Barbarians

Right now, as a lot of people ponder whether it's defensible or responsible to "insult someone's faith", let's make a few things clear.

Denomination is a self proclaimed label. Nobody can question someone's earnest statement that they "belong to this or that religion".

This is not a valid basis for proclaiming that such a person's actions are made by some religious community as a collective.

Together with the actions of said person, it is however potentially a valid indication of prevailing currents and culture within such a community or context.

This is Raif Badawi.

In 2013, he was sentenced by a Saudi court to 10 years in jail and a 1 million riyal fine, and 1000 lashes. He is due to receive his first 50 lashes today. His crime consists of starting a web site "insulting islam" - that is, for promoting religious freedom and women's rights.

If you are offended by something you don't like, you don't get to whip or shoot that person. You get to call that offender distasteful, and if you are reasonable it might even make them shut up or change their point of view.

That's it. That's all you get. If you resort to violence or repression, what you get is disgust and loathing.