As regular readers of my blog know, I am a Christian. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as the Mormon church. I am no expert on Islam. However, I also have been fortunate enough to have a number of acquaintances and friends who are Muslims. They have all been good, decent people.
As a Mormon, I understand what it is like to have my beliefs mocked and that which I consider sacred blasphemed and scorned. The number one Broadway musical in the United States is a profanity and blasphemy saturated mockery of my religion, its founding prophet, and of God. And that is just a recent example. So I empathize with the hurt and outrage Muslims feel when Islam and its prophet and God are mocked.
As I wrote in my previous post, I recognize that there are many different branches and schools of Islam and that it is wrong to attribute the actions and views of one faction to all.
But even understanding that, I am repelled and shocked by violence perpetrated in the name of Islam and an apparently large number of Muslims who believe that violence is a moral and just response when their religion or prophet is ridiculed or mocked.
My message to those Muslims who justify or participate in these kinds of violent responses is this:
Your support for violence in response to blasphemy is not only immoral and unjust, but it is also contrary to the teachings of the Qurʾān and violates the teachings of the prophet Muhammad. Continue reading →
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