Clearly the solution to this problem is to start a movement to firebomb anyone who doesn’t do something because of fear of reprisals, thus balancing out the threat and making it moot.
stereotypes exist for a reason – I had an idea for a new reality show – and it’s a real reality show – not a fake one like the ones currently on tv.
We restore a Roman Coliseum and everyone who can’t agree to get along with everyone else is on a list and 40 at a time, enter the arena – they have to run around, obtain weapons and just get to have a free for all
the show lasts as long as there’s people on the list, I expect a good 10 year 24/7 run with periodic breaks for body removal
Publish and be damned! Don’t publish and be damned!
By chance I opened the front page of mecca.com and there is an article
called the QURAN LITERACY PROGRAM FOUNDATION. It demonstrates its commitment to literacy by starting:
The worst of all it is that if Germany has problems such as “honour killings” or “Muslim blacklash” is simply because German capitalism wanted cheap labour in order to punish its own working class.
Didac, where did you get that bit of nonsense from . German capitalism wanted cheap labour in order to punish its own working class? You mean Germany was following Britain when she imported cheap labour from the West Indies to do the menial work that the British did not want to do.
The first “Gastarbeiter” (guest workers) were offered to come and work in Germany after WWII during the “economic miracle” of the 1960s and 70s when German economy boomed again but, and this is important, there were simply not enough people of working age available! The German government signed treaties with other nations so that foreigners from those nations could move to Germany and get legal work without bureaucratic hassle – Italy (1955), Spain and Greece (1960), Turkey (1961), also Portugal, Yugoslavia (when it still existed), Marocco etc.
But in contrast to the “cheap labour” migrating into Germany from East Europe, esp Poland, since the 1990s, the original guest workers were paid so well that many decided to bring their families over.
Originally, the foreign workers were not supposed to stay and settle down in Germany permanently, and indeed many didn’t, or they kept travelling back and forth. But many young Turks and Kurds from Turkey who live in Germany today are 2nd or even 3rd generation “immigrants”, born here as children of guest workers or political asylum seekers, and since January 1, 2000, all Gemrany-born children of parents of Turkish nationality with permanent residence permit automatically get German citizenship. (Before that, people had to chose if they wanted either Turkish or German nationality, because German government does not recognize double citizenship.)
As for the publishing company’s self-censorship, yeah, it’s our German fear of being branded “disrespectful of other cultures” at work again. *sigh*
M-A. I disagree. Every day I get to say, “Still no evidence of god then? ” to my students. Try it. sfun!
One day I want to try a version of the Pratchett suggestion of standing in a bowl of water; wearing copper armour; during a storm shouting “Allah is a bastard”.
@Daoloth, you are as likely to get killed doing that, as you are if you do the same but change the words to “I don’t believe in Benjamin Franklin!” But the theists will still claim the credit.
When you try this, and in the unfortunate likelihood of your premature demise, we get to say: “Told you so!”
Probably for the best, John. There’s a lot of sweating going on when you are covered in metal. You’d be green from head to toe. Probably not very jolly, either.
Here’s one person’s visualisation of the Cock & Bull, via Pharyngula. Could be wrong and it is just a co-incidence, but I think not. Note the person representing no religion.
Jesus & Mo (the characters) are absurd, blinkered, and oddly very sweet. J&M (the cartoon) is brilliant: sharp, delicious, irresistible. Salman Rushdie
Jesus and Mo cartoons are wonderfully funny and true. Richard Dawkins
Jesus and Mo make the world a better place, bless their little hearts. Ophelia Benson
In a world defined by outrage and offence and liberal spinelessness, Jesus and Mo is a treasure, whose value we should never fail to recognize. Read them. Laugh. And think. Kenan Malik
The brilliant, celebrated, freaking hilarious atheist comic strip ... Greta Christina
...rays of sanity in a befuddled world. Keri Hulme
The liveliest depictions of Muhammad currently available... Malise Ruthven
J & Mo is the funniest and most consistently thought-provoking cartoon strip on the Net. In a saner world, it would run in a major newspaper. Nelson Jones, Heresy Corner
Consistently amusing, frequently thought-provoking and often heart-warming. New Humanist
Jesus & Mo is one of the most wonderful things on the internet.. JT Eberhard
Wittily captures much of the absurdity of religious apologetics. Mano Singham
I love jesusandmo.net cartoons - witty and sharp! Katha Pollitt
Often hilarious, frequently wry, these cartoons do what all the best cartoons do: they tell the truth through humour. Terry Sanderson, NSS President
...a wonderfully acid British cartoonist... Nick Cohen
I love the scrappy mockery of Jesus and Mo. Freedom of speech
includes the freedom to mock any person, any thing, any activity, and
any belief -- and J&M stands up for this unflinchingly Richard Stallman
...empowering, important and deeply progressive, not to mention hilarious... Council of Ex-Muslims
February 6, 2013
Well, that’s just a fine move by the publisher. We wouldn’t want to offend all those charming believers who think “honour killing” is great pastime.
