The Muhammad Cartoons

The last week people in Europe have witnessed with astonishment how a few simple drawings have sparked a fire in the Muslim world – a fire that is still raging. It has the potential to develop into something really nasty, much worse than the burning of flags and diplomatic missions. As I write this, news about the first deaths have already reached us. How do we as Christians respond to this violence? And can we criticize the prophet of Islam without risking violent reactions?

It is natural to feel disgust towards people who resort to the kind of violence we have seen on TV lately. Yes, the cartoons were an unneccesary provocation. Yet, to us, the reactions seem way out of proportion. We ask ourselves if this reaction is merely political or stem from the root of Islam itself. In this situation we must not answer with more violence and provocation. Now is the time for us to pray for peace and to meet our Muslim fellow citizens with love and respect.

Muslims in the Middle East put the blame on all Danes, all Norwegians and in turn all Westerners for what was done by a couple of newspapers. We already see that some Norwegians do the same and blame all Muslims for what is now going on in some areas. Sadly, also here in Bergen stones have been thrown at one of the mosques, although the leaders of Muslims in Norway have renounced the violent acts in Syria and elsewhere.
A better reaction is to show Christian love to the Muslims you meet in Bergen, whether it is at work, at school or in your neighbourhood.

Also for the sake of our Christian brothers and sisters who live as minorities in Muslim countries, it is now of utmost importance that we do what we can to calm the situation. Diplomats are protected by armed guards. Tourists can get on an airplane and leave. But most local Christians have no other option than to stay and to pray that they will not be the next target of sectarian violence.

The issue of press freedom, however, is something we should continue to debate. It is understandable that Muslims feel offended by the less than respectful drawings of their prophet. Unfortunately, however, criticism of Muhammad has always been met with violence in the Muslim camp. This is not a new development. It goes back to the time when the prophet himself lived in Medina and ordered the murder of a poet who had insulted him. All experience shows us that if we want to communicate with Muslims, it us usually counter-productive to criticise their prophet. It is better to point in a positive way to Jesus, and present him to our Muslim friends and let them think for themselves. Still, the current situation makes it relevant to ask: Is the Muslim community able to accept scrutinizing, honest questions about their prophet without resorting to violence?

Pastor Geir Sakseid

Norwegian summary:
Karikaturteikningane av Muhammad var ein unødig provokasjon, men reaksjonane frå muslimsk hald var skræmande store. Det er no viktig at me ikkje svarar med same mynt og stiller norske muslimar kollektivt til ansvar for det som skjer i delar av den muslimske verda, også med tanke på kva konsekvensar det kan få for kristne minoritetar i muslimske land. Situasjonen gjer det likevel naturleg å stilla spørsmål til om det i det heile tatt er mogleg å stilla kritiske spørsmål til profeten Muhammed utan at det blir svara med vald.