

Dear Writer, and readers.

First of all, let me inform you well about why all muslims are so easy touchy on prophets( I mean all prophets Mohamed, Jesis, Mosa and others) . Islam is a comprehensive way of life that dicates every and single action of all beleivers as constitutions of each country dictates what should be done and what should not be done. Furthermore, Islam not only dictates what should be done, but also dictates how should be done. Islam teaches us how to approach other religion believers like those who believe Jesis, and those who believe moses, to put it another way Christinaty and jewism). Islam even teach us which is closer to us when it comes to make a choice between a christian man and a Jewish man. A Christian man is a closer friend to Muslims than a Jewish man. However, there are shortcomings of muslim people because of lack of knowledge in their religion that makes Muslims to be considered as a second citizen in this World. I have travelled a lot of countries and i face a lot of discriminations because of my appearance as i wear beard.

The best thing to avoid clashes between civilisations is to make more discussions on religions between the people who are really believe the religions, but if you call and invite only those you think are more Westernised does not make sense at all. The West world should realise that it is time to make concessions and to talk the real power wielding people in the muslim world and not governments and their allied shikhs.

Ancient scriptures recently discovered near the Dead Sea--- hidden by the Jewish Mossad--- was written by Jesus himself. Proves that Jesus predicted that the world will be destroyed by Jews in 2012. This is the same as the Mayan prediction--- they just said that it will be destroyed by evil hat wearers.

Jesus called Jews the "Children of Satan" and said that they will be helped by Satan to destroy the world in 2012. He renounced his Judiaism.

Damn Jews

Actually there was an art piece by an artist supported by the NEA titled "Piss Christ" which consisted of a crucifix in a jar with yellow fluid. It created a stir and many denouncements and undermined political support for the Endowment, but no death threats.

Certainly a response to offensive speech can be denouncements and/or a withdrawal of support. Death threats are beyond the pale.

The whole discussion has acquired too much of an air of superiority and condescension. Nobody has asked what would have happened in this country if some publication - no editor would dare even in his dreams - would publish a cartoon with The Christ in it. What would be the reaction from the evangelical groups? Wouldn't we have some violence specially in the parts of the country where Christ has substituted Christianity?

Let's not forget that only a few weeks ago in a situation where a college president who tried not to offend non-Christians by moving - not removing - a Christian symbol, was fired for his efforts. Perhaps we should congratulate ourselves that he was fired and not fired at, but neither the outcome nor its sequel gives us any right to cast the first stone in this case.

JH

Thank JH for commenting on my comments. The state has authority to regulate freedom of speech. I think now the West realises that people should not be free to spread hatred. You should not be allowed to encourage others to the use of violence for example.
Regarding my saying that Muhammad is the master of mankind; this is not only my assessment but it is the assessment of Western writters. Muhammad is the most influential person in the history of mankind according to one Western author of the most 100 influential personality in the history.
Regarding resorting to violence by some Muslims in responding to the insults directed against them, is wrong and not sanctioned by Islam. People should not take the law in their own hands.
Violence is everywhere in the world. People in Serbia resorted to violence to show their resentments towards the US and other countries who supported the independence of Kosovo by burning the US embassy. It is only when Muslims resort to violence then the religious sentiments are attached to it but others it is nationalistics sentiments are the cause.
You might think the most blood shed in the history has been shed by muslims, no it has not. Did you know that the communists (either of christian faith(Russians)! or Budhist(chines)!) and the capitalists ( of Christians faith (Americans or Germans)are responsible of much blood shed in the history. World war 11 memories are not far away from us.
But violence is deeply attached to muslims it is unfortunate. I wish you read how Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) was very particular in sparing blood when war situation arised. He forbade his followers from indiscriminate killing of elders, children, women and those who are not involve in the warfare. If you wish to discuss with me further privately away from this site you are welcome; my email is this hilalali@squ.edu.om

One trouble is that the West has become rather paranoid about women's rights. Even a woman, e.g. a secretary, who brings a cup of coffee to a man is seen as oppressed. Such a paranoia on the part of the West makes accommodation on women's rights and women's place difficult. Here is an instance of what I mean. Some years ago I was on the doctoral committee of a woman scientist who said at one point that she envied her sister-in-law who was a housewife and had the luxury of staying at home. When I reported this on a discussion group, I was accused of being "anti-woman". Never mind that I advised this young woman, who now has a good job; just the fact that I reported HER views made me anti-woman! The West needs to lighten up and understand that the happiness of both women and men can be pursued by different cultures in different ways.

Of course, the hijab does seem oppressive, but it does mean that when you are going out you don't need to spend half an hour thinking what you are going to wear! :) And apparently some women seem to appreciate both the convenience and the fact that they are saved from male leers when they dress modestly. I am NOT recommending that people should be forced to wear the hijab, but the West does need to lighten up. And BTW, I am not a Muslim and none of my female relatives wears even a veil...

I challenge the Danish media to publish cartoons that insult the holocaust, Moses or Jesus and then claim "freedom of speech."

Let's get back to talking about the Honorable Adolph Hitler.

Everyday the news shows the truth of Islam.

From the school girls running out of a burning building in Saudi Arabia and shot down on the spot because they dared run out of that burning building without first covering their faces to the recent execution of a man who dared pass out christian pamplets.

Islam daily lives up to its reputation as the religion of terror, violence and stupidity.

You can't force someone to respect you or your religion.

Respect is earned, not just granted because a whiny cult thinks it should be exempt from ridicule.

The filmakers have every right to make a movie about whatever they please.

And if Islam doesn't like it, who cares?

Islam is not going to be exempt from scrutiny, as a matter of fact, Islam is under the microscope right now, but most Islamist are deaf, dumb and blind to that fact.

"Then there is fear. People fear their culture will be taken over by the West,” Zayaf said. "They think missionaries are at work in Kabul converting people to Christianity. They feel like they must protect their religion."

Muslims fear their religion cannot compete in a free arena of spiritual ideas, so they take murderous threats and actions to make certain no competing ideas come within their political sphere. Can this be anything but the most severe restriction of free speech?

These people who are discussing Islam either never read it in depth nor practiced it. Please read Qoran..The sayings of Prophet Muhammad.. Who trained Osama Bin Ladn and other thousands of Muslims in the name of Islam to fight against Russisa in Afghanistan? Ask CIA and other agencies. Till 9/11 all was OK..Suddenly Islam became the terrorist relegion???????It has been scientifically proved that the twin towers can never collapse as they did in 9/11 attacks? what happened to WMDs in Iraq? The west is playing target killing game with muslimsaround the world..Ask Jews in the thousands years history when they got peace? Is Muslims offer prayers and practice their religion, they are fundamentalists!!!While if a christian goes to church and takes agood care of family, he is regaded as good person..Please compare ratio of rapes, killings, theft, children without fathers and other social evils with Islamic countries and west.. I dont know what u people mean by independence? it is easy to attack other religion and criticize???what ur preachesr, missionaries, churches are doing in sex scandals??? talkingabout human rights now????U dont know firts charter of human rights was presented by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) 1400 years ago. Please read the history and not fiction. I only blame westren media which never portrayed Islam positively..

fanatıcısm ıs fanatıcısm ın every area ı agree but only the fanatics are not from muslım we should look the past and now for jews and christians

Qran says "who belives God and the messenger Muhammed(sav) will go to paradise even he is a sinful(but ıf a man is sinful suffer ın the hell fıst of all ın order to purıfy ). İslam never likes violence islam is a peaceful and universal religion fanatıcs wrong ıdeas can not refer the ıslam but Muhammed (sav) likes peace does not lıke vılonece try to realıse that ıf amuslım do not belıeve to jesus he can not be muslım thıs ıs so clear., therefore west should change the poınt of view to ıslam .

steve, fanatık ıs fanatık ın every area jews or christians or muslıms but west should change the poınt of view to muslıms unıted state comes f0or ıraq for peace u really belıve there are lots of pıctures the amerıcan soldıers destroy mosque ın ıraq is'n ıt radıcalısm unıted state and the or the west cultures should understand the muslıms'value . ı told before ıf a muslım wrong ıt ıs not the fault of ıslam ıtıs the fault of that person but most of the muslım s are not lıke that u can not see a humılıtaıon of pıcture of another prophet because all the prophets are sacret for the muslıms ıslam accept jesus but chrıst not to Muhammed(sav) thıs ıs the startıng poınt.

What is Islam ?

Islam is not a new religion, but the same truth that God revealed through all His prophets to every people. For a fifth of the world's population, Islam is both a religion and a complete way of life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with their faith.

