Religion and free speech

It's been a while since I have taken my time to put words to my thoughts but that doesn't mean I haven't had any.

Lately, a new controversy has rose up; free speech contra religious sensitivity - first with the Danish and Norwegian newspapers that published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, something which is forbidden in the Qu'ran. Next, a new law is being proposed in The United Kingdom, upon religious hatred, quite obviously meant to be used as a means against imams who preach violent actions against infidels although some Muslims think it will protect them against incidents such as the case with the cartoons.

What is clear to me, is that one threads upon murky waters here. One side to it is of course the caricatures in themselves. If we turned it the other way around; that newspapers in another cultural sphere depicted Jesus in insulting ways, it would of course also upset some, but aside from some groups in parts of the USA, most people in the West wouldn't be much bothered about it.

Another side to it, which I have given some thought lately, is how this underscores how the culture of Islam is lagging behind Western culture. It seems like the advocates for Islamic culture themselves have forgotten or perhaps never understood, why Islam carried such a strong attraction that it won millions and helped create enormous empires. If they think it was merely because of fierce and resolute fighting from a few tribesmen from the deserts of Arabia, they are mistaken or confused. The cultural impulse of Islam could never have reached that wide and far hadn't it carried an appeal to the peoples of that time, the same way American and Western culture today is appealing to people all over the globe.

Both impulses brought with them a strong sense of freedom for the individual, although we must remember that the mental climates they existed in, are very different from each other. But Islam was far-seeing and tolerant in a world ruled by dark, tribal rites. Islam brought the light of civilization and culture to dark ages. It brought science to societies ruled by fear and superstition. It was truly a bright and calm light shed upon the lives of millions.

But then, at some time in the line of historical events, the Western world slowly passed by on its course towards individual freedom, very much helped by the great impulse of Islam, a light which on the other hand seemed to fade into the shadows, a movement forward that stagnated.

What happened? Perhaps what happens to so many movements; after a while, especially when they have success and are becoming widespread, a sclerotization of an organic force sets in and the energy and sap of the ideas are drained and we are left with nothing but a dogmatic skeleton.

Is that what Islam is today then; a dogmatic skeleton? No, nothing more than Christianity is it - and nothing less, either. Buried deep behind the dogmatic frame still exists a live core, though. What those who want to defend Islam have to do, is to concentrate on that core and not on strengthening the dogmatic structure, the skeleton. Reach for the heart of Islam instead.

Then a few caricatures wouldn't feel as such a threat. There might be a profound reason why we shall not make images of neither God nor his prophet, but if we allow ourselves to get that upset about it, Islam has already lost its appeal. It has no light to bring to the peoples of today's world; only rigorous dogma sustained by authority and force. That can only appeal to the starving and ignorant masses in underdeveloped parts of the world - and what is worse is that the masses have to be kept ignorant to maintain the appeal as it is. Following this way, Islam will slowly sink into a morass of ignorance and unculture. It will become what it once replaced; the dark rites suppressing the ignorant with fear and lack of knowledge, creating an atmosphere of hatred and intolerance.

As I see it, it is up to Islam itself to determine the road ahead. If its wants to prosper and Islamic societies once again to become the enlightened and tolerant cultures they were in the past, they have the chance, but not by concentrating on what they concentrate on now. That road leads to disaster.

Islam could give a strong impulse to a better modern world to mankind, rejecting raw capitalism and concentrating on compassion, love, knowledge, respect. Let us hope that those within Islam who truly understand why it once was so great will soon be heard of.