14 January 2015

Depiction

Muhammad delivering The Farewell Sermon, 17th-century
Ottoman copy of an early 14th-century Persian image.
The Quran doesn't support a veto on pictorial representations of Muhammad. That restriction has evolved - principally through the Sunni Islamic tradition. It has been far less vehemently upheld in the Shi-ite tradition. Though pictorial depictions of the so-called "prophet" were never as plentiful as images of Jesus and Buddha, they were nevertheless produced quite frequently without much fuss right up until the nineteenth century.

It is interesting how religious practices alter with the passage of time - rather like the animals' commandments in George Orwell's "Animal Farm". At first it was "All animals are equal" but it later became "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others" as the pigs took control.

There are many pictures of Muhammad. Perhaps those adherrents who protest about pictorial representations are trying to prevent  idolatory but Muhammad is idolised just the same. If not what are the obligatory pilgrimages to Mecca all about? 

Today "Charlie Hebdo" again and very defiantly depicted Muhammad weeping on its front cover. Above his image is the slogan "All is Forgiven" and if Muhammad is anything surely that is what he must be about - love and forgiveness - not poisonous interactions on the internet, not Kalashnikovs and bombs strapped to ten year old girls, not alienation and anger, not the cruel assassination of a Muslim policeman pleading for his life on the streets of Paris.

The sooner all these religious bigots - Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist - see the light and turn to atheism the better. It is so hard biting your tongue and being endlessly tolerant of folk who subscribe to illogical two thousand year old religions. That was then but this is now:-

22 comments:

  1. I agree with John. And you touched a nerve with me when you mentioned being tired of biting your tongue and being endlessly tolerate of people with ridiculous beliefs. Christian evangelical fundamentalists are EVERYWHERE in my part of the world. I get so very tired of not saying anything---I fear job discrimination, at best, if I'm "out" as an atheist. In SC, you may as well say you worship the devil rather than admit you are a non-believer.

    The thing I have a hard time understanding is how they fail to see the irony of how closely their beliefs align with fundamentalist Muslims....and how often they're just as violent. Just one example: they condemn any attacks by Muslims in the strongest possible terms, but don't have much to say when Christian fundamentalists murder health care workers who perform abortions. Actually, I don't think that most of them fail to understand it, they just refuse to admit it.

    Fundamentalist religion of every stripe is a cancer that needs to be eliminated on this earth. Surely human beings can be better than this.


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    1. Jennifer, I'm a "neighbor" in Tennessee, with family in SC. I know whereof you speak.

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    2. Well said Jennifer.

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    3. Yes Jennifer. It can't be easy having to smile and say nothing to the smug Christians in your neighbourhood.

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    4. Totally agree with you Jennifer !

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  2. The thing with all religions and churches is that they are MAN-made. Men wrote the so-called holy books and a God did not channel his (or her) voice through them. It always amazes me that apparently peaceful religions seem to cause the most wars and bloodshed.

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    1. Men wrote these books long after the objects of their writings had disappeared. I doubt that ANY women were involved in the composition of either The Bible or the Quran.

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  3. Bravo, Mr. Pudding! Thanks for publishing the cover. I had not seen it elsewhere and was going to look for it.

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  4. It is a whole lot of hogwash and once again, like in "Animal Farm" the pigs want to take control.

    I've said it before and I'll say it again, why are some humans so fearful, so weak that they are unable to believe in themselves; in the individual; in the being and the power to be, that they have to believe in fantasy? As you say, that was then...this is now.

    Honestly, Virginia...there really isn't a Santa Claus; and all is not lost - you have nothing to fear because Santa doesn't exist. You have nothing to be frightened about just because he's a myth. The stores will still operate and sell their products; the creators of said products will still create.

    Good post, Yorky.

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    1. I applaud your second paragraph. These fundamentalists are hiding from reality - hiding behind bucketfuls of religious words.

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  5. Is Charlie Hebdo on sale in many places in England today? It is here. Catalan newsagents were well stocked up and still sold out first thing this morning!

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    1. My local newsagency is run by Arab gentlemen who are always on their mobile phones and seem to have not been taught expressions like "Hello", "Good morning" and "Thank you". I doubt they'd approve of "Charlie Hebdo".

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  6. I live on a fundamentalist Island where the word 'Mass' is regarded as blasphemous; where the 'True Church' has split more times than any reader of this blog has had hot dinners; and where people wouldn't believe you if you said you were an atheist because the concept is so anathema. Thank heaven they don't have guns. However the pen is often mightier than the sword. And they have pens.

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    1. Keep a low profile Graham. We fellow bloggers will not snitch on you.

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  7. I fail to see how my belief in God is more illogical than your atheistic beliefs. Christians are not perfect, any more than anyone else is. Many people call themselves Christians, but 'by their works you shall know them'. You all are painting with a broad brush to say that Christians are no different than Muslims and others in their violence. Simply not true. Our nation, founded on Christian morals and beliefs is fast becoming a different place as more people turn their backs on morals and upright beliefs. Man is basically a very selfish creature and if we all just 'believe in ourselves' with no restraint or guidelines it's going to be a sad picture. I choose to believe that the Bible is the true and inspired word of the one and only God. You don't have to believe it - that's your choice. I'd appreciate a little civility and maybe not put us all in the same box. You wouldn't appreciate it if we lumped all 'atheists' together as all being exactly of the same evil cloth, would you?
    The definition of bigot, by the way, is someone intolerant of anyone else's beliefs. Each of you has just proven that you are one as well.

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    1. Hilltophomesteader I'd like to make the point that no one, certainly no I anyway, said that all Christians or all people of any religion or of no religion were intolerant. The point is that many are. The Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition were not run by moderates. The Jihadis are not representative of true Islam. People of all faiths, even the Buddhist faith, slay in the defence of their faith or simply because others hold a different belief.

      On my home Island the Free Church of Scotland used to hold sway over almost all aspects of life. One Cabinet Minister (in the UK Government) who was a Free Presbyterian in recent times went the funeral of a fellow Cabinet Member who was a Roman Catholic. His act so shocked the Church of which he was a member that it caused (another) schism. To me that does not show tolerance.

      I have no faith. I will happily go to church with friends who do have faith if I am staying with them. I don't care what people believe so long as they are good and tolerant people and don't try and convert me. Which does not mean that we can't have a good and robust debate.

      Morals and decency, by the way, are not the exclusive province of the religious. Just as pedophilia is not the exclusive province of priests.

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    2. Hilly - Selfishness and self-centredness are not characteristic of atheists. I believe in humanity, being kind to each other, respecting others and trying to make the most of our years on this planet because there is no doubt that there will be nothing, absolutely nothing beyond death. All religions are utterly illogical. Have you seen this God you believe in or is your faith literally "blind"?

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  8. Get onto that medication Pudding!! You have become a grumpy old man. Bring back that fellow who tramps across the countryside and takes fabulous photos.

    Ms Soup

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    1. That's what I am hoping for Ms Broth.

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Mr Pudding welcomes all genuine comments - even those with which he disagrees. However, puerile or abusive comments from anonymous contributors will continue to be given the short shrift they deserve. Any spam comments that get through Google/Blogger defences will also be quickly deleted.

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