What do Muslims think about Jesus?

Muslims respect and revere Jesus, and await his Second Coming. They consider him one of the greatest of God's messengers to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as 'Jesus', but always adds the phrase 'upon him be peace'. The Quran confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Quran is entitled 'Mary'), and Mary is considered the purest woman in all creation. The Quran describes the Annunciation as follows:

'Behold!' the Angel said, 'God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and shall be of the righteous.'

She said: 'O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: 'Even so; God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, "Be!" and it is.' (Quran, 3:42-7)

Jesus was born miraculously through the same power which had brought Adam into being without a father:

Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, 'Be!' and he was. (Quran, 3:59)

During his prophetic mission Jesus performed many miracles. The Quran tells us that he said:

I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers and I raise the dead by God's leave. (Quran, 3:49)

Neither Muhammad nor Jesus came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in One God, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it. In the Quran Jesus is reported as saying that he came:

To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and obey Me. (Quran, 3:5O)

The Prophet Muhammad said:

Whoever believes there is no god but God, alone without partner, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is the servant and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven. (Hadith from Bukhari)

What does Islam say about war?

Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of religion, or on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. It lays down strict rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees and livestock. As Muslims see it, injustice would be triumphant in the world if good men were not prepared to risk their lives in a righteous cause. The Quran says:

Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors. (2:190)

If they seek peace, then seek you peace. And trust in God for He is the One that heareth and knoweth all things. (8:61)

War, therefore, is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the sacred law. The term jihad literally means 'struggle', and Muslims believe that there are two kinds of jihad. The other 'jihad' is the inner struggle which everyone wages against egotistic desires, for the sake of attaining inner peace.

How does Islam guarantee human rights?

Freedom of conscience is laid down by the Quran itself: 'There is no compulsion in religion'. (2:256)

The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred whether a person is Muslim or not.

Racism is incomprehensible to Muslims, for the Quran speaks of human equality in the following terms:

O mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you in piety. God is All-Knowing, All Aware (49-13)

"But at least as long as affronts like Wilders film persist, we won't hear those voices."

Good fences make for good neighbors. Wilders is a jerk. Why should we care what he thinks? Refuse to give him free publicity. Fence him out. It would be a better use of time and bandwidth to report on the success of some nice young person at the local high school. Even a photo of a nice dog would be better.

Muslims believes prophet jesus muslım belıves all the prophets because qoran says but the people who are not muslım do not respect Muhammed(sav). Muhammed (sav) likes the people and respect to every human being because Allah create the human being.is it really hard to respect ? why are the people afraıd of realıty ? islam is real what the people say nothıng wıll cahnge real ıs real.ıadvice read the qoran carefully. Jesus will come the world to call the people to ıslam and christians will accept.therefore people should thınk very carefully about the realıty.

What a puerile commentary this is! What a load of self-evident, kindergarten-level concepts! So the violence committed in the name of Islam has some social-political-cultural basis, apart from the religious itself... and violence is not the daily activity of every Muslim in the world... Well, duh!

As for the issue itself, we err if we think that this conflict is East-vs-West, Islam-vs-Judaism or Christianity. That is just the superficial form it takes. The real conflict is fanaticism-vs-rationality. The only people who can stop fanatical Muslims are rational Muslims. They are the ones who must reclaim their faith from the crazies. It is not enough for them to denounce the violence; they must denounce the fanatical clerics who preach hatred. If the vast majority of the world's Muslims are, indeed, rational and do not commit or condone violence, they must muzzle and marginalize the few who are fanatics.

So where are they? Are they afraid to stand up in the mosque where a fanatical cleric is preaching hatred, and publicly condemn that person for disgracing their faith? If so, then their faith must mean very little to them. When America was attacked at Pearl Harbor in 1941, millions of people enlisted to fight in a war in which they knew they might die; they enlisted and fought anyway, because they were defending their nation. Are the rational people of Islam so much less dedicated to their faith that they will not risk their lives to defend it? Because it is not just the West that is under attack; like a cancer, Islamic fanaticism is an attack against Islam itself.

Fanaticism cannot be bombed out of existence; it can only be gradually starved out, and the only tool for doing that is the worldwide promotion of rationality. It is genuinely tragic that America, which should have led the world in promoting rationality, has been under an administration that denigrates rationality and promotes fanaticism--a different brand of fanaticism, but fanaticism nonetheless. But that is a problem for rational Americans to solve; Islamic fanaticism is a problem for rational Muslims to solve.

islam is the only valid religion in the world even u accept or not u can not see any picture or cartoon that humililates isa(christ)becasu all the prophets send by Allah is the sacret for muslims. Today now muslım is the last and the best way of salvation there is no way beacuse when the islam comes the others ended.This is so clear but ı recommend u all the people should focus on qoran for themselves the people who humilates the islam shows his weakness only week people humilate.people in the world should understand the message of ıslam ıslam calls for peace not for fight but ıf there isa threatment to ıslam then fightining becomes a duty this is so logıcal ı understnad the peolpe who tries to humilate the muslim they realısed the power of ıslam .ıslam ıs powerful because of Allah not anythıng else do not forget;search the ıslam by the deeply then u understand the beautiful of ıslam . ıf a muslım bad personn thıs ıs not fault of islam this is fault of that person becasuse ıslam ıs send by Allah therefore there can not be mistake in it. ıslam send to all humanıty chrıstıan jews ateist or somethıngelse not ımportant:the ımportant one ıs word of Allah and the messenger Muhammed(SAV)THEREİSA GRETA AND IMPORTANT MESSAGE BY ALLAH ;obey the way of muhammed(sav).ı recoomended strongly :search the ısalm deeply than u understnad what is reai what is not.Allah says"ıf ı do not create the muhammed(sav) ı would not crate the world.

Well from today mornign till now i am reading this post and got one message that ppl who are talking abt each other relegion are idiots and are foolish.what relaiogn have to do wiht voilence.you c around the world all voilence is happening just because one country is holding other country by power.
i ask this question from all of the ppl who read this post and write there coments that if u someone enters at ur home as guest and then throw u from ur own house what will u do? or if someone comes and kick u out from ur home and takes the charge by power what will u do?
obviously you wil fight and that is what muslims are doing they are fighting for there rights.
here i dont know what kind of mentality is it that saying bad things to one another and talking rubbish abt one another relegion is kind of game for them.

shame on you all who are involving relegions in this.search for the truth and then say somethign i beleive accept few all are fools who dont know anything but just wana say some thing.

Freedom of speech differs an insulting speech. One is punishable by law in the US and the other is not much favored but not punishable legally.

One has to realise and study the limitation of freedom of speech before he opens the mouth and shouts rabish.

I don't exactly remmember the name of the US presidnet who showed a finger to one of the reporters and later on he was sued and impeached due a misconduct behavior.

Tell me how that could not be considered a freedom of speech????? Yes it was offensive to the other side.

Isn't communication the relationship of words among the two sides or simply said two people? If one says some to hurt the other one with out a reasonable cause then he has comitted a crime which is not covered under the pretext of freedom of speech.

The cartoon and lies of the Danish boy who lost his virginty to a cow will not be a freedom of speech, it is rather an insult to two billion belivers and lovers of the relegion who by the way did not accept it blindly.

Unless his A S S itching he wouldn't want steep low to do such a thing just to decieve the world. Voilance lead to voilance and no matter how peacefull you are you will fall in it.. mark my words when that happens. watch the youtube.com you will see daily peaceful christians getting into street fights.

Voilance does not have relegion... stay away if you could.

Kenna is Right and i agree with her its not a freedom of speach its only the way to put their ego on society.These kind of ppl are everywhere and in every time.

Inciting hate is not a freedom of speech, this small group of journalist try to impose thier ego on society in the name of freedom

It seems to me that thou doth protest too much. That is, you still ignore the fact that in the koran thaere are very very many admonitions to the followers of islam to carry the message into the world on a sword, by violence, and kill all who oppose. Most people can be kind and loving then turn around and be mean and nasty. Look at this blog.

