Sunday 18 January 2015

If you insult my mother...

One week ago I wrote here "je ne suis pas Charlie" and the reason for that is that I can't identify myself with people whose idea of humor is to insult others. I can however identify with Pope Francis' joke: "if you insult my mother, I'll punch you". This is obviously a joke because the Christianity has been talking about forgiveness for two millenia, has been preaching on offering the other cheek and has presented examples of sainthood in humility. This Pope has been no different from all these and that is why his joke was funny.
However, as my ancestors would say, ridendo castigat mores. Pope Francis' joke tells us something. For religious people to make fun of one religion's is not funny, it's an insult just like the insult to one's mother. I understand Muslim's being insulted by Charlie because I am also offended when Charlie's "humorous" cartoons are on the Catholic Church, Jesus or anything related to my faith. I feel like punching them as well.
The difference between Pope Francis' or me and a terrorist is that we don't punch. We forgive. And with some pain offer the other cheek... But that is not to say that we don't feel insulted and grieved.

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