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The doggy bag will never catch on in Paris Cycling trip a great way to see Vietnam and Cambodia Life Cycling trip a great way to see Vietnam and Cambodia Sections * Film * Music * Books * Pipe Band Digest * Stage * Irish language Stories Tá bliain chorraitheach chinniúnach roimh Fhorbairt Feirste Irish language Tá bliain chorraitheach chinniúnach roimh Fhorbairt Feirste Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level Arts Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level Cult Movie: Day Of The Outlaw as much noir as Western Film Cult Movie: Day Of The Outlaw as much noir as Western Oscars 2016 - Ten great Irish Oscar moments Film Oscars 2016 - Ten great Irish Oscar moments Sections * Family Notices * Lives Remembered Stories Cocktail king Joe Gilmore, Belfast's barman to the stars Lives Remembered Cocktail king Joe Gilmore, Belfast's barman to the stars Lord Erne of Crom Castle was popular figure in Fermanagh Lives Remembered Lord Erne of Crom Castle was popular figure in Fermanagh ‘My brother loved to entertain with his music' Lives Remembered ‘My brother loved to entertain with his music' Falls Road artist was grand old man of sci-fi's golden age Notices Falls Road artist was grand old man of sci-fi's golden age Sections * Letters to the Editor * Leading article * Cartoons * Columnists Stories Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme Columnists Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme Election-mode Arlene Foster in old-school reshuffle Columnists Election-mode Arlene Foster in old-school reshuffle Cologne attacks highlight push to extremes Columnists Cologne attacks highlight push to extremes Time for a genuine Fresh Start at Stormont Leading article Time for a genuine Fresh Start at Stormont Sections * Photo of the Day * Graduation pictures * Picture galleries * Video diaries Stories Belfast Zoo animals enjoy the snow Picture Galleries Belfast Zoo animals enjoy the snow New Year celebrations from around the world Picture Galleries New Year celebrations from around the world Storm Frank lashes Ireland Picture Galleries Storm Frank lashes Ireland Harland & Wolff Welders win the Steel & Sons Cup 2015 Picture Galleries Harland & Wolff Welders win the Steel & Sons Cup 2015 (BUTTON) Irishnews Logo (BUTTON) * Login User / Logout * Subscriptions * Home * Today's paper * News Sections + Back + Northern Ireland news + UK News + Republic of Ireland news + World news + Political news + Education news + Healthcare news + Nama + Refugee Crisis * Sport Sections + Back + GAA Football + GAA Fixtures + Club Call + Hurling and camogie + Soccer + Boxing + Rugby + Golf + Athletics + Off The Fence + Racing + Opinion + Other Sports * Business Sections + Back + July Budget + Business news + Economics + Personal finance + Business columnists + Business Insight + Markets * Life Sections + Back + Family and Parenting + Property + Holidays & Travel + Fashion & Beauty + Motors/drive + Food & drink + Celebrity + Gardening + Environment + Health + Faith Matters + TV and Radio * Arts Sections + Back + Film + Music + Books + Pipe Band Digest + Stage + Irish language * Notices Sections + Back + Family Notices + Lives Remembered * Opinion Sections + Back + Letters to the Editor + Leading article + Cartoons + Columnists * Puzzles * Photos Sections + Back + Photo of the Day + Graduation pictures + Picture galleries + Video diaries * Our journalists * Horoscopes ____________________ (BUTTON) Search (BUTTON) Opinion Culture, race, religion blur the lines of satire * * * * * Patrick Murphy 17 January, 2015 00:00 ALTHOUGH the mourning in France is not yet over, the significance of recent events there is beginning to emerge. While the main focus has been on the unfolding story of human tragedy and the reaction to it, explaining it all requires a more complex narrative. It is a narrative which is familiar to us in this country. It includes at least three possible areas of explanation: the role of religion in European society, the cultural challenges in post-imperial countries such as Britain and France and the West's inconsistent attitude towards political violence. Although there is still strong religious practice in some countries, Europe is rapidly becoming a post-Christian, secular society. In the Diocese of Down and Connor, for example, only one in five currently attend Sunday Mass. In France, 40 per cent of people do not believe in God. Sixty years ago there were about 40,000 priests in the country. Now there are about 9,000. However, as Christianity declines in Europe, Islam is growing. The aftermath of colonialism has created Muslim minorities in Britain (five per cent) and France (possibly up to 10 per cent). Islam (both cultural and religious) plays a huge part in the lives of these minorities, which sometimes leaves them at odds with their increasingly secular neighbours. Guidelines from the Quran, for example, suggest that Islamic humour should tell the truth, not be offensive and not contain