It is very depressing that as Muslims, many of the commentators have not risen above the hatred in these posts to put proper view of the Muslim world and instead of enlightened dialog we have name calling and curse words. First of all the Prophet Muhammad stated that every religion should have the right to worship and is free to believe what they want, neither he nor any other being on this earth will decide a person's fate and that it is God's will to choose who he sends to heaven and who he sends to hell. He also never married a nine year old rather his wife was 15 at the time because she had to have had her period to have been able to get married and what he did has to be taken in the context of 15th century. In America till the 1900s it was okay for a 12 year old to get married, and it is still okay for 16 years olds to have kids need I mention Jamie Lynn Spears. Lastly what Muslims find objective is not that people question Islam as bieng a violent religion it is rather the fact that the put pictures of the Prophet (pbuh) as an evil person, this person who loved humanity so much, and was considered a friend to all. There is a story of the Prophet that says that he was asleep one day in his garden and a cat came and slept in his sleeve, when he woke up to pray he realized that the cat was in his sleeve, and so he ripped his shirt using his other hand in order to let the cat sleep peacefully. For Muslims these stories and countless others show that the Prophet loved humanity and wanted equality and to show him spreading hatred is hurtful. I speak for many Muslims when I say put pictures of other Muslims burning and bombing things and we won't mind but leave our prophet (pbuh) alone.

One comment above says "Muhammad (pbh) was sent as a mercy for the humankind. Read his autobiography and..."

The idea put forward by many of our Muslim commenters here is that we (non-Muslims) shouldn't say anything unkind about Islam's prophet because we are ignorant of his life and work. If we knew him we would love him, I guess.

Are we now? Maybe some of us are not so ignorant. Some of us have read the hadith and found page after page of this like this:

Quote: "The military expeditions (Ghazawat, literally raid) in which the Messenger personally participated were twenty-six. Some say there were twenty-seven." Tabari IX:118 "The armies and raiding parties sent by the Messenger of Allah between the time he came to Medina and his death (ten years) was forty-eight." Tabari IX:115.

The accounts tell of tkilling, plunder and taking slaves, of giving captured women to the Prophet’s men. The writer was especially proud of the raids where the caravans and villages were taken by surprise. (Quote: Ibn 'Aun reported: ...The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) made a raid upon Banu Mustaliq while they were unaware and their cattle were having a drink at the water. He killed those who fought and imprisoned others. On that very day, he captured Juwairiya bint al-Harith. Muslim Book 019, Number 4292 - also in Bukhari).

I could mention Asma bint Marwan, a mother killed by Islam’s prophet for criticizing him, but here is another incident of the same type, less known because the woman’s name is not given:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/abudawud/038.sat.html#038.4348.

Some of us spend a lot of time reading Islamic sites like this one that makes it very clear what should happen to people that are critical of Islam and its prophet:
http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/misc/alshifa/pt4ch1sec2.htm

The sad thing is that this attitude toward criticism of Islam and the actions of its prophet is for the most part typical of Muslim societies everywhere. This means that a person has no right to any opinion on the ethics and morality of the Quran and the actions of its prophet. This means there is no free speech, no freedom of religion and no human rights. This is what we see in Islamic societies.

Of course Mohammed didnt write any autobiography. It wasn't until about 750AD that Ibn Ishaq wrote the earliest known biography of Muhammad (but the original is lost and all that is left is a later recension by Ibn Hisham). This was over a hundred years after he died. This and the hadith are the materials that Muslims use to build the Sunnah (teachings of the prophet). This is the same materials critics use, the only diufference is that critics don't skip all the pages with 'bad' stuff.

Muslims cannot be honest about their religion and their dear prophet. To get along with Muslims and "respect" them, you must also be dishonest about these things. You must must pretend that the hate and violence in the Quran and hadith have nothing to do with Islam. You must pretend that the violence and oppression done by Mohammad also have nothing to do with Islam. Finally, you must pretend that the hate and violence we see Muslims doing today also have nothing to do with Islam.

Once again, the cartoons are appropriate. They are not funny but they illustrate the link between Islam and violence.

Things are going to get worse because Muslims are not honest about these things. They refuse to look at the soul of Islam and ask the hard questions. This is why the violence never ends. This is why it will get worse.

Kactuz

Thank goodness the world doesn't have to put up with the Old Testament Jews and the muslims at the same time! Talk about identical twins! You can tell them apart because a muslim will eat a camel but a Jew won't.

Wow! What a discussion!

What if we were all "human beings" and not blaming anyone or any religion? Who is at fault then? Is name calling, put-downs, aggression a religious thing or a personal choice? Because if it was a religion, many folks on this discussion are part of the same path.

NO ONE likes being treated with disdain, aggression or oppression. We like being loved, seen as valuable and when can that become universal? Not when these exchanges still go on.

You gotta follow your heart, but most people's hearts of full of pictures handed down from generations of mistakes that go on and on and then get engrained into our children through culture codes and our un-conscious reactions to life. Following the heart is not easy so to live peace you gotta control your lower nature that just wants to fight. That's what jihad means, BTW, to be engaged in an inner battle with yourself to let your higher nature dictate your actions.

OH, from a nutritional stand-point:

pork has parasites that are enclosed in cysts that heating or even cleanly raising standards do not kill. You get these nasty parasites when you eat pork. Parasites can cause, fatigue, joint pain, cancers, fungal overgrowth, major digestive problems and parasite are VERY hard to clear once they get in. Take a loot at any overweight person, they most likely have parasites. Candida diets, macro-biotic, anti-cancer diets, will show you this, no pork, no read meat etc etc.

I used to live in napa valley, CA, when the migrant workers had to come out in radiation suits head to toe to spray grapes with toxic pesticides. If you're not eating organic, drinking organic and watching what the meat industry is doing to your food, you better start, because 1 in 3 get cancer now.

We can't tell anyone else what they can do with their life, that's between them and their creator whatever they view that to be. But if you want to live in peace, you gotta start within yourself and clear out the haze. Practicing self control means your voice is heard with your choice, love or hate, violence or peace, all the world is a reflection of what you hold inside and then choose to read, eat, drink or purchase.

It is true that all muslims believe that eventually there is going to be a jihad that will result in islamic world dominance. It is a paradise on earth - from their perspective. Of course this is silly. You can judge a people by the way they treat their own weakest members. While there are no nations that have completely solved their problems of poverty and suffering, some are worse than others. Fear and ignorance are still the masters of mankind as a whole, we are near the point where that will have to change. If we all worked together to end suffering it would take less than two weeks to reach paradise. We don't need a dead prophet-warrior leading a billion plus "followers" over the brink. Once all the hotheads kill each other, then maybe there will be enough of us left to make it a real paradise on earth.

Western pride "Freedom of speech":

Interesting to read how well European people use "freedom of speech" in their comments. Where was "freedom of speech" when a German was sentenced to 30 months jail for simply denying holocaust? Isn't this his right to deny or accept anything?

Unfortunately, it's a media dominated world and events of cartoons and film only encourages hatred towards Muslims. These events show Danish arrogance and complete ignorance about ISLAM in the name of "Freedom of speech".

For Muslims, I would say, there is no known portrait of Prophet Mohammad S.A.W. so why give an ignorant Danish journalist an honor of creating one (portrait/picture/cartoon) after 1376 years of demise of Prophet S.A.W.

Lastly, just a word of advice for all non-Muslims. Holy Quran is not written as physics or chemistry or bible. In order to understand Quran in its entirety, one has to refer to the events that happened at the time of revelations. Those events are compiled in very authentic Islamic literatures, which can be easily found on internet/ in libraries. I am sure the producer has simply read Quran as English story (Quran translate in English) and produced this film, without doing this research, just to appease and support his cartoonist friend's "freedom of speech" cause.

Regards

I have seen the infamous cartoons. Some of them are quite funny, and make valid political points (in my opinion). Jesus Christ is often made a figure of ridicule in Western art and political commentary. In Dante's Inferno, Mohammed is depicted as dwelling in one of the lowest circles of Hell, split almost in two as punishment for the sin of heresy. To seek a "middle way" between the freedom of intellect and the howling of Islamic hysterics is pitiable. This posting by Mr. Fairweather is absurd.

I have disapproved of Christian evangelizing and proselytizing among persons here and abroad with their own views of God so I don't blame Middle Easterners or Chinese or Hindus for resenting holier-than-thou types from the West challenging their belief systems. Let's get our missionaries and Jesus freaks our of their hair.

I used to think the jews were predjudiced aginst the muslims - rather racist and supremacist. They would tell me how awful the arabs were and I protested - saying all people are the same. If only! People may be the same, but the cultures they live in are not. The world has benefited so from jews in science and medicine, and now the world (especially the third world) suffers from the lies spread by Saudi Arabia, read the koran and you will find countless messages of violence and threats to nonmuslims. If the jews did control the world, we wouldn't have to be worrying about the jihad movemnet, because they would have nipped it in the bud 40 years ago. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the people of islam, it is their hateful doctrine of world dominance.

