The necessity of free speech on islam

Sunday 11 October 2015 at 6:20 pm Freedom of speech has got a very important function to us (the western society). Because of the freedom of speech, tensions can be negotiated, social problems are revealed, we can confront problems and change is possible.

Especially when it comes to discussing religion, freedom of speech needs extra protection. Religions like Christianity and Islam tend to protect themselves from criticism by prohibiting it, and if possible to criminalize any opposition. But the taboo on criticism of religion is the very cause of the danger of many religions. It is at the expense of dissenters, and leads to a paranoid society full of tensions and violent conflicts, exactly what we hope to prevent with freedom of speech.

The escalations caused by the Danish cartoons make this very clear. Therefore the time is now to point out how important it is to criticize Islam. Read more

Eleven theses on the freedom to criticize religion

Sunday 12 February 2006 at 8:35 pm

Religion should be exposed to the same criticism and satire as all other human expressions. The rage among Muslims that stemmed from the publication of a satirical cartoon depicting the prophet Mohammed has inspired me to formulate a number of theses. These matters should be up for discussion, with the core idea being that a taboo on criticizing religion, and the demand of particular respect for religion is out of place, and leads to the incapacity to resolve preconceptions, abuse and violence that stems from religion.

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