"Kiss the Koran, big guy."

I found that Michael Cook link in a series of interesting posts on the Pope kerfuffle from a Christian perspective at GetReligion: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. I found the discussion of universalism (see links 3 & 5) particularly interesting because I am currently working on an article about the treatment of Islamist terrorism in Bollywood movies (which I may try to flog to a print outlet somewhere--I'll let you, my faithful 3 readers, know if anything comes of it). Indian patriotism rests on the proposition that all sectarian differences can be overcome by loyalty to the Indian nation and Indian identity, but sometimes this belief seems to be an expression of Hindu universalism. In one scene in Zakhm, for example, a woman whose very existence is posited by the movie as the proof of the nationalist claim is shown first to pray in the Muslim fashion, then kiss a crucifix, then honor a portrait of a Hindu god. This might be seen by Hindus as a legitimate faith practice, but neither Christians nor Muslims would see it as a practice of Christianity or Islam. Hindus undoubtedly believe that all faith traditions can be safe in a Hindu-dominated nation, and this is most likely true. But is this claim likely to be persuasive to fundamentalist monotheists? Probably not.

In other Pope news, Austin Bay has an interesting article up about the propaganda value of "Muslim rage" media events for Islamists.

Comments

[Mike S.]

Funny-- for some reason, I was recently remembering the scene in the movie Gandhi where in response to rising anger in his allies against the Muslim League he shouts "I am a Muslim! And a Hindu! And a Christian! And a Jew!" To which I mentally reply, "Ah, no-- at least not according to your 'co-religionists' in three out of the four."

Cf. the wedding between a Hindu and a Catholic I attended some years back, where the sacrifices at the Hindu ceremony included some to the Christian God. I don't know if the Catholic priest had stayed for that part of the ceremony (I'm guessing not), but I somehow suspect that wouldn't have exactly mollified any religious discomfort he might have felt.

[Bruno Mota]

It boggles the mind the number of speeches, movies, newspaper articles and whatnot that could be construed as equaly or more offensive than the Pope's remarks, that come out evey day. If they want, Islamists (or any likemided group of munchkins) can live in a perpetual state of righteous outrage.