Islam

The Rise of Indonesian Atheism

So some goober wants to conduct a public Koran-burning, partly because that book of scripture is bad while this book of scripture is good, and partly as a brilliant plan to protest Islamic extremists by equally enraging Muslim extremists and moderates alike. ("It's so crazy it just might..." Nah. I don't think so.)

As of this writing, the torching is on hold while the pastor milks all the publicity possible out of the uproar. He's got the full attention and commentary of Muslims, Christians, and atheists around the world – even pleas to desist from US President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and military commander Gen. David Petraeus! Not bad for a nobody from an unknown "ministry" in Florida.

Those high-level voices are calling for a halt to the stunt in the interest of avoiding riots and worse. It's a damn shame that anyone – even a goober burning silly books to get attention – has to refrain from goofy but perfectly legal activity because some offended persons will react with psychotic violence. But that's the reality of the world, and I have to agree with Obama and the rest: The burning will needlessly place real lives at risk, whether US soldiers in the Middle East, US citizens around the world, or just anyone who gets in the way of the offended lunatics.

I can't agree today with PZ Myers: Readeth thou more

I was away from the usual web stuff for a few days and missed Everyone Draw Mohammed day. Fortunately, like any worthwhile event, EDM Day sounds like something one could choose to celebrate any old time. So I'll have to get on it – perhaps as part of designing a logo for this site. 

In the meantime, a little web surfing will find you all the Mohammed pics you could like. Let's give a thumbs-up to Google for not caving in to anyone's demand to censor these!

Speaking of which: The Atheist Experience points out a pathetic attempt by some enraged Muslim(s?) to retaliate against EDM Day by creating... get ready... Everyone Draw the Holocaust Day! 

It's as dumb an idea as it first sounds. See the brutal takedown in the article and comments. The short version, which you can easily guess, is this: Er, no one's ever decreed a ban on drawing Holocaust pictures. EDtH Day may be crass and tasteless, but mainly it's clueless, completely misunderstanding the point of EDM Day. (So it goes when "enraged" and "humorless" combine to give birth to "stupid".)

Here and there you'll hear people make reference to "cartoons making fun of Mohammed". But that's where the offended keep missing the point. No one, really, is making fun of Mohammed. Those of us who would draw cartoons or make jokes mostly don't even care about Mohammed. 

What cartoon sketchers (and general wags) make fun of is not a semi-mythical bearded man, but the dolts who shriek "No, you mustn't draw pictures of the bearded man!" We make fun of the fist-clenching, threat-hurling, eternally-offended, living believers, not the long-dead ersatz prophet.

It's very funny how the offended never get that. So if the chance pops up, be kind and fill them in. "I'm not making fun of your prophet. I'm making fun of you. Which is a very good thing. And so very easy, too."

Finally: Ooh, this pic is sweet: a LEGO Mohammed... er, "stacking blocks" with a LEGO Aysha. I wonder whether the author intended the little extra irony of using a Danish toy product for this fine bit of "blasphemy".

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