Hello all!
It's been an eventful few weeks, and thank you all for the messages of support you have sent through - it has meant a lot.
That's all I will say about that though! What I really wanted to do was share this video of a sweeeeet panel session I did at 'All About Women' a couple of weeks ago with two other amazing writers, Lindy West and Van Badham. Check it out below!
What do you reckon?
Enjoy your week folks!
On the 7th of November, I had the honour of debating with the likes of Julian Burnside, Uthman Badar and Thomas Keneally on a pretty interesting topic: whether God and His Prophets should be protected against insult.
I was pretty nervous and excited about the affair, as can be seen in blog posts here prior to the event.
The debated was screened on BBC World to an audience of about 70 million on the last weekend of November, and you can check out the video here.
This is the transcript of the speech...
***
God / The All-Compassionate / The All-Merciful / The Source of Peace / The Creator / The Maker of Order / The Shaper of Beauty The Forgiving / The Knowing of All…
And then we have us. Flawed, fallible, full of passion and fire, and so very…human.
How can we deign to think that we – the creatures that we are – should protect God from insult?
Good evening ladies and gentlemen
The topic we have before us today is ‘that God and His Prophets should be protected against insult’.
Tom Keneally and I effectively are arguing against this hypothesis. From a definitional point of view, the topic is understood as follows:
‘God’, in monotheistic religions, is taken to mean ‘the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being’.
The word is also sometimes used for emphasis to express a particular emotion, such as “God, what happened here?!” although that is not always approved by everybody.
‘Prophet’ is ‘a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God’.
‘Should’ is used to indicate obligation or duty.
‘Protect’ is to keep safe from harm or injury.
‘Insult’, in its noun form, is a disrespectful or scornful remark.
***
There are a couple of interesting questions that this topic raises.
What (or who) deserves our protection, as individuals and as society? Should we be protected only from things that will harm or things that have the potential to cause harm?
On the other hand when it comes to insult it must be asked: Is freedom, or freedom of speech absolute? It clearly isn’t, as the existence of laws, rules and regulations mean that there are levels of restrictions on what we can and cannot express.
What is the difference between freedom of speech and expression, and the allowance for insult or incitement of hatred? What is the difference between the two? If freedoms are not actually absolute but do come with restrictions, what limits do we have? Who upholds these limits? How does freedom fit around the concepts of responsibility and society?
***
Tom and I will be tackling this topic from different perspectives.
I will address three arguments.
Firstly, I will posit that God, as a supreme being, does not require the protection of mere humans to protect Him from any harm or injury. Where the damage is being inflicted is on the followers, and so protection, if any, is more about the practitioners of the religion. Furthermore, if God is known to be above insult, then what is the anger really about? It is there something else going on?
Secondly, I will argue that freedom of expression is important to sustain a functioning, thriving, growing society and that said freedom is protected within religions. This does however, come with important caveats if we are to live in a functioning civilisation.
Thirdly, I will wrap up by addressing violence as a response to insult. This is unequivocally unacceptable, although perhaps unfortunately, understandable. I will humbly suggest that the end does not justify the means, and that in any response to insult, the best examples should be followed.
Tom will then continue by talking about how the concepts of blasphemy and sacrilege, and punishments for them, are not viable in a ‘free speech’ society and how mutual respect is the only ultimate guarantee of respect for God and the Prophets.
***
The concept of ‘protection’ brings to mind a dynamic whereby the strong protect the weak and those with power protect the powerless. Do we honestly think that we can protect God and His Prophets? For the insult to be incitement to hatred and beyond, the recipient would be harmed by it. God and His Prophets are surely above our mere words…
So what is going on here then, beneath the anger at an insult?
When people stand against insult, mockery and derision of God and His Prophets it is unlikely due to the fact that they think the words will cause harm or injury directly. It is more likely a reflection of the pain they have felt due to what they love and revere being treated with contempt and ridicule.
Mockery and derision are manifestations of a disrespect and a lack of sensitivity. God and His Prophets shouldn’t necessarily be ‘protected’ themselves, rather, we should focus as a society on respecting people, as we are the ones who feel the pain and hurt. If we are to live in a civilised society, a level of respect towards what others deem sacred is critical.
There is also the added factor of where the insult is coming from and its intent. Reactions in the Muslim community, for example, that may seem disproportionate may be exacerbated by what some regard as worsening attitude towards Muslims by, dare I say it, the West. That frustration may manifest itself in a grievance towards free speech.
What is it we are trying to achieve? If it is a civilised society where we all respect one another’s sacred beliefs, is the any protection truly going to be the key or will it be a band aid forcing attitudes underground?
