[RC] Open Letter to Muslims Offended by the Danish Cartoon Re: caricatures

[Dr. Ernie Prabhakar]

Hi all,

On Feb 6, 2006, at 1:11 PM, Avesland at aol.com wrote:
> So we excuse behavior on the part of Muslims, because they throw
> temper tantrums and intimidate everyone else, behavior that we would
> not dream of condoning by anyone else ? Is that it ?

I actually think this is a *great* opportunity to stake out a radical  
middle high ground -- acknowledging the legitimate concerns of  
religious communities, but still appealing to higher values that call  
people to their best.

Something like this (below). This is more about how to think about  
the problem than any sort of practical "response", but I think that's  
a good place to start.

-- Ernie P.
P.S. Some more background:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4664408.stm
http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/threads/purgatory/muhammad.html
========
Draft 1, 2/6/2006

Dear Muslims of the world,

As a Christian who has had to suffer _our_ religious leader being  
mocked and defiled -- both in real-life and in so-called "art" -- I  
hope that I can in some way empathize with what you are feeling.  
Perhaps like you, I sometimes feel that the forces of secularism and  
anti-religious bigotry are conspiring to rob my faith of dignity, and  
turn it into a laughingstock for the world.

At the same time, if I understand correctly, the root of the problem  
was a cartoon which caricatured Mohammed as engaging in acts of  
terrorism. If you believe as I do that this is NOT representative of  
what Mohammed -- or the God of Abraham -- would endorse, then I  
completely understand your anger and frustration at "infidels" who  
mis-represent the founder of Islam in this way.

However, I must ask you this. I am not just angry at non-believers  
who mis-represent Christ, but even more angry at Christians who  
misuse his name to promote a very different ideology. Do you not feel  
similar anger at *Muslims* who mis-represent your beliefs, and the  
Islam you practice? Have they not too mis-caricatured the faith they  
claim you share? Do you not believe (as we Christians do) that those  
of us who know God, and are called by His name, should be held to a  
_higher_ standard than those who do not?

If so, then I hope you will join me condemning *all* people who mis- 
represent the God of Abraham by claiming that those who deliberately  
commit acts of terror against helpless civilians are doing it with  
the sanction of our faiths.  Let our protest be not one of mere  
condemnation for a foolish newspaper, but a refutation of all those  
who by their words and deeds taint the legacy of Mohammed with the  
sin of modern-day terrorism.

In short, will you join with me in presenting a *different* picture  
of Islam than that painted by your enemies: one where problems are  
resolved by faith in a God of infinite mercy, rather than human  
beings acting out of anger and vindictiveness?

Otherwise, I fear the caricature that does the most damage to Islam  
will not be the one drawn in Denmark, but the one played out in the  
streets of the Middle East.

Yours truly,
Ernest Prabhakar
RadicalCentrism.org