I admire good satire. I find it a terrific expression of ‘the human condition’. Having said that, with all due respect to those that lost their lives in this senseless act, there is a time and a place for everything. Many parts of Europe have difficulty assimilating those from other cultures. France was no exception. We know precious little as to the backgrounds of the perpetrators but I am sure the usual terms like: misfit, deprived et al will be bandied about. Merciful Lord, save me from such codswallop and let the criminal justice system do its work!
In my humble opinion, this is not about ‘freedom of expression’ of or by the press. This appears to be a case of: ‘just because’.
In my more skeptical moments I hold dear to the following: “We have watches…..they have the time”.
May God have mercy on us all.
I guess my point has gone missing somewhere. The climate for so called freedom of expression is seemingly more ‘alive’ in European cultures than here in North America.
I just think that there is a time and a place for everything. Clearly no one needed to be killed so mercilessly. Having said that, satire is not always everyone’s ‘cuppa’. Personally, I like it when it is delivered in a responsible way. I have respect for those artists or writers who do ‘prick the consciousness’ of the masses. Social antagonism however is not always appreciated and many ‘just don’t get it’. But it is necessary in a healthy, functioning society.
European cultures have experienced difficulty in assimilating those from other countries based on bigotry and prejudices, real or perceived.
Here endeth the lesson!
I would love to see your reaction on the brilliantly vulgar caricatures of Christ that they do all the time. http://referentiel.nouvelobs.com/wsfile/5741352275515.jpg
Je ne suis pas Charlie, en ce sens que je n’ai jamais apprécié leur humour. Mais cet attentat est innommable.
From a Christian perspective, they are offensive: freedom of expression includes the freedom to offend.
The difference – one whose significance appears to elude you – is that not only are offended Christians not shooting, blowing up or beheading those who offend them but they are inclined to stand with those who are murdered for being offensive.
Charlie Hebdo is left-wing, pro-same-sex-marriage, anti-organised religion, anti-fundamentalism, anti-hypocrisy (so they looove to go after the Pope), anti-government-mandated-moral-majority measures, strongly pro state-controlled-social-security, strongly pro-ecology, strongly pro-union. It’s everything you loathe on this blog. They also happened to piss off raving Islamist loonies, and suddenly they’re your best friends. A week ago you’d have ranted against them, if you’d had any bloody idea they existed. Je suis Charlie indeed.
You are missing the point, Vincent. The point is that people died for pushing the limits in print – something this blog does all the time, although granted the ideologies of Charlie and Samizdat are diametrically opposed.
That last cartoon could use some explaining – It says “Ducks always fly higher than guns? Pistols? bombs? (not sure of the right translation)” I was really puzzled until I read that in France duck is slang for newspaper (it might be a specific slang word for the type of paper that Charlie Hedbo is)
We are not free to do what we want. We are not free to say what we want. We are not free to write what we want. God makes unfree humans free in Jesus. Freedom is God’s supreme gift to us. Our freedom is identical with our dependence on God. We are “free for” service to God. We must fulfill our calling to serve God.
I admire good satire. I find it a terrific expression of ‘the human condition’. Having said that, with all due respect to those that lost their lives in this senseless act, there is a time and a place for everything. Many parts of Europe have difficulty assimilating those from other cultures. France was no exception. We know precious little as to the backgrounds of the perpetrators but I am sure the usual terms like: misfit, deprived et al will be bandied about. Merciful Lord, save me from such codswallop and let the criminal justice system do its work!
In my humble opinion, this is not about ‘freedom of expression’ of or by the press. This appears to be a case of: ‘just because’.
In my more skeptical moments I hold dear to the following: “We have watches…..they have the time”.
May God have mercy on us all.
Those of us who are followers of this blog/site are familiar with anti christian extremists trying to silence freedom of expression.
I guess my point has gone missing somewhere. The climate for so called freedom of expression is seemingly more ‘alive’ in European cultures than here in North America.
I just think that there is a time and a place for everything. Clearly no one needed to be killed so mercilessly. Having said that, satire is not always everyone’s ‘cuppa’. Personally, I like it when it is delivered in a responsible way. I have respect for those artists or writers who do ‘prick the consciousness’ of the masses. Social antagonism however is not always appreciated and many ‘just don’t get it’. But it is necessary in a healthy, functioning society.
European cultures have experienced difficulty in assimilating those from other countries based on bigotry and prejudices, real or perceived.
Here endeth the lesson!
I would love to see your reaction on the brilliantly vulgar caricatures of Christ that they do all the time.
http://referentiel.nouvelobs.com/wsfile/5741352275515.jpg
Je ne suis pas Charlie, en ce sens que je n’ai jamais apprécié leur humour. Mais cet attentat est innommable.
From a Christian perspective, they are offensive: freedom of expression includes the freedom to offend.
The difference – one whose significance appears to elude you – is that not only are offended Christians not shooting, blowing up or beheading those who offend them but they are inclined to stand with those who are murdered for being offensive.
Charlie Hebdo is left-wing, pro-same-sex-marriage, anti-organised religion, anti-fundamentalism, anti-hypocrisy (so they looove to go after the Pope), anti-government-mandated-moral-majority measures, strongly pro state-controlled-social-security, strongly pro-ecology, strongly pro-union. It’s everything you loathe on this blog. They also happened to piss off raving Islamist loonies, and suddenly they’re your best friends. A week ago you’d have ranted against them, if you’d had any bloody idea they existed. Je suis Charlie indeed.
I appear to have struck a nerve.
Too fucking right you did. But this is your house, so I’ll smile nervously and bow out. 🙂
You are missing the point, Vincent. The point is that people died for pushing the limits in print – something this blog does all the time, although granted the ideologies of Charlie and Samizdat are diametrically opposed.
Peace Vincent
You just don’t get it do you Vincent? Most would have disagreed. Some may have “ranted”. None would have assaulted, wounded or killed.
Also, your childish use of a common vulgarity in your post says a lot too.
That last cartoon could use some explaining – It says “Ducks always fly higher than guns? Pistols? bombs? (not sure of the right translation)” I was really puzzled until I read that in France duck is slang for newspaper (it might be a specific slang word for the type of paper that Charlie Hedbo is)
We are not free to do what we want. We are not free to say what we want. We are not free to write what we want. God makes unfree humans free in Jesus. Freedom is God’s supreme gift to us. Our freedom is identical with our dependence on God. We are “free for” service to God. We must fulfill our calling to serve God.