The Petulant Childishness of Islam

In the West we defend 'Freedom of Speech' as the greatest of human rights because if an individual has freedom of speech then all other freedoms are possible. If a man has the freedom to speak his mind then he also has freedom of thought. If he has freedom of thought he has freedom of action, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom to invent, to create, to love, to grow, to become a whole man. Equally, if you deny an individual the right to condemn and ridicule a religion such as Islam then you not only limit the man’s freedom and the freedom of the society he lives in but you also are implying that Islam cannot withstand criticism. Since the Reformation, Christianity has withstood centuries of criticism and ridicule and still remains the largest, most influential religion in the world. Opening itself up to criticism and even ridicule has made Christianity much stronger realizing that it can withstand anything because it is true. When you deny people the right to criticise, condemn or ridicule Islam because Muslims will be offended consider what you are implying. You are implying that Islam is weak and false and therefore cannot bear investigation, ridicule and even neglect. I say to you that if Islam is true it will withstand all criticism, ridicule and neglect and become stronger. If on the other hand if Islam is weak and false it will disappear after being exposed through criticism, ridicule and/or neglect. If it disappears then it does so because it is false and should never have existed in the first place. Furthermore, in a free society you learn that there are other responses other than violence to insults, ridicule, criticism etc. What distinguishes a civilized culture from a barbaric culture is that the civilized man has learned to respond in other ways other than violence. Did it ever occur to Muslims that if someone insults their prophet or their religion that instead of assaulting or even killing that individual they can simply insult and/or ridicule him back? Or they can ignore him. Or they can debate him. One thing is for sure they will give no credit to their religion by getting violent every time someone insults or criticises it. Did it ever occur to them that it is time that the Muslim world ‘grow up’ and stop acting like spoiled, petulant, children every time they are offended? I hate to break it to them but that is precisely how Muslims are regarded by non-Muslims, as spoiled, petulant, violent, children. That does not say much about Islamic culture does it? http://www.facebook.com/tarekfatah/posts/196696990462772