Ben Lindsey Quotes

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has killed a great many philosophers.

I have had to pay a price for leaving Islam and for speaking out. I have to pay for round-the-clock security because of the death threats against me.

We've seen violent responses to 'Satanic Verses.' We've seen violent responses to the cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in an evil way.

My friend, the Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, was murdered in 2004 for having been insufficiently reverent toward Islam.

We thought the church had withdrawn from interfering in Italian politics... but instead there is a terrible resurgence. These are ugly signs for freedom of expression.

By burning Luther's books you may rid your bookshelves of him, but you will not rid men's minds of him.

Those who claim to uphold freedom of speech by defending the right to reproduce insulting depictions of the prophet are in effect saying to Muslims that what they hold dear and sacred is far more worthy of protecting than what Muslims hold dear and sacred. The cartoons had more to do with incitement of hatred, racism and Islamophobia than with freedom of expression.

What kind of a god is it that's upset by a cartoon in Danish?

Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.

Indian democracy has long been limited by colonial-era laws that restrict speech in the name of protecting religion. Religious groups routinely exploit such statutes to limit the freedom of expression that generally characterizes public life in the world’s largest democracy.

In the end, censoring a comedian's jokes is on par with censoring 'Huckleberry Finn.' Now, I'm not comparing myself to Mark Twain - he had much wavier hair and a slightly thicker mustache. But when you deny an artist the chance to explore his art, you're forcing your beliefs on him.

Even relatively tolerant countries fine and jail people for expressing heterodox views. America uniquely protects speech.

The reason people get afraid of writing real, honest journalism and fiction, and the reason corrupted people and demagogues are afraid of journalism and fiction and poetry across the world, is because it is a subversive form.

Censorship in all its forms must be challenged.

In 1986, Pakistan got the blasphemy law. So, while we had just two cases of blasphemy before that year, now we have thousands. It shows that one should be careful while bringing religion into legislation, because the law itself can become an instrument of persecution.

Mass protests often get books or films banned, but very few people take to the streets to challenge the right of the State to decide what we can read or watch - it's still someone else's problem.

Oliver Darcy is a perpetual victim. He is constantly advocating for people to be banned and silenced. As a member of the media, Oliver Darcy should respect our First Amendment right.

If I have a thought, I say it. If I keep it down, it's because I'm waiting for a good moment for me to say my piece. That's a luxury we have in our society, but parts of the world still don't have it.

Free speech is carelessly tossed to one side in order to silence views and people that liberals label as intolerant.

We are becoming a society where traditional values and free speech are being diminished and the religious are viewed as having a backward mentality.

Censorship constrains art and limits its impact as much as it does with all free thought.

Once you get used to censorship, sometimes you self-censor.

My friends and family in Turkey could be arrested just for talking to me.

I preach in countries if I say 'Jesus Christ is the only way, the truth and the life,' they'll arrest me.

There are so many people that are offended by debate and free speech that sometimes governments cower. It's just way easier to play into the hands of people who are totalitarian.