“Seeking inspiration from Christians in their way of reacting to attacks against their own religion”: that’s the recommendation made by Yusuf Altuntas, spokesman of the Islamic organization ‘Milli-Görüs’, in calling for a more “judicious and pondered” manner of responding to the criticisms made against a religious faith. “At times the equivalent of a kick in the shin is enough to obtain an exaggerated reaction – said Altuntas to the Dutch daily “Trouw” (“Faithful”) – the images of which are then immediately beamed round the world”. As a model of how to react, the spokesman of ‘Milli-Görüs’ suggested the criticisms made by some Christians to the popstar Madonna who appeared on the stage fettered to a cross during her concert tour in Holland in September. “Christians stigmatised her without any furore – said Altuntas – and this manner of reacting calmly and collectedly is enviable; we ought to have followed this model for example in the case of the Danish cartoons”. Christians and Muslims, he concluded, ought to find ways of “demonstrating together, whenever the chance of doing so should present itself”.
