I was watching the Today show this morning before coming in to the office and they were running a story on the current outrage in the Muslim world over a cartoon depicting “the prophet Muhammad” wearing a turban shaped like a bomb. The cartoon was published in September in a Danish newspaper. Muslims believe any depiction of Muhammad is blasphemous and this particular rendering is more offensive because it mocks him and them as violent.

As discussion of the situation continued, the issue was raised to one expert as to why these Muslims were protesting this depiction of their beliefs being founded on a violent foundation, but they were not in the streets when bombers devastate innocents and planes fly into buildings. The reply was that there was a double standard in effect.

At this point I was reminded of an article I read on Kevin Bussey’s blog last week, telling about Fred Phelps who pastors Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, KS. Fred and his congregants run several websites, the flagship of which is godhatesfags.com. They protest the funerals of fallen soldiers, claiming that God killed the soldiers because homosexuals bombed their church. Really.

Now my mind is percolating here. I am offended that Muslims don’t rise up to silence their violent counterparts who want death to all who believe differently than they do, then protest when they are portrayed as violent. How hypocritical are we, then, if we do not rise up to silence the fringe foolishness of those who claim to be of our faith?

It comes down to the fact that there is no silencing Fred and Westboro BC. This is not a First Amendment issue, either. We do believe and support everyone’s right to speak, but to incite violence is an act not protected by the First Amendment. It is, rather, an issue of confusion and complexity. We don’t know what to say to these people to silence them. In fact, nothing can be said to them, directly. Any attempt to do this will cause you to become the focus of their ire and will engage you in an argument with someone who refuses to listen to what you say – but demands to you adhere to their extreme protests. This is an argument that cannot be won.

The best we can do is to speak to those who might also hear their message. This will serve to distance ourselves from them in the eyes of the unchurched, which will lend us credibility. Also, it may serve to keep others from falling under their teaching – which will do more good than anything to stop them. If they are unable to reproduce their ideas in others, they will die out, eventually.

As to the Muslim protesters, I understand you are saying that not the entire Muslim world is violent, but if you want us to take you seriously, you need to distance yourself from the fringe.

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