Warren Throckmorton

I think these people need to realize that if they don't want people to characterize them as "evil," or "inhuman," or to draw cartoons portraying them as "terrorists," then maybe they ought to shape up and make a real effort to change not just their image, but their values regarding tolerance/violence towards other faiths.

Some Muslim organization needs to step forward and say "hey, this is not what my religion is about. we are not about killing innocent people and crashing planes into buildings. I condemn people who believe in that."

I'm still waiting on such a voice.

Ned Goldschmitz
 

Burn an effigy of a person -- no, not by anyone. Too close to what does occur, or has occured, to real people.

But if anyone feels inclined, they could always build the pyre using logs from Ben.XVI's eyes.

I mean -- it's not as if violent religious people are an exclusive fanchise of Islam. The Vatican, in times past, had no apparent problem with a "convert or die" theology, or war-for-religion per se.

What changed is the Vatican's ability to murder people, or wage war. No thanks to them personally, but due to opposition from the "secular values" that the Pope seems at pains to deride.

If Ben.XVI had chosen to make the comments alongside a parallel one about how the Church itself behaved in the past... and I suspect still would behave if it hadn't long ago lost to the secular opposition... he'd have made a valid point. He didn't. (Too partisan, frankly, to be able to concede such a point). We'd all like to see the gentle voices of Islam speak up, but there's no harm in showing the way either.

And that's before we even begin to discuss his personal interference in secular politics at this very moment... it's hypocritcal to complain about other religions controlling the laws and society when you're hell-bent on achieving the exact same thing for youself.

This is a man who has demanded that Catholic politicians follow the edicts of the church when voting on laws, or face investigation and excommunication (which, I race to note, is also supposed to mean eternal "death". Charming.)

Isn't there an island somewhere that we could ship "them" all off too??? Not Australia.

Dear God, save me from your followers...
 

Difference is if (when) Muslims of the type that are now protesting "blaspheme" the pope, they are not subject to death threats from the Vatican or Western governments.
 

Oh we'd agree with that. Fully.

This is 2006.
And we're secular.
So we don't do it.
Nowadays. :)

We did once :(