Abandoning Islam and It's Double Standard

It is more than difficult to tackle the issue of current protests and vandalism caused by Muslims in response to blasphemous cartoons. On one hand, it seems necessary to precede every sentence of criticism with "Islam is a religion of peace." On the other hand, with the evidence presented within the last quarter decade, the religion of Islam seems to have more radical fanatics than any other present-day faith. (Cults are excluded in this claim.)

Perhaps a preface is needed. Every religion has a violent history. The intention of this opinion-piece is to compare today's religions' actions to each other and expose the absolute intolerance of the Muslim faith. Let it be known that I am an agnostic and approach the issue without a Christian bias.

A back-story may also be desired for those who have not been keeping tabs on current events. On September 30th of last year, the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten published a dozen cartoons of the Muslim prophet Mohammad - some neutral, some negative, and a few positive in nature. Either way, it is against the faith's traditions and dogma to depict the prophet in any way. (However, the Quran forbids idolatry, not necessarily pictorial depictions of the prophet.) Since the cartoons ran, the response has been overwhelming - most notably within the last few weeks. On a peaceful note, a boycott on Danish products has been organized in Middle Eastern countries, Muslim public figures have demanded government action by Denmark, protests have been widespread, and the Arab League even requested the United Nations step in. The severity of the obsceneness of the cartoons is not under question. However, the peaceful protests quickly escalated to other means, which triggered vandalism and murders throughout the world. A Danish General Consulate in Beirut was torched resulting in one death of a protestor, Danish and Norwegian Embassies were set ablaze in Syria, violent riots have been widespread across multiple continents, five have been killed in Afghanistan, Catholic priest Andrea Santoro was murdered by a sixteen year-old, and yesterday, a Turkish internet café, frequently visited by Turkish riot police was bombed, injuring fourteen. Who knows how much more violence will take place over offensive cartoons.

But, offensive cartoons and criticism of the faith are nothing new. Violence is commonplace when non-Muslims expose the fanaticism of their religion. In 1989, Salman Rushdie published the book The Satanic Verses which depicted the Muslim prophet as a businessman. His punishment: Sentenced to death by the Iranian government. Both the book's Japanese and Italian translators physically suffered at the hands of angry Muslims, one of which was murdered. Thirty-seven people who came to hear a speech given by one of the translators died when the hotel they were at was torched.

In 2004, Theo van Gogh, a Dutch filmmaker, was murdered for his movie Submission about the violence against women in Islamic societies. Mohammed Bouyeri stabbed a note to his chest threatening Jews and Western governments. Van Gogh's sidekick for the film, Hirsi Ali, was also threatened in the letter.

Islamic governments have played their role in censoring blasphemous speech and press. Pakistani citizen Ghulam Akbar was sentenced to death in 1998 for speaking out against Mohammad. Abdul Hasnain Muhammad Yusuf Ali was sentenced to death for "defiling the name of Muhammad" in the same country. Hashem Aghajari told Muslims not to blindly follow their religious leaders. He was sentenced to death by Iran in 2002. Today, citizens are still persecuted for open dialogue criticizing the Muslim faith and their prophet.

Christianity, for sure, has had its violent past. However, the actions of today's most devout followers can't compete with those of Islam's. To compare, in 1987, a picture of a crucifix submerged in urine and blood was put on display in New York using federal taxpayer dollars. Outraged Christians gathered to protest, write letters, and call their Congressmen. No one died and no buildings were torched in response to the picture.

At the same event, British citizen Chris Ofili put on display a painting of a black Mary (mother of Christ) surrounded by pornography. Another work of art by Ofili consisted of a painting of a black Mary with elephant feces slapped onto it. Once again, outrage consisted of letters, protests, and eyes (instead of heads) rolling.

It is not uncommon for late-night comedians to poke fun at the Catholic Church's priest abuse scandal and situation. David Letterman took a shot at the Church by saying, "I'm looking forward to the next 'Star Wars' movie—'Attack of the Clergy.'" MadTV featured an opening skit, which portrayed priests as child molesters. Bill Maher, on Politically Incorrect commented, "So it is in this spirit that I offer this modest proposal that the Catholic Church just drop the pretense and just go gay. Just come out of the confessional. Preach the sermon on the mountain. Embrace it. Let the straight people be Baptists. It's high time you gay Catholics stood up and announced to the world, 'We're here, we're queer, get Eucharist.'" Is it necessary to point out that no one was beheaded or burned as a result to these comments?

Jews also have it rough, yet, for some reason violent outbursts are not made in the name of their savior or faith. Al Jazeera and the Iranian newspaper Hamshahri have begun running cartoons blasting the Jewish culture, faith, and country.

The double standard is nothing new. In 2003, Qatari newspaper Al-Wantan ran anti-Semitic cartoons portraying Jews as a weapon of mass destruction, a puppeteer of America, and a lover of terror. In 2002, Al-Ahram, a Syrian newspaper, ran cartoons stereotyping the Jewish media influence. There is no doubt the defamation of Jews in the form of caricatures and cartoons.

Continuing with examples would do nothing but waste time and space. You get the idea. To be fair, I thought I would rattle off some quotes by the prophet Mohammad in contrast to what Jesus said. But why be fair? Muslims are not giving equal treatment to fellow radicals that publish toons about Jews. Here are some quotes from the Quran that prove disturbing, to say the least:

"Fight those who do not believe in Allah ... And the Jews say Ezra is the son of God; and the Christians say Christ is the son of God; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; Allah's curse be on them; how they are turned away! (Koran 9:29-30)

Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, Nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the book [Christians and Jews], until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection. (9:29)

Surely they who disbelieve in the communications of Allah - they shall have a severe punishment; and Allah is Mighty, the lord of retribution. (3:4)

For those who point to the Book of Revelations to cite similar phrases in defense of their argument, one need only look at the amount of killings done within the last quarter century in the name of Allah as opposed to those done in the name of Jesus Christ.

This double standard doesn't stop with Muslims; it reaches into the liberal media as well. CNN, yesterday, ran quite a few anti-Semitic cartoons, but refused to run any of the Danish cartoons that have upset so many along with a Cagle cartoon portraying Mohammad as a stick figure drawn by a little boy. Only three American newspapers have run the cartoons when reporting the worldwide violence. In America, jokes about Christians, especially Catholics, boost ratings and get quite a cackle from the viewing audience. Either the media lives in fear of attacks by radical Muslims, or they are pandering to their liberal friends that find it okie-dokie to make fun of Christians but beneath themselves to wholly report the news about cartoons making fun of the prophet Mohammad. Their record tells me it's the latter.

When tens of thousands are inciting violence in the name of their religion, it can be assumed that the religion might just have something to do with the violence they're inciting. For me, Islam is no longer a religion of peace. If it's followers would like to change my mind, perhaps their leaders should gather together to denounce the actions of the rioters, vandalizes, and killers. Until then, I can only go on their actions of violence.