Freedom of Speech

Has Defaming Prophets Become ?Freedom of speech??


Religion is people- People's ideologies and beliefs should be given great respect. And what journalists call ?Freedom of expression? should not by any means hurt the feelings of people; from any religions or sects.

The Muslim world has long been accused of lacking freedom, freedom of expression or freedom of speech included. Looking at what the West today calls ?Freedom of Speech? we?ll find that the term has become used as a tool to insult, disrespect and degrade religions in an unprecedented way.

Last September, Jyllands-Posten, the Denmark?s the largest daily circulation Right wing newspaper, challenged the country?s cartoonists to present drawings depicting PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH).

At least twelve drawings of the HOLY PROPHET (PBUH), including one showing him wearing a turban with a bomb or grenade concealed in the back and which also depicts the Islamic creed, there is no god except Allah and that MUHAMMAD (PBUH). is His messenger,? were published by the paper.

One Danish editor suggested that the cartoons in question were published to stir up public opinion against Muslims in Denmark- If that was true, then something has gone wrong. The cartoons offended and hurt the feelings of Muslims all over the world, in the Middle East and the West.

It is the job of governments and lawmakers to ensure respect and safety of immigrants- That?s how democracies are tested- How a country deals with its minorities is what determines whether it?s a democratic country or not.

Muslims from all over the world condemned the cartoons as blasphemous.

Eleven Muslim ambassadors in Copenhagen, including that of Bosnia and Turkey, demanded to see the Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, to register their protests. But the Right wing Prime Minister refused to meet them, arguing that Denmark respects freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Only few of Denmark artists criticised the newspaper Jyllands, saying that the request for the pictures were a provocation and a PR stunt.

The Arab League, and countries of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), The Council of Europe (CoE) also criticised the Danish Government for its refusal to take action claiming that this would violate the country?s tradition of a media exercising its right to free expression.

The CoE Committee of Ministers said that a ?a seam of intolerance within Danish society is noted, inter alia, in the political arena as well as in certain media.?

?The [Danish] legislation, such as the reforms of the Aliens Act, and policy, such as the Government?s policy towards integration, may contribute to a climate of hostility towards different ethnic and religious groups.?

In order to allow ?Freedom of Speech?, governments and organizations? must first understand what freedom of speech is. Is it freedom that violates the basic rights of one's faith? Is it disrespecting or insulting one's belief or culture or values?

There are numerous ways people can express their views. Lacking freedom of speech prevents a lot of good ideas from being conveyed, and the Qur?an, the Muslims? holy book orders them to conduct discussions in an orderly and respectable manner. It prohibits ridiculing the Jews/Christians or the Prophets.

The Islamic religion does not allow offensive remarks by both Muslims and Non-Muslims.

Of course.. There are idiots around here on this site?!!


But really..??

idiots are all around...

They just want to boost hate in people towards Islam all around the world and they want to base it on how people see Islam today. There are so many people in the world who use Islam for their purporses and use it as their political tool. Today Islam become same with terrorism. Just look at what terrorist say today: "It is a will of Allah to bomb you". Wtf? Will of Allah? C'mone.

I understand that just because some idiots use this religion in that "wrong" way, the rest should not be blamed. But if we are speaking about the rest, then how do those "rest" live today? Many Islamic countries are brutal. No human rights. Plain anarchy. There are more examples of bad sides of this religion that good ones. You may speak about ideal usage of religon where no one uses it for their "purporses", but this is BS! When the time will come to reality check, the true religion will decide how to deal with it, not ideal one. Even in Turkey the religious fanatics try to take over the goverment in any chance. What is the purporse of defending 3 people when 7 of them are bad?

Its actually not the muslim religion,its the same way in christians and every other religions extremist.In topeka,ks,certain christains wanted to put a monument of Matthew Shepard saying "Matthew Shepard entered into eternal flames..."on the date he died.Matthew Shepard was murdered because he was gay,it doesn't mean all of christianity would want that.People need to learn to stop insulting broad things such as 'religion' and cultures just to make dumb political and personal statements.That version of "freedom of speech" also gives the other side "freedom of speech" to argue and disagree with it especially when somethings incorrect!

Do you guys think that the poor state of Islamic countries (economic, moral, and political) is caused by religion itself?

No,religion isn't an excuse to do anything in terms of these things.Its kinda just like a "good for you" type reaction whenever I see someone preaching about how great there god is which usually ALWAYS includes trash talking some other religion,homosexuals,cultures,etc.(all the bad people)Its an ego/superiority trip for those people me thinks,they don't seem to really care about the "inner faith,transendance,peace,etc." that is supposed to be the religions purpose according to the religious scriptures.