Are caricatures of John Paul II a way to atone for Muhammad?

I recently came across an article about how some Danish caricaturists decided to draw John Paul II. Honestly, that Scandinavian sense of humor—if you can even call it that—is getting out of hand, targeting one of the most positive figures of the 20th century.
I’d venture to guess (in my humble opinion) that they did this specifically to pacify Muslims following the previous controversies surrounding Muhammad. It seems they felt it wouldn't be fair to target only Muhammad, so now they’re trying to keep the peace by taking aim at Catholics too.
Shameful.

They aren't actually interested in reconciling with Muslims; honestly, they've lost interest in Catholicism altogether. They’ve basically traded it all in for their own new creed: Scandinavian piety.

So, is this finally a 1:1 ratio now?

So? That’s just democracy at work. People can basically do whatever they want as long as they aren't actually hurting anyone. Those caricatures? They aren't a threat to anybody, and honestly, they have every right to draw whatever they feel like. As a Christian—or a Catholic, if you want to be specific—it doesn't offend me one bit. I mean, what's next? Are we all going to start acting like Muslims and hitting the streets with calls for lynch mobs just because someone decided to sketch a disrespectful cartoon of John Paul II? No way. Not happening. Those days are long gone for Christians and Catholics. Welcome to the 21st century and the whole free speech thing.

I know this guy from Denmark who once told a Danish cop to go screw himself and called him a complete idiot. Just plain words, right? No threats, nothing. Well, he got slapped with a $200 fine and now his record is basically trashed for the next five years! It’s ridiculous. You aren't allowed to say a single word to a cop—if that's what they call "democracy" these days—yet the government and the media get a free pass to insult religions and different nations just because they claim to be so progressive. Honestly, those Danes are pathetic; they're just desperate for attention from the rest of the world. They kiss up to the British and Americans so much that if anyone ever asked them to join the UK or the USA, they'd jump at the chance. That's just the kind of people they are.
PS: I'm neither Catholic nor Muslim.

Walter Myers16 said:I know this guy from Denmark who once told a Danish cop to go screw himself and called him a complete idiot. Just plain words, right? No threats, nothing. Well, he got slapped with a $200 fine and now his record is basically trashed for the next five years! It’s ridiculous. You aren't allowed to say a single word to a cop—if that's what they call "democracy" these days—yet the government and the media get a free pass to insult religions and different nations just because they claim to be so progressive. Honestly, those Danes are pathetic; they're just desperate for attention from the rest of the world. They kiss up to the British and Americans so much that if anyone ever asked them to join the UK or the USA, they'd jump at the chance. That's just the kind of people they are.
PS: I'm neither Catholic nor Muslim.

I guess that’s what you call insulting and belittling a public official. In most decent, cultured countries, you get fined for that, and in places like the US, you might even spend a night in jail before seeing a judge. That guy just proved he’s uncultured and acting out. Scandinavian countries are honestly some of the best-run places when it comes to their justice system and police. My uncle used to live in Sweden, and he once saw this guy (some immigrant, since locals wouldn't dream of it) toss a cigarette butt on the street. My uncle followed him for a few yards until they ran into some cops and pointed out where he dropped it. The officer stopped the guy and walked with him down the street until they found the butt—which wasn't hard to find since it was the only one on the sidewalk. Once they found it, the cop slapped him with a pretty heavy fine and made him pick it up and put it in a trash can. That's just how Scandinavians are, which is why their cities are so clean and actually nice to walk around in. If you've ever been to Sweden, you know what I'm talking about. Meanwhile, here, downtown areas are covered in gum, cigarette butts, dog poop, candy wrappers, paper scraps, and whatever else... plus the buildings are all covered in graffiti. Someone made a good point once: when you show up in Washington, D.C., and see all that graffiti, a foreigner immediately thinks there's zero authority left. In Scandinavia, that never even crosses their minds. Scandinavians don't let their cities turn into uncultured slums, and honestly, good for them.

Walter Myers16 said:I know this guy from Denmark who once told a Danish cop to go screw himself and called him a complete idiot. Just plain words, right? No threats, nothing. Well, he got slapped with a $200 fine and now his record is basically trashed for the next five years! It’s ridiculous. You aren't allowed to say a single word to a cop—if that's what they call "democracy" these days—yet the government and the media get a free pass to insult religions and different nations just because they claim to be so progressive. Honestly, those Danes are pathetic; they're just desperate for attention from the rest of the world. They kiss up to the British and Americans so much that if anyone ever asked them to join the UK or the USA, they'd jump at the chance. That's just the kind of people they are.
PS: I'm neither Catholic nor Muslim.

