Why the protests are wrong against “YouTube video - ‘Innocence of Muslims.’”

Top 10 Reasons

By Sam S.  Nath

There are ongoing protests over an anti-Islam You Tube Video- ‘Innocence of Muslims’ and western interests are being targeted by protestors daily.  There is real fear that the protests will keep widening and more loss of life and property  will continue to our dismay.  While the video is made in poor taste and the hurt feelings of many Muslims can be understood, there is no justification for violent demonstrations against a stupid video made in poor taste and giving power to a tasteless YouTube video.

Alas, the protestors are acting against their own self interests. They are giving power to a video made by possibly by a criminal; with no apparent support from any institution.  The only justification to protest against US interest is given that US supports the people behind the video

US is always stands for religious freedom and also for individual freedom.  While some culture may not get it, in USA, people can do lot of things and government cannot stop them.  Here government honors its constitutions rights of people’s expression of freedom. People can call names to their president, pope, church and even Jesus Christ and not get arrested.  In fact, there are books written to claim that Jesus was married and instead of protests, these sell to become best seller books. Here some people believe that pope is representative of Jesus and some believe that he is Satan. People with both beliefs can co-exist, as these are only beliefs.  A respect for life and freedom trumpets insult to religion, pope or even Jesus.

An Obscure film that nobody would have found interest, now (thanks to protests) has become sensation for everyone.  If the reasons for protests against the video are to stop the video, then here are the 10 top reasons to stop protesting.

1)      It’s Giving Power to a stupid Video.

When you protest against an insignificant video, you are giving it power by making it mean something and significant.  The Video is crapp and should have been just  ignored. The video would have no power and zero impact if the protests in the Muslim world had not started.

2)      You are barking at wrong tree.

 The protest against US embassy and Western interests are meaningless as they did not create or support the video.  In fact, they can help in the cause of protestors; if protestors would  have worked with West as an  ally; to stop the propagation of the video.  Trust me, no one in the West is supporting this video.  We did not even know about it, till the protest started.

3)      You are proving the point

If the message of the video is that Islam is intolerant, you are exactly proving their point by protesting and showing intolerance to the video.  It does not mean you have to accept the video but the right thing to do is to ignore.

4)      The protest against US embassy and western interests are meaningless as they did not create or support the video.  In fact, they can help in the cause of protestors; if  they would  have worked with West as ally and not as enemy to stop the propagation of the video.  Trust me, no one in the West is supporting this video.

5)      One Wrong does not make the other wrong right

Lets face is, there are people who will not agree withus and have done worng by producing the viedeo.  But, the violence by protestors does not get justified and the lossof life is not acceptable.

6)      You are fueling the fire

A month back, almost no one knew about this video. After attack on US embassy and other protests against the video, it has got millions of hits Why provide free publicity to the video that should have been left in the dust bin..

7)      It is meaningless and insignificant:

God does not care if anyone insults him. He is above all criticism.  If someone tries to spit on Sun, it comes back to the person. We do not need to defend Sun.   Mohammad had told not to create his image, and so he cannot be depicted by an image. There is no use in giving power to a stupid video that nobody would have seen anyhow. I believe Mohammad is too great to be bothered by a video.  It is like a mouse screaming at an elephant, the elephant won’t even notice the mouse.

8)      Religion does not need protection.

I think we should give us the belief that religion needs protection. The religion protects the people. Religion in its true forms is a set of values and like gravity, the values exist regards of opinion of others.  We never need to protect gravity, we just need to respect its impacts. The eternal truth exist regardless of many denials or insults.  Protest reflects our inner insecurities and frustration.  Religion does not need to be protected by anyone.  Actually, God does not need protection- only humans do.

9)      Let God do the justice

God is omnipotent and can do justice if needed. If these guys are really doing wrong, then they can run but not hide for very long. After all, It is up to God to decide if they will go in hell or have an eternal life.

10)  IT is against self Interest of Muslims.

Muslim lose their own assets during  protests as the  property that belongs to the public. If innocent people are killed during protests, you have violated principle of Quran – ‘loss of one life is loss of humanity.’ You really can not convince people to respect you by protest but by dialogue and sharing of values.  Next time when you get angry, look inside to see what expectation of yours is not being fulfilled.  It is not about religion or God or insults, but some of our own unfulfilled expectations that need transformation,

I have lived and travelled three continents and can understand why  people can get outraged over a video, but what is really heart breaking is that the leaders of Mulsim world are fanning the fire.   Hamid Karzai, President of Afganistan  issued this inflammatory statement: “The office of the president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan strongly and resolutely denounces this desecrating act and declares its serious abhorrence in the face of such an insult. Prophet Mohammed … was the greatest prophet of Islam, a prophet sent to guide mankind, a pacifist and a promoter of truth and honesty in the universe. In fact, insult to the greatest Prophet of Islam means insult to high values of 1.5 billion Muslims across the world. This offensive act has stoked interfaith enmity and confrontation and badly impacted the peaceful coexistence between human being….”

The leaders fuel the fire by linking the video to insult of Muslims and encourage them to come to street and protest.  These leaders know better and could have taken high road of ignoring the meaningless video and asked people to stay above the fray.  Hope next time, our US leaders will request from Muslim leaders to stop inciting crowds for their own selfish gain.

 Eventually, we all will learn that we all are part of same humanity and loss of one life is loss for whole humanity. No one can really insult us until we give power to their words and actions.  Our God is not better than their God and insult to God is not our insult.  In fact, our God can never be insulted and so we can never be insulted.

We would have never heard of a Danish Cartoonist but for the protest against his cartoons. While I condemn the film and get the impact and hurt it caused to many Muslims, I do not see any justification to protest against such moron you tube piece.  Let’s throw it where it really belongs- Garbage bin.

So lets stop the protest and start building a community full of love and peace.

Sam S. Nath is author of the book “The second coming of Da Vinci – Real Lost Symbols of Bible.” The book is creating a Game that all Faith Unite in Love.

www.secondcomingofdavinci.com