A controversial movie denigrating the Muslim faith has people in an uproar across the globe, as riots have broken out in many Islamic nations, attacking American embassies and killing a U.S. ambassador in Libya.
The film, “The Innocence of Muslims,” has drawn ire from Muslims for its negative portrayal of Muhammad, the prophet with a central role in the world’s second-largest religion.
While there has been no violence in this country, where the film originated from a Coptic Christian and a Florida pastor known for burning the Koran, the movie trailer has nevertheless sparked a conversation on freedom of speech and social responsibility.
With the trailer available to watch on YouTube — the online video service has refused to take the clip down, citing First Amendment protection for the film’s reported portrayal of Muhammad as a homosexual child abuser and religious fraud — the conversation on the film has even reached Walton County, where the balance between free speech and religious reverence is uneasy for many people.
“Everyone’s got the right to their own opinions,” said Rhonda Pannell, of Monroe. “But I don’t think a religion should be mocked. I think the movie should probably be pulled down from the website.”
Traci Brown, of Monroe, said the film crosses a line in attacking Islam and criticized the director for creating negative feelings among Muslims toward the U.S.
“We have freedom of speech,” Brown said. “But people should think first. We know it will bring anger toward the U.S.”
Not everyone feels the movie should be removed, though, and several religious leaders in the area said it was important to keep freedom of speech inviolate no matter what’s involved.
“We live in a country where one of our strongest values is free speech,” said the Rev. Foley Beach, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the South and rector of Holy Cross Anglican Church in Loganville. “As vile and inappropriate as the video is, this is one of the tenets of who we are as a free people. I remember a few years ago that there was an art exhibit with the crucified Jesus in urine. I found it sick and quite offensive. Christians didn’t riot and kill people. We protested and prayed for the people who would do such a thing.”
Father Dan Toof, pastor at St. Anna’s Catholic Church in Monroe, condemned the movie but refused to consider censorship at the proper action to take.
“My response to the producer of the incendiary video and the inflamed Muslims around the world is ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will,’” Toof said. “I am suggesting that people who maliciously incite others to violence as well as those allowing themselves to be incited do not give glory to God nor are they people of good will. Americans have access to ‘art’ — some publicly funded — movies and comedy routines that maliciously offend Christians. Yet the lives of the ‘artists’ are not threatened by angry mobs. I think any and all limits to free speech should apply to all religions equally.”
Daniel Ferguson, of Monroe, said he went on YouTube and watched the trailer clip from the movie after hearing about it on the news. Yet while he admitted it appeared to be a terrible film with a foul message, he said the reaction from the Middle East was not warranted.
“I don’t think it justifies murder,” Ferguson said. “Islam talks about being peaceful and then takes revenge for things like this by killing.”
Ferguson was more ambivalent about what to do about the movie.
“It’s hard to balance between freedom of speech and offensive speech,” Ferguson said. “But I think we might have to pull it down and appease the world, since we’re the ones who police everything worldwide.”
But Ferguson, and others, wasn’t entirely comfortable with his own argument, adding it was tough to find the right mix between keeping the peace and protecting First Amendment rights.
“It’s a fine line,” Ferguson said.
The film, “The Innocence of Muslims,” has drawn ire from Muslims for its negative portrayal of Muhammad, the prophet with a central role in the world’s second-largest religion.
While there has been no violence in this country, where the film originated from a Coptic Christian and a Florida pastor known for burning the Koran, the movie trailer has nevertheless sparked a conversation on freedom of speech and social responsibility.
With the trailer available to watch on YouTube — the online video service has refused to take the clip down, citing First Amendment protection for the film’s reported portrayal of Muhammad as a homosexual child abuser and religious fraud — the conversation on the film has even reached Walton County, where the balance between free speech and religious reverence is uneasy for many people.
“Everyone’s got the right to their own opinions,” said Rhonda Pannell, of Monroe. “But I don’t think a religion should be mocked. I think the movie should probably be pulled down from the website.”
Traci Brown, of Monroe, said the film crosses a line in attacking Islam and criticized the director for creating negative feelings among Muslims toward the U.S.
“We have freedom of speech,” Brown said. “But people should think first. We know it will bring anger toward the U.S.”
Not everyone feels the movie should be removed, though, and several religious leaders in the area said it was important to keep freedom of speech inviolate no matter what’s involved.
“We live in a country where one of our strongest values is free speech,” said the Rev. Foley Beach, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the South and rector of Holy Cross Anglican Church in Loganville. “As vile and inappropriate as the video is, this is one of the tenets of who we are as a free people. I remember a few years ago that there was an art exhibit with the crucified Jesus in urine. I found it sick and quite offensive. Christians didn’t riot and kill people. We protested and prayed for the people who would do such a thing.”
Father Dan Toof, pastor at St. Anna’s Catholic Church in Monroe, condemned the movie but refused to consider censorship at the proper action to take.
“My response to the producer of the incendiary video and the inflamed Muslims around the world is ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will,’” Toof said. “I am suggesting that people who maliciously incite others to violence as well as those allowing themselves to be incited do not give glory to God nor are they people of good will. Americans have access to ‘art’ — some publicly funded — movies and comedy routines that maliciously offend Christians. Yet the lives of the ‘artists’ are not threatened by angry mobs. I think any and all limits to free speech should apply to all religions equally.”
Daniel Ferguson, of Monroe, said he went on YouTube and watched the trailer clip from the movie after hearing about it on the news. Yet while he admitted it appeared to be a terrible film with a foul message, he said the reaction from the Middle East was not warranted.
“I don’t think it justifies murder,” Ferguson said. “Islam talks about being peaceful and then takes revenge for things like this by killing.”
Ferguson was more ambivalent about what to do about the movie.
“It’s hard to balance between freedom of speech and offensive speech,” Ferguson said. “But I think we might have to pull it down and appease the world, since we’re the ones who police everything worldwide.”
But Ferguson, and others, wasn’t entirely comfortable with his own argument, adding it was tough to find the right mix between keeping the peace and protecting First Amendment rights.
“It’s a fine line,” Ferguson said.