Conservative Culture

John at Verum Serum takes issue with Michelle Malkin’s take on the Cartoon wars. He asserts that support of the Danish press is a mistake because it is coming to the defense of secular humanism.

He cites the blog Secular Blasphemy , run by an atheists from Norway, who used by Malkin in her article. John believes that the propaganda goes both ways in the war and that both Muslims and Secular Humanism are attempting to score points. The concern is that Secularist are scoring points against religion in general and not just the Muslim religion.

I might tend to agree in principle that we would find little support for our belief system from the Secularists. However, I believe the debate in the arena of ideas is what is at stake. It is clear that Secularists don’t have much room for ‘faith’ in general. Though I might agree with some of the content of “problems with Christianity” I also disagree with the conclusions drawn about Jesus Christ and those who really follow him.

But the disagreements are no closer to being solved with the Muslims. Their system of belief is not close or similar in content to following Jesus. The body of evidence and original testimony requires no protestation of “only have faith” but rather faith is placed in someone because of the weight of the evidence.

In addition, while there may be no close kindreds in the cartoon roe, we certainly can cast our observations on the matter at hand. It is true that Hamas and other jihadists are skillfully training their children to burn the danish flags and perhaps aspire to give their lives in reaching for heaven filled with virgins. On the other hand we don’t see the Humanists hitting the streets in violence. If we are to exist in a culture where ideas can be expressed and even debated, then some acceptable expression of disagreement must be reached.

In America we have freedom of speech and the arena of ideas where ideas can be debated. At times ideas will be made fun of. Each of these opportunities are protected and at the end of the day we can go to our homes in peace. The radical Muslims, much to the ire of moderates, continue to set the terms of peace in the debate. Mainly, that there will be no debate unless it is on their topics. Exchanges of ideas are only to be one way while any criticism is chided as blasphemy. Perhaps in some cases it has been to the Muslims but then let God take his vengeance. A free and open society cannot exist at the end of one side’s sword. This is perhaps the purpose of the jihadists’ violence, to end Western culture as we know it.

If that happens then we are left to ask, who can we live in relative peace to live our lives as we believe? With the Humanists or the Muslims? Easy choice in my book.

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