Originally Posted by littlejimmy (Post 8841333)

I can agree with most of what you say, Norm, but the book burning was still a ****ing crazy idea, whichever way you look at it. We are where we are, and we can't change the here and now. Unfortunately, not everyone is as coolly level-headed as us who were lucky enough to be born in the secular West. This is not an argument about the rights and wrongs of one religion or a defence of one over the other, it's about provocation, and that's the bottom line. I know, for instance, that football tribalism is stupid and childish, and I wouldn't walk into a Rangers pub wearing green and white hoops because I know that there's a good chance I'd be chinned.

The best thing that can come out of this, as you say, is that people will see that it's one bunch of nutters winding up other nutters. No-one is coming out of this with any credit.

Originally Posted by saudiflares (Post 8842331)

I'm sure a few bibles were toasted in Malaysia recently.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8451630.stm

Originally Posted by Norm_uk (Post 8842440)

Actually I hate to say this but the Christians come out on top in this situation...because they only threatened to do it and then cancelled yet hoards of foaming at the mouth subscribers to the "Religion of Peace" burnt our flags and threatened death to the usual suspects (an entire nation because of what one man didn't do).

This red neck fellow has proved a point and hopefully sparked some debate. Provocation by burning a book does not legitimise a violent response. Same goes for childish football tribalism - it's unacceptable to turn violent and should be dealt with harshly...like any other criminal acts. We can't make excuses for mindless violence or we are no better than those who commit the violence.



Where are the Christian hoards foaming at the mouth calling for death to Malaysia? There will not be any, even in the most desperately Christian communities...and if there are any backlashes it will only be words of protest not threats of violence.

I'm a bloody atheist and I can see something is not right here...one group have special dispensation to not be offended even when most of world's terrorist attacks today are committed by this group.

This is a double standards situation of galactic proportions. I think it's time we stopped pandering to violence by using the excuse that some beliefs and cultures are just different and we have to treat them equally when they are not. And if we offend people so what? I'm offended constantly and often hurt deeply by comments, ideolgies and systems but the only thing I burn is the occassional bit of pipe tobbacco...

N.