In Memory of Free Speech: Jesus and Mo
The Mohammed Cartoons
In under three weeks’ time it will be the second anniversary of the “Motoons” (this link is to Wikipedia article) being published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005. Less than a month later they were republished in a newspaper in Cairo, during Ramadan, and there was no outcry.
There were no “known protests from either Egyptian religious authorities nor the Egyptian government” (Wikipedia link).
Two months later, in early December 2005, a group of Danish Imams protesting against the cartoons presented a dossier to a number of governments in the Middle East, and to a meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. (Wikipedia link).
It turned out that three cartoons has been added to this dossier over and above those published in the Jyllands-Posten. At least one of these cartoons was proven to be a forgery.
Later in December further delegations of Danish Imam’s visited a variety of governments in the Middle East. There followed the events detailed in the exhaustive Timeline on Wikipedia.
Throughout the whole event, every major British newspaper found reasons not to publish the cartoons, which would have facilitated free and open debate.
At the same time, various institutions - which had previously stood for principles of open enquiry and reasoned argument - took steps to prevent open enquiry and reasoned debate about the Mohammed Cartoons.
Marking the Motoon Anniversary
At the time I remember not having a blog to use to comment on the controversy; now I do have one and I will be writing about it.
Since I started back in March I have taken a position supporting free speech and open debate, and over the next several weeks this blog will be carrying a series of articles about aspects of the controversy, as a reminder that freedom of speech and open debate is important to a free society.
Jesus and Mo
I am also introducing Jesus and Mo as one of the cartoons which I sometimes run in the morning. It is a cartoon strip involving Jesus and a “body double” of Mohammed, which has been running on the web for a couple of years. Here is the original episode from 11th November 2005, entitled “Body”:
It is also extremely funny, and the people who most need humour to lighten religion are precisely those who are the most dogmatic (and the same goes for atheists).
The use of a “body double” to avoid the need to depict the Prophet Mohammed reminds me precisely of the sort of doctrinal and practical contortions that dogma-based religions go through in order to justify forbidden activities by going “through the back door”.
Surely it would be far more reasonable and rational simply to realise that the time has come for the religion concerned to evolve in those aspects?
As ever, the challenge is to decide what is given and what is changeable. Enough of my pontifications.
Enjoy the cartoon above, and the second episode below (”dung“):
Wrapping Up
If anyone else is planning to do anything to reflect on the second anniversary of the Mohammed Cartoons publication, then let me know and I may link to you.
Tags: jesus, prophet mohammed, motoon, mohammed cartoon, christianity, islam, cartoon, jesus and mo, jyllands-posten
[tags]jesus, prophet mohammed, motoon, mohammed cartoon, christianity, islam, cartoon, jesus and mo, jyllands-posten[/tags]
Article Series - Mohammed Cartoons
- Jesus and Mo: Sorry Tinkerbell
- In Memory of Free Speech: Jesus and Mo
Categories: Cartoon, Ethics - Religion
Thanks for that
Great stuff. Makes a change from people bashing our rights to freedom of speech in case religions are offended. I fully understand objections to racially and sexuality offensive material but beliefs and political views should be left wide open to attack.
I think I broadly agree with you on this.
I’m keen to assert the freedom of speech, while recognising that there is room for a dialogue. Sometimes an uncomfortable position.
Tomorrow I’ll be publishing an article debunking islamophobia…
Great post and I look forward to reading your forthcoming ones on freedom of speech. I remember thinking about the whole episode, “How come only one side has the right to be offended?” And how could we debate it properly when we couldn’t see the cartoons? [I know they were available on the net but not everybody would have had access.] Like the cartoons!
very funny - i’ll have to link to this!
Funny! Please continue!
there’s a cartoon row in sweden this very moment
search for Cartoon on this site
http://www.thelocal.se
Iran summoned a Swedish diplomat to its foreign ministry on Monday to protest against a cartoon in a Swedish newspaper depicting the head of Prophet Muhammad on a dog’s body, Sweden’s foreign ministry said.
