Do you agree with Turkey's attack on anyone who says anything against religion?

Question

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/11/28/dawkins.turkey.ap/index.html

hayaa_bi_taqwa: You can't compare questioning religion to questioning the Holocaust. The is ample proof for the holocaust including people still alive who have lived through it, but not a shred of evidence for the claims of Islam, Christianity or any other religion.

he who can not sleep:

If freedom of expressionis your point you'll be frothing at the mouth if you read The GodDelusion. One of Richard Dawkins' main points is that it is wrong to brainwash children with ideas about religion.

On the other hand, the 911 terrorists and most others did what they did because of dumb ideas in their heads. So let Germans go telling each other that the Holocaust is a lie and their country has been victimised by scheming jews and their sympathisers and you'll get what you're asking for - the blind following of a shmuck like Hitler was like the Germans did when they felt victimised after WWI.

Answer 1

No. It's the worst kind of censoring, and people who are afraid of ideas that are different from theirs only show the weakness of their faith.

One of the things that makes the US strong culturally is how we embrace (at least in theory) different ideas and viewpoints. It only strengthens all of us, but some cultures do not recognize that basic psychological truth.

If some fundamentalists have their way, the US would do the same thing tomorrow.

Answer 2

I think it's a restriction on free speech, however these days people don't understand that there's a huge difference between free speech and disrespectful insults. But I haven't read the book, so I can't comment on the material.

But it seems as if they're on the right track of making themselves more Europeanized, lol. In some European countries, you get jailed if you question the Holocaust. Really, what's the difference? Isn't free speech free speech?

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Omen, well then apparently you don't have consideration for free speech. Unless it's Muslims banning it apparently, lol! Maybe you don't know any better, but hypocrisy will definitely come back to bite you in your rear. In due time kidd, in due time.

Answer 3

Of course not. Religious views and anti-religious views should all be allowed. Governments shouldn't promote one religious view over another.

Though, this is expected. Religious people just hate when their precious superstitions are criticized. They really don't want their views to be under any scrutiny.

Note that the probe was launched because the book was considered, by one person, an "assault on sacred values". That phrase "sacred values" means beliefs that they don't want anybody to critique. We're all just supposed to accept them unquestioningly.

What's unfortunate is that similar laws are being pushed by the Religious Right in the US. They have pretty much cow-towed the mass media, who won't say anything against religion no matter what it promotes. It is OK to attack atheists, but say one thing about a "Christian value" or "Jewish value" or even a "Muslim value" and you'll be ostracized. There should be no "sacred values". All ideas should stand on their own under public scrutiny and be allowed to thrive or fade away on their own. If a belief needs government support to survive, it is not much of a belief.

Answer 4

Actually we had a good discussion about religion over thanksgiving dinner. I said several things about how I saw religion as more of a problem than a solution to the worlds problems. The turkey never said a word. It just laid there on the platter.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 5

oh ya... they will fit right in with the EU


I love tis part:
"A Turkish prosecutor has launched a probe into whether a book by best-selling atheist writer Richard Dawkins is an attack on religious values"

Wow, he must be like Sherlock Holmes to solve this mystery... what does he need to probe..the first page. lol that is what it is about


edit:Glitter Girl:

No I don't as it was like a thousand years ago..... what does that have to do with anything


edit2: hayaa_bi...: I agree with you.. The euros equally wrong for their stupid censorship laws in my book

edit3: freedom of expression is the point. If they want to deny the holocaust, no matter how stupid that may be, it is their god given right!

Answer 6

Turkey has had it's negative rule in the past but today I can't say it is a hard line religious state.
I think they have a right to make inquiries on that book which I think is definitely anti religion.The God Delusion is a book filled with gross religious negatives and is very misleading.
That book should be banned. Period.

Answer 7

Should we ban/prosecute anyone who criticises religion? No.

But I think if Dawkins uses sophistry that is designed to trick people into strong atheism, then the book should clearly explain why Dawkins reasoning is bogus. Lest people get tricked into belief.

Answer 8

There's not a lot of room to talk in Turkey, you can't speak out against the government, it's officials, or it's state chosen religion.

Sounds like the perfect place to vacation next summer ;)

Answer 9

The only turkey I want to know about is the one on my dining table after a long roasting in the oven.

Answer 10

Well the Turkeys can say all they want but I'm still going to continue baking one every Thanksgiving and Christmas. They will bake just like in Hell. HA HA HA HA!