I AM STILL CHARLIE, AGAIN AND AGAIN,
DESPITE THE RECENT PROTESTS OVER CHARLIE HEBDO'S DEPICTION OF MOHAMED
Charlie Hebdo was republished with another depiction of Mohamed, causing worldwide protests, and perhaps, more future violence. I have Muslim friends. I respect Islam. But it has been perverted, attacked and degraded, not by those who who depict the Prophet, but by those that commit unjustified violence in the name of the Prophet. That is the point of the cartoon. Perhaps some Jihadists should look at the cartoon and think about it for a moment.
I am Jewish. My religion also prohibits depiction of God. Who cares if someone else does this? That is on them. I would never commit violence if someone depicted God. We are not even supposed to write God. We are supposed to write G-D. Our religion is not so different from Islam in this. So why is our behavior and tolerance so different?
One, because we ostracize the fanatics of our religion. Second, because we value the societies we live in. Most importantly, as Islam, Judaism, and Christianity teaches, we value the prohibitions against violence and destruction of innocent lives and societies. Not every action or perceived insult justifies Jihad, as even the Koran states that Jihad must be defensive.
It is time for people to live in peace. Violence just begets violence, and too often, it is the truly innocent who bear the suffering.
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