I too have not written many books due to the fear of anticipated backlashes. My kingdom for a sympathetic public…..
Clearly the solution to this problem is to start a movement to firebomb anyone who doesn’t do something because of fear of reprisals, thus balancing out the threat and making it moot.
The site that the author links to for the original article has gone really slow. Maybe someone fire bombed their web server.
stereotypes exist for a reason – I had an idea for a new reality show – and it’s a real reality show – not a fake one like the ones currently on tv.
We restore a Roman Coliseum and everyone who can’t agree to get along with everyone else is on a list and 40 at a time, enter the arena – they have to run around, obtain weapons and just get to have a free for all
the show lasts as long as there’s people on the list, I expect a good 10 year 24/7 run with periodic breaks for body removal
Publish and be damned! Don’t publish and be damned!
By chance I opened the front page of mecca.com and there is an article
called the QURAN LITERACY PROGRAM FOUNDATION. It demonstrates its commitment to literacy by starting:
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The worst of all it is that if Germany has problems such as “honour killings” or “Muslim blacklash” is simply because German capitalism wanted cheap labour in order to punish its own working class.
Didac, where did you get that bit of nonsense from . German capitalism wanted cheap labour in order to punish its own working class? You mean Germany was following Britain when she imported cheap labour from the West Indies to do the menial work that the British did not want to do.
angry – http://www.jesusandmo.net/2009/10/06/angry/
Since when is Turkey part of the West Indies??
The first “Gastarbeiter” (guest workers) were offered to come and work in Germany after WWII during the “economic miracle” of the 1960s and 70s when German economy boomed again but, and this is important, there were simply not enough people of working age available! The German government signed treaties with other nations so that foreigners from those nations could move to Germany and get legal work without bureaucratic hassle – Italy (1955), Spain and Greece (1960), Turkey (1961), also Portugal, Yugoslavia (when it still existed), Marocco etc.
But in contrast to the “cheap labour” migrating into Germany from East Europe, esp Poland, since the 1990s, the original guest workers were paid so well that many decided to bring their families over.
Originally, the foreign workers were not supposed to stay and settle down in Germany permanently, and indeed many didn’t, or they kept travelling back and forth. But many young Turks and Kurds from Turkey who live in Germany today are 2nd or even 3rd generation “immigrants”, born here as children of guest workers or political asylum seekers, and since January 1, 2000, all Gemrany-born children of parents of Turkish nationality with permanent residence permit automatically get German citizenship. (Before that, people had to chose if they wanted either Turkish or German nationality, because German government does not recognize double citizenship.)
As for the publishing company’s self-censorship, yeah, it’s our German fear of being branded “disrespectful of other cultures” at work again. *sigh*
You know what sucks about atheism??? You don’t get to say “told you so!”
M-A. I disagree. Every day I get to say, “Still no evidence of god then? ” to my students. Try it. sfun!
One day I want to try a version of the Pratchett suggestion of standing in a bowl of water; wearing copper armour; during a storm shouting “Allah is a bastard”.
@Daoloth, you are as likely to get killed doing that, as you are if you do the same but change the words to “I don’t believe in Benjamin Franklin!” But the theists will still claim the credit.
When you try this, and in the unfortunate likelihood of your premature demise, we get to say: “Told you so!”
I’d really like to see that Daoloth.
Do you think you could do it in Bradford?
@Daoloth – Where do you get copper armour, I’ve tried and tried but can only find the stainless variety.
Probably for the best, John. There’s a lot of sweating going on when you are covered in metal. You’d be green from head to toe. Probably not very jolly, either.
Here’s one person’s visualisation of the Cock & Bull, via Pharyngula. Could be wrong and it is just a co-incidence, but I think not. Note the person representing no religion.
http://ow.ly/15TeF3
Not very impressed with the photographer’s transparency when it comes to cluttering up the data being presented.
Trust the Daily Mash to put things into a perspective all of it’s own…
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/international/quarter-of-global-population-can't-get-drunk-or-look-at-boobs-200910082122/
Burning ideas– how retro!
The novel in question was taken up by a different publisher, Leda. You can buy it here: (German) http://www.amazon.de/Ehre-wem-Kriminalroman/dp/3939689335/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328195383&sr=8-1
The “offensive” text is on page 240.