You nailed it—not just regarding the Danes, but all Scandinavians in general.👍

hollowpanther5 said:I recently came across an article about how some Danish caricaturists decided to draw John Paul II. Honestly, that Scandinavian sense of humor—if you can even call it that—is getting out of hand, targeting one of the most positive figures of the 20th century.
I’d venture to guess (in my humble opinion) that they did this specifically to pacify Muslims following the previous controversies surrounding Muhammad. It seems they felt it wouldn't be fair to target only Muhammad, so now they’re trying to keep the peace by taking aim at Catholics too.
Shameful.

That’s really all you have to say, isn't it? Honestly, I might even agree with you on certain points, but at the end of the day, they are simply exercising their rights.

Walter Myers16 said:I know this guy from Denmark who once told a Danish cop to go screw himself and called him a complete idiot. Just plain words, right? No threats, nothing. Well, he got slapped with a $200 fine and now his record is basically trashed for the next five years! It’s ridiculous. You aren't allowed to say a single word to a cop—if that's what they call "democracy" these days—yet the government and the media get a free pass to insult religions and different nations just because they claim to be so progressive. Honestly, those Danes are pathetic; they're just desperate for attention from the rest of the world. They kiss up to the British and Americans so much that if anyone ever asked them to join the UK or the USA, they'd jump at the chance. That's just the kind of people they are.
PS: I'm neither Catholic nor Muslim.

I have to agree with Iceman here; it’s pretty clear your buddy lacks even a shred of basic upbringing, so it’s no surprise he ended up with a fine. In some other parts of the country, an outburst like that would land someone straight in jail. Then again, in some truly unstable nations, your friend might find himself being harassed by the authorities, who would likely advise him against filing any complaints because he could easily end up behind bars himself. Ultimately, your pal showed how primitive he really is, while the officer was simply doing his job.

goldenmason172 said:I have to agree with Iceman here; it’s pretty clear your buddy lacks even a shred of basic upbringing, so it’s no surprise he ended up with a fine. In some other parts of the country, an outburst like that would land someone straight in jail. Then again, in some truly unstable nations, your friend might find himself being harassed by the authorities, who would likely advise him against filing any complaints because he could easily end up behind bars himself. Ultimately, your pal showed how primitive he really is, while the officer was simply doing his job.

The fine is one thing, sure, but now his record is totally trashed because of this one stupid moment. It’s impossible to find decent work once you have that hanging over your head. All because of some drunken words? The guy hasn't done anything illegal in his entire life. Never been to court, never seen the inside of a jail. Just cussing out a cop while wasted, and now he's screwed for five years.

Walter Myers16 said:I know this guy from Denmark who once told a Danish cop to go screw himself and called him a complete idiot. Just plain words, right? No threats, nothing. Well, he got slapped with a $200 fine and now his record is basically trashed for the next five years! It’s ridiculous. You aren't allowed to say a single word to a cop—if that's what they call "democracy" these days—yet the government and the media get a free pass to insult religions and different nations just because they claim to be so progressive. Honestly, those Danes are pathetic; they're just desperate for attention from the rest of the world. They kiss up to the British and Americans so much that if anyone ever asked them to join the UK or the USA, they'd jump at the chance. That's just the kind of people they are.
PS: I'm neither Catholic nor Muslim.

And why, for instance, should one feel the need to insult a police officer? Have you ever heard that slogan from American movies, "to protect and serve"? Personally, I don't believe any government in America owes me an explanation, but I certainly don't consider it my right to insult officers from the Department of Justice in such a manner.

slydrifter said:I guess that’s what you call insulting and belittling a public official. In most decent, cultured countries, you get fined for that, and in places like the US, you might even spend a night in jail before seeing a judge. That guy just proved he’s uncultured and acting out. Scandinavian countries are honestly some of the best-run places when it comes to their justice system and police. My uncle used to live in Sweden, and he once saw this guy (some immigrant, since locals wouldn't dream of it) toss a cigarette butt on the street. My uncle followed him for a few yards until they ran into some cops and pointed out where he dropped it. The officer stopped the guy and walked with him down the street until they found the butt—which wasn't hard to find since it was the only one on the sidewalk. Once they found it, the cop slapped him with a pretty heavy fine and made him pick it up and put it in a trash can. That's just how Scandinavians are, which is why their cities are so clean and actually nice to walk around in. If you've ever been to Sweden, you know what I'm talking about. Meanwhile, here, downtown areas are covered in gum, cigarette butts, dog poop, candy wrappers, paper scraps, and whatever else... plus the buildings are all covered in graffiti. Someone made a good point once: when you show up in Washington, D.C., and see all that graffiti, a foreigner immediately thinks there's zero authority left. In Scandinavia, that never even crosses their minds. Scandinavians don't let their cities turn into uncultured slums, and honestly, good for them.

