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CPG: Cartoons of Mohammed: Bad News and a Better Way |
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Monday, 06 February 2006 |
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Page 2 of 2
What would have been lost and what gained if an editor at Jyllands-Posten had decided not to commission and/or publish these cartoons? Or, taking a positive approach, if an editor had decided that the situation indicated the need for greater mutual understanding and committed the paper to make a positive contribution to meet this need? I have to believe that the situation in Europe and the rest of the world would have been far better because of such a decision than it is at the moment. And no right to freedom of expression would have been violated.
On another side of this issue, I believe that freedom of religion is essential to a healthy society, and that its value is greatest when it contributes to a more just and peaceful society. I also believe that it is possible to misuse this freedom and that, tragically, is happening in this case.
The hatred and violence that have erupted in response to these cartoons is wrong and it is indefensible. It reinforces the worst stereotypes of Muslims. And, from all I have learned, it is a violation of Islam. To be clear, I would say the same about violence that has been and/or is being carried out in the name of any faith – Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. Sadly, no faith is exempt from having its teachings distorted and used to motivate violence and hatred. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Over nearly a decade of working with the United Religions Initiative, I have had the privilege of counting many Muslims all over the world as friends and colleagues. They are among the most faithful people I know. Their practice of Islam – prayer five times a day, fasting during the month of Ramadan, a dedication to helping the most needy – has helped me be a more committed Christian.
They speak out against violence perpetrated in the name of their faith. They teach their children to have respect for difference. They are good neighbors and work to make their communities better for all. They believe a commitment to interfaith cooperation for a most just and peaceful world is consistent with the true practice of Islam. They represent the overwhelming majority of Muslims in the world. They are a positive model for humanity, and they need our understanding and help to combat the violation of their faith by those who would use it to divide and destroy. We must listen to them and learn from them, even as we seek to share from our best wisdom. And we must support their efforts.
As always, humanity is at a crossroads. Through the events in this current crisis, we see the possibility of a world where people live in mutual respect and peace receding ever farther into the distance and face a descending spiral of more hatred, more division, more destruction. Bad news.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Freedom of religion and freedom of expression can be the allies of those who would build a more peaceful and just world on the foundation of mutual understanding and respect. I pray that those in positions of influence and –authority – and that includes each of us to some degree rise to the challenge and use these freedoms wisely and for the good of all.
Charles Gibbs
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Last Updated ( Monday, 27 February 2006 )
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