unIslamic material. That would appear to leave little room for the French and British traditions of satire, which include organised religion among their many subjects. It is therefore insulting to Muslims to satirise the prophet Mohammed. To depict him in human form is seen as heresy. All rather medieval, you might think, until you realise that blasphemy is still a crime in Ireland - although the government has promised a referendum on its repeal. The explanation of the Paris killings as mere terrorism is therefore a bit simplistic - and, in some quarters, inconsistent. Yes, it was terrorism and it was wrong, but how more wrong was it than Tony Blair's illegal invasion of Iraq, which led to the killing of an estimated 150,000 civilians since 2003? Up to 20,000 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan since Britain and America invaded in 2001 - an unknown number by British and US forces. In May 2009, for example, 140 civilians were killed when three Afghan villages were destroyed in a US bombing raid. Ninety three of those killed were children. Ministry of Defence figures show that the British Army has killed 186 innocent civilians in Afghanistan. The average compensation paid to the bereaved families was £3000. Terrorism is not confined to some Muslims. We can self-righteously point out the inconsistency of a British prime minister protesting against terrorism, marching alongside an Irish Taoiseach who has facilitated refuelling US planes flying to and from Iraq and Afghanistan. We might find less reassurance in other inconsistencies nearer home, where we have our own history of trying to silence the media. In 1971 the Provisional IRA blew up the Daily Mirror's printing plant in Dunmurry. No one held up banners reading "I am the Daily Mirror". Journalist Jim Campbell was wounded in a UVF attack in 1984. His colleague, Martin O'Hagan was killed by loyalists in 2001. No British prime minister marched in protest. The British government's response to its killing of civilians on Bloody Sunday was to cover it up. What was our reaction to the Kingsmill massacre or the Shankill Butchers? We are not so far removed from medieval terrorism ourselves. One reason for the emergence from our past was the role of the media, which reported the facts and fearlessly offered comment and opinion. It is a role which still draws criticism from some in Stormont. Cartoonists (and columnists) make little change to society. They merely offer a perspective as a reference point for others to locate and define their own opinions. Satire is one approach to comment, but there is a fine line between satire and insult. Cultural, racial and religious sensitivities can often blur that line. Some, like the producers of Charlie Hebdo, argue that there should be no limits to satire. Others, in this country for example, believe that the line should be drawn at a proposal to produce a satirical television series on the Irish Famine. Every society has its own limits on freedom of speech. In the absence of universal agreement on what those limits are, one society's comment will remain another society's insult. It is a problem which will not be solved by violence. * * * * * 17 January, 2015 00:00 Opinion More in Opinion Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme Election-mode Arlene Foster in old-school reshuffle Election-mode Arlene Foster in old-school reshuffle Cologne attacks highlight push to extremes Cologne attacks highlight push to extremes Most Read * Beware of tax on gifting property to family members * Increase in babies born with 'tongue-tie' * Diagnosing Dyspraxia in your child * Irishman in breastfeeding London Underground row Today's horoscope Horoscope __________________________________________________________________ See a different horoscope: [Select sign] Stay connected Get the day's headlines delivered directly to your inbox ____________________ (BUTTON) Sign Up __________________________________________________________________ Sections News PSNI 'hasn't acted on Lisa Dorrian burial information' 1. PSNI 'hasn't acted on Lisa Dorrian burial information' 2. Families question delays in charging 'Stakeknife' Life Cycling trip a great way to see Vietnam and Cambodia 1. Cycling trip a great way to see Vietnam and Cambodia 2. Cairn Wood: Battle to save amenity from being sold off Business ‘The Jungle' named ‘thrilling' at Outdoor NI Awards 1. ‘The Jungle' named ‘thrilling' at Outdoor NI Awards 2. Northern Ireland's top buildings come under the spotlight Arts Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level 1. Raquel Pelzel has just the recipe for taking toast to the next level 2. Catch up with: The X-Files on Amazon Prime Columnists Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme 1. Arlene Foster right on Easter Rising and the Somme 2. Election-mode Arlene Foster in old-school reshuffle Sport Ross McGowan leads Joburg Open at the halfway point 1. Ross McGowan leads Joburg Open at the halfway point 2. 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