“Lighten up, fellow Muslims”

In the world economic forum held in January, I noticed something revealing. In a session about the US religious right-wing, a cartoonist showed a cartoon featuring Pat Robertson and everybody in the hall laughed. Among those who laughed, there was a figure from the British Muslim community who immediately stopped laughing when a cartoon of a Muslim religious man was shown. Since this happened, there has been a ferocious fight between the European Union and the Muslim world as a result of the publication by theJyllands-Posten of the cartoons featuring the prophet Mohammed, among which there is one representing Mohammed with a bomb similar to a turban.
Although the newspaper has apologized, there is still a controversy. A Norwegian and French newspaper published the cartoons and, as a consequence, Muslim ralliers launched attacks against the Scandinavian Missions in Syria, Lebanon and Iran. An Italian priest was killed in Turkey, the Ambassadors from different countries were withdrawn from Copenhagen, the Danish products were boycotted and the Danish flag was burned. The Arab elite loves this kind of controversy which diverts masses from anger into local injustice. President Lahoud, from Lebanon, who authorizes the broadcasts of the anti-Semitist network of Hezbollah, condemned the attacks against “all kinds of religions”. The Minister of Justice of the United Arab Emirates, a country whose capital is presented as Las Vegas of the Middle East, talked about cultural terrorism. He also prohibited my website in the Internet. Would have been better to open an on-line casino? Saudi Arabia does not respect the other religions but wants Islam to be respected.
Is it really necessary to call blasphemy any representation of the prophet? The Koran suggests that it is Ala and not the Muslims who should judge those who do not respect Islam. Placing Mohammed on a pedestal is idolatry. I am half feminist and half Muslim. I am a feminist who is the butt of everyone’s joke and do not threaten to kill. Muslims should do the same thing.