Thoughts and happenings from a life on Malta

http://www.flickr.com/photos/catherinejamieson/

When does the passing of wind by an obscure pastor in Florida result in a bad case of global diarrhoea? It's when the head of a 50-strong(!) religious community - Terry Jones - threatens to burn some books which have 'Koran' for a title.

As one who grew up in an environment where censorship was, and to a lesser degree still is, endemic, I hesitate to censor his burning of the books. He has an opinion to express and though we might want to shout our opposition, we shouldn't shut him up. On the other hand, I have a visceral dislike to seeing the ink of a printed word melting in a bonfire because even this is an attempt at censoring ideas, albeit in a symbolic way. Over the millennia, too many temporal and spiritual dictators have used the element of fire in an attempt to control the minds of the people.

A congregation of fifty speaks and a religion of one billion feels threatened enough to take to the streets and issue counter-threats.

A congregation of fifty speaks and leaders of nations of millions who have far more serious matters to deal with feel obliged to join in the debate.

I've never been one for mathematics so could someone please help me reconcile this unbalanced equation?

This related article might interest you: Religion of Division

Sunday, 29 August 2010. Here are some photoes and clips from the feast of St Julians.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqKb0T06zuc

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n2bg9fMrAU