Radical Muslims threaten South Park creators

[Zen Badger]

Incidentally that episode "insulted" all the major religions.

Not just Islam, if it had just been Mohammed they might, just might have a grievance.

[KichigaiNeko]

I am thinking that what we have here is NOT angst against Islam / Muslims per se. I am thinking that the anger expressed here is a result in blind fundamentalism presuming to dictate the standards to an entire planet socio / economic system. the last time that was done on any major scale was during the Inquisition. The planet has not forgotten.

[fr0d0]

---

Is that sort of attitude really necessary?

When it comes to religious discourse, I always claim my right to offend and express my believes and sentiments about that belief.

But I won’t go out of my way to be disrespectful. This sort of thing does give atheism a negative image.

When I first read that post, my gut reaction was "Yeah, there's no reason to be offensive"... then I clicked Kudos and forgot about it. Now I come back and read the rest of the responses and I have removed my Kudos. The others are right. Why do them the favor of withholding your scorn? They certainly aren't withholding theirs. Besides, this is atheistforums.org. Home turf. We can be as open about our feelings here as anywhere else... or more so.

Everyone seems to think that religion is something that must be handled with kid gloves. 'You must respect the beliefs of others', we are told. That's bullshit. I don't respect the beliefs and I don't respect willful ignorance. I may not be as verbally aggressive about it as some, but I do agree with the sentiments when I read them. The religion of Islam is retarded and hypocritical... just like the rest of them.

One on one in the real world is a bit different. I will try to remain more civil than I might in an online setting, but that is only because it is the only productive way to have a conversation, rather than a heated argument/shouting match. That isn't the same as 'respecting them'.

---

Very much respect what you're saying there Paul.

Whatever is said is no where near the threats that we know are real. Polite as we like to be... we have to oppose this kinda crap.

[Fluké]

When I first read that post, my gut reaction was "Yeah, there's no reason to be offensive"... then I clicked Kudos and forgot about it. Now I come back and read the rest of the responses and I have removed my Kudos. The others are right. Why do them the favor of withholding your scorn? They certainly aren't withholding theirs. Besides, this is atheistforums.org. Home turf. We can be as open about our feelings here as anywhere else... or more so.

Everyone seems to think that religion is something that must be handled with kid gloves. 'You must respect the beliefs of others', we are told. That's bullshit. I don't respect the beliefs and I don't respect willful ignorance. I may not be as verbally aggressive about it as some, but I do agree with the sentiments when I read them. The religion of Islam is retarded and hypocritical... just like the rest of them.

One on one in the real world is a bit different. I will try to remain more civil than I might in an online setting, but that is only because it is the only productive way to have a conversation, rather than a heated argument/shouting match. That isn't the same as 'respecting them'.

You're talking about something completely different.

You're implying that I said "You must respect the beliefs of others". I never said that.

All I am saying is that there is a big difference between respecting people's belief and being disrespectful towards people *themselves*. I don't generally like old people. They usually annoy me in public. But that doesn't give me the position to be insulting towards them. Perhaps that was just the way I was brought up.

Now, I have actually met Dawkins. And he has made it vocal that people who go around insulting religious people for the sake of it (and not their beliefs) don't do so under the umbrella of atheism. At no point, did I suggest religion should be considered worthy of respect and therefore immune from criticism. If you want to go around calling Muslims fuckers. Then go ahead, but that's not atheism.

[EggSpurt]

Please know that I am in no way an apologist or a cultural relativist. I think Islam is the greatest threat to progress and universal human freedom that 21st century planet earth presently has. With that said, I agree with Fluke on this one. I think he's just being misunderstood. His position is more about approaching the islamic problem by criticizing it through civil discourse. It reminds me of what Geert Wilders says every time he's called racist or intolerant. He specifies that he opposes Islam, not muslims. Though it makes us temporarily feel better, saying "muslims are f*ckheads" does nothing to move the conversation in the right direction. It only creates conflict, which i believe should be a last resort.

[leo-rcc]

Here is a good answer to the death threat spouting idiots:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=113257775375783

[Paul the Human]

@Fluké: I get you, man... and I mostly agree... hence my gut reaction of "Yeah! What he said!" Heheh. I am not as aggressively confrontational as some of the others around here, though I normally agree with them. Radicals (or extremists) from any and all religions do not get my respect, not even on a personal level. They give up any chance of that through their own words and actions. In any other case, I always try to grant the individual due respect, while not having (nor showing) respect for what they believe... only their right to believe it. However, I do agree with Dawkins in asking why we 'must show respect' to religion. Why is religion 'out of bounds'? It shouldn't be. I do not respect willful ignorance and I should not have to pretend I do.

I think we are basically on the same page. My default position is to grant respect to the person... as a person. But that can be adjusted to fit the situation. Radicals (especially Muslims for obvious reasons) do not want my respect. Good. Because they are not going to get it.

[Eilonnwy]

Jon Stewart stood up for his Comedy Central buddies in classic form.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/23...49178.html

[Paul the Human]

Thank you, Eilonnwy! I had missed that episode. "The Daily Show: Where More People Get Their News Than Probably Should."

[Paul the Human]

The Simpsons stand up for Trey and Matt. Kudos to them.