The intolerance of "tolerance"

David Harsanyi at the Denver Post has an interesting piece on Islam, Juan Williams, and "tolerance".

Writing about the recent firing of Juan Williams by NPR for supposedly making "bigoted" remarks, Harsanyi had this observation:

There are many books — a genre actually — that expound on the profound stupidity of religion and its followers. Though I enjoy some of these works, I can't help but marvel at how the most severe accusations are reserved for modern Catholicism or Evangelicalism while, if we're lucky, some tepid criticism will gently fall on the faith featuring the most fundamentalism in the world.

Indeed. Harsanyi is a devout skeptic, so he can hardly be considered a shill for Christianity. Yet he is able to detect the cowardice in much modern writing about religion that professes to see dangerous Christian fundamentalists lurking under every bed, yet is willing to ignore the rise of 7th century barbarians who shriek, "Allah Akhbar!" while lopping off the heads of infidels, set off nail bombs in crowds, and fly jets into buildings.

Here is what I wrote back in April about Comedy Central's decision to block an episode of South Park that showed Muhammad in a bearsuit:

I believe that the real reason the entertainment industry and the media will attack Christianity at the drop of a hat but avoid anything even remotely critical of Islam and other religions is simple - they just don't like Christianity. They view Islam and other religions as competitors to Christianity, and are willing to cut non-Christian religions a tremendous amount of slack.

I am not suggesting that many in the entertainment industry and the media are Muslims, or even sympathetic to Islam. But it is clear that their humanistic view is directly at odds with Christianity. Christianity holds that humanity is fallen, and is in need of a Savior. Many secularists do not believe in any Savior at all (expect perhaps Barack Obama). "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" seems to be the operating idea here, not a deep attachment to any non-Christian religion.

Modern secular progressivism is a profoundly anti-intellectual political philosophy that rejects reason and freedom while celebrating the subordination of the individual to the dictates of an all-powerful State. The media's willingness to join hands with Islamic fundamentalism is a calculated political decision (a modern-day Hitler-Stalin pact between two competing groups of totalitarians) rather than an outbreak of respect for opinions that differ with theirs. Should progressive ever believe that Islam is a threat to their power they will treat them just the same way they treat Christians and Jews - with hatred, contempt, and fear.

It is important to remember that while Christians may be a primary target of secular progressives (the unhinged reaction by the media to Christine O'Donnell is just the latest example), they are not the only target. Anyone who does not bow the knee to the State is a heretic. Christians, atheists, libertarians, conservatives, Jews - in the media's eyes we are all becoming enemies of the State. Unbelievers like Harsanyi are coming to realize that.

Comedy Central Update

Comedy Central has decided to create an animated show dedicated to nothing but mocking Jesus. No, this is not a story from The Onion.

Some things are beyond parody.

Laugh 'till you get beheaded

I am not a fan of either Comedy Central or South Park. Too much of their programming is enjoyable only to those who thinks that dirty words scrawled on the walls of public toilet stalls represents the highest form of comedy. For the rest of us - meaning most of us - we prefer our laughs to come another way.

You may have heard the story by now. South Park, which is supposed to be an "edgy" show, was recently censored by Comedy Central. I did not see the episode in question, but South Park is supposed to have showed the Prophet Muhammad in a bear costume (I don't think I want to know why). What caused the uproar was a death threat made against the show's creators by a radical Islamist website, and Comedy Central's decision to block out the offending part.

Many writers and commentators have pointed out that in the past Comedy Central has gone out of its way to attack Christians and Christianity (Jesus seems to be a favorite target). Some will dispute this, but frankly the facts are not on their side. Other's have suggested (tongue in cheek, I hope!) that if Christians lopped off the heads of a few heathens and heretics, they would get similar respectful treatment from Comedy Central and others in the entertainment industry.

I have to dispute the second assertion. Leave aside the fact thak killing the enemies of Christ is not an option: far from gaining respectful treatment, any remote hint of violence by Christians against Comedy Central and South Park would bring instant nuclear retaliation. Lawsuits, protest marches, attack journalism, violence directed against Christians, legal crackdowns - you name it.

I believe that the real reason the entertainment industry and the media will attack Christianity at the drop of a hat but avoid anything even remotely critical of Islam and other religions is simple - they just don't like Christianity. They view Islam and other religions as competitors to Christianity, and are willing to cut non-Christian religions a tremendous amount of slack.

I am not suggesting that many in the entertainment industry and the media are Muslims, or even sympathetic to Islam. But it is clear that their humanistic view is directly at odds with Christianity. Christianity holds that humanity is fallen, and is in need of a Savior. Many secularists do not believe in any Savior at all (expect perhaps Barack Obama). "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" seems to be the operating idea here, not a deep attachment to any non-Christian religion.

I think that Christians often underestimate the hatred than many in popular culture have for Christianity. Often I hear Christians call for "engagement" with popular culture (whatever that means). While I am not suggesting that Christians head for the hills and squat in heavily-fortified compounds, it is clear that "engagement" has brought forth no fruit whatsoever. The danger is that Christians will become corrupted by popular culture rather than have any moderating influence. It is best to keep more than a little distance.

Some have suggested that fear also played a role in Comedy Central's decision to avoid controversy. There may be some truth to that charge. Hollywood and the media have for a long time loved to portray Christians as theocratic terrorists, and that shows like South Park represent a heroic stand against the reactionary forces of darkness. This creates the illusion of courage under fire while not actually facing any danger. Some Muslims, on the other hand, have shown the ability to enforce their murderous threats - Van Gogh's death being just one example - and this presents a problem. It's one thing to bravely face down an imaginary legion of angry, bloodthirsty Christianists on the rampage. It's quite another to face a real threat that does not quite fit into a preferred political paradigm.

Still ... I doubt that Comedy Central's primary motivation was fear. Even without the threat of Islamist extremism. I think that the pressures of multiculturalism (and the belief that Islam is a useful weapon against Christianity) was behind the self-censorship.