America's best Christian, Betty Bowers, explains religious freedom.

Well Betty's not pulling any punches with that one is she?

The message from Paris, France: "We are not afraid." (Nor should they be.)

Courtesy of NDTV:  

President Francois Hollande announced Thursday as a day of national mourning in France. The Notre Dame Cathedral will chime its bells to remember the victims of the terror attack. France's national security alert has been raised to the highest level with heightened patrols for media offices, schools, tourist and religious sites. 

France has been actively rallying for action against the ISIS or Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In September, 2014, the extremist group had declared that it would target all the countries who were part of a US-led coalition, especially the "dirty French". 

France is also directly involved in the war against Islamic extremists in the Sahel region in Africa. In recent months it has also been grappling with a problem of "home-grown jihadis' as hundreds of radicalised youth have been leaving from France to fight alongside extremists in Syria and Iraq. 

These attacks are likely to push France to introspection as rising racism against its own Muslim citizens is believed to be pushing many into the hands of extremists. There are fears that this terror attack will further stigmatise French Muslim communities.

I waited a day to let the dust settle before weighing in on this. 

I had hoped that by this morning we would see all of the attackers either dead or in police custody. Sadly such is not the case.

You know I often attack all religion as being primitive unnecessary superstitious garbage, but that has never been more true than when applied to the Islamic religion.

And I am not alone in having that opinion.

No, all religions are NOT equally violent. Some have never been violent, some gave it up centuries ago. One religion conspicuously didn’t.
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) January 7, 2015

I have often pointed out that Christianity was EVERY BIT as violent two hundred years ago as Islam is today. But the fact remains that was two hundred years ago!

If you murder this man, and his workmates, because he drew a cartoon that offended you, or wrote an article that insulted you, your religion, or your prophet, then you are demonstrating how deserving you, your religion, and your prophet are of receiving that insult.

I have never understood the idea of killing to defend your god.

If he is indeed God (Allah if you prefer.) then he needs no defense.

It is only the weak that act out in violence in response to criticism, or laughter.

And this is not a valid defense.

If your rallying cry is "There is no god but Allah." Then clearly there is no god for whom you can blame for your despicable acts of cowardice.