As you know I have been
suffering a bit with the curse of Man Flu, it is sneaky Man Flu because each
time I think I am on the mend it has a habit of going AAAaaaaauuuugghhHHH. So I
am sort of in a state of limbo and am keen not to cough as it is jolly sore, or
laugh, but that is easy to not do as its winter and I have Man flu.
So I have been doing small
tasks like strip wallpaper although it appears to be stuck on with the worlds
hardiest wallpaper paste so it coming off the wall a square inch at a time
using scrappers and water. NOT fun.
During the large number of
breaks and cups of tea I have been watching the news. I have on more than one
occasion said that the 24 hour news channels love some drama to keep them going,
and here in Europe we have had the terrible events of the Paris Europe when a group of
journalists and cartoonists are gunned down in their office by two terrorists
who firmly believe they are doing the work of God, it is regarded as a terrible
thing. Not only is the death of the
group sad and a huge loss to family and friends, in an attempt to scare and
threaten others who might write and say similar things. But it is an entirely futile thing to have
done as in the end the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo that these gunmen have tried to
destroy will become stronger and the cartoons that the gunmen found so
offensive have now been seen by millions more people around the world.
Now I am not a political
animal I am a rather quiet middle class chap but I have a blog and write about
stuff and draw the occasional picture. And as someone who lives in the West I
have a degree of freedom to write and draw what I like, I have even been know
to touch on the subjects of politics and religion. However one of the key principles in the West
in respect of Freedom of Speech is that it should not be used in order to
attempt to stifle the Freedom of Speech of others. So when extreme groups to
the right or left complain they are being oppressed by the government or who
ever it is because they are using the system to try and bring about a way of
life that does not allow everyone to have their say or own beliefs.
The fundamental Islamists
see no right but their own, they do not appear to belief that anyone other than
themselves should even live as we are all the children of the devil the great
non-believers. They appear not to use
rational argument to argue their cause but a regime of fear and killing and
convince young men that by doing this they will have eternal martyrdom in
haven. Well I personally think they are
well and truly wrong any religion that does not treat all as equals
irrespective of race colour or gender is not a good religion. The universe is
seriously huge beyond the minds of most and more complex than we can image so
do folk really believe that killing a group of satirical cartoonists in Paris
I have said this a few
times now but the outcome of events is unpredictable, so whether it’s a
government or an individual you just can’t be sure that what you want to happen
and what will happen, will be the same.
It is in the lap of the Gods and I suspect God has little time for man's
idea of religion so far, maybe one day there will be a religion that actually
helps bring peace to the world. . . . It seems unlikely for now though.
Je Suis Charlie
It is truly a bizarre situation. Thank you for your thoughts, it has been a difficult week for people who eXpress themselves against tyranny and ignorance.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are weLL soon. I have neVer removed wallpaper before eXcept with a hammer and shovel.
I noticed that the French Je Suis Charlie looks close to the English as Jesus Charlie.
DeleteIt is difficult to know what to write when stuff like this happens. These events seem to coexist with the events of everyday life for those not directly effected. It is a strange world we live in.
DeleteI have many thoughts and opinions on the matter of freedom of speech that are too long and complicated to explain in my current state (man flu as well) so I will just say that I pretty much agree with 99.9% of what you say and the remaining 0.1% isn't worth bringing up.
ReplyDeleteWhich, thinking about it, is what freedom of speech should be about. I have the right to say things but it doesn't mean I MUST.
If folks remembered that, then we could all get more done in peace without the fear of offending and get down to the serious questions such as the one about "cats with lasers for eyes" and "how does one actually put in for a patent for an 11-in-1 bespoke pointy stick?"
:O)
I do get angry when folk do stupid things in the name of religion. It is not new and terrible things have been done in the name of almost every religion there is at one time or another. I cant stop or change it but I can look annoyed.
DeleteI think you need to safeguard that patent for the 11 in 1 pointy stick before the Chinese produce them in bulk out of plastic.......
Well said Mr Z.
ReplyDeleteNo one has the right to take away a life because someone opposes or criticizes your own views.
Murder is still murder, whether it is done in the name of God or not.
It would be great to be able to change things, but alas I am but a very small voice that no one listens too.
DeleteI like being a no one.
DeleteSo do I Mr ESB, but just sometimes it would be good to be God.
DeleteHi Rob,
ReplyDeleteIt takes an eternity to get to your site or any site, with my very slow computer. Must get a new one very soon.
Those evil bastards who perpetrated such acts of horror in France having nothing to do with religion. Just fanatics whose deeds, we hope, just cause a change for the better. I wont hold my breath on that.
Personally, I wish there was no such thing as religion.
Gary
Hope you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteThis was very well expressed and not much I could add to what you say here. If a group of men need to defend their god then the way I see it is that if their can't defend himself then he is weak and therefore no real god at all. If a god doesn't like what people say about some guy from the past who claimed to be a prophet then that god can judge them and not a bunch of weirdo's with beards and turbans who scream dumb slogans while they're murdering people who don't agree with them.
Let's hope this madness ends, but I don't think it will anytime soon.
Lee
Tossing It Out