UN Rights Council Adopts Resolution Vs Religious Defamation GENEVA (AP)–Islamic countries pushed through a resolution at the U.N. Human Rights Council Friday urging a global prohibition on the public defamation of religion – a response largely to the furor last year over caricatures published in a Danish newspaper of the Prophet Muhammad.The statement proposed by the Organization of Islamic Conference addressed what it called a “campaign” against Muslim minorities and the Islamic religion around the world since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.The resolution, which was opposed by European and a number of other non-Muslim countries, “expresses deep concern at attempts to identify Islam with terrorism, violence and human rights violations.”It makes no mention of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism or any other religion besides Islam, but urges countries “to take resolute action to prohibit the dissemination of racist and xenophobic ideas and material aimed at any religion or its followers that constitute incitement and religious hatred, hostility, or violence.”Iran, whose President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for Israel to be “wiped off the map,” belongs to the 57-member Islamic conference.The resolution was adopted by a 24-14 vote with nine abstentions. Canada, Japan and South Korea joined European countries in opposition, primarily citing its excessive focus on Islam and incompatibility with fundamental rights such as the freedoms of speech and thought.”The problem of religious intolerance is worldwide and not limited to certain religions,” said Brigitta Maria Siefker-Eberle of Germany,” speaking on behalf of the 27-nation European Union.Ghana, India, Nigeria, Zambia and some of the council’s Latin American countries abstained.There are 17 Muslim countries in the 47-nation human rights council. Their alliance with China, Cuba, Russia and most of the African members means they can almost always achieve a majority.The council, which last year replaced the discredited U.N. Human Rights Commission, has no power beyond drawing international attention to rights issues and scrutiny of abuses in certain countries.The move at the council was initiated last year after protests across the Islamic world drew attention to caricatures of Muhammad first printed in Danish paper Jyllands-Posten in September 2005.One of the drawings showed Muhammad with a bomb-shaped turban. Islamic law is interpreted to forbid any depiction of the prophet for fear it could lead to idolatry.
This blog is open to anyone, anywhere who wishes to defy the UN and exercise your human right to call the emperor naked, and “publicly defame religion” or “imply a link between Islam and Terrorism“.Let me go first:1) Religion is ridiculous — that is, it is worthy of ridicule.2) (Theistic)Islam is directly linked to terrorism because they f#cking sponsor terrorists! Any Atheists flying into any buildings lately? Go ahead: ask some Atheists to die for you exchange for a wonderful afterlife, and see how many volunteers you get!3) Christianity is no less insidious or ridiculous than Islam (they blow up abortion clinics and take over political parties instead).
BBWWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
*gasp*
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Bones
@islamtheway
So, I guess saying your religion is bullshit is lacking respect, but saying all atheists should be killed is showing respect? Impressive.
@phreedm
No he didn’t. He compared them with Islam. Specifically, radical christians and radical islam. And comparison is spot on, guv.
No, you didn’t say ALL christianity is peaceful, but then again, I didn’t say you said that. So you might wanna pack your strawmen away.
As for Dave’s hypothetical hate…… well, I’d rather compare it to the attitudes towards viruses. You don’t actually hate them, but it would definitely be hellova lot better without them.
Didn’t they try this already?
Resolution: 476-DarkAges.
It must have been very successful, given that we call this period the “Dark-Ages”.
Religion is the biggest con job in history! And the religious are the suckers that fall for it.
I’m with Dave– religion should be defamed, especially Islam.I’ve never debated a muslim,but I argue with christian fundies on the street and the UN can’t stop me. I tell muslims that I am a Unitarian Universalist and they seem “satisfied” that I am not a heathen infidel. If they only knew! The UU congregation I belong to is very secular humanist and ungodly and atheist-friendly. I am even a member of the atheist group UU Infidels. By the way, the christian fundies really hate me when I tell them that I am a UU.
Bones, I bet he doesn’t even know what you are laughing about. It takes a powerful lot of cluelessness for him to be able to write that in the first place. Just too funny.
If I were one of his religious mentors, I’d want to know just what perversion in his soul causes him to hang out with all these doubters.
Maybe he’s a wannabe atheist and won’t admit it to himself.
I would like to add that of course we know that not every christian is willing to blow up abortion clinics and shoot the staff. And not every Muslim is willing to die for allah or “hates the West”. That is not the problem.
