Geert Wilders: blasphemer

[Jack]

Geert Wilders is a Dutch politician, an elected member of that country's Parliament, infamous for his right-wing views on immigration and social policy. In 2008, he released a short film, Fitna, which criticizes Islamic radicalism by interspersing video footage of terrorist attacks with quotes from the Quran and from prominent Islamic religious authorities praising the use of violence. Now there's some news that's incredible in its audacity: a prosecutor in the kingdom of Jordan has charged Wilders with blasphemy and demanded that he be extradited to Jordan to stand trial. Let's be perfectly clear about this: Geert Wilders is a citizen of the Netherlands. He is not a citizen of Jordan; as far as I know, he has never set foot in Jordan. Everything he has said was spoken in the Netherlands, where the right of free speech is recognized and protected. Yet because his speech was heard in Islamic nations, and because it offended them, those nations demanded that he be extradited from his home country and sent to one of their countries, to stand trial under their primitive and repressive laws. Whatever you may think of Wilders' personal or political views, this development ought to lay to rest any remaining doubts regarding the goals of those groups he has criticized. By far the majority of states where Islam has become dominant have become theocracies, and like all theocracies through history, they do not want intellectual diversity, freedom of thought, or open debate on a level playing field. They want enforced silence and obedience, and they do not want to meet their critics on the battlefield of ideas, but to harm and punish them regardless of the merit of their arguments.

Daylight Atheism > A Free Speech Outrage

Considering the propensity for Muslims to use any method from legal to terroristic to quell anything they consider blasphemous, is this attempt to deny free speech to other country's citizens going to become widespread? Where do we draw the line is allowing the beliefs of a few to affect us all?

[Compugasm]

If their society is so restricted, how did they get to see this video Geert made in the first place? I don't think I'll ever understand the Islamic outcry about cartoons and obscure movies.

[grandpa]

Quote by: Compugasm If their society is so restricted, how did they get to see this video Geert made in the first place? I don't think I'll ever understand the Islamic outcry about cartoons and obscure movies.

Censorship abounds. We haven't much reduced it in recent years.

Grandpa h.

[Arawn-ap-Hywel]

You've gotta hate islam

[ThoughtCriminal]

Quote by: Arawn-ap-Hywel You've gotta hate islam

I don't think this is specific to Islam, or even to theocracies. Rather, it's about what a corrupt government will do to silence detractors.

TC

[Jack]

Quote by: ThoughtCriminal I don't think this is specific to Islam, or even to theocracies. Rather, it's about what a corrupt government will do to silence detractors. TC

I disagree. Yes, it is a corrupt government, but blasphemy is a specifically theocratic concept. Without a theocracy the charges could only be for slander or libel. And good luck to the country that tries to get someone deported to face those charges.

These issues are only important because we've seen what pissed off Muslims do to those they consider enemies of their faith. Were they not such violent reactionaries they'd hardly ever make the headlines.

[ThoughtCriminal]

Quote by: Jack I disagree. Yes, it is a corrupt government, but blasphemy is a specifically theocratic concept. Without a theocracy the charges could only be for slander or libel. And good luck to the country that tries to get someone deported to face those charges. These issues are only important because we've seen what pissed off Muslims do to those they consider enemies of their faith. Were they not such violent reactionaries they'd hardly ever make the headlines.

Consider China, which is well known for persecuting its bloggers, without any sort of theocracy. Yes, religion is a fine tool for a corrupt government, but hardly necessary.

TC

[Jack]

But we aren't talking about China. The article is specific to Islam and Jordan. The Chinese might imprison those who write against the government, but the charges won't be blasphemy. And I see no signs of the Chinese trying to extradite people in other countries who write negatively about China to their country to stand trial.

This issue is about theocrats who thinks the rest of the world should adopt their particular theology and show deference to it.

[xyzer]

Here is a good example of the fairness and reality ? of Islamic justice?
Saudi man, woman face flogging for research work - Boston.com

Guilt or innocence is determined by clerics who consult the 'holy book'?
Then unrealistic sentences are applied?