I hesitate to even bring this up for fear of inciting more violence and hatred. Then again: how many bazillion blogs exist? Somehow, I think the clerics aren't surfing for questionable topics written by a 34-year-old wife and mom from Iowa.
Anyhoo....how about those Muslims. The ones blowing up stuff and threatening worse because some Danish editorial cartoon depicted Mohammed in a less-than-flattering light. I can completely understand how offensive that must be for them. In the same way Christians get all in a snit over negative depictions of Jesus...remember the Last Temptation of Christ? When someone dared suggest that Jesus had had a love affair with Mary Magdalene. *Gasp* I think I might have been more offended by the fact that the lord and savior was being portrayed by Willem Dafoe. But that's a discussion for another day.
Yes, the cartoons perpetuate stereotypes. They come at a time when a little sensitivity and tact could go a long way. All the cliches come to mind: rubbing salt in a wound, upsetting the apple cart, yelling fire in a crowded mosque.
However, Mohammed won't have REALLY hit the big time until people start seeing his image in real-life less-than-flattering situations. You know, people have reported seeing the face of Jesus staring up at them from their arrangement of spaghetti and meatballs, and the likeness of the Virgin Mary formed into a Frito Lay Funyon that fetched several hundred dollars on eBay.
When someone at Village Inn discovers a likeness of the prophet in a country sausage skillet -- well, then the world of Islam will truly have something to complain about.
Anyhoo....how about those Muslims. The ones blowing up stuff and threatening worse because some Danish editorial cartoon depicted Mohammed in a less-than-flattering light. I can completely understand how offensive that must be for them. In the same way Christians get all in a snit over negative depictions of Jesus...remember the Last Temptation of Christ? When someone dared suggest that Jesus had had a love affair with Mary Magdalene. *Gasp* I think I might have been more offended by the fact that the lord and savior was being portrayed by Willem Dafoe. But that's a discussion for another day.
Yes, the cartoons perpetuate stereotypes. They come at a time when a little sensitivity and tact could go a long way. All the cliches come to mind: rubbing salt in a wound, upsetting the apple cart, yelling fire in a crowded mosque.
However, Mohammed won't have REALLY hit the big time until people start seeing his image in real-life less-than-flattering situations. You know, people have reported seeing the face of Jesus staring up at them from their arrangement of spaghetti and meatballs, and the likeness of the Virgin Mary formed into a Frito Lay Funyon that fetched several hundred dollars on eBay.
When someone at Village Inn discovers a likeness of the prophet in a country sausage skillet -- well, then the world of Islam will truly have something to complain about.
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