The problem lies in the fact that these two belief systems (amongst many others, of course) ENCOURAGE certain types to commit unspeakable deeds. These may not be as common in modern times, esp. as far as Xians are concerned, but one only has to look at the bloody history of this most curious religion to see how open it is to producing pure horror in the name of christ. And now in the political arena, they are trying to push restrictive laws and enslave people’s minds.
Religion is the breeding ground of insanity. One look at a present photo of lower Manhattan proves the point.
I have noticed that the “powers that be, in the west”, have suggested every solution to the middle east except for the one that worked to some extent in the west. The idea that life is more important than what your neighbor may believe. The concept that “god told me to” is not an acceptable defense for murder charges.
What is this change in attitudes about law and human rights, we call it Humanism. Yes, Humanism has moved Christianity out of the dark ages.
Human life is seen by most as MORE important than religion or disagreement.
Why do we not try harder to spread these ideas into Islam? Because the Bush followers believe this Humanism stuff is a Danger! They actually see respect for life above belief as a weakness. They believe it is the PROBLEM with modern western society.
The very people who could do good for the world, refuse to do so. I think humanism is a hard sell in the middle east for the same reasons it is a hard sell to the U.S. Presidency. They feel safe with a black and white world view, it reinforces the false beliefs they wish to propagate. The honestly think “the good ol days” were better. They wish for a world where god cures disease instead of medicine(even though he didn’t). They like the times when a heretic of any kind was killed instead of heard.
They fear that one day soon, no one will listen to them anymore.
phreedm said:
its only racism (or any ism) if there is no causal relationship between the identifying characteristic of the group and the thing we’re condemning them for, this is a matter of debate.
for instance: saying that x-color people are stupid is pretty clearly racist, saying that narcoleptic people shouldn’t be driving is clearly NOT racist. sure, not ever narcolept has crashed a car… but it makes it a damn sight more likely.
other wild generalizations that made it into phreedms long list of racist claims:
sociopaths make bad babysitters
wolves can’t be trusted to gaurd sheep
lunatics should not be put in charge of lunatic asylums
blind people should not drive, especially busses.
epileptics are poor brain-surgeons (unless medicated)
Bones,
I tip my hat to you. Calling Phreedm on not sticking to the topic was down right ironically hillarious. Come on Phreedm, you have to admit you are bad at staying on topic.
I think that “religious intolerance” is primarily intolerance by the religious for those who espouse other religions and for those who have no religion.
The irreligious, on the other hand, simply disdain religion and those who practice it.
It is only when religion seeks to inject itself into an otherwise secular setting or to become associated (entangled) with secular authority and/or government that those of us without religion can be said to show “intolerance” and/or resistance with respect to those who practice religion.
are they STILL pissed over the cartoons?!
Is there nothing else in the world that can occupy their time besides those stupid Danish cartoons – No roads need to be paved, no schools need to be build. They must live in a perfect harmony if their main problem is a cartoon.
I get that religious folk take anything written to the heart but give me a break.
“the big bang and evolltution are the biggest piece of crap ive eva read”
Never thought I’d say this, but I think this fella would be better off to give up reading. That way s/he could work on writing, which is in dire need of attention.
C4T-
You can always tell one’s intelligence level by the way they use (butcher) their native tongue. They’re not going to get any respect with that literary work of genius.
I shake my head on a daily basis because of the level of ignorance in this country.
Religion is STILL holding back progress.
Boise, you are aware that not all internet users are americans (how much does it show for me?)?
I’m against language butchering as much as the next guy, but let’s not jump to rash judgments in branding people as stupid for not using the language propperly. Then, again, if you can vouch that the guy is american, I’d have to wholeheartedly agree with you.
islamtheway,
Try to keep up please.
Most atheists do not have any respect for religion, any religion. Why should anyone respect beliefs which are based on fear and some deep seated sense that there MUST be something more. If being alive is not enough of a purpose for you then, I feel sorry for you.
Ignorance is pathetic. Ignorance is something we should all feel sorry enough about to do away with it once and for all.
Dave was more than generous in attacking Christianity and Islam, but Dave the Jew left out Judaism. He didn’t mention the faith based ethnic cleansing campaign against the Palestinians of the jewish Zionists, he failed to mention the current Jewish crusades to occupy the “holy land” to create the biblical “Land of Israel” (Eretz Israel)or the racism of zionism, he failed to mention the dancing Israelis that cheered while watching the burning towers during 9-11, he failed to mention the jewish war crimes against Lebanon…how many red flags are needed to make his religious bias any more obvious? American Atheists used to expose all the crimes of religion, now it caters to Judaism and Jews.