Peace out everybody, stop hating each other. Jesus never said he was the son of god, he said god was his father, and that we are all the children of god. Read a book or two.

Why is "PissChrist" an excellent and even brave example of free speech, and something which progressives everywhere defended, but depicting Mohamed with a bomb in his hat is denounced by these same so called progressives? Just wondering.

By the way, Muslims, your TV set has TWO KNOBS. One turns it off, and the other changes the channel. If you do not like Western Culture, why are you watching it?

Dear. An American,

See, this is your problem. You cannot stand a Moslim telling you they don't really care what you thought. What you want is for all of them to spend a lot of time apologizing about their religion which is not something I am prepared to do. I am welling to discuss with any one why Islam is a true religion of God and that is the extent of explaining I am welling to do. I will give you a clue though, any text can be twisted if taken out of context or explained away by someone without knowledge.

By the way, I love American as a constitution and as good people when they understand the truth. I will only leave America when I cannot practice Islam any more. Later.

What most Muslims don't take into concideration is the fact that they grew up in a oppressive soceity. The dialog is always one sided(Only the Mullah's view counts altimately, even when he has to twist the Koran). Most women cannot even read or are allowed to get an education. (Yes, there are a few who are allowed to study, but most have not such previleges).Secondly they do not separate religion, culture,economics( work enviroment), personal prevenences and habits from their own particular dogma (Teachings or training). Being self righteous in their believes(Only Islam is right)it will always result in violence against those who oppose them.

PS

Apparently, it seems to me,
that I’m probably going to hell
cause wherever I turn,
I’m told that I’ll burn
For all of eternity

If I dare to put pork
On the end of my fork
Or draw a cartoon
Or sing a sweet tune

If I drink some cool wine
Wear the wrong sign
Smoke some good grass
Or expose my pink arse

Then I damned for all time
For my nefarious crime
Against an almighty
(Who seems awful flighty)

Very strange!

"My god is better than your god na-na-na-na na!"

I have rarely encountered such a din of intolerance.

The hippies got it right (at least Hans Poulsen did)

"In a quiet little country
lies a sleepy Sunday School
Where the schoolmarm Annabella
teaches dreary golden rules
But the children are all waiting
just to hear the schoolbell ring
for they have their own religion
and all they have to do
is sing it to the world
boom sha-la-la-lo
they will sing to you
boom sha-la-la-lo
la-la-la-la laaa laaa laaa
bumfy bumfy all day
throw your cannon away"

Jesus, Allah, Buddah or John Smith?
I don't care what they said or did.
Scientologist, Mormon or Frontle?
Who gives a sh**!

Don't kick the dog.
Give to the poor.
Look after your neighbor.
Care for the environment.
Be nice.
Don't kill people.
These are the real imperatives that must govern our lives - not the convictions of some half delusional historical figure or their entirely delusional followers.

[sings quietly to self whilst riding his donkey into the sunset]

"bumfy bumfy all day
throw your cannon away....."

Left wing American "artists" exhibit a statue of Christ immersed in urine and US Christians are told that is the price of free speech. The Virgin Mary is crafted from cow dung and we are again told that nothing less than freedom is at stake. But few, if any, US newspapers dared reprint the Mohammed cartoons that stirred Muslims world-wide to riot and kill. Clearly a double standard is operating. It is time that islamists learn a harsh lesson about living in the West. They will not impose their standards on the rest of us.

One of the thing in this whole episode is really ironic and that is that viking pirates and their progeny are claiming to be civilized and are trying to teach their version of freedom of expression to other "un-civilized" people of the world. For thousands of years these barbaric robbers taught "human rights" (only the one wielding the sword has the rights) with their swords; and those who did not learn their lesson had to pay with their lives. Now, in the not-so-viking world when some events has brought some sense to their insanity they spew hatred through the only medium available to them: propaganda.
They say, once a pirate, always a robber and Danish are no exception.

Prem,

I stand corrected....

You said only 64,987 Jews were killed by Hitler for being criminals ("evil, money hungry crooks" to quote you) during WWII. Didn't want to overstate things.

He, like Muslims all over the world, is excusing the most vile form of extremism -- permitting out of control anger to turn to killing violence and declaring someone else responsible for it. If that is Islam, it is a sham of a religion and a pathetic excuse for culture.

Prem,

This is of course not germaine to the issue at hand (free speech). On second thought, maybe it is, so here goes...

Something so patently false (the US has benefitted monetarily by "stealing" Iraq's oil) can easily be claimed by someone such as yourself. Same goes for the patently absurd claim that Hitler was 'only' responsible for the deaths of ~120,000 Jewish criminals in WWII.

And I'm proud as an American that you can say something so silly without getting locked up for it. As I mentioned before, just keep on saying those type of things....It strengthens MY arguments, not yours.

I am a muslim, yet i believe that some one is criticizing islam is due to what we present. No muslim country in this world has true islam for practice in substance. We presented rubbish,distorted history and linked that as islamic versions, like Muhammad(PBUH) married with nine years old girl,whaich is totally wrong, the age was 28, not nine. Now see if we will present nine, every body will suspect. Muslims of this era are w/o tolerance, patience, they just ready to be destructive to see cartoons, but never see how they are acting whether according to Muhammad's sayings or not? of course not...

With few exceptions, this is the biggest waste of space I have had the misfortune to read lately. What a bunch of fools... "my way is the highway," who can shout louder or insult someone quicker. Reading MOST of these comments is beyond embarrassing: the ignorance and hatred is breathtaking. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

I don't understand this whole notion that we have a right not to be offended. I really don't.

And as has been stated very well, if we have the right NOT to be offended (or is it the right to NOT be offended?), who gets to decide what's offensive?

As can be seen in Canada where Mark Steyn is sued and subject to censure for writing a book that outlines the dangers to the Western world of not facing up to the Sharia version of Islam, or a publisher is harassed by the government at the behest of an antisemite for having the --gasp-- audacity to publish the 'offensive' cartoons, it is a task probably best not left to the government.

Thank goodness the US has the first amendment, something that is not present in Germany, England, Canada, etc (and thus the references to it not making sense that it's ok to publish anti-Islamic cartoons but against the law to be a Holocaust denying publisher). I agree, it is not right. Both should be allowed and then let the marketplace of ideas win the day (meaning that the Holocaust deniers will make better fools of themselves if they are allowed to speak than if they're thrown in jail for saying it).

my 0.02 worth...

To those who say we "invaded" Iraq for the free oil...

Tell me how that works? Or how has that worked out? And what is oil going for these days compared to 5 years ago? And who benefits MOST from that (and I'll give you a hint, it's not the West which you bemoan - it's your Saudi --Muslim-- friends whose profit margins have increased by 500% in the past 5 years)? Spare me the childish rhetoric of Bush did it for free oil.

Prem -- next you'll be telling me that Jews really do take Muslim kids' blood and bake it into their bread too????

I would echo the question asked above, that has yet to be answered...

Why should we in the West tolerate the complete intolerance of Islam?

Islam wants the west to stop stealing their oil? At 100 per barrel I would like to have oil so somebody could steal it from me at that price. If 100 is the market price, I think the price is just, I don't care about it. But, someday oil will lost its status. Then Islam won't have anything to do with all that oil. Until that day comes better use that wealth to educate your citizens, specially that half of your population (women) that many islamics treat as catle,thanks to your medium ages bearded imans, ayatollahs and similar sourpuss "leaders" (sourpuss:a person having a grouchy disposition that is often accompanied by a scowling facial expression). I think Islam will be 500 years behind anybody else until they understand that they must give the same rigths to the people that raise their children and learn to have a better sense of humor.

As Lawrence of Arabia said, Arabs are "a little people, a silly people, greedy, barbarous, and cruel." There relevence to the world is due to winning the geographical lottery. Under their barren lands, with which they had no ingenuity to develop over millenia, they found black gold. Without this discovery, they would still be riding camels across the desert and diving for pearls.

Despite their newfound riches, their society and "values" remain grounded in the dark ages. Why? Because of their insistence in constructing their society on the foundation of the Quran. If murdering their own sisters and daughters is perfectly acceptable to these people, then what chance does the rest of the world have?

The fact that Muslims are so frightened about "losing" their identity shows how insecure they really are about their own religion. Case in point... How many Jews are there in the world compared to how many muslims and muslim states? And yet a small amount of Jews created a prospersous country out of nothing. It is pathetic that 1 billion muslims can't do the same with a lot more. The only thing muslims have to fear is Islam itself.

