WCC deplores Muhammad cartoons.Porto Alegre Porto Alegre Port and city(pop., 2005 est.: city, 1,386,900; metro. area, 3,978,263), southern Brazil. Located along the Guaíba River near the Atlantic Ocean coast, it was founded c. 1742 by immigrants from the Azores. It was first known as Porto dos Casais. , Brazil Brazil (brəzĭl`), Port. Brasil, officially Federative Republic of Brazil, republic (2005 est. pop. 186,113,000), 3,286,470 sq mi (8,511,965 sq km), E South America. (ENI)--The World Council of Churches has deplored the publication of cartoons Many of the cartoons used in this database were obtained from The Cartoon Bank, Dobbs Ferry, NY, which has a huge selection of cartoons on every subject (visit www.cartoonbank.com). caricaturing the Prophet prophet [Gr.,=foreteller], a religious leader and spokesperson, particularly used in the Bible. The prophets emitted messages from the divine through inspired speech, the interpretation of omens and dreams, and the casting of lots and divination. Muhammad, and urged its members to join in non-violent protests with those experiencing attacks on their religion. "Misuse of the right to freedom of speech should be met with non-violent means like critique and expressions of firm disagreement," the WCC's assembly stated in a resolution. It urged its more than 340 member churches and other partners, "to express and demonstrate solidarity to those who are experiencing attacks on their religion and join them in defending the integrity of their faith by non-violent means." The assembly noted, "Freedom of speech is indeed a fundamental human right, which needs to be guaranteed and protected. It is both a right and a responsibility." Still, "By the publication of the cartoons, freedom of speech has been used to cause pain by ridiculing peoples' religion, values and dignity." Muslims across the globe have protested, sometimes violently, against the cartoons which they say are a blasphemy blasphemy, in religion, words or actions that display irreverence toward or contempt for God or that which is held sacred. Blasphemy is regarded as an offense against the community to varying degrees, depending on the extent of the identification of a religion with because they carried an image of Muhammad. |
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