Why can't Muslims take a joke?

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HB07Ak02.html ^ | Spengler

[mal]

Religious humor has become commonplace in the secular West, but it came with a price.

More than any people on Earth, the Danes should know the terrible price of religious humor, for the first great Christian humorist arose from their dour midst as if by immaculate conception. "Humor is intrinsic to Christianity," wrote Soren Kierkegaard, because "truth is hidden in mystery". But Kierkegaard the humorist was sent to the Danes after the Enlightenment had laid waste to Christianity, that is, after the French revolutionary army had conquered traditional Europe. He wielded humor out of desperation, after Denmark already had started down its long slide toward secularism.

[Always Right]

The whole purpose of Islam is to have a Jihad. No matter what is done, there is always a reason for there to be a Jihad.

[backhoe]

Everything I have found about The War of the 12 Cartoons ( links, blogs, quips, quotes, aggravating pictures ) is located here- click the Pic, and scroll backwards:

[R.W.Ratikal]

It takes a sophisticated mind to understand satire. The mass of Muslims are ignorant masses that can be stirred up like a herd of spooky cattle.

We live in a world where most human beings are quick to envy. Muslim hatred of the West is based on envy.

I once had a pet raccoon who would wet everything before eating it. He would put bread into his water pan and look in wordier when the bread dissolved. It's the same with primitive people who invader a civilized land. After a while they wound where everything they envied had gone. They do not understand that a civilization bust continually advance and rebuild to endure.

Look at South Africa, once the most civilized and prosperous nation in Africa. Blacks now dominate and rule South Africa, and it has gone to pot.

Look as Zimbabwe. Blacks took over the food production of the country and now they are starving. Primitive people believe things happen because of some natural element. It does not. It takes constant human achievement.

[FerdieMurphy]

I think muslims can take a joke and are, as a group, really funny.

One of our major networks should create a situation comedy about your typical muslim family. The father, Mohammed, is outside primping the camel, while inside Ma is saying to a neighbor, "Our kids are blowing up so quickly!"

There could be a segment about their imam who is a homosexual and chases after little boys in a dusty mosque, but no, drop that idea. Many of them do chase after little boys.

[Racehorse]

"Humor is intrinsic to Christianity," wrote Soren Kierkegaard, because "truth is hidden in mystery". But Kierkegaard the humorist was sent to the Danes after the Enlightenment had laid waste to Christianity . . .

I can hardly imagine Kierkegaard, that Melancholy Dane, swapping jokes or drawing caricatures of Christ.  His ironic sense of humor was a bit more incisively subtle, I would think.

Of course, I could be wrong.

[No Truce With Kings]

Q. How many Muslims does it take to change a light bulb?

A. That's *NOT* funny! For that I will cut your head off!!!!

[Fawn]

In this case, they just needed any excuse to riot. But, personally...I get upset when the Catholics are made fun of in any way....art, cartoons.... At the same time, I wouldn't act like a complete ignorant wild animal and burn buildings down over it.

[montag813]

[SlowBoat407]

Q: What did Mohammed say to the little boy with the camel?

A: One hump, or two?

[NavyCanDo]

Your Religion is what your Religion does.

[AZLiberty]

Q. How many Muslims does it take to change a light bulb?

A: None, they sit in the dark and blame the Jews.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

The Muslim world has not benefited from "the enlightenment." That is Bernard Lewis' theory. I agree with him. I lived in Saudi Arabia for 5 years in the 80s. I got to know many Muslims of many nationalities. Most of the ones that I knew were more disposed toward the USA and West. Still, their live revolved much more around Islam that ours did around Christianity. First, it is incomprehensible to most Americans that they would have to pray five times a day. I am lucky to go to church once a month. Second, Islam does influence their politics, while in the USA politics and religion are considered separate. Third, their culture is more embedded with Islamic concepts.
Islam can be tolerant of other faiths, particularly in countries outside the Middle East (Morocco, Turkey, Indonesia), however, Muslim clerics have tremendous political weight.
It is wrong to compare the Middle East to Southern Africa. The Middle East at one time had the most advanced civilizations in the world. Until the Mongul invasion in the 13th Century, Islam was more advanced than Europe. Half of the Muslim world was destroyed by the Monguls, and the other half never quite recovered.

http://www.google.com/search?q=mongul+invasion&hl=en&lr=&start=20&sa=N

[From One - Many]

mooselimbs can't take a joke because mooselimbs know that if their vile beliefs are viewed with an open mind those in the religion of mohammed (may pig dung be upon him) will leave, or else the believers of mohammed (may pig dung be upon him) really believe their vile religion and in such a case are truly fanatics and deserve the condemnation of / by the world.

[JimRed]

Most Christians wouldn't appreciate most jokes about Jesus, either; The difference is that they'll pray for the offender rather than riot and call for his head.

[wideawake]

Plenty of serious Christians pray five times a day or more. I don't think a life of prayer is incomprehensible to Americans.

Additionally, Islam was for a long time wealthier and more populous than Europe - but it was never more advanced technologically.

That's a leftist myth.

[OkieDokie1000]

By the way does anyone here know who "Spengler" is? What is his background? Has he published any books or collections of essays?

[bnelson44]

Thank you, good article.

[Restorer]

Half of the Muslim world was destroyed by the Monguls, and the other half never quite recovered.

Excellent point. Same thing would have happened to Europe, except that it was too far away and poor to interest the Mongols much. And they were too busy fighting Muslims in much of their territory.

By comparison to the Mongol invasions, the Crusades, which occurred about the same time and today seem so important to both Muslims and Christians, were a minor irritation in a peripheral part of the Muslim world.

[bnelson44]

A number of his essays are here (they look tempting):

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/others/spengler.html