I really don't understand many Moslems view on 'images' in their faith. They get upset to see images/pictures/drawings of the Prophet Muhammed but yet a number of countries bordering the Persian Gulf prominently display 20 to 30 foot pictures of government or religious leaders on billboards by the roadside. So why is it forbidden to show images of the prophet but yet somehow acceptable to show huge pictorial displays of the supreme religious leader in Iran? This doesn't make sense to me.

Islam and other religions just go to show that for thousands of years and for the foreseeable future, man will be controlled and guided by ignorance, superstition, religious dogma, and tribal culture.

To prove that point, last weekend the Saudis announced that they were going to execute a “witch” by beheading. What, no burning at the stake? Okay, I guess that the Salem witch trials proved that burning doesn’t get rid of witches.

When we all die, we will be judged by our actions here on Earth no matter what God we believed in. If we don't do a good job now, we will just have to come back and try again until we get it right.

All I can say is that the Jews must be very, very smart for so few of them to dominate affairs on this planet. I guess if they are then it was meant to be.

My concern is why is it that despite our best efforts and our massive resources and propaganda directed against this religion since the demise of Communism and the end of the Cold War Islam continues to be described as the world's fastest growing religion. Clearly we are not doing enough or is the force of our arguements so weak this dangerous sytem of belief continues to attract adherents even in the West itself ? Clearly our denunciation of Islam's Prophet's polygamy or the Koran's emphasis on Jehad has become ineffective probably because it has been overused to death. I notice that nothing that the Danish right politicians are saying is anything new or has not already been said before.Are we running out of ideas ?

I find the comments about Hitler killing 65 million somewhat amusing. The actual number is 135,467 (64,987 Jews and 70,480 others).

Most of the Jews that were tried & executed because of crimes aginst humanity. They took contrl of the European ecomony while most Germans starved to death during the Great Depression. They had to be stopped to save the German people, so I can understand why Hitler was forced to stop these evil, money hungry crooks.

To gain sympathy, the Jews claimed that 6 million were killed and all were innocent. What a joke...

Once again, the Jews have taken over the world ecnomy, the media--- all our governments are controlled by the Jews.

Prem

Since I was a young boy, it was always suggested that God must have an incredible sense of humor or else he probably would have ended this experiment a long time ago.

I guess Muhammed doesn't have that same sense of humor. Pretty sad everyone can't see it that way.

It makes me laugh to see so many my-way-or-the-highway types pretending to be concerned and solicitous about the welfare of women and the oppressed, whose freedoms are crushed under the Arab jackboot. You know you could care less about anything but getting your own way, and being "free" to print and publish whatever amuses you regardless of how it is perceived by others. Get right down and wallow in your self-righteousness while you preach your ignorance - don't be shy. And thanks for the chuckles.

To Prem ( 2/24/08 at 12:52 pm)
you say: G W Bush invaded another contry to get free oil, but in the opinion of several respected comentators and of myself, the reason was: revenge for the attempted assasination to G.W. Bush's father by the Iraq's dictator. Has he not done that, G W B would be called- for the rest of his life and for history- a wimp. Not that I would have done the same if in his shoes. "The Golden Rule" would have prevailed for me.

What a joke. A Muslim apologist talking about freedom of speech and xenophobia

Interesting how we "protect" freedom of speech by insulting Islam but many EU countries jail anyone that questions the orthodoxy of the Holocaust and condemns and hounds and destroys anyone that mentions things like racial differences in IQ or why there are so few women in science. Hypocrits really.

Well, Keith, you are exactly right. And the mark of civilized people is restraint in the face of incivility.

Everyone knows that religious beliefs are deeply engrained in the human psyche, and religious attitudes change very slowly. Education, economic opportunity, and exposure to other cultures have always been the most pwerful catalysts for change. Deliberately provocative insults and adolescent ridicule do not serve the cause of constructive engagement. In principle, every freedom carries a commensurate responsibility. The counterpart to freedom of expression is respect for the sensibilities of others, something that many in the West have forgotten. Those who publish deliberately offensive material directed toward Islam might consider that the West no longer tolerates the burning of crosses in Black neighborhoods or the painting of swastikas on synagogue walls. It's called civility, people.

Also, it seems to me a bit more rational to kill in order to get oil than to kill in the name of some imaginary Allah.

Prem:

Why would you consider a relative handful of people such as the Jews a threat to world peace?

Wrong AG... Jews are the greatest threat to world peace.

Jesus may have claimed to be the son of god. Who knows? There have been many people throughout history who have made somewhat similar claims.

For example, Joseph Smith (leader of the Christian Mormon sect) claimed that Jesus and god himself appeared before him and appointed him (a 14-year old farm boy) as a prophet. They asked Joseph to translate golden plates which he used to write the Book of Mormons.

Christians are funny people. On the one hand they talk about love and peace, turn the other cheek, then they turnaround and go invade a country under the false and utter lies of "WMD". Millions killed just so Bush can get free oil, Halaburton can make billions of dollars.

If the U.S. was a weak country and Russian troops invaded and captured all its territories to steal the natural resources, would Americans not want to fight the Russian troops patrolling their streets, bombing them etc.

Christians are funny--- especially the racist Serbs. Committed a holocaust in Bosnia--- what a shame.

Prem

Islam is the single greatest obstacle to world peace.

Sanjeev makes an interesting point about Jesus. There are thousands of manusciprts of the bible and no two are identical. Who know which is real or are they all wrong?

The Catholics read a version that has 73 books, but (e.g., The King James Version) has only 66 books. Either someone deleted 7 of god's book or created it to meet their needs. I think that the apostles (30 years after supposedly Jesus died) wrote down that he was the son of god.

I have seen Christian evangalists on TV (really love the scammer Benny Hinn--- he is funnier than Benny Hill) cure people of leprosy, paralysis, cancer, etc. If Benny Baby can fool educated people today, could not a scammer like Jesus have fooled illiterate people 2000 years ago that he was raising people from the dead, curing leprosy, etc.

Actually, I am 100% sure that Jesus did not exist. Even if he did, there is no proof that he was even a prophet let alone the son of god.

Sanjeev is brilliant!

The cartoons are an appropriate way to demonstrate freedom of speech. If the cartoonist wanted to express Islam's violent nature through these cartoons, then he had every right to express himself.

Likewise, Christians should not be upset if someone suggests that Jesus is not the son of god. Some research scholars suggest that Mary had pre-marital sex with someone, got pregnant, and when the townspeople were horrified and wanted to kill her, she falsely claimed that she engaged in casual intercourse with god.

Others have suggested that no individual like Jesus even existed. No more real like the son of god than Hercules was the son of the Greek god. The apostles made up this fictional character of Jesus...

Cheers

I am indifferent to religions. Whether there is a god or not does not matter for me. I never asked to be created. No supreme being should expect me to kneel as a subject created to entertain them or to kill in their name or glory.
Atheists and theists should give a break to us indifferents in their wars. Any law in societies that we share must be consensual not from books or theories that are not in line with everybody’s idea.

I completely support multiculturalism of society but not the law. No matter what your religion is, you don't get to impose your religious law on the society period. Part of the law is protection of free speech. Another is a monopoly on violence. If a Muslim is a western country can't deal with the law then they should engage with society and run for office or leave.

The greatest shame of Islam is the loss of all fruits of the undeveloped brainpower caused by the oppression within the culture. The culture is so backward that it is no surprise that muslims kill themselves willy-nilly. Of course, knowledge is power and there are those within the culture who stand to lose much if the culture at-large actually moves into the 21st century.

I wonder if we humans emerged as a species in an environment in which there were so few of us that survival was contingent on a trait for voluntary cohesion within a small group. As the groups grew in size, so did the level of the nature and complexity of the cohesion required for the group to function optimally. However, the trait for voluntary cohesion itself remained essentially unchanged. And since the trait had evolved in the context of small groups, the voluntary cohesion the trait entails isn't quite up to the task of functioning well where the populations are so large that the level of the nature and complexity of the cohesion has increased beyond the point where voluntary cohesion is sufficient or necessary to maintain cohesion, and instead there is a need for mandatory compliance to achieve cohesion. Religious mandates are an excellent tool for maintaining cohesion where there is no objectively valid or rational reason for cohesion other than control over large groups of people.

Abdul Rasoul:
You say "So the essence to love Prophet Muhammad is to behave like him, cause he is a good model for all humanity."