In Denmark, the biggest sentence you can get is 16 years. Think about that. Some kid of twenty who kills ten people? He’s basically walking free by thirty-six. Rape and pedophiles? When they get caught, they get maybe a year max. Bank robbers? Maybe one to three years. If you get busted with a mountain of drugs—say, five kilos of cocaine—you might get eight to ten years, but if you play nice, you’re out in five. But here’s the kicker: if you screw over the government with taxes, the minimum is two years. But if you really rip them off—I mean millions of dollars—you get five or more. That’s more than what you'd get for robbing a bank, or raping someone, or exploiting a child! For a few million bucks, you get a lighter stretch than a violent criminal. So, go ahead, tell me again how "just" their laws are.

Walter Myers16 said:The fine is one thing, sure, but now his record is totally trashed because of this one stupid moment. It’s impossible to find decent work once you have that hanging over your head. All because of some drunken words? The guy hasn't done anything illegal in his entire life. Never been to court, never seen the inside of a jail. Just cussing out a cop while wasted, and now he's screwed for five years.

I hear what you're saying, but your buddy really ought to understand how the legal system works over in Denmark. Being intoxicated ended up costing him dearly, and I'm certain he won't be making those kinds of mistakes again.
It might seem a bit extreme that they include such trivial things in a permanent police file, but that's just how their laws are written.
Furthermore, despite having relatively light prison sentences, Denmark remains one of the safest and most peaceful countries in the world when it comes to crime rates.

Walter Myers16 said:In Denmark, the biggest sentence you can get is 16 years. Think about that. Some kid of twenty who kills ten people? He’s basically walking free by thirty-six. Rape and pedophiles? When they get caught, they get maybe a year max. Bank robbers? Maybe one to three years. If you get busted with a mountain of drugs—say, five kilos of cocaine—you might get eight to ten years, but if you play nice, you’re out in five. But here’s the kicker: if you screw over the government with taxes, the minimum is two years. But if you really rip them off—I mean millions of dollars—you get five or more. That’s more than what you'd get for robbing a bank, or raping someone, or exploiting a child! For a few million bucks, you get a lighter stretch than a violent criminal. So, go ahead, tell me again how "just" their laws are.

I don't really want to get into this, mostly because I have no clue what the actual laws are in Denmark or if what you're saying is even true. I mean, I highly doubt their sentencing is really that skewed toward letting murderers and pedophiles walk.

goldenmason172 said:I hear what you're saying, but your buddy really ought to understand how the legal system works over in Denmark. Being intoxicated ended up costing him dearly, and I'm certain he won't be making those kinds of mistakes again.
It might seem a bit extreme that they include such trivial things in a permanent police file, but that's just how their laws are written.
Furthermore, despite having relatively light prison sentences, Denmark remains one of the safest and most peaceful countries in the world when it comes to crime rates.

Nothing about it is overkill. He insulted an officer, so yeah, that kind of thing belongs in his file. That's just how things are done in any decent country.

slydrifter said:Nothing about it is overkill. He insulted an officer, so yeah, that kind of thing belongs in his file. That's just how things are done in any decent country.

But look, if you ask me, having something like that added to a criminal record feels like a bit much. 😉

hollowpanther5 said:I recently came across an article about how some Danish caricaturists decided to draw John Paul II. Honestly, that Scandinavian sense of humor—if you can even call it that—is getting out of hand, targeting one of the most positive figures of the 20th century.
I’d venture to guess (in my humble opinion) that they did this specifically to pacify Muslims following the previous controversies surrounding Muhammad. It seems they felt it wouldn't be fair to target only Muhammad, so now they’re trying to keep the peace by taking aim at Catholics too.
Shameful.

Sure, they have the right to do it, but all it does is reflect their own culture. No point starting a revolt; if they aren't ashamed, then that's just who they are and there's nothing we can do about it. Either way, it deserves moral condemnation. There are things you can joke about, but someone's faith definitely isn't one of them.

William Gonzalez3 said:
It doesn't really matter if it's 1-1—I mean, it's just those overly stoic folks from Denmark playing anyway.
The only realistic outcome is probably 0-2, given they just handed over two own goals.

Exactly.☕

hollowpanther5 said:I recently came across an article about how some Danish caricaturists decided to draw John Paul II. Honestly, that Scandinavian sense of humor—if you can even call it that—is getting out of hand, targeting one of the most positive figures of the 20th century.
I’d venture to guess (in my humble opinion) that they did this specifically to pacify Muslims following the previous controversies surrounding Muhammad. It seems they felt it wouldn't be fair to target only Muhammad, so now they’re trying to keep the peace by taking aim at Catholics too.
Shameful.

Who should be ashamed? You? What? Why on earth would I feel any shame for what you believe in? 😂
The Pope means nothing to me personally, and if he means nothing to you either, then fine. As far as I'm concerned, you can embalm him and hang him up somewhere in Vatican City for all I care. That’s your business, your faith, and your own moral compass regarding how far you'll go to mock religion.
Carry your own cross, just like Jesus did (according to your own teachings). ☕