Allow me to react to the letter of Dette Pascual of Iligan City. She bristled against the senseless fanning of religious hatred toward Muslims by the showing of the offensive film, “Innocence of Muslims” at the University of the Philippines. She asked: Where do we draw the line between freedom and responsibility? (Inquirer, 10/3/12)
There has always been a line, but more often than not it has been blurred. In matters of religion, traditionally, it is blasphemy. But then again, who is to say? One’s heresy is another’s creed. The statement “I do not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it,” spoken centuries ago, has continued to gain resonance to this day.
When the movie “The Da Vinci Code” was shown years ago, there was an uproar, a worldwide outrage among Christians who thought it mocked them and attacked their faith in Jesus Christ. But no one went berserk or homicidal. In time, the controversy died down and hardly anyone remembers anymore what the hoopla was all about.
Now, we are reading of Muslims running amuck around the world because they felt the amateurish film insulted them and attacked the prophet Muhammad. In time, too, we will all forget about that pile of sleaze, just as we have already consigned to oblivion all the fuss about Salman Rushdie. But who can bring back the lives of innocent people lost in the wake of their angry protests?
To be sure, the “Da Vinci Code” was eventually dismissed as fictional; the “Innocence of Muslims” is already being laughed out loud as insanely absurd. But see the difference?
Rather than getting all riled up over that stupid film that no one takes seriously anyway, true Muslims should call for tolerance and sobriety among their hotheaded brothers in many parts of the world!
—STEPHEN L. MONSANTO,
Monsanto Law Office,
Loyola Heights, Quezon City,
lexsquare.firm@gmail.com