Saturday, September 15, 2012

All OK here in Juba

     I've received a couple of emails regarding conditions in Juba in the aftermath of the anti-Muslin video and the violence it has spawned throughout the Arab world.

     First, I want to assure everyone that I'm fine and there are no protests or demonstrations of any kind occurring in Juba as far as I know.  The percentage of Muslins here, though significant, is still small and I would fear more for their safety than anyone else's were a demonstration to get out of hand.  I don't know what the main subject was at yesterday's prayers at the mosques in Juba, but no one took to the streets afterwards in protest.

     I have not seen the video, have no desire to do so and don't even know many details about it other than it has certainly has caused a lot of tragedy.  The worst of all was the killing of the US Ambassador and other staff in Libya.  Anytime adherents of a faith engage in killing it means they have failed the first tenent of belief in any faith which is protecting the sanctity of life.  There is simply no excuse for such violence.  One of the most worrying to me also is that the film has somehow been tied to followers of the Coptic faith in Egypt.  Violence against Copts in Egypt has been common and I'm afraid this will spark another wave.

    I do remember twenty years ago the protests in the US when someone displayed as art a crucifix in urine and some other pretty bad images.  Many American Christians demonstrated publicly against such images, it offended them deeply.  While we can in no way condone the violence that has been committed, we can at least sympathize with their anger at any images which offend their faith as well.

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