Category: Americas, Faith & Spirituality, Featured, Life & Society Topics: Innocence Values: Freedom Views: 4432
4432
No "Innocence" in the Freedom to Malign
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Condemnation of an Amateurish and Repulsive Movie
The release of the repulsive movie "Innocence of Muslims" on the internet that has sparked so much outrage world-wide is as disgusting in its fallacious content as it is reprehensible in disregarding the religious sensibilities of over a billion Muslims. The New Republic said that the film "includes not a single artistically redeemable aspect at all." The reviewer described the directing as "atrocious"; the sets "terrible"; the acting as consisting of "blank eyes and strained line readings". The New York Daily News called it "obscenely inept vanity project" that is "far beneath any reasonable standard of movie-making."
Freedom of Expression is a noble concept that incorporates the freedom to choose the content of expression including the appropriate manner of expression. Like any other freedom, freedom of expression is not the "right" to just say or express anything. The moral responsibility that goes with freedom of expression implies that we at least be truthful, honest and that we not wittingly transgress the honor and dignity of others. Untruths, distorting facts and hateful expressions are therefore unacceptable.
Not a License to Insult
Freedom of expression, it must be remembered, is not a license to insult (as in the case with the diabolical "Innocence of Muslims" movie). The harm here is not the freedom of expression per se, but rather the hatefulness or vindictiveness of the expression itself. Hate speech and defamation have a public orientation and undermines public good. (Hate speech is the purposeful distortion of facts intended to unjustly ridicule or discredit any individual, class of individuals, institution or faith.) The point to free speech advocates is that we can believe in both freedom of expression and the need for that freedom to be exercised responsibly. Obviously, making an insensitive blasphemous video falsely designed to denigrate a religion and its founder should never be celebrated as a rightful act of freedom. No one should ever abuse "freedom" as a deliberate pretext to malign or to provoke; for that desecrates the noble concept of freedom itself.
Our Commitment
We, as people of faith and people of conscience, commit ourselves to ...
- uphold freedom of expression, but such "freedom" cannot and should not be used as a pretext to deliberately insult the rights, integrity, honor or faith of others.
- urge those outraged to respond in the dignified manner that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself would have responded.
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Shaykh Sadullah Khan is the Director of Impower Development International www.impowerinternational.com.
Category: Americas, Faith & Spirituality, Featured, Life & Society
Topics: Innocence Values: Freedom
Views: 4432
Topics: Innocence Values: Freedom
Views: 4432
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Older Comments:
KAM FROM BRAZIL said:
I think Muslims in general have to understand that world communities have marched
beyond medieval times and primitive mind set. They should accept human beings
attach different meanings to writings of others. What is offensive to Muslims may not
be seen that way by others.
Muslims should grow up and realize that they can not control others in their thinking
and right to express their views. So I say, get over. Sooner the better.
beyond medieval times and primitive mind set. They should accept human beings
attach different meanings to writings of others. What is offensive to Muslims may not
be seen that way by others.
Muslims should grow up and realize that they can not control others in their thinking
and right to express their views. So I say, get over. Sooner the better.
2012-10-20
ISMAIL BRUER FROM ENGLAND said:
This brief article appropriately captures the concept of freedom from an Islamic view and also relays the feelings of freedom loving and respectful people the wolrd over. Commendations to the writer whose articles are incisive, inspiring and appropriately to the point.
2012-10-19
KHAN FROM US said:
They sound very good to ears-Freedom of S.P.M.(Speech, Press & Media). Think serously
what this has done and doing to our lives, faiths and humanity.
At present as the word Terrorism applies only to Muslims, the Freedom of Press/Media and
Speech... do apply only to Islam/Prophet whereas other forms of of freedom if used are
labeled as Extremism, Un-Patriotism, Terrorism, anti-Semitism, Anti Christ... and so on.
Is this Freedom of S.P.M.?
The Freedom has gone beyond the control in holy scriptures, especially Bible, in which the
Chosen & Innocent Persons of God (Prophets) were maligned, cursed and accused of the
crimes, illegal sex and violence when they were exceptional Humans, Merciful and Loving.