***
My second point touches on the universal concept of freedoms, and more specifically, freedom of speech and expression.
It’s a freedom that cannot be understated, and it is enshrined in the Universal declaration of Human rights, in article 19. It is why we are able to be here and I am able to have this debate.
There is danger is presenting religion and free speech as mutually exclusive, as incompatible. Without freedom of expression, which is a bedrock of democracy, open discussion of ideas becomes difficult.
However, if an insult comes with an intent to incite hatred then it moves out of the realm of simple freedom of speech. I would argue that incitement to hatred is a different beast altogether. That’s not an insult, it is a vindictive act driven by altogether sinister motivations.
Freedom of expression comes with a level of personal responsibility. We are all individually responsible for our intentions, choices, sayings and actions in the community that we live in.
There shouldn’t be a need for protection because individuals who practice free speech should bear the responsibilities of their expression.
***
With that, I come to my third point.
I believe we should follow the examples of those who lived their lives with virtue. It may not be surprising to find that such figures, such as the Prophet Mohammed, did not demand protection from insult.
On the contrary, he was insulted and abused often in his life.
He never responded to these events with violence. In fact, he often did the opposite.
There is one particular example that I enjoy.
God sent the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet after what we shall call a particularly bad day.
'Muhammad! Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) has heard what your people have said to you. I am the Angel of the Mountains and my Lord has sent me to you to carry out your orders. What do you want now to be done? If you like I may crush them between the two mountains encircling the city of Makka.
The Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) replied with this:
(I do not want their destruction) I am still hopeful …
So those who have used violence in order to ‘protect’ the Prophet cannot say they were following the example of the very man they model their life on.
***
Ultimately, ladies and gentlemen, God and the Prophets are surely above our insults. They, if you will, transcend the limitations of humanity and the mere concept of us being able to protect them is irrational.
Furthermore, the concepts of free speech and freedom of expression are extremely important to a functioning democracy, so that ideas can be exchanged and built upon. It should always be remembered though that with the right to freedoms does come some level of personal responsibility.
Moreover, violence is an unacceptable form of protection in any situation, particularly when it comes to religion and spirituality. So even in the face of insult, which may be hurtful and derogatory, we would do well to respond in the best way possible, not only in the interests of civilisation but in the interests of showing the best sides of what faith can provide.
***
16:125 Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best…
Reflection
Check out my reflections on the event here!
What are your thoughts?
Cheers,
Yassmin Abdel-Magied
The past couple of days have been interesting indeed. Having watched the rise of the Arab spring through TV sets from the beginning of last year, I had always lamented "not being there" and getting involved. The thought of history being made in "my" part of the world while I was in another country simply watching frustrated me -- I itched to do something.
It is fortunate (or ironic) then that in my last few weeks in Sudan, people have taken to the streets responding to the recent hikes in costs. What started as small scale protests in the University of Khartoum (by mostly women students actually) has now spread throughout the main city...
http://youtu.be/4k7jHObBQds
(Updates can be found on twitter under the #SudanRevolts hashtag or here)
Here is my chance! I thought immediately, when I started to hear the news and the rumblings on the streets...
Here is my opportunity to be a part of something that could actually make a tangible difference.
Yeh. I (to the dismay of family and friends) am the kind of person who walks toward a fight rather than away from it, so I can find out what is going on and see if I can help. Like a moth to the fire, I was drawn towards the drama, the intoxicating call for change that I had so desperately sought during my time here.
I posted on facebook, consulted with family, starting mentally critically analysing what was going on, glued to my phone and laptop with innumerable twitter/facebook/google reader/blog tabs open, trying to figure out what was happening and where things needed to be done...
I had a number of friends and family members give me various pieces of advice over the last few days; some said to "stay sharp, courageous and keep writing/getting involved", some cautioned me to stay safe, and a couple (some of whom had lived in developing countries) suggested that I get the hell out and pick my battles wisely.
...and at about Fajr this morning (around sunrise), after I had spent hours crafting Arabic posts to add to the Girifna (rough translation: "We are disgusted/We have had enough") facebook site, the main opposition to the ruling NCP, something occurred to me. Perhaps this was one of those cases where I should listen to the sage advice of those around me.
Reading the posts and comments and seeing the videos, it is clear that there is a lack of real direction, and that people needed organisation and support from a long term strategy point of view... but am I the best placed person to provide that? I guess the fact that it takes me half an hour to read a long post in Arabic (my proficiency in proper Arabic still requires some practice) when these were protests and discussions being conducted in Arabic was one of the indicators that perhaps not.
