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Christian peacemakers say anti-Muslim cartoons spread ‘hate and bigotry’
-06/02/06
Colleagues and friends of four kidnapped Christian peacemakers in Iraq have said that anti-Muslim cartoons published in September by Denmark’s daily paper the Jyllands-Posten, will only spread ‘hate and bigotry’.
The statement from Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) comes as Muslim rage over caricatures of the prophet Muhammad grew increasingly violent around the world.
On Sunday thousands of rampaging protesters – undaunted by tear gas and water cannons – torched the Danish mission and ransacked a Christian neighbourhood in Beirut.
In the UK demonstrators besieged the Danish Embassy in London.
Whilst the cartoons have been defended on the grounds of free speech, Arab commentators have pointed to laws throughout Europe that provide special protections for Christians and Jews, but not for Muslims.
The riots come just a few days after the UK’s House of Commons watered down proposals designed to tackle incitement to religious hatred. It followed lobbying by some Christian groups who wanted to maintain special protections for Christians, and had previously told Parliamentarians that Muslims should be “less sensitive” about insults against their religion.
But in a statement issued at the weekend, Christian peacemakers implied that telling Muslim’s to be “less sensitive” was not an appropriate approach.
“We, the members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq, are disturbed by anti-Muslim cartoons from twelve different artists published in September by Denmark’s daily paper the Jyllands-Posten” they said.
“The publisher claims the freedom of speech to publish the cartoons, but we believe they are only spreading
hate and bigotry.”
“To those who believe and act as if terrorism is an essential part of the Islamic faith, we say No! Stop! We cannot stand by and remain silent when our gracious Muslim brothers and sisters are being defamed.”
They continued; “Some members of all religious and cultural groups have taken up the way of violence, killing innocent civilians for political causes. We as Christians would not want others in the world to see our faith as one which advocates dominating and oppressing the poor and weak of the world. Yet, the Christian leaders of our countries have been carrying out such domination and oppression.”
Whilst condemning terrorism, the Christian peacemakers also suggest that the leaders of their own countries including the US and UK have been the greatest perpetrators of terror.
“Those of us working in Iraq see the suffering and pain that acts of terror cause. Terrorism is wrong. It is hypocritical to label Muslims as terrorists when our own countries have been the greatest perpetrators of
terror and violence around the world.”
“Instead of spreading prejudice and lies about another faith, we call on artists, publishers, religious leaders, and on all people to put their creative efforts into exposing and trying to eradicate the deeper injustices that foster the use of terror. We must open our hearts and minds to listen and learn from the riches of each others’ cultures and find ways to build bridges in our fractured world.”
Related Searches(UK visitors only)
Jyllands-Posten
Denmark
Islam
Danish Embassy
Muslim Photographs
Christian peacemakers say anti-Muslim cartoons spread ‘hate and bigotry’
-06/02/06
Colleagues and friends of four kidnapped Christian peacemakers in Iraq have said that anti-Muslim cartoons published in September by Denmark’s daily paper the Jyllands-Posten, will only spread ‘hate and bigotry’.
The statement from Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) comes as Muslim rage over caricatures of the prophet Muhammad grew increasingly violent around the world.
On Sunday thousands of rampaging protesters – undaunted by tear gas and water cannons – torched the Danish mission and ransacked a Christian neighbourhood in Beirut.
In the UK demonstrators besieged the Danish Embassy in London.
Whilst the cartoons have been defended on the grounds of free speech, Arab commentators have pointed to laws throughout Europe that provide special protections for Christians and Jews, but not for Muslims.
The riots come just a few days after the UK’s House of Commons watered down proposals designed to tackle incitement to religious hatred. It followed lobbying by some Christian groups who wanted to maintain special protections for Christians, and had previously told Parliamentarians that Muslims should be “less sensitive” about insults against their religion.
But in a statement issued at the weekend, Christian peacemakers implied that telling Muslim’s to be “less sensitive” was not an appropriate approach.
“We, the members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq, are disturbed by anti-Muslim cartoons from twelve different artists published in September by Denmark’s daily paper the Jyllands-Posten” they said.
“The publisher claims the freedom of speech to publish the cartoons, but we believe they are only spreading
hate and bigotry.”
“To those who believe and act as if terrorism is an essential part of the Islamic faith, we say No! Stop! We cannot stand by and remain silent when our gracious Muslim brothers and sisters are being defamed.”
They continued; “Some members of all religious and cultural groups have taken up the way of violence, killing innocent civilians for political causes. We as Christians would not want others in the world to see our faith as one which advocates dominating and oppressing the poor and weak of the world. Yet, the Christian leaders of our countries have been carrying out such domination and oppression.”
Whilst condemning terrorism, the Christian peacemakers also suggest that the leaders of their own countries including the US and UK have been the greatest perpetrators of terror.
“Those of us working in Iraq see the suffering and pain that acts of terror cause. Terrorism is wrong. It is hypocritical to label Muslims as terrorists when our own countries have been the greatest perpetrators of
terror and violence around the world.”
“Instead of spreading prejudice and lies about another faith, we call on artists, publishers, religious leaders, and on all people to put their creative efforts into exposing and trying to eradicate the deeper injustices that foster the use of terror. We must open our hearts and minds to listen and learn from the riches of each others’ cultures and find ways to build bridges in our fractured world.”