<As a reminder to those Muslims who still appreciate what the Taliban did, let me quote the relevant Quranic source: "Do not insult their Gods, lest out of ignorance they insult Allah" (6:108)>

Sadly religious zealotry is used as an excuse to commit barbaric acts.

Piss Christ revisited

I would never produce a photograph such as "Piss Christ"

See:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/de/Piss_Christ_by_Serrano_Andres_%281987%29.jpg

It is a photograph of a crucifix immersed in a yellow fluid that the photographer, Andres Serrano says was his own urine.

While I dislike the photograph I respect Serrano's right to make it.

The photograph was a winner of the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art's "Awards in the Visual Arts." The aforementioned Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art receives funding from the US Government through the National Endowment for the Arts.

I would never grant such a meretricious piece an award but I respect the right of the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art to award whatever it deems worthy.

The National Gallery of Victoria displayed Piss Christ in 1997. I would not have done it but, at the time, I defended NGV's right to display whatever it chooses.

Eventually NGV cancelled the exhibition of Piss Christ. It was roundly condemned for succumbing to Catholic bullying.

Well here we are in 2010. Terry Jones, a Florida Pastor, has called off his koran burning caper. I'm glad he has. I have a horror of burning books.

Here's what a book burning looks like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF5kMVIolYw&feature=fvst

But I am also struck by the hypocrisy of the whole thing. Some of the same people who were adamant in defending the right of NGV to display "Piss Christ" were also most vehement in denouncing Terry Jones.

Either you are in favour of protecting ALL religious symbols; or none. To argue for the protection only of the symbols of a religion whose adherents threaten mayhem smacks of moral and physical cowardice.

I am in favour of protecting none. To do so would be a denial of free speech.

So while I would never burn a koran, or, for that matter, commission cartoons of Muhammad, I shall defend the rights of Jyllands Post and Terry Jones to express themselves freely.

Muqtedar Khan, the first amendment to the US constitution protects free speech. The US Supreme Court has included the right to burn the flag.

Get over yourself.

So how about not burning bibles, effigies of American leaders or burning the American flag at every opportunity, I'm sure you realize it p*sses them off. (even if it is legal, burning the quran or bible is not illegal either)

If you do these things, expect retribution .. oh

Pastor Terry Jones has agreed not to go ahead, since the mosque builder has agreed to move it .. see you can reason with religious zealots, well, some of them anyway.

"Those determined to burn the Quran are doing so as a way to either hurt or get even with Muslims" .. really, not just a protest, of the bible or American (or Israeli) flag burning kind?

I did catch the justification, the Quran is "the only book in the entire heritage of humanity that claims to be solely the word of God" and since the christian bible is not, it's OK?

This is not going to smolder endlessly, one side appears to have zero tolerance, and the other is tolerant of the intolerance.

When that changes, and it will change when the tolerant one has had enough, I expect there will be trouble.

Preaching tolerance has no effect on the intolerant, they have the book written by god (!) on their side, so why should they tolerate you with your book of stories?

This article is yet another veiled threat by another intolerant person.

The author betrays an ignorance of the Constitution. Free expression of views which are loathsome to some is allowed. The right to say or express what nobody finds offensive is allowed in the darkest tyranny.

I don't like the idea of burning books. As an American I don't the idea of burning our flag. However, both the flag and the book are symbols. It is an admissible expression of feeling to destroy a symbol.

Burning or harming people in other ways is clearly wrong. Burning books may lead to burning people. Usually it does not. Allowing loathsome expressions is a necessary part of free expression.

"" the Quran belongs to all people, it is part of the human treasury and the Quran attests that it was sent, not to Muslims, but to the entire humanity: "It is nothing less than a message to all nations" (Quran 68:52). It belongs as much to Terry Jones as it does to Muslims."" @ Muqtedar Khan

Religious texts are fiction, so what they supposedly attest is irrelevant to modern humanity.
...................

""My children have been listening to it since even before they were born. I use to recite it to them while they were still in the womb. Their children will be reciting it to them when they will be lowered in to their tomb."" @ Muqtedar Khan

Foetuses in the womb do not understand such pronouncements, and dead bodies will not hear them
.

The author writes
'If Muslims react with anger and indiscriminate violence then one of Terry Jones' goals will be fulfilled. He would have shown the world that some Muslims are more barbaric than even he is. '

It is only those in total denial that don't know that some Muslims have for a long time been more barbaric than this misguided Pastor.