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Intolerance vs. tolerance
Som alle, der læser Jyllands-Posten eller Tidehverv ved, har den islamiske verden altid med jernhånd forfulgt og undertrykt repræsentanter for andre religioner, særligt jødedommen og kristendommen, mens det kristne Europa altid har udvist eksemplarisk tolerance overfor sine religiøse minoriteter.
En typisk beskrivelse af den islamiske politik overfor religiøse minoriteter (særligt jøder og kristne) fra umayyaderne og frem lyder således:
[The] system of 'protected minorities' is sometimes said to have precedents in the Sasanian Persian empire, but it is more likely to be an extension of the desert practice by which a strong tribe, in return for a consideration, gave 'protection' to a weaker tribe or group, that is, was ready to come to its aid if attacked and to help it to avenge any hurt or loss of life. When a strong tribe had given an undertaking of this kind, it was a matter of honour for it to see that its 'protection' was effective. In the light of this fact it is not surprising that Islamic states have on the whole had an excellent record in respect of the treatment of non-Muslim minorities - it was a matter of honour for them to treat them well!Som kontrast til dette barbari beretter Goethe i sin selvbiografi om den lysende tolerance overfor jøder, han selv kunne opleve i sin ungdoms Frankfurt:
(Citeret fra W. Montgomery Watt: The Majesty that was Islam, Sidgwick & Jackson 1974, s. 47).
Among the things which excited the misgivings of the boy, and even of the youth, was especially the state of the Jewish quarter of the city (Judenstadt), properly called the Jew Street (Judengasse); as it consisted of little more than a single street, which in early times may have been hemmed in between the walls and trenches of the town, as in a prison (Zwinger). The closeness, the filth, the crowd, the accent of an unpleasant language, altogether made a most disagreeable impression, even if one only looked in as one passed the gate. It was long before I ventured in alone; and I did not return there readily, when I had once escaped the importunities of so many men unwearied in demanding and offering to traffic.Den omtalte karikatur var Frankfurts berømte "jødiske so", der beskrives således i det tyske Wikipedia:
At the same time, the old legends of the cruelty of the Jews towards Christian children, which we had seen hideously illustrated in "Gottfried's Chronicle," hovered gloomily before my young mind. And although they were thought better of in modern times, the large caricature, still to be seen, to their disgrace, on an arched wall under the bridge-tower, bore extraordinary witness against them; for it had been made, not through private ill- will, but by public order.
(Fra Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Aus meinem Leben: Dichtung und Wahrheit, citeret fra den engelske oversættelse hos projekt Gutenberg).
Besonders provokant gestaltet war die Frankfurter Judensau, ein um 1475 entstandenes Wandgemälde am Alten Brückenturm in Frankfurt am Main unweit der Judengasse. Es stellte bis zum Abriss des Brückenturms 1801 eine der touristischen Attraktionen der Stadt dar. Es zeigte einen Rabbi, der verkehrt herum auf einer Sau reitet, einen jungen Juden unter dem Bauch an den Zitzen, einen weiteren am After oder der Vulva saugend; hinter der Sau stehend den Teufel selbst und eine auf einem Ziegenbock, dem Symbol des Teufels, reitende Jüdin. Zudem war darüber der verstümmelte Leichnam des Simon von Trient zu sehen, der angeblich einem Ritualmord von Juden zum Opfer gefallen war. Die Bildunterschrift lautete:Beskrivelsen er så frastødende, at jeg vægrer mig ved at oversætte den ... men du kan se et billede af den her."Saug du die Milch, friß du den Dreck,Dies sollte unterstreichen, dass Juden abartige Wesen seien, die den Tieren und dem Teufel näher stünden als dem Menschen.
Das ist doch euer best Geschleck."
Vi ser, at den europæiske kulturs lysende tolerance allerede dengang var forsødet med den frimodige og lidt karske spøgefuldhed, som også Jyllands-Postens Muhammed-karikaturer var et udtryk for.
Ja, måske endog et og andet medlem af Dansk Folkeparti kunne lade sig inspirere af Frankfurt Bys gamle forordninger?
I alle tilfælde må vi, som antydet, huske at værne om vor europæiske tolerance - og aldrig et øjeblik lade nogen glemme, at den er helt vores egen og noget, vi har forud for alle andre!