Below are some of the actions of this “model for humanity“.

The Prophet had allowed his male followers to marry up to four women yet he married eleven (11) women, one, Aisha, was only six years old at the time of her betrothal.

He tried to situate himself within the roaster of Jewish prophets by adopting many of Judaism’s dogmas, practices and rituals, and praying while facing toward Jerusalem. When he realized, after one and a half years, that the Jews of Arabia would not fall for his claim to “prophethood” he changed the orientation of prostration from Jerusalem, to Mecca, and claimed Allah ordered the change.

He ruled that to prove the guilt or innocence of women regarding sexual misbehavior four respected and believing Muslim men must be testifying witnesses. When his favorite wife, Aisha, was accused of adultery with a young man who was her childhood friend, he dispensed with that ruling and claimed Allah had exonerated her through a revelation. The penalty for adulterant men is 80 lashes but for women is stoning to death.

He criticized poets and poetry. He did this with a poem and further had a private poet by the name of Hassan ibn Thabet, a sort of a poet laureate, whose job was to praise him and his deeds in peace and war.

The Prophet claimed that he was illiterate (Quran 7:157) yet Muslims claim he had exhorted the believers to “seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave”. If so why didn’t’t he learn to read and write? Or maybe to derail the suspicion that he was the one who wrote the Quran.

He had built his whole movement on the concept of one God, Allah, who was not born nor had children (Quran 119:1-4), then to appease the Pagans of Quraish he turned around 180 degrees by declaring “the three daughters of Allah; Allat, Uzza and Manat, could intercede to believers with Allah” (Hadith relayed by ibn Ishaq 165-166).

He preached sustenance (Quran 104:1-9) yet he accumulated a vast personal wealth that included vast stretches of date groves the Muslims had expropriated mostly from the Jews of Khaibar and Yathrib.

He prohibited his followers from destroying enemy trees then violated his own decree by torching the palm trees of the Banu Nadir Jewish tribe. After some members of that tribe pointed to him the incongruence between his decree and his actions he later claimed he had received a revelation in which Allah endorsed the action (Quran 59:5).

He praised Christians and Jews a few times (Quran 2:26, 5:69, 5:82, 22:17 and 29:46), then turned around and condemned them a number of times (Quran 3:110 5:14, 5:31, 5:51, 5:64, and 9:30-35).

He broke his covenant with his adversaries on many occasions. He, for example, broke a truce with the Quraish tribe that was to last for ten years the instant he felt strong enough to defeat them and capture Mecca (Hadith relayed by ibn Ishaq).

He agreed to have one of his young followers, Mohammed ibn Maslama, lie to the poet Ka’ab ibn Ashraf in order that the young man get close enough to murder the poet. That is because the poet wrote few unflattering verses about some Muslim women that upset the Prophet (Hadith relayed by Tabari).

The Prophet publicly and with much fanfare adopted a Syrian slave boy, named Zayd. Later he forced Zayd to divorce his beautiful young wife, Zainab bint Jahsh, so that he could marry his daughter-in law, since Allah, according to him, sanctioned the union (Quran 33:37). Zainab, to her credit, balked at being a part of this scandal and relented only after hearing the “divine revelation”.

He promised his favorite wife, Aisha, to abstain from sleeping with his Egyptian concubine, Maria. Shortly afterwards, Hafsa, another one of his eleven wives, caught him in bed with Maria during the night allotted to Hafsa. Incensed by what she considered was an insult added to injury she informed Aisha, despite his fervent pleadings. This resulted, as would be expected, in an ugly confrontation. The next morning Mohammed showed the betrayed and sulking Aisha* and Hafsa* a letter from Allah “exonerating the Prophet”, sanctioning him to sleep with “whoever he desires” and threatening his insubordinate wives to be replaced by “young black-eyed virgin nymphs” from Paradise. (Quran 66:1-5).

Too bad if the vicious dog doesnt get to be perceived as a beautiful lamb. Too bad for the ignorant followers of the vile hate filled mullahs. Ultimately the truth will out, and hopefully the passive masses of muslims who are supposedly the "moderate" vast majority of muslims will decide to speak the truth to their hate-mongering leaders. Too bad if the west is forced to do the job that the muslim people can't - that is, clean out the cesspools of the muslim poison. The future of the world will never be a one-religion dictatorship, as demanded by the Koran. I am so sick of stupid people spouting off their stupidity. In the west, anyone can practice their religion without interference. But a religion devoted to the obliteration of all other faiths is a noxious abuse of freedom of religion. We must not permit the religious superiority complex of Islam to go unchallenged. We are dissapointed in the "moderates" who passively give their mullahs free reign in their hate fest against the west. Islam is the problem, not the solution to the world's ills. At least until they wake up and clean up their act. It needs to be said.

I find it interesting that Muslims want to blame the West for its values encroaching on their sacred culture. They blame their own corrupt governments. They blame artists who draw cartoons. They are simply victims trying to live in harmony while everyone else is trying to rain down oppression on them.

The truth is that their "culture" and religion is oppression itself. Keep that cartoon from being published and that movie from being shown. Keep that alcohol, pornography and profit seeking business far away from us.

Where is the personal responsibility and accountability? If you don't want to look at pornography or drink alcohol then DON'T! What Islam is teaching is that none of us are capable of making our own decisions. We need to keep these evils away because we are incapable of controlling ourselves.

And that is the essential core of this system. If you look at the "Imams" and people who are making the rules and issuing "fatwahs", you will see that it is all about control, greed and power.

I don't see any of these "leaders" strapping bombs on. I don't see Osama and his henchmen trying to fly a plane into a building. They ran for their lives. But they happily preach that a "good Muslim" should give his life while killing others in the name of Islam. And they profit from the money pouring in from places like Saudi Arabia.

These madrassas teach nothing but the Quaran and as such it is nothing more than brainwashing. You can say the same is true of Catholic and other religious schools, but they are not preaching hate, intolerance and death.

Until the Muslim world can take a hard look at itself and realize that the very few at the top are corrupting an entire generation, there will be no civil discourse. There will be no reasonable discussion.

If I were Muslim, I would be asking myself a question: Why, if the United States is bent on destroying my people, its culture and religion..why haven't they done it? We certainly have the military means. We could kill millions upon millions. Some would say that we have every right after 9/11.

We don't because we are a tolerant society and we only ask that others be reasonable. I don't agree with a lot of our foreign policy including the invasion of Iraq and our unlimited support of Israel. But we do not have the goal of destroying anyone.

It is a shame that logical discussion can't be had.

Why is a Dutch film maker xenophobic and wrong to harshly criticize Islam? Nobody gets upset when Atheists lambast Christianity or Judism. The only reason people are opposed to criticizing Islam is because criticizing Islam leads to violence. Even an academic critique like the Pope mentioning some arcane author from the Middle Ages leads to Muslims killing a nun in revenge. Islam is a violent religion. It is not a religion of peace. It's time for the West to get it's head out of the sand and realize this.

Bill wrote:

Let's face it. Nobody in the west really wants anything to do with smelly, ill-bred people living in whatever-stan. We have a few good-natured, soft-headed souls who go over to those places to help, but it's not appreciated. So let's make a deal, you leave our country, you stop bombing our trains, you stop flying planes into our buildings, and we'll stop trying to teach you how to use toilet paper.

Bill just add more sentence and we have a deal "we will stop stealing your oil, and remove those military bases put up for that purpose"

What if cartoonists portrayed American southerners in a way that mocked the good ole' boy culture, showing them lynching blacks or otherwise being abusive to blacks? The cartoons would be reflecting historical truth, would Americans rise up and protest? If the cartoonists were black, would Americans protest the depiction by chanting "kill all blacks" and burning them in effigy, thus proving the cartoons' point?

It's one thing to deplore somebody's depiction of you or your group, but it's another thing altogether to try to shut them down with violence. And if you protest by doing the very things depicted in that which you are angry about, you are a fool.

I am sure he is right, you dont have to look no further than the wonderful years of his own Taliban rule. I am sure it is a paradise that every afghan misses. Everything was so just and every body had the freedom and liberty to choose their destiny.

To the person who posted under "my religion is truth." Your writing and points are excellent, and perfectly describe the vast majority of peoples' feelings in the US towards Islam.

You were able to convey all of the issues in a short paragraph, what other writers, including the professionals, could not adequately describe in three thousand words.

