Islam vs South Park

[_carmi]

I think I understand where you are coming from.

They joked about Islam before though. It's not freedom of speech they are being robbed of. That's so general, and if that was the case, I would totally agree with you. It's just that one little detail - just don't draw Muhammad, that's all they ask.

In the Middle East, religion is above state. In the West, state is above religion (or in the case of the U.S. they hold hands). The idea that you should be able to do whatever you want in your country is conditioned by the way our Western society works. Their idea that we shouldn't depict Muhammad has to do with the fact that they believe they will be punished if they accept it because it is haraam. It's as if someone threaten your life. Whether it actually is in danger or not is irrelevant, you will act upon what you believe to be the truth.

Our desire to depict Muhammad can only come back to a desire to make a funny joke. There's literally billions of things you can joke about. Joking about Muhammad makes me think of when you tell a child that under no circumstance may they enter that room. Obviously they will. The makers of South Park are adults and such a desire to satisfy your own trivial curiosity is childish. Adult people in a Western society should have more discipline than to give into the desire to make a joke on somebody else's expense when the matter they are joking about is so grave.

In the end, there is no need to do it. Doing it only provokes. Not doing it doesn't bring about any form of change at all, but doing it brings about a negative change. And it's not just anything, it's the direct violation of a direct order in the Islamic scriptures (the way I understand it). There's not a million of those, but there's a few, and out of respect we can find other things to joke about, right?

And that's just me and my dislike for people turning a blind eye to the truth (which in turn is founded in the fact that when I do it, people criticize me for it, and i try to make a positive change about it if I am made aware of any truths I may be neglecting to acknowledge)

I understand your point. As you said, this is about two different societies that work differently. This conflict stems from that. But nothing will be resolved by threats. As much as I find there's nothing wrong with this, they feel they have been insulted to the highest degree. They don't get how we joke about certain things and we don't get how they are so insulted that those jokes.

Anyways, this conversation is never-ending. I was taught to value freedom of speech even if it's against me or some of my principles. Instead of criticizing, analyzing, and arguing this matter, perhaps a greater awareness of each other would be more effective. But eh, why do that when we can threaten and create controversy.

I understand it was a disrespectful joke toward Muhammad and the whole Islamic community. I just don't think their way to handle the situation at hand is right.

 

[Synful*Luv]

Haha yah I'll do a short response. I did not in any way mean to suggest you are naive. Quite the contrary if you must know, I find you an intelligent woman with spine. I'm also a dreamer and I only find it charming/sweet.

And also, I don't like the idea of bowing to terror and those who oppose the freedom of speech and right to freedom. I'm only suggesting that some times, for your own sake, it can be good to not always rely too much on them. But rather, be a bit more selfish and think about what serves you better, all while trying to not offend or hurt others in the process. Because like you said, a law or principle only exists so long as people believe in it, and there are a bunch of crazies out there.. :/

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Edit: To apply it to the thread, I implied that I'm sure the South Park guys knew the risk they were taking, and if they did, I see no problem in what they did. Whether or not what they did is definable as good or bad, well, there's a whole other thread for that ^^

Thank you for the shorter response. LOL. I know they knew the risk.. I just wish they would've stuck with their original plan instead of bowing down to "terror" lol.

 

[Jurhum]

Most people that condone such things are like the dude in this clip. HAHA

 

[ill-matic]

they knew it would generate controversey. they knew the extremists would be threatening. though most muslims aren't, but still have to accept this sort of ridicule.

i agree with jurhum's video. Some radio jockey in Australia said that some fat b-grade celebrity here would have more chance of losing weight "in a concentration camp" or some shit. i dont have the exact quote, but EVERYONE got angry with him because his comments were considered "anti - semitic" and "insensitive". yet, it's those SAME people who go on and on and on and on about "freedom of expression" bla fucking bla when it comes to ridiculing Islam. absolute hypocrisy to the point that it makes me sick. give me a break.

another example - on some "variety" show here in Australia recently, a group of 5 dudes painted themselves black because they were doing an impersonation of the jackson 5 as part of a 'talent show' peice. harry connick jnr was a guest judge, and he labelled the act disgusting because it was "racist" and how "that type of stuff wouldnt be accepted back home (america)", and there was this whole controversey. but when it comes to ridiculing islam, ohhhhh it's a matter of freedom of speech and we could do what the fuck we wanna do. how about some parity here.

my point is - some things should just not be joked about. it's not about freedom of expression - it's solely about respect. do we make jokes about the holocaust? do we make jokes about blacks being lynched? do we make jokes about jews which could be seen as "anti-semitic"? When prime minister Berlusconi from Italy said that Obama had "a nice tan" as a 'joke' there was an uproar because it was deemed racially insensitive. But waiiiiiiit, what about freedom of expression? Where's the freedom of speech there? But we can take a giant dump on a religion followed by 1.2 billion people, and that comes under our freedom to express ourselves, right? "How dare you stop me from insulting you like that, I have a RIGHT to do this!". Give me a fucking break man.

this shit is very upsetting to read, how lopsided peoples viewpoints are. the only rational response i've seen has been from Preach, who at least has shown an UNDERSTANDING of the issue from the Muslim point of view instead of blocking his ears and yelling "i have freedom of speech i can say whatever i want and if you dont like it then go away!!". what kind of a childish reasoning is that.

 

[Jurhum]

^ I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Rukas]

Casey Rain posted these two AWESOME video clips in this thread in Words of Wisdom. I suggest you check it and them out.

http://www.streethop.com/forum/word...urned-atheist-explains-problem-perfectly.html

 

[Preach]

for the sake of greater justice, these two threads should be merged. and considering the nature of this thread, or at least how it's turned out, it doesn't really belong in Our Block anymore lol. ill-matic copy/pasted his reply in this thread over to the other thread, and I'm considering copy/pasting my reply from that thread over here. if it continues it'll get messy in the end.