Danish Cartoons...

The Danish Cartoons (I have the link but it doesn't seem to go through, something tells me.. warns me..) that were published have caused so much brouhaha in the Middle East. Reactions over the forbidden act have ranged from flag burning, boycotting, harassing of Norge and Danes citizens, protests, destruction of Danish Embassies particularly in Syria and Lebanon.

Major shops in the Middle East have boycotted Danish products. So far, the only product that we have last bought was the, Lurpack Butter.

Anyways, whatever happened with it you can find it on the links I provided above. I have had chats with colleagues and Muslim acquaintances here in the UAE. With due respect to all concerned, I was just merely giving my opinion on personal talks between people I know. I agree that what the Jyllands-Posten have done is terribly and utterly way too inconsiderate knowing that every journalist although given the freedom of speech should do his/her own research before publishing anything. Yes, the freedom of speech entails that you can publish or say anything you want because you are simply exercising your right but every considerate and politically aware individual should not intentionally and deliberately insult a group of people just for the sake of publicity. Every diplomat knows this. And every individual is a diplomat in his own terms. How much more a publishing company?

The issue has caused various different reactions from everybody, some are just nonchalant about it, others are bickering about it, others have gone ballistic.

I have been asked of my opinion. Should I dare say it? Well, I will say it as it was discussed.

What was done against the Muslims was utterly despicable, what has been spinning around is debatable. It was blasphemous, inconsiderate (I will say it again), and really undiplomatic. I was asked, what would I do if somebody told me that my religion was a piece of s.... I was like, huh? I was taken aback but I came to my senses. I have my own reasons. First, I am not that religious so I would not really know how to react. Second, I would just probably say f... off to that someone who said it to me and think to myself, "who are you to say when you are not the one exercising or not exercising my religion"; and third, I replied with an essay or so. If you have seen the movie The Passion of the Christ, I would reply with the same reply as the question posed before me: "Why is your Christ not doing anything even when the people were spitting on him, beating him up, hurting him badly and crucified him?", "If he was so powerful, why can he only say 'please forgive them for they know not what they are doing'?". My reply was, our religion is based on forgiveness. If somebody slaps you on the left cheek, you give him he right cheek, if someone throws you stone, throw him bread. Something like that. So our religion is basically based on love and forgiveness and Christ was the one doing the real meaning of that. Islam is a religion of peace. This is the truest fact I know. The misconceptions surrounding it has been severely & badly portrayed by those who either have known Islam in a different concept. It is sad that with the few aggressive individuals reacting differently towards the cartoons, other Muslims have been affected. I sure hope there is a better ending to these hullabaloo.

God bless us all. Peace please.