Thread: Everybody Draw Mohammad Day - offensive or justified?

Alright, I already tried to post this once and didn't post, hopecfully it won't double post now. I'm not sure if Debate or the Lounge is a more appropriate place for this but I could see it causing a certain level of argumentation so I'll post it in the Debate section.

After the recent death threats against South Park creators for poking fun at the portrayal of Mohammad, Seattle cartoonist has declared May 20th "Everybody Draw Mohammad Day". What do you guys think? Is this justified and funny or offensive and hurtful?


http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=313170


Anybody planning on participating?

I dislike the idea of ridiculing any religious belief, except atheism that is. I do, however, admire those who refuse to be intimidated by the scare tactics of Islamic fundamentalists. It's a sad state of affairs when these people are allowed to exert control over the media. It's also sad that they can't realise that they invite the satire that provokes their threats.

Rather than this sort of childish banter, I'd prefer to see advocates of free speech discussing the real problems with Islam. The Islam we find in the Qur'an and not the sometimes deliberately deceptive version of it many apologists in the West present.

Draw Mohammad day was more a case of stirring up hostilities and, to be honest, it was a bit tasteless. That isn't the way to go if you're looking to engage in thoughtful conversation with Muslims in the West. I say Muslims in the West because you can actually criticise Islam here without the threat of being deemed a mischief maker and therefore deserving of imprisonment, having parts of your anatomy chopped off or even being put to death, as the Qur'an commands. At least I hope that still stands as being correct. If you're looking to incite those who adhere strictly to the teachings of the Qur'an, Draw Muhammad day is the perfect platform. The only positive thing I can see in it is that, as an exercise of free speech, it does demonstrate to certain Muslims that people are not going to be steamrolled by their ideology or threats of violence.

I love it, sorry I missed it. Asn athiest I am into anything that shows up the ridiculousness of religion. I have no desire to be told what is and is not right by any pope, mullah, politician or any one else. I believe I am as capable as anyone of making those decisions about my life and when people tell me they are informed by the one true god who has taken time out to give them this message I don't believe them.

Originally Posted by Olly Buckle

I love it, sorry I missed it. Asn athiest I am into anything that shows up the ridiculousness of religion.

Only, Draw Muhammad Day doesn't do that, Olly. Muslims didn't consider their religion to be ridiculous before Draw Muhammad day and they still don't.

I have no desire to be told what is and is not right by any pope, mullah, politician or any one else.

I agree.

Actually, this is exactly the type of thing that could work.
Serious discussions do dick. There have already been a flood of views with alarm and such. You don't get people to stop being terrorists by scolding them of publsihing logical treatises.

But what if they started realizing that every time the killed some journalist or artist, or threatened somebody, it would unleash a worldwide flood of mockery?

Artists, writers and satirists always do much more to affect the world than all the gobbling academicians put together.

Phase Two: Bomb a mosque day.

Originally Posted by Mermaid on the breakwater

Only, Draw Muhammad Day doesn't do that, Olly. Muslims didn't consider their religion to be ridiculous before Draw Muhammad day and they still don't.

No muslims consider there is one true god who created everything, the entire universe, and he has a special interest in mankind to the extent that if we try to draw him he will be offended. That is ridiculous, Draw muhammad day draws attention to it.



I agree.

It is offensive.

It is justified.

This is the quintessential modern "I am Spartacus" moment. If 500 million people published pictures of Mohammad, it would be a powerful expression of free speech. And what are the islamic terrorists going to do, kill every one?

Not the violence Lin, because yes, it does work. People with extreme views they wish to impose on others really hate mockery and comedy against them. A lot of the people imprisoned in regimes like Burma are comedians, playwrights and the like who pose no physical threat in themselves. Such regimes generally recognise them as being more dangerous than the single zealot with a gun though.

Originally Posted by Baron

I dislike the idea of ridiculing any religious belief, except atheism that is.

Atheism is not a religious belief. It is the complete antithesis of religious belief, actually.

Originally Posted by Sam W

Atheism is not a religious belief. It is the complete antithesis of religious belief, actually.

Should be Sam, but I am always reminded of the atheist girl in Catch 22 who objects "But that is not the God I don't believe in". An awful lot of people who call themselves athiest have a God they don't believe in rather than no God.

Atheism is not a religious belief. It is the complete antithesis of religious belief, actually.

And like so many antitheses in the world, ends up being the same thing, just turned around.

Originally Posted by alanmt

It is offensive.

It is justified.

This is the quintessential modern "I am Spartacus" moment. If 500 million people published pictures of Mohammad, it would be a powerful expression of free speech. And what are the islamic terrorists going to do, kill every one?

It isn't just terrorists you have to worry about. I would say the percentage of terrorists in Islam is tiny, but the percentage of Muslims who believe in the dictates of the Qur'an is obviously very high. We paint a false picture when we say it's a small percentage of Muslims we have to worry about. It's the clash of ideologies we have to worry about. I don't think drawing Muhammad is a big deal. You get a few thousand Muslims out in protest in various parts of the world, all threatening violence to the perpetrators. So what? What victory have you scored? Whose mind have you changed? All this amounts to is foot stomping to get a rise out of the Islamic community. You might think there's some higher purpose or some greater good in mind but I don't think so.

Actually, a little thought might reveal that it IS terrorists you have to worry about. What some guy over in Cheekpackistan beleives isn't really of much concern.

Some guy who's going to travel to my house and kiill me because of a cartoon is a bit of a worry.