Al-Qaeda puts bounties on heads of Swedes
National: 15th September 2007
Afghans add voice to Muhammad cartoon row
National: 2nd September 2007
Egypt joins in Muhammad cartoon row
Society: 2nd September 2007
Stop fucking publishing this shit, it people like this who cuase problems in the world…
Dear suckdick@msn.com
>Stop fucking publishing this shit, it people like this who cuase problems in the world…
If you’d care to make a reasoned argument, I’ll be happy to take a look at it.
Matt W
please stop making cartoon you are insulting of our prophet.God will never mercy full to you.
those people don’t respect even respect to them selves.
Believe me…
GOD WON’T LET THEM AWAY
Alemadi
Thanks for your comment.
However, I don’t think it is for you - or me - to judge others actions, motives or whether they respect themselves. If we are believers, surely that decision is reserved for God?
Matt
It is unfair to judge and attack any one without knowing him.
If you are realy looking for the truth and the freedom of speech you have to get your informatione from nuetral sources which do not have any benefits. If you want read this:
What Do They Say About Muhammad?George Bernard Shaw in The Genuine Islam said:
“I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to possess that assimilating capability to the changing phases of existence which make itself appeal to every age - I have prophesized about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today. Medieval ecclesiastics, either through ignorance or bigotry, painted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors. They were, in fact, trained to hate both the man Muhammad and his religion. To them, Muhammad was an anti-Christ. I have studied him, the wonderful man, and in my opinion, far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Savior of humanity.”2
Annie Besant3 in The Life and Teachings of Mohammad, said:
It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knew how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for the mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel, whenever I reread them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher.
> looking for the truth
Please would you clarify who you think I am attacking, and which statements are doing so.
Which are the non-neutral sources where you seem to think my information came from?
What does Medieval Christian propaganda have to do with it?
To insist on freedom of speech in 2007 is not an attack on anyone, not is a desire not to have my actions or beliefs circumscribed by any religion that I do not follow.
Rgds. Matt
viva jesus & muhammad
when you go to any were you will see god people and bad people
if you saw some one muslim bad you would not sayed every muslim bad people
you should go to muslims ceuntry to now what im tolk about
the Holey quraan teach us no diffrint with any kind of poeple (blackor wait ) it seam but you have problem with all kind of poeple
you should not say that for us if you dont com to us
hahaha… ha! look muslim people can’t handle their “god” being bashed… boo hoo:’( we Christians go through it too, a lot more than you all do, but Jesus can handle his own battles. After all, he is the true and Living God. so we don’t have to waste our time trying to defend him and Matt, i do disagree with you using Jesus as one of your comedy bases. cuz i mean, he created us and he loves us.. and this, i would imagine, hurts his feelings… It’s okay to destroy mans image to me they are not important…but why God? and um… when alemadi and adeel said those thing about ‘god’ DESTROYING you or not letting you get away……. um.. yeah, 4get that!!!! allah cant do anything.
i do not what to say to u
but >>>> some day u all will know that u made the biggest mistake in ur life
and ur bad cartoons will not affect and we all muslims forever
u will pay for this
promise
Don’t kid with Allah’s chosen ones. Great Prophets Jesus (as) and Mohamad (saaw) are the Allah’s most beloved ones.
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Hey !!!
Stop That!!
Allah will not forgive u about this !!!
CLOSE THIS PAGE
[...] the domain. And that was in connection with possible physical threats after I reported that the Mohammed Cartoons had been partly published in an Egyptian newspaper months before all the artifical fuss kicked [...]
Christ child that’s because you have no respect for yourself mohammed peace be upon him is everyone’s master and the great master of humanity wethier you like it or not ..you scum of the earth…and Jesus is innocent from idoits that proclaim freedom of harassment like yourself. so why don’t you get lost you peice of shit…
everyone will answer for their words
Stop this ……..as it hurts many feelings and hearts. Today’s world is full of sadness, hatred and war please make it a better place to live. Freedom of speech is good if it does not hurt someone. Freedom of speech must be used to raise voice against unjustice, war, and social evils. Do not use it against some race, cast, creed or religion.
Matt you are a talented cartoonist but utilize your creativity to do something good that is good for all that will make you Great.
So did the both Prophets you published in the cartoons.