Dear George,

Thank You for your kind words and for
the two links that you gave. I read them
both with interest.

I agree with you it is difficult to
separate Westergaard's actions and those
of Jones. Both insist on claiming the
right of "freedom of expression."

However, the difference to me personally
is that I don't think that Westergaard is
a religious fundamentalist. He's a cartoonist
who, I suppose felt he was entitled to use
whatever subject he chose to ridicule.
Unfortunately, he chose a subject that
is associated with Islamic fundamentalism,
which at times can border on a scandalous
return to a medieval morality and political
fanaticism.

As for Jones - this is a different case of
a psychotic publicity-seeker - who's
thriving in world-wide notoriety.
From the websites you cited - this man sounds
deeply unbalanced. I don't think Westergaard
fits into the same category.

However, having said that I do feel that people
who enjoy the rights of free speech have a duty
to respect other people's rights. A person's
freedom of speech (and action) is limited by
the rights of others. All societies, including
democratic ones, put various limitations on
what people may say (and do).

I hope this makes sense. It's the best I can do
at present.

Dear Foxy,

Of course you are right, Jones is a religious fanatic, and Westergaard an (atheist) provocateur. However, I am sure both are/were aware of what their action would trigger, although the fact that Westergaard - in distinction to Jones - does not seem to be mentally deranged, actually speaks against Westergaard. And to a Muslim, who feels offended and urged to react violently, this distinction does not matter and is probably not even known to him. The one distinction that likely matters is that the one belongs to the hated USA, the other to a nation he probably never heard of before.

As to Ms Merkel, one thing is to tolerate pointless pranks in the name of “freedom of speech”, another to honour them.

Some interesting new information on this
Jones character:
Pastor in Koran furore accused of using 'slaves'
http://www.smh.com.au/world/pastor-in-koran-furore-accused-of-using-slaves-20100909-153bf.html

<<Mr Jones, pastor of the Dove World Church in Gainesville, Florida, runs a used furniture business with his wife, Sylvia.

While the pastor moves between two homes - a house in Slidell, Louisiana, and a holiday apartment in Tampa, Florida - his unpaid workers, motivated by their Christian beliefs, live in low-rent accommodation he owns.

Shane Butcher, who was expelled from the church for disobedience, told the Gainesville Sun he worked for the pastor's TS and Company for up 72 hours a week without pay, and meals were provided from a ''food bank''.

Mr Butcher said punishments for disobedience ranged from cleaning the barnacles off Mr Jones's boat in Tampa, to carrying a life-size wooden cross or writing out all of Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible.
>>

<<Emma Jones, the pastor's daughter from his first marriage, has described her father's church as a ''cult''.>>

I CJM will not be put in a basket.
Such as runner are indeed in my honestly held view as dangerous as any Islamists.
I fear know, Murders will take place as a result of this act.
Boazy you defame yourself, your God did not say kill or hate for the sake of it.
IF today we, the world, put every God, even Boazy and runner will tell you some Gods never existed, on the toy shelf we could start to build a better world.
This thread is not about the middle ages style Islamists, it is about a bigoted foolish Christian group.
A group that will back down today, but who has already bought death by murder to unknown numbers , and yes set us on a path to a war that will come because hatred wins over compromise every time.
C J Morgan I will not take insult at your post nore will I retract the truth,some ,far too many from this group are no Friend of mine, see racism, xenophobia, and primitive methods of controlling mankind are an insult to me always.

StG I think you are wrong about that. There would be equal concern if there was a Bible burning by Islamic fundamentalists.

The burning of the Koran is probably getting more media coverage because of the link to 9/11 and the fear about reprisals.

Christians don't generally (with some exceptions) retaliate with violence to villification. Although some Christians and Islamists use their religon to create war or unrest such as George Bush's claim that God told him to invade Iraq. I think even the most ardent Christian would see that for what it is. It is not the fault of Christianity that Bush made that statement it was the idiocy of the individual.

An act can be condemned without it making a judgement on the religion.

I think it is a dangerous act, on one hand I can understand why the reverend wants to make a stand, however extreme his actions may be, but I don't agree.
Remember the fallen on 9/11 honor them not by uniting and banding together at an hour of need, but fueling hatred instead.

"Here is a book that is the central religious guidance of Islam, one that so many live by as decent human beings, but no, I will spit in their faces and burn it on account of extremest actions that resulted in the deaths of Americans."

This is the message I get from his actions.

I don't see how burning a book of beliefs can result in anything positive, whether her wants retaliation or nor he will get it. He is holding a match above spilled fuel.