How dare anyone attempt to connect what happened to the Jews in nazi germany with "insults to islam." Terrorists, following the teachings of their beloved prophet, have attacked the US and are plotting to attack it again. The basic argument seems to be that muslims are to cowardly to rise up and smite their corrupt governments, so they project their anger on western society and western governments. Muslims are like small children who can only see themselves as victims; they cannot see beyond their own petty and arrogant selves. All religions are attacked in our free press, at least in the US. If anything, islam gets a mostly free ride here. Muslims seem to like to whine and complain that the west attempts to influence their societies unfairly--perhaps this is true. Why don't you fix your own societies yourselves, and quit crying about the "corrupt" west? Muslims just like to snivel.

why must the West tolerate Islamic intolerance?

Let's face it. Nobody in the west really wants anything to do with smelly, ill-bred people living in whatever-stan. We have a few good-natured, soft-headed souls who go over to those places to help, but it's not appreciated. So let's make a deal, you leave our country, you stop bombing our trains, you stop flying planes into our buildings, and we'll stop trying to teach you how to use toilet paper.

This forum is a plateform for Islamophobes, who rather discussing the issue at hand indulge in their hatefilled diatribes against Islam.

Islam is not your enemy but it these homophobes who are raising the bogey of Islamic threat. They are the same xenophobes who tortured and killed jews all in the name national security and survival.

After all what was Nazi's biggest allegation against jews, that they are aliens and they were responsible for our defeat in first world war.Therefore pose a grave security threat.

This time it is Muslims and Islam, and vehicle is freedom of speach and terror threat.While methods are the same,i.e. racial profiling, limiting rights etc.

One may ask, what service that Danish newspaper did to freedom by priniting those caricature?

Except, after this incident right wing Danish Folk Party enhanced its lead in national parliment and ended up with 20% seats.

These Islamophobes mutilate facts, denigrate Islam and associate it with violence only as a smoke screen for their homophobic agenda, which since the end of WWII was on retreat. Therefore, 9/11 and other incidents have provided them a wonderful opportunity to revive this moribund idealogy.

This clique of homophobes wants to limit freedom of speach. They want to convert western societies into police states.They have been successful in this regard.

Just look at the freedoms that have been curtailed,renditions and also the intrusiveness of surveilance, since 9/11.

All this is driven by fear and in the name of security. West will have shun its fear and look at the world in brave way.Otherwise history will condemn us to repeat it.

Hadley - wasn't your middle initial originally a "v."?

If your countries are occupied by Moslems as western governments do in our world now,and furthermore add an insult for your belief/culture and for your prophet, what would be your reaction on it? tell me one by one.
Let those governments you elect leave us alone and let's live together in this world with mutual respect and high regard.

People who live in precarious and powerless situations use religion as their lifeboat. It becomes part of who they are. If you take that away from them, they are lost and have nothing. Religions have often used "fear of God" as a recruiting tool. Earthquake? It is just God punishing you, and the rest of your community for disrespecting Him. Straighten up. Fly right. Pray many times per day. God will forgive your past sins. The mind that perceives life as a perpetual bargaining session with God is a mind that perceives that those who live in other cultures (e.g. America) offend God and God rains down bad things on everyone, even the observant ones, in retribution. It follows that America must be destroyed. America, in its ham-handed way, inserts its military, thereby confirming worst fears. The poor, delusional victims of the system are trapped. The "solution" is martyrdom. Politics would be so much simpler were religion not growing on politics like a cancer.

what crimes of islam are they talking about - I ask?
I urge everyone who reads this to do a simple "body count". Yes- body count!

let's assume now that islam "is" responsible for September 11 (which is not true, even by the admission of western leaders) and all the other atrocities referred to: Armenian genocide, iraq-iran war, daily atrocities in iraq, suicide bombers, and so on.

Now, let's count the bodies from violence "against islam and moslems":
- victims of the American invasion of iraq (direct victims of bombing and "smart" weapons) - estimated today to be more than 100,000 (British media estimates)
- 200 years of colonialism including 1.5 million victims in Algeria (from the free french), millions in india-pakistan, Malaysia, thailand, singapore, Sudan, syria, iran, afganistan, ...

- 60 years of unquestioned support from the west of israel's war on all arabs (estimated 1 million death from the arab side, mostly muslims)
- more than 1/2 million victims in Bosnia, kosovo, and the rest of the balkans,
- let's go back a bit more, more than 2 million victims of the inquistion in Spain (mostly muslims forced to convert to Christianity)

-

Abdul Jalil of Pakistan:
You say:
"It is very shameful act that our Prophet (PBUH), who also advised tolerable behavior towards other religions.”
Since when has your prophet become tolerant of the other religions?
Your Quran states in 9:29 the following:

“Fight those who believe not
In Allah nor the Last Day,
Nor hold that forbidden
By Allah and His Apostle,
Nor acknowledge the Religion
Of Truth, (even if they are)
Of the People of the Book.
Until they pay Jizia
With willing submission,
And feel themselves subdued.”

Dictionary:
His Apostle means Mohammed
Religion of Truth means Islam
People of the Book means Christians and Jews
Jisia is a head tax levied only on non-Muslims
Subdued means humiliated

Does that seems tolerant to you?

Hilal,

It's not a matter of confusing freedom of speech with freedom to insult. Unrestricted freedom of speech includes freedom to say things that are insulting, offensive, etc. If this freedom is restricted to "nice speech, politeness, . . .", who decides what speech is nice or polite? I submit that when you name who decides, you in fact restrict the freedom.

It's regrettable that some nations have laws restricting freedom of speech regarding the holocaust, but there's no sign that even supporters of those laws claim the right to enforce them through violence within and outside the countries where the laws exist? If the law is broken within the country, the government and the law control the enforcement, and there is no enforcement outside those countries. This is different from Islamic believers enforcing their law anywhere on the planet without legal process.

It's preposterous to think that you can define freedom of speech for secular readers within a posting that presumes your beliefs. We think of freedom of speech as applying to our secular society, free of religious dogma. When you define your prophet as the master of humankind, you abandon rational argument. You could be right, and he could be the master of humankind, but for those of who don't believe that, basing your argument on his mastery, etc undercuts your credibility.

Finally, reading and viewing cartoons is a voluntary act. You need not read them, and you can shield your children from them. If you insist that nobody see them, that is similar to someone insisting that you not see certain things. It's certainly reasonable to oppose the cartoons, and argue against their content, but to demand their prohibition, and try to intimidate or punish the publishers is unreasonable and wrong to most modern people.

"Both cartoon and film (due to be released next month) are clearly crass and self-serving exercises that pay lip service to the idea of freedom of speech while being little more than vehicles for xenophobia."

I think you're wrong. I think the goal is to call out the moderates in the religion. To incite them to take a stand. The religion was founded by a violent man. Muhammad was a soldier and a jihadist, just like many of his violent followers. So how is Islam a peaceful religion, considering its "do as I say not as I do--unless you're dealing with and infidel" hypocrisy? Some of us are hoping that those within Islam will stand up and denounce the violence and the self-serving jihadist garbage. One problem, though: to do that would be to denounce Muhammad himself.

pbuh my foot.

What would happen if Jews, Christians, Buddhists, and Hindus responded like the Muslims? Look at the virulent Arabic anti-semitic cartoons at Memri, see the recent picture of Muslim men urinating on one of the many burned out churches in Kosovo, note the recent destruction of the ancient and important statue of Bhuddha in Swat valley in Pakistan. If Muslims can run around chanting death to various people, burning symbols, issuing fatwas maybe other religions should follow their example. But they don't.

It's too bad that there cannot be a discussion about this important issue without name calling. For the Muslims this is a free speech port into the US. Give them respect.

However I must agree that the Muslim culture, however deep in religious values is a little too self righteous. And the way they treat their women is wrong for us in the western world. In the west women are given equal rights. But only recently have they obtained those rights. So let the women talk freely in the Middle East and they will demand their rights also -if their brother or family doesn't kill them.

I would agree with the Middle Easterners that the Western Culture is obsessed by sex and is a very superficial culture. There has to be a way for the Middle East to join the modern world without becoming superficial. I believe that that is what the Muslims fear.

We too in the West have out religious extremists. They bomb medical centers and shoot doctors. RIght here in the US. THey try to take our right to privacy away from Americans. They want the government in the bedrooms of all Americans. This is the far right. Beware the far right! They want the government to take your rights away.

I'm sure that the right wing zealots in the Muslim world want to take away the personal rights of the people in the Middle East.