Actually this has given birth to Division, sectarism, Atheism and Dystheism.
The Freedom of S.P.M. must come to end in regards to Faiths and Religions whether it is
any Abrahamic, Pagan, Idolatry etc. There should be a Bill/UN Charter and a strict law must
be passed that no religion and its Prophets are maligned etc.
Remember The Holy Scriptures say the Best of the Judges is God/Allah and we shall not
judge other people or other faiths unless we Judge ours.
Quran 5:50 '... And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who have firm Faith.
Matthew 7:1-2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge
others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, & after that to face judgment. '
Salam, Shalom and Peace.
what this has done and doing to our lives, faiths and humanity.
At present as the word Terrorism applies only to Muslims, the Freedom of Press/Media and
Speech... do apply only to Islam/Prophet whereas other forms of of freedom if used are
labeled as Extremism, Un-Patriotism, Terrorism, anti-Semitism, Anti Christ... and so on.
Is this Freedom of S.P.M.?
The Freedom has gone beyond the control in holy scriptures, especially Bible, in which the
Chosen & Innocent Persons of God (Prophets) were maligned, cursed and accused of the
crimes, illegal sex and violence when they were exceptional Humans, Merciful and Loving.
Actually this has given birth to Division, sectarism, Atheism and Dystheism.
The Freedom of S.P.M. must come to end in regards to Faiths and Religions whether it is
any Abrahamic, Pagan, Idolatry etc. There should be a Bill/UN Charter and a strict law must
be passed that no religion and its Prophets are maligned etc.
Remember The Holy Scriptures say the Best of the Judges is God/Allah and we shall not
judge other people or other faiths unless we Judge ours.
Quran 5:50 '... And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who have firm Faith.
Matthew 7:1-2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge
others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, & after that to face judgment. '
Salam, Shalom and Peace.
2012-10-16
TASNEEM FROM USA said:
Romesh as hurtful of comments you write..I almost agree with each of
them as any enemy who knows your weak point would love nothing
better than you reacting upon it and how much it has effected the
economy of Pakistan is unbelievable and how much pleasure our enemy
gets must be beyond his expectation. We thank God we are seeing a small
change happening in Pakistan and I hope it takes us to progress.
them as any enemy who knows your weak point would love nothing
better than you reacting upon it and how much it has effected the
economy of Pakistan is unbelievable and how much pleasure our enemy
gets must be beyond his expectation. We thank God we are seeing a small
change happening in Pakistan and I hope it takes us to progress.
2012-10-15
ROMESH CHANDER FROM USA said:
As usual, there is nothing new in the article; just the regurgitation of what every muslim author has written on the subject.
But all of them miss the point. "Freedom Of Speech" exists because some idiot pays attention to it. Muslims should just TUNE OUT; stop paying attention to it; then nobody will make any insulting speeches to Islam, because nobody will listen to them. Stop reacting. It is that simple.
Actually that is the strategy of Daniel Pipes. He wants all kinds of speech, cartoons, etc offensive to muslims / Islam CONTINUOSLY / EVERY DAY, till muslims get used to it and stop paying attention to it.
You cannot control other people; so muslims will have to learn to control themselves if they want to live in this globalized world. Otherwise, its enemies love to create problems for muslims, and it costs them literally nothing. They just sit on their couch, watch TV muslims burning the cities, especially in muslim countries; what else can enemies of islam ask for.
But all of them miss the point. "Freedom Of Speech" exists because some idiot pays attention to it. Muslims should just TUNE OUT; stop paying attention to it; then nobody will make any insulting speeches to Islam, because nobody will listen to them. Stop reacting. It is that simple.
Actually that is the strategy of Daniel Pipes. He wants all kinds of speech, cartoons, etc offensive to muslims / Islam CONTINUOSLY / EVERY DAY, till muslims get used to it and stop paying attention to it.
You cannot control other people; so muslims will have to learn to control themselves if they want to live in this globalized world. Otherwise, its enemies love to create problems for muslims, and it costs them literally nothing. They just sit on their couch, watch TV muslims burning the cities, especially in muslim countries; what else can enemies of islam ask for.
2012-10-15
