The year 2015 did not start in a happy way. On January 8^th jihadist gunmen burst into the offices of the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo, brutally murdering 12 journalists and cartoonists gathered for a regular meeting in their office in Paris. Millions of people gathered in Paris to show their solidarity to the victims and their support for freedom of speech, waving flags with the text ‘Je suis Charlie’ (I am Charlie). Political leaders from all over the world joined French President Hollande in a march against terrorism.

The obvious reason for this cowardly and condemnable terrorist attack was, besides being part of a political plan, the various cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammad that have been published by the magazine for many years, offending so many Muslims. One of these cartoons showed the Prophet naked in various pornographic poses. What is perhaps less well known is that Charlie Hebdo is just as hostile towards Christians and Jews. Pope Benedict XVI was a regular offer for their satire. One cover showed him holding a condom over his head and intoning the words from The Eucharist, “This is my body.” A recent cartoon showed the Virgin Mary giving birth to Christ. I can sense some of the pain that devout Christians must experience when they see or read about these appalling images. Most of Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons are not even clever. This kind of humour is tasteless, provocative and so unnecessary. In many countries blasphemy like this is illegal and punishable.

The question is, why do these magazines, in spite of repeated threats of violence, continue publishing these unbelievably awful cartoons offending peoples’ religion?

The purpose is to shock and dishearten those of a religious persuasion. There is no pity, respect or kindness. It seems that Charlie Hebdo hates all religions and mocks all its adherents. They must be aware of the danger of putting innocent people at risk.

For these reasons I and certainly many people with me can say, “I am not Charlie” or “I am not exactly Charlie,” to put it a bit more mildly. Charlie Hebdo and its admirers say that the cartoons are weapons for freedom of speech. How far must one go in this fight for freedom? I cannot understand why the ‘weapons’ have to be utterly offensive, provocative and vile. What we saw on January 8^th in Paris was perhaps only the beginning of organized violent actions against this form of fight for freedom of the press.

Here comes a parting of the ways. Christians and, I believe, most Muslims, realise that as we live in a free society we are required to put up with even the worst insults to our faith. The brothers who committed the Paris murders and their supporters think otherwise, and many people including the journalists of Charlie Hebdo, have paid a terrible price. The slogan “I am Charlie” was part of a spontaneous reaction against the atrocities committed by the terrorists. It is insane and immoral to kill somebody because one is offended by an image, but it is not insane or immoral to be offended by an image whose purpose is to vilify peoples’ beliefs. There is something called freedom of religion.