It’s amazing what becomes “news”. A particular example has been the worldwide storm over the now infamous Danish cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad. I’ve only seen one of them (if it offends you, don’t click the link), which looks to me like a good example of satirical cartooning. I know the majority of Muslims maintain that “the Prophet” should not be depicted, let alone in this manner, but I find it ironic that many of them personify his teachings by acting in an intolerant, bomb-brained manner.
I’ve been thinking about what to post on this topic for a while now – it’s a meme that has been raging across the blogosphere – but haven’t come up with anything solid. However, this week I’ve seen a couple of items that I think are worth flagging up on the subject, so passing them on can be my contribution to the debate:
- Tony muses on “Causing Religious Offence“
- John explores “Being Mocked: The Essence of Christ’s Work, Not Muhammad’s“
If nothing else, the worldwide reaction has probably ensured that these cartoons are remembered for years to come. That’s probably not what was intended by the people who stirred the fuss up (long after the cartoons were originally released) but I can see that being the case, certainly when Muslim fundamentalism becomes less strident as an international voice.