State of Fear

I have just returned from a visit to the Frankfurt Book Fair. I was wondering how much the recent problems with organized Muslim outrage would infuence the publishing industry. I returned relieved. While there was substantial security, which shows us the times we live in, I saw many books with controversial religious subjects and their publishers told me that they would not accept self-censorship out of fear. Everyone felt that the outrage over the Mohammed caricatures and the Pope statements was nothing else than a try at intimidation. The cancellation of the Mozart Opera in Berlin because of its religious content went too far they agreed.

The subject is relevant for me and my writing. I have lived in the Middle East and seen that in most Muslim countries practicing any other religion puiblicly is forbidden and will cause deportation. Obviously the laws in most democracies see freedom of religious expression as a human right. Therefore we can not do as they do. Good. But I propose that we do not allow citizens of such countries into the West except for visitors visas. Maybe that will cause the moderates of these countries to remain in their homeland and change it for the better, rather than take the easy way out and leave. In most European countries the number of Muslims is now close to 10 percent. While I find such tolerance essential, once in Europe or America they become faithful Muslims again and use our freedom to spread religious intolerance. Is that acceptable?
In the third book of the ‘Spirit in the Quantum Field’ trilogy, named ‘Tartarus’ I am painting a picture of what the world could look like if we let religious intimidation go too far. I would like to hear your perspectives on this subject.

~ by Max J. Pucher on October 7, 2006.