The Missing Link

February 14, 2006

Bye Bye Free Speech

Let us imagine a Christian and a Muslim arguing on the streets of Brussels.

Christian: Jesus Christ is the only son of our Lord God.

Muslim: Jesus Christ is a great man and a prophet, peace be upon him, but he is not the son of Allah.

It is rather easy to imagine both men as devout believers who are offended that, on one hand, Jesus is being made out as the son of God, and on the other hand, that Christ's divinity is being denied. Certainly both men are directly and publically contradicting a core element of the other's faith.

Now imagine the same debate taking place on the pages of a European newspaper--I suppose we'll have to assume a particularly brave editor--and consider the following (from the Brussel's Journal):

Earlier, in a joint statement, Mr Solana of the EU, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Secretary-General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) wrote: “We understand the deep hurt and widespread indignation felt in the Muslim world. The freedom of the press, which entails responsibility and discretion, should respect the beliefs and tenets of all religions."

Should it? Is the conversation above likely enough to cause offense that it ought to be kept from the newspaper? What about atheists? Should they be allowed to argue that God doesn't exist? Such an argument certainly doesn't respect the tenets of all religions. Should we throw them in jail if they make it?

It's a nice notion, the idea that we should all respect one another's religious beliefs. I subscribe to it in my personal life. Why needlessly offend my fellow humans by denmigrating their beliefs?

Anyone who gives the matter a moment's thought, however, will appreciate that religious beliefs conflict with one another and with non-religious beliefs all the time.

Kofi Annan & friends say we ought to respect all religious beliefs. So what happens when we run across a religious cult that calls for the ritual sacrfice of a virgin from every nation to placate the gods? Or what happens when a Frenchman truly believes that Christianity is a harmful form of mind control. Should the law prohibit him from speaking out about his beliefs?

The Brussel's Journal reports:

Today some 200 Islamic religious leaders demonstrated in Brussels’ European district. It was a peaceful demonstration, but the Muslims want Europe to adopt the religious taboos of Islam. They handed a letter to a representative of the European Commission condemning “the blasphemy and humiliation� caused by the Danish cartoons, demanding that the EU introduce legislation against “hatred and islamophobia� and that it ban “blasphemy and the showing of disrespect for all religions and their prophets� because “every excessive form of free speech stigmatizes people."

Funny thing, the Danish cartoons didn't stigmatize Muslims in my eyes. The fact that 200 Islamic leaders are agitating to suppress free speech, however, stigmatizes Islam as a religion incompatible with Western freedoms. That's unfortunate because many Muslims don't feel that way.

Meanwhile many of us Westerners can help but comment on the irony that many Muslim nations won't even allow Jews and Christians to practice their religions... and yet it is Islamic leaders agitating for more rights in predoninantly Christian countries where they are completely free to practice their faith. In some European nations they're protesting the same governments that have subsidized Mosque construction with public dollars.

After their meeting with the representative of the Commission the Muslim delegation was received by the Danish ambassador, Karsten Petersen. “He thanked us for our moderation that invites dialogue and calm,� said imam Said Dakkar, the chairman of the Union of Brussels Mosques. “We have told him that we disapprove of violent demonstrations,� imam Said Mdaoucki of the Antwerp Mosque Federation added, “but we want to know how far freedom of speech is allowed to go. Can you ridicule someone’s values and beliefs? Is that freedom of speech?�

Why yes, it is.

In a free society speech is the preferred way to show someone that you find their beliefs foolish. The alternative--violence--is all too common in societies where freedom of speech isn't allowed.

Unfortunately, Europe seems not to realize this.

Yesterday, during a visit to Saudi Arabia, EU Foreign Policy Coordinator Javier Solana promised that the EU will support a clause in an updated human rights charter of the United Nations to “protect the sanctity of religions and the prophets.�

Put another way, Europe may soon adopt a fundamental right to not have one's religious beliefs challenged. What an odd turn for the continent that gave us the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and Vatican II.

Posted by Conor at February 14, 2006 04:21 PM