Freedom of speech must not be confused with freedom of insulting others. Being arrogant, opressive, and abusive are signs of barbaric behaviour. Nice speech, politeness, tender manners are signs of civility. Depicting the master of humankind with a bomb in his turban is a sign of ignorance and barbarity. Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) taught all the good manners we take for granted now.

Is freedom of speech alright when is directed against the muslims? and it is anti-semitism if directed against the Jews?
Why people go to prison in Europe for denying holocaust? Is that not part of freedom of speech?

Some people would like to shot into fame but but offending others. They are denying themselves the blessing of the heaven on Earth through Muhammad's teachings.

Muhammad (pbh) was sent as a mercy for the humankind. Read his autobiography and see for yourself how a mortal human being lived an exemplary lifestyle. All the misery of the contemporary lifestyle stems from being away from the path he showed to us.

What is happening has nothing to do with Prophet Muhammad , he is just a human being like us . That is very clear in Qurraan , the differnece mentioned is; he recieved revelation . Anything on earth that is for humans and not exposed for criticism its not for Human. I love Prophet Muhammad for his good behavors and his love for all humans, his enemies who directly harmed and his friends without discrimination. So the essence to love Prophet Muhammad is to behave like him, cause he is a good model for all humanity.
riotting for cartoons or just his name given to a children toy without giiving heed for his message and the models of his behavors, is like admiring the hero in the movies for his appearance no more.
In Islamic world for example there is a boy named Muhammad and pratices sodomy, there is also a girl named Eman ( piety ) and she is prostitude, where is the reason here.In Islamic countries those going to courts; everyday they come accross person named Muhammad who committes very shameful crime. However they are sentenced for their crime not why he committed such a crime while his name is Muhammad.
Instead I should have persuaded those critical for our religion Islam and have open discussion with them, Like my late teacher Ahmed Diddad ( may GOD put him in a good place) used to do. He used to have friends from people of Book, he never showed venomous feelings towards others, because he had good understanding of Islam.

dear sir
I as an afghan I think Mr. sayaf is trying to excuse fundementalism and extremism
if they had 20% of the militry economic power of the western coutries they would have posed their idealogy on the whole world.
there are a lot of unmature politics of the western world like the unsolved conflict in middle east the un needed militry attack on iraq or the way the war is beeing waged in afghanistan or some corrupt regimes beeing help because they are friends of usa or the intermarriage of politics and military industries just to make more profit out of wars
and that is why a lot of people in islamic world are siding with extremists and becoming so angry. we must try to to learn from our failtures and fight against all kinds of religious fundementalism in all religions and not only islamic fundementalism ( inclusive jewdism and christianity) they are all poisen for our civilisation and a global chalange
we must develope the allianz of the reasonables peeace loving of the our wrld to save it

Religions are systems that, unfortunately, judge truth by reference only to themselves. The Christian West was in much the same position as Islam as long as a tyrannical and omnipotent Church ruled over Europe and Western Asia. The "saving grace"--to use an oxymoron in this instance--of the Western world has been the fact that Christianity by text and deed allowed for a separation of temporal and spiritual power, which afforded the opponents of spiritual tyranny a place to gather strength against complete usurpation of every aspect of life by the Church. Historically speaking, Christianity was spread by urbane missionaries among barbarian converts, and a sort of truce obtained between barbarian power (which remained political in the form of feudalism) and urbane theocratic oversight. No such separation ever obtained in Islam where religion was spread by barbarians using barbaric methods against urbane populations that were far more civilized than the conquering Islamizing hordes. As a result, the nuanced barricade separating political and spiritual power never gained a foothold in Islam, and thus the now withering treasures of the Western tradition--freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, freedom of display--never had a chance to thrive in the arid spiritual deserts of barbaric Islam. It would be a sad event if the barbarians succeeded in turning Western freedoms against the West, demanding freedom for their opinions (and their opinions alone) while shutting the door on opposing points of view. The danger to the West lies precisely in allowing the barbarians to undermine the separation of spiritual and temporal power from within the West. If this should happen, a nightmare analogous to the Nazi era will be the fate of us all.

"Have Muslims quit doing what they are doing that causes us to have the perception reflected in the drawing. In simple words: If Muslim would stop the hate and violence in the name of Islam, there would be no cartoons." Kactuz's opinion (cited above) is typical of millions of people. That is, "Have THEM quit doing what they are doing." No matter what, if it disagrees with me, they are wrong because my way is right.

How about this? Have the U.S. stop invading countries to try to exploit their resources (oil), under the guise of "democratization."

One demand is as impossible as the other, and people will never understand each other so long as notions of "We are right; they are wrong" prevent people from thinking and acting rationally.

the westerners are obsessed with word and concept of islam.they have failed that the islam is the latest version of their parental religion which for times together they lost patience to adhere it.in islam a muslim can;t be true muslim unless he/she believes in respecting prophet jusess and prophet moses.so among articles of faith one such article is to respect prophets of judaisim and christainity.the westerners have ignored their prophets and under political culture try to maglign prophet of islam. instead and on regular basis to take explanation from muslims regarding the autheicity of their religion and moral values by writing such disregardful print and flim materail shall today or tommorow finish.

Why do you people choose our prophets for Cartoon. What kind of Moral Charecter do you have. Who gave you the right to make fun of the person who changed the attitude of barbaric tribes to be human.

Have you ever heard of baby girls that were buried alive 1450 years ago. If you have ever stopped any crime in your society, you would have come to respect not only Prophet Mohammed(PBUH) but all other prophets & the good people in your communities.

You people are morally corrupt, religiously bankrupt and tend to view every other human being in light of your own experiences. Shame on you!!!

I believe that with any opinion on religion, one must take into account the background of the culture. To base an entire religion that encompasses a population of more than a billion, on countries that are spoon-feeding the masses one interpretation of said religion, is not acceptable.
Freedom of speech is a right, but when it infringes on other rights, it loses its importance (ignorance will do that).
Whether you’re Muslim, Christian, or Jewish, at the end of the day I have my religion and you have yours, and each deserves the right to practice that without the fear of an attack on his beliefs.

you sir live in Pakistan and should know very well why ppl have negative view toward Islam. You can start asking women in Pakistan. Mohammad married a nine years old girl. Do you know what we call an adult who desire children for sex? I can sit here and tell you whats wrong with Islam, but then I'm wasting my time and breath, as i know i will never convince you.

Islam is no different than any other religion. they all same. Freedom and religion don't mix. try to say same thing about Jesus and see how pat Robinson or even bush will react. if u want to exercise freedom of speech , u might as well go live in mars. There u can scream all u want.

The religion sentiments of all segment of society should be respected; why the Islam is being targetted as most intolerable religion in the eyes of western media, people, scholars etc. It is very shameful act that our Prophet (PBUH), who also advised tolerable behaviour towards other religions, even our faith cannot complete in any sense without accepting all religious (4) books and accepting all prophets as revealers of God. All preachers on earth has full faith on God, but touching other side, as " in a Danish newspaper that depicted the Prophet Mohammed with a bomb in his turban. This time the potential affront is a film made by right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders, in which he denounces Islam’s Koran as a "fascist" book that "incites people to murder." Rumors put out by the Wilders camp suggest he burns a copy of the Koran in the film." Will it make any sense. I think, peoples of all religions are being ridiculed and it has very cheap source of popularity and making money.

Muslims are afraid of (you must me kidding me) christian missionaries? Surely one strong in a defensible religion isn't going to be the least bit swayed by a missionary.

Why?

Oh, maybe that's the root of the fear.

Providence

You say "Both cartoon and film (due to be released next month) are clearly crass and self-serving exercises that pay lip service to the idea of freedom of speech while being little more than vehicles for xenophobia"...

No, no, no. The cartoons are the line in the sand for our freedoms. You cannot have free speech with out somebody being offended. It then becomes my "offended" against your "offended". You cannot judge what "offended" is proper without looking at other issues. The facts are that the cartoons exprss very well the link between violence and Islam. Rather than condemn the cartoons the proper response should be to disassociate one from the other, that is, have Muslims quit doing what they are doing that causes us to have the perception reflected in the drawing. In simple words: If Muslim would stop the hate and violence in the name of Islam, there would be no cartoons.

Muslims and certain others here think this is too much to ask. So rather than ask Muslims to stop the hate and violence in the name of Islam, they want us to not talk about it. This attitiude is not only a betrayal of free speech, but of basic human rights and the principle of equality. Also, it appears not to work.

Consider it this way, what Muslims want in this cartoon controversy is nothing more than to impose an aspect of sharia on nOn-Muslims.

Kactuz