[Buddha-l] Buddhism and blasphemy

[Damjan Novak]

Hello everyone! Havent posted on this list yet, but the mentioning of
those cartoons, such a hot political question made me want to
participate in the discussion.

Right now, Im looking at a cultural weekly newspaper from my country,
and it depicts jesus christ, lying with a huge erected penis, an alien
like creature is sucking it, adolf hitler is above that body, with his
arms spread wide, and someone in the background is holding a nazi
flag. Texts around that picture is a satyrical piece about how
contemporary artists when portraying holy images should at least use
menstrual blood of young virgins, or excrement when painting it -
othervise, ppl will protest, appaled at how an artist didnt use the
opportunity for blasphemy. There was no reaction whatsoever on that
article.

Of course such articles are offensive, of course ppl should show some
respect towards other religions etc etc etc, but really, I see no
reason everyone should agree about it. A communist for instance could
consider all religions as malignant structures, and would, rightly
from his POV, show no respect at all for other ppls religions, but
would be as blasphemous as possible. I see no reason for such
oppinions to be silenced, they are as valid as any.