Politicians, the military and the media say that the Florida pastor who is planning on burning Korans will be responsible for blood shed “if” (when?) Muslims react violently to this event.
First of all, the guy who’s planning this is completely wrong. Bad idea, very bad idea. But he is not responsible for the reactions.
1. The Muslims who react violently are responsible for their own violent actions, no one else.
We are all responsible for controlling our own emotions – even followers of Islam. Just because someone insulted us, offended us or mistreated our religion does not excuse violent behavior.
2.Let’s say that the critics are right: that the idiot who decided to burn Korans will have blood on his hands. What about the idiot broadcasters who, rather than ignoring the moron, turn it into a huge news story and spread it all over the world?
The people in the media who broadcast this story, who ensure that reports of this stupidity gets sent to Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudia Arabia, all over the world – how much responsibility do they carry for blood that is shed?
3. If Islam is such a peaceful, tolerant religion, why are we concerned?
If anyone bears responsibility for inciting violence it is the media.
Instead of dumping a bucket of water on small flame, or just letting it flicker out by not giving it attention, they pour gasoline all over the furniture, throw sticks on the fire, and fan the flames.
Are they just shockingly ignorant and short-sighted or are they intentionally trying to whip up a frenzy for some reason?
American TV shows insult, mock and denigrate other religions almost every day. Why does no one say, “You TV broadcasters, you have blood on your hands because you upset the Methodists”?
They don’t say that because, even though most non-Muslims might be deeply offended and angered when someone insults their religion, they do not lash out and kill people or burn cars.
While I know that many followers of Islam consider their religion to be far superior to any other religion on the planet, maybe they could learn a thing or two from the Lutherans, the Buddhists, or just about any other religion, that responds to insults with maturity and rationality.
If Muslims react violently to this moron burning Korans, it is still the Muslims who must accept the guilt for any violent action they might take.
If a woman smarts off to her husband, insults him, and he beats her to death, the man is still responsible for his actions, he cannot place the blame on the woman for provoking him.
For too long the world has let Muslim men get by with excuses for not being real men: a real man can control his anger. A real man does not have to kill someone for insulting him. A real man can take responsibility for and control his own lustful impulses – he doesn’t have to place the burden on women to cover themselves up, hide themselves because he just can’t be expected to control himself.
Burning Korans is a stupid, pointless thing to do – but the man who does that is only responsible for his actions, not the violent reactions of others – each one is responsible for his own actions.