No one could fail to be moved by the amazing scenes in Paris as tens of
thousands of people, including many world leaders, expressed their solidarity
with the victims of the terrorist attack on Charlie Ebdo. It seemed to be one of those moments
when people of all political and
religious persuasions were united in a common concern for freedom of speech. And yet it wasn’t long before other
other voices began to be heard.
One Muslim woman said that she deplored the Charlie Ebdo murders but she
was nonetheless deeply offended by the way her faith had been insulted by the
magazine. ‘For that reason’,
she said: ‘I am not Charlie.’
Other Muslims took a similar line, especially when the cover of first edition
of Charlie Ebdo after the murders carried a cartoon of the prophet
Mohammed. Some seemed to
think this was a missed opportunity.
The vast majority of Muslims were horrified by the attacks and wanted to
be part of the general condemnation but were alienated by this lack of consideration for their
beliefs.
Then there was a voice from Africa. Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Nigeria pointed out that Boko
Haram has killed thousands of people in his country with many more displaced
and with an uncertain future. He
commended the spirit of Paris but appealed for that same spirit to be spread
around when attacks happen in Nigeria, in Niger or in Cameroun. On his
Facebook page, Hollywood actor Boris Kodjoe congratulated the world
leaders for taking part in the Paris march and asked “can somebody tell me why
nobody is marching for those [Nigerian] victims? Any world leaders planning a
trip to Lagos or Abuja this week? Too Busy? Bad flight connections?”
It all comes together to emphasise that on political
and moral issues it is almost impossible to find consensus. Something that seems straightforward to
me is problematic to someone else.
I am writing this on 19 January, Martin Luther King Day. Today he is generally regarded as a
great champion of human rights but there was significant opposition to his
drive to secure equality for the African-American community in the United
States. To some people, many in
high places, he was a threat to a status quo that suited them very well.
This does not mean that we should hold back on the
issues that are important to us.
In the end, however, we have to find a way to live together, in
disagreement perhaps, but without threats to life and liberty, and sensitive to
the feelings of others. The
Apostle Paul once wrote:
‘Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves.
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the
interests of others.’
If I am to put this into
practise then it means an openness to others, no matter where they are coming
from politically or spiritually, in the hope that in mutual understanding and
respect we can live in peace.
To quote Martin Luther King: ‘With this faith we will be able to
transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of
brotherhood.’
