The study of religion and philosophy has been an ongoing avocation of mine, although the practice of any religion has left me long ago. I have partaken of a few college courses in theology and comparative religion as an intellectual exercise, and generally, to this day, find myself both confused and fascinated by those who profess a belief.
As an outsider then, while I am able to empathize with those who feel aggrieved when their religion is mocked, I can't conjure any feeling beyond mild derision when I hear of the latest supposed smear to one's beliefs. I am all for mockery, as it is humanity's mechanism to remind us that there is no one for whom respect must be paid for the mere want or demand of it. And mockery is the clearest peaceful way to unsettle the powerful and the self-righteous.
That said, I tend to stay away from outright mockery for the sake of it, but not for the reasons that may be assumed. I am just not that good at it. But I know it when I see it. I can arouse myself to mock once an offense is taken, because then the weakness of the affronted is exposed and like the hyena, I can go for the thick vein as well as any other member of the pack.
So cartoons of Mohammed, the supposed prophet, or supposed blasphemous paintings of Christ, the supposed messiah, elicit about as much emotional angst in me as a photo of Gautama in a lace teddy would. I can appreciate that one is offended by the mockery of one's spiritual crutch, but that only takes me so far because that mockery should possibly be seen as an opportunity to talk of one's faith, or at least demonstrate a maturity that is lacking in a healthy number of believers. A person who can take criticism and mockery with wit and intelligence is far more effective than one who would stampede.
Mohammed, after all is not a deity. And even if he were, he ain't my deity. I have no reason or compulsion to walk into a mosque or church and desecrate whatever is in there. It's not just bad manners, but a waste of time and effort. Plus, I lack the basic hate gene that would make that possible for me in the first place.
What we are witnessing lately is not a debate on the rights of those outside a specific religion to mock that belief system, but the right of those believers who wish to impose their "belief set" on all others.
Much of the practice of religion is an invitation to mockery, as the varied rituals and prohibitions have been constructed by humans in order to control other humans. Mocking the symbols of religion isn't exactly the same as mocking God, although I'm almost certain that the Big Guy or Gal or Whatever can take a little jab now and then. Somehow, if I believed, I can imagine God looking down on this and shaking the Almighty Head, finding all this rigamarole well, cartoonish.
If you don't want to mock your prophet or your savior, don't. It's your call. However, I reserve the right to mock away, because let's face it, it's only religion. Now if you say that your religion compels you to cut my head off for my mockery, then we have a problem. And there's the rub. Please feel free to mock me for my lack of belief, for my nihilistic, or whatever, outlook that bans me to a life without meaning or substance, etc. But let's leave it at that, shall we? I can take it and I promise not to riot, even if I can't take the joke.
Religion should be questioned, should be mocked, because the ability to withstand the barbs demonstrates that a belief is on much firmer ground than the current crop of true believers actually believe.
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