World Council of Churches: Prevent Free Speech
You knew this was coming. From Olav Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches:
The film The Innocence of Muslims is gratuitously offensive to Muslims and to the faith of Islam, and I regret that it has been made. The film was produced and distributed by particular individuals who are not in any way representative of the attitudes of any mainstream religious group, nor indeed of particular countries or governments. This incident shows how important it is to prevent incitement to racial or religious hatred. I believe such an insult to the heart of the Muslim faith is an insult to all peoples of faith. Christian and Muslims need to stand together in condemning such insults. [Emphasis added.]
At the same time the appropriate response to such a pernicious film is not the violence taking place in parts of the Middle East that we have read and heard about over the last few days.
Such a response, apart from the suffering it causes to innocent individuals and communities, merely plays into the hands of those who wish to foment tension. In the relationships of dialogue the World Council of Churches has had over many years, we have confirmed our commitment to work together with our Muslim partners for justice and peace. So we believe that it is tragic if the reactions provoked by this film were in turn to lead to negative stereotyping of Muslims and an increase in Islamophobia in the western world.
In my role as General Secretary I have a special concern for the safety and well-being of Christians who are living as minorities in the Middle East, in Asia and elsewhere. It is vitally important that the relevant authorities ensure that such potentially vulnerable groups are protected and do not become the target of violence by misguided individuals reacting to the actions of those far away.
Please note two things: 1) Tveit doesn’t say that it would be an act of Christian virtue for people like those behind the film to refrain from making such swill. No, they must be prevented from doing so. Here in the States, we call that censorship, and associate it with dictatorships. 2) Notice that he doesn’t say that the violence is wrong. It causes suffering to innocents, and it “plays into the hands” of those who are provoking Muslims. He also refers to those who have assassinated four American diplomatic personnel and assaulted American (and now a German) embassies as “misguided individuals reacting” to the film, despite the fact that the Libyan action, at least, was obviously a well-planned terrorist operation, rather than some kind of spontaneous protest that got out of hand.
In other words, it’s the World Council doing what it does best.
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9 comments
Would the WCC inveigh similarly against those who label as “religious” and incite hatred of pro-life and pro-family views?
Lesslie Newbigin, “pioneer” of the WCC and the Church of South India, must be spinning in his grave :-( `http://archive.episcopalchurch.org/81831_117608_ENG_HTM.htm
[1] Posted by Rich Gabrielson on 9-14-2012 at 09:40 PM · [top]
I pray that the ACNA never joins the WCC.
[2] Posted by Cranmerian on 9-14-2012 at 10:00 PM · [top]
Even the most calm and rational person saying that Islam is wrong and that Mohammad was not a prophet is enough to incense many Muslims. It is an implacable religion and no matter what we do, there will always be Muslims who are offended that others are not Muslim.
We cannot be the Neville Chamberlains of our time, spiritually speaking - although some people, such as Tveit, seem to be trying to take his place.
[3] Posted by AnglicanXn on 9-15-2012 at 05:05 AM · [top]
We all remember when the WCC and Lefties everywhere condemned Salman Rushdie’s _Satanic Verses_.
[4] Posted by James Manley on 9-15-2012 at 10:36 AM · [top]
Revolting, morally bankrupt and ethically stunted.
The movie insults me, a Christian, not one little bit…it does, however, offend my sense of good film making. That followers of a violent, megalomaniacal sociopath tend to be violent sociopaths themselves is not very surprising, though.
Shame on our federal government for hunting this guy down and shame on vile, debased organizations like the WCC for cheering it on from the sidelines. May the alligator not eat you last.
[5] Posted by Jeffersonian on 9-15-2012 at 07:28 PM · [top]
Jeffersonian:
I agree completely. That scene where the 120 year old woman was torn in half by camels is much too graphic. I’m still having nightmares.
If those frumps at the WCC want to do something constructive without being all fussy about it, why don’t they create a toll free hotline for people who need help in coming down from really bad movies, and maybe the occasional LSD flashback.
Not that I’m admitting to anything, you understand.
[6] Posted by episcopalienated on 9-15-2012 at 09:27 PM · [top]
If they set that up, #6, my first call will be about “Christmas With the Cranks.”
[7] Posted by Jeffersonian on 9-16-2012 at 07:52 PM · [top]
RE: “Christmas With The Cranks”
I somehow managed to miss that one . . .
But now that I think about it, The Innocence of Muslims might become an art house classic with collectors scrambling to find it on DVD 20 years from now. Or they could release it in a boxed set edition with stuff from Andy Warhol and John Waters.
It’s just too bad that Edith Massey is no longer with us. She could have given those camels a run for their money. Then no one would need help from the WCC of any kind, not that they’re likely to get much anyway.
[8] Posted by episcopalienated on 9-16-2012 at 08:51 PM · [top]
Is it me, or hasn’t the “limit free speech” thing been tried a time or two, with EPIC FAIL as the end result?
Hmmm…it appears we gots too many folks who didn’t do well in their World History classes. Or, more likely, their own ARROGANCE believes they won’t repeat the same mistakes, because, you know, they are in charge, and are the smartest people on the planet.
Kind of like the current American administration…
[9] Posted by B. Hunter on 9-17-2012 at 12:01 PM · [top]
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