Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Religion V Religion

Morning folks.

Well come back. '09. And what a year it has been. So far, we have seen floods fires and famine. Whoever said that armageddon didn't happen when the clocks ticked over on '99 certainly didn't have a grasp of armageddon stretching out over a few years.
Speaking of religious intolerance, my brain was s(t)imulated by an article in the paper today.
Very simply described, a comedian in Israel has responded to recent a holocaust denier/revisionist/moron from a certain club by having a skit where jesus walking on water and mary's virginity are called into doubt.

While this itself is of little interest to me, I was wondering if this parallels the Jyllands-Posten controversy? If it does compare are we able to draw conclusions about different religious behaviours, and if it doesn't compare, then what is morally different between the two satires?

Any thoughts and ramblings would be encouraged.

Yours, in love, Mr. TriSickle.

2 comments:

Nick said...

I'm sure there are more substantive thoughts in my brain, but I'm at a bit in my thesis that is draining system resources like nothing else. All I can say is: children will fight on occasion.

Andreea said...

My brain is also fried from too much looking at books today (plus lots of Teh Stupid on the net) - however, to me it's an issue of power, as well as one of intent/effect (which is, in itself, dictated by power).

In Western countries the Vatican and Christianity certainly have more power than Islam and its followers, or Jewish people. Hence, I wouldn't say having a racist and Islamophobic cartoon in a European newspaper, or having a prominent member of the clergy (who has since been reinstated) deny that the Holocaust happened, is the same as having a (by the sound of it) puerile attempt at ridiculing certain Christian beliefs (which certain Christians question too, such as Mary's virginity - although the way it was done in the play does sound disrespectful and intended to offend.)

Which brings me to the second point - I'd say the intent may have been similar, but the effect certainly has not been the same. The Jyllands-Posten cartoons contributed to riots and people dying; Richard Williamson's comments have caused pain to survivors and close relatives and friends of survivors; by comparison, the effects of this ill-conceived play seem mild.