Contrived Outrage

There is a contrived nature to the outrage of Muslims across the world to these cartoons which needs to be pointed out.  As Islam was spreading in the 8^th and 9^th Century, the Mediterranean world was in the

grips of the Iconoclasm (literally “Icon Destruction”) debate.  You’ll notice that in Catholic churches one finds lifelike statures, while in Eastern Orthodox churches one finds only stylized portraits, bas-reliefs and mosaics. The Eastern Church felt statues could lead to idolatry.   Islam came down even harder on the side of the Iconoclasts, suggesting that any veneration of an image constituted idolatry.

Flemming Rose

The prohibition on pictures of Mohamed (or anyone else for that matter) is to prevent their veneration. Certainly, no one was going to paste the cartoons of Mohamed on his wall and begin to worship them.  The purpose of the riots and murders was to suppress free speech in general and any discussion of radical Islam in particular.

This was not spontaneous religious outrage; it was a calculated act in the war on the West.  Flemming Rose is fighting back.