I was reading yet another story about the good old fashioned book burning organized, then cancelled, by Pastor Terry Jones. President Hamid Karzai was quoted as saying:
“We have heard that in the US, a pastor has decided to insult Korans. Now although we have heard that they are not doing this, we tell them they should not even think of it.“By burning the Koran, they cannot harm it. The Koran is in the hearts and minds of one-and-a-half billion people. Insulting the Koran is an insult to nations.”
It sounds like he has read Fahrenheit 451 and even managed to understand the premise that burning a book cannot destroy the ideas within the pages. Yet he still considers the act an insult to the book. Protesters around the world burn American flags (which doesn’t matter since that act cannot harm the ideals of the US Constitution) angry that the US government didn’t take away the liberties of the Koran burners.
Can we compare or contrast this with Everybody Draw Mohammed Day? What is the difference between that (very cool) event and the Great Orlando Koran BBQ? One difference, I suppose, is in the intent of the event. Pastor Jones really does want to insult Muslims and is not trying to promote freedom of expression. I’m sure, however, that many Mohammed artists had the same intent, ignoring the idea that it was supposed to be about threats to freedom of expression.
As a baby-eating American atheist it did get me to thinking about how these actions are perceived by Muslims around the world. The protesters around the world do seem to understand that Pastor Jones is trying to insult them yet fail to understand why our government allows Koran burning.
What can be done to change that perception? People like Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the leader behind the Cordoba House, are working on interfaith projects in hopes that followers of different religions will realize that they are not so different after all.
This sounds like a reasonable idea. Perhaps the problem with Koran burnings and Draw Mohammed days is that they focus on one faith. Maybe what we need is a interfaith event that will insult as many religions as possible all at once. And we should find a way to desecrate an American flag as well so the flag worshipers don’t feel left out. Maybe then the people around the world will realize that the US government allows these events not because Americans hate Muslims, but because Americans love freedom of speech.
So what we need is a new event. Maybe we can barbecue a cow using Bibles for fuel and use the ashes to draw Mohammed. Hmm… Only insulting three religions there. We have to be able to do better than that.
I have the sinking feeling I am going to be eviscerated for this, and I doubt any assistance is needed.
Make sure you first cut the cows throat with an athame (Wicca). Use a copy of the torah to roll-ed out Torah as a placemat for the table upon which the barbecue will be served (Judaism).
Thats gets you five offended.
Very nice! I was hoping someone creative could add to this without resorting to just adding more holy books to the fire.
Maybe there’s a market for making charcoal briquettes in the shape of sacred items. I always like to tell my students to watch out for new business opportunities.