Culture, Not Religion

Steve Chapman has a good article over at RealClearPolitics.com dealing with something that few commentators have noticed regarding the Muhammad-cartoon imbroglio: Generally speaking, Muslims in relatively advanced, free countries have responded without violence to the cartoons, while Muslims in backwards totalitarian states have responded with violence. They're all Muslims, yet their differing cultures seem to determine, to a certain degree, whether their response to the cartoons are violent or not.

While of course the violence is linked to Islam (since the insult was against the prophet Muhammad), it is plainly wrong and prejudiced to say that there is something inherent in Islam which makes people violent. Just as Christianity can be violent or peaceful depending on the cultural values it co-exists with, Muslims react with violence not according to their faith, but according to their level of civilization and tolerance. Link to the story here.