Who Do You Think You Are?

I suppose I might be assuming a certain amount of risk by writing this piece, but I will not remain silent.

I have looked at the 12 caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed that have enraged so many Muslims in the past week, and which have led to violence and threats of violence across the world.

Let me say right up front, that I can understand how a devout Muslim might find some of them offensive, though I would describe the others as simply light-hearted or even sweet.

I will also say that I think it may have been provocative to publish some of them.

But what I think about them is, ultimately, irrelevant. At the heart of this debate lies a principle that must be addressed: In Islam, it is considered blasphemous to depict the Prophet, be it in a drawing, a painting, a sculpture or whatever. Any depiction of the Prophet, no matter what its intent, is prohibited -- in Islam.

I repeat – it is prohibited in Islam.

But the world is not umma. It is not the community of Muslim faithful. It is made up of many other people, of different faiths, or none at all.

So what is not understandable, indeed, what is absolutely unacceptable, is that Muslims seek to impose their religious strictures on others, even more so when those “others” are not even living in Muslim societies.

I remember as a boy a discussion in school about rights and freedoms. And I remember a teacher saying: “Your right to swing your fist ends where someone else’s nose begins.”

Well, let me play on that idea and say to Muslims something along the same lines: “Your right to impose your beliefs ends where other people’s beliefs, or even lack of beliefs, begin.”

Who do you think you are?

You have absolutely no right to impose your beliefs on anyone, any more than I, as a Christian, have a right to impose my beliefs on you, even though I believe that Mohammed was a false prophet and that Muslims are in error.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the second person of the Most Holy, Glorious and Blessed Trinity.

You believe one thing; I believe another. Live with it. If your “truth” is true, it will prevail; it will be seen as such in the hearts and souls of all people of good will.

And if it were true, it would not require you to burn and slaughter to make your point.

We hear so much from Muslim apologists about what a tolerant and compassionate religion Islam is. Let's see some evidence of it!