Moreover, I am going home rather soon...and I want to be able to actually leave the country. If I get involved in activities that are likely to get me arrested or detained and I don't have the support of a party or group, it is unlikely I would find my way out easily and if I did, coming back into the country safely would be nigh impossible.
The thing that did encourage me though was that there were people talking about the very ideas I was suggesting; organising protests, making sure things weren't destroyed etc. What is still missing is the talk of an alternative and a long term strategy... but who is going to trust a random newcomer talking about long term strategy?
Even to me that sounds suspicious: with everyone looking over their shoulder for the NISS (the national security forces), I can understand why organisers didn't jump at the opportunity to bring me into the fold.
This doesn't mean that I am giving up (ugh, what a negatively loaded phrase), I think this is a case of picking my battles. Perhaps what I can do is write rather than march recklessly, raising awareness for those outside the loop, perhaps an information relay rather than an organiser. It doesn't seem like much, and it is galling for me to be here while all this is happening and not out on the street making my voice heard... but it is a case of recognising that there are more effective ways of making my voice heard and contributing to the conversation.
Like the engineer that I am, I think I will focus on efficiency rather than pure brute force: trying to add to the conversation intelligently rather than just add noise, provide a different perspective and different level of analysis and see if perhaps there are others there that are interesting looking at how sustainable, long term change can be established from the current happenings.
It is the responsibility of the educated to translate the cries of the people into something more than just destruction and the statement of frustration -- otherwise money, livelihood and eventually lives will be lost in vain.
If I go out on the street, I am just one more dispensable Sudanese life to the NISS.
After all, as a few friends said: I'm probably more useful alive than missing, or dead.
Some links:
Sudan inches closer to an Arab Spring (apparently)
Sudan Revolts Twitter Feed
Check out this awesome TED talk. Interestingly, it is the exact same message that I share when I have speak to groups of students around Australia. I think it is kind of awesome - someone else, on the opposite side of the world (literally) who shares the same message, completely independently... the world is pretty awesome that way. The message itself too, is pretty powerful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVCBrkrFrBE
I often say to people (a little less elegantly than in the video) to not underestimate the impact they can have on the people around them. Drew, in the video, says the same thing and links it to the concept of leadership. He shares a story of how he was told he had affected a woman's life through a very minor action (in fact, she said he changed her life completely), but he didn't even remember that moment!
Isn't it amazing to think that we can have the power to change the lives of the people around us by the smallest actions or words... and by doing so, in essence change their world, our world, the world? Because, as Drew says in the video -- there is no world, just six billion understandings of it.
What is one of my lollipop moments?
I remember when I was about eleven years old, I entered my first ever public speaking competition, at around the same time I was asked to speak at my grade seven's graduation ceremony.
If memory serves me correctly, I spoke at the ceremony before the public speaking comp. My parents recorded the speech and when we went home to watch it, we couldn't stop laughing...
Throughout the entire speech, I was reading from the paper on the lectern, which was fine. However, I was trying to add flair to the delivery, so I would change my facial expressions with the words. What I didn't realise though, was all that people could see were my eyebrows. So for about 5 minutes of speech, all people could see and hear was an eleven year old reading from a piece of paper with eyebrows that were going crazy -- up, down, frowning, left, right, surprised...my eyebrows pretty much looked liked shrimp being fried -- jumping around all over my forehead. I was mortified. I was never going to able to be a decent public speaker with such ridiculous eyebrows...
My mother continues to retell this story until today.
Nonetheless, with my ego firmly in check and my speech written on "the issue of obesity" (I was worried about great things as an eleven year old), I presented at the public speaking competition a little while later.
It was nerve wracking as all hell. I spoke too fast, stumbled over words and did my best, but my best wasn't quite enough. I didn't make it to the next round.
When I went to the judge for feedback though, she was in a rush, but said something very quick... and told me something I would never forget.
"Yassmin, you still have a way to go. But realise, you have a voice that people want to listen to. You can convince anyone of anything. So use that"
...and with that, she walked away.
I took that in, and haven't forgotten her words since.
The lady probably doesn't even remember who I am. I don't think I even remember her name to be honest. But those words convinced me to give it another go, and alhamdulilah, now? Well, I quite enjoy public speaking and making presentations and do so on a regular basis. The thing is, I would have probably given up if it hadn't been for a few words of a harried judge on a Thursday night in the early 2000's.
I sometimes wish I could thank her, and show her how much her words made a difference, show her that she really has changed the world in a way.
I guess that for me, reinforces the fact that we can have a huge affect on the people around us, without even realising it - and without it being an enormous deal or action.
So what about you, what is your lollipop moment? Have you ever had a lollipop moment happen to you, or been thanked for creating a lollipop moment for someone else?
