Denmark recently capitulated, forfeiting its hard-fought freedoms to those who hate it. According to a recent report,

Denmark’s parliament has passed a bill that makes it illegal to burn copies of the Quran in public places... The bill, which prohibits “inappropriate treatment of writings with significant religious importance for a recognized religious community,” was passed with 94 votes in favor and 77 opposed... In practical terms, it will be forbidden to burn, tear or otherwise defile holy texts publicly or in videos intended to be disseminated widely. Those who break the law risk a fine or up to two years in prison… The purpose of the law is to counter “the systematic mockery” that, among other things, has contributed to intensifying the threat of [Islamic] terrorism in Denmark, the Ministry of Justice said.

There is much to say here.

First, it is interesting to note that the new bill does not single out Islam or the Koran by name, but rather seeks to protect from desecration “writings with significant religious importance for a recognized religious community.” By employing such generic wording that applies to and presumably protects every religious text and community -- though everyone knows the law exists exclusively to protect the Muhammadan creed -- the Danes appear to have copied a play from the Islamic gamebook.

As it happens, the blasphemy laws of many Muslim nations do not officially protect Islam alone but extend to other religions. (Egypt, for example, criminalizes the mockery of “heavenly” religions -- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism -- though the law is virtually exclusively used to protect Islam.) Muslim nations -- and now Denmark -- pretend to protect all religions in order to appear neutral, objective, not siding with this or that faith. Muslim nations also do it for their image: better to appear interested in protecting the sanctity of all religions rather than appear as rabid fanatics who cannot tolerate criticism.

Second, in adopting what amounts to a “blasphemy” law, Denmark has effectively declared that it is not a nation of principles, but rather one willing to compromise its ethos to appease thugs. Denmark, bear in mind, was once at the fore of zealously defending free speech and expression. No more; now Danish law is being dictated by non-Danes. What other Danish principles will need to make way for the conquerors of Europe? As Inger Stojberg, leader of the anti-immigration Denmark Democrats party said in response to this new law: “History will judge us harshly for this and with good reason… What it all comes down to is whether a restriction on freedom of speech is determined by us or whether it is dictated from the outside [meaning the Muslim world and their globalist abettors].”

Supporters of Denmark’s new blasphemy law insist that this law has been promulgated for Denmark’s security. Due to the burning of Korans in Denmark (and Sweden), violence in and threats to these Nordic nations has grown. Not only does this position ignore why Europeans are burning the Koran in the first place (because they abhor its violent teachings) and why Muslims are reacting with terrorism (because they uphold its violent teachings), but it is a fact that if the shoe was, as they say, on the other foot, Denmark would not capitulate its principles to appease its enemies.

Imagine for a moment if an atheist or Satanist burned a Bible in Denmark (and many have), and throngs of Christians responded with violence and terrorism. Would Denmark respond by banning the burning of the Bible, or would it have pontificated about the importance of safeguarding freedom of expression, grandstanded about how no religion can be singled out for preferential treatment, expressed zero tolerance, and arrested every last protesting or rioting Christian?

Some will say Christians do not react this way, but what if they did? Would Denmark respond with appeasement or force? The answer should be as clear as day.

In retrospect, rather than ban the burning of the Koran, it seems that Denmark would have served itself much better had it banned the Koran altogether.

Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West and Sword and Scimitar is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.

Image: Global Panorama