Borders, Waldenbooks & Mohammad

[rayelias]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2006/03/29/national/a163611S00.DTL

Apparently, Borders & Waldenbooks are refusing to sell the upcoming issue of a publication because it carries a picture of Mohammad.

What do you think about this?

I personally think this is allowing the radical Muslim's to win a battle in their jihad. I consider Borders & Waldenbooks cowards, and I personally will avoid making purchases there.

What happens if a radical right wing group threatens to burn down book stores because they sell "pro-abortion" publications? Or if fringe animal-rights protesters threaten because they sell leather-bound books? Or a white-supremesist group threatens because they sell books by minority authors?

It's one thing to be "respectful" of a group's position, and another to be held hostage to their beliefs.

I don't personally like MANY of the political books they sell, but I don't think they should stop selling them because I find them offensive.

I'll put on my flame suit... not to protect me from the comments to follow, but to keep me safe from the book burning that is soon to follow if we continue down this road.

 

[Free4Life11]

Muslims probably would have never even found out had they not said anything about this. Can't imagine that are too many deeply religious Muslims reading a secular humanist "Free Thinking" magazine.

 

[Puffy2]

Your poll doesn't include my choice: I don't care.

 

[Holly]

I think they are doing the right thing. It isn't only because they fear any backlash it may bring, but because they are trying to be sensitive to Muslims by not selling something that will be offensive to them.

I would focus more closely on this part of the article:

Islamic tradition bars depiction of Muhammad to prevent idol worship, which is strictly prohibited.

I think it's admirable that they don't want to offend Muslims.


There are extremists that do crazy things in many religions. There ARE people who vandalize (or worse) places that promote pro-choice rights because it goes against their Christian beliefs.

 

[caitycaity]

i think they are being respectful, which in my book is a good thing!

 

[Missy1961]

i think they are being respectful, which in my book is a good thing!

Me, too.

 

[rayelias]

Idol worship is prohibited in all three Abrahamic religions.

The first commandment prohibits idol worship.

Yet, there are countless books showing and even parodying Jesus, Moses, the Pope(s), priests, etc, etc, etc.

Where's their "respect" for those religions?

Christian bashing is OK. Showing an image of a man (who was a MAN, not a God - a prophet), somehow is not.

Go sell it somewhere else, I'm not buying it.

 

[Jimbo]

i think they are being respectful, which in my book is a good thing!

I agree! I think they need to take the next logical step, and invite a couple wacky clerics in to screen the rest of the magazines. And of course, they should also be able to sign off on the books that the store sells, too. Those ham paninis in the cafe have got to go, that's for sure.

Maybe they could invite Jerry Falwell or one of his reps in to check out what's left. It's a good thing!

 

[MouseWorshipin]

I think they are doing the right thing. It isn't only because they fear any backlash it may bring, but because they are trying to be sensitive to Muslims by not selling something that will be offensive to them.

I would focus more closely on this part of the article:


I think it's admirable that they don't want to offend Muslims.


There are extremists that do crazy things in many religions. There ARE people who vandalize (or worse) places that promote pro-choice rights because it goes against their Christian beliefs.

So, should they refuse to sell anything that mentions abortion, so as not to offend the people who are against it?

 

[Holly]

So, should they refuse to sell anything that mentions abortion, so as not to offend the people who are against it?

How do you know they don't go out of their way to try not to offend pro-lifers?
I don't know that.

I would hope that anytime they see something blatantly offensive to a population group that they behave in a responsible manner and decline to promote it in their stores.