I worry about things that affect me that actually harm me and that I cannot control such as when someone steals from me or when someone causes me or someone else real physical harm. I can’t be bothered to worry about people “offending me” because it diverts far too much of my mental energy away from doing positive things and being a positive person.

In elementary school most of us learned that if we were offended by something then that something is exactly what the other kids would do. So most kids learn not to be offended. Why are adults so much less intelligent than elementary school children on being “offended?” Sheesh.

I’d just like to note here (not an attack on you, GujuDude) that both “blasphemy” and “fundamentalism” are Abrahamic concepts, technically (after all, both concepts depend upon the belief in one absolute doctrine) – yet, while people don’t stint in extending “fundamentalism” to Hindus, they resist extending “blasphemy” to Hinduism. If one is extensible, I think the other is as well – for the reason that GujuDude states above:

It’s a very human concept with translations of these feelings of disrespect all over the place.

As long as I’m at it, I might as well reiterate that to me the real point of outrage here is not:

*Are our religion/beliefs/deities truly affected by frivolous uses?

*Does our outrage indicate intolerance/fundamentalism/prudishness?

but rather that application of sexual imagery to any concept tends to render that concept a joke, and when members of a majority culture thus debase a popular symbol of a minority culture, that debasement accordingly transfers to that culture and those who are perceived to be of that culture. Then you have to wonder about the motivations of the people who perpetrated the debasement. Whether those motivations consciously exist, the effect is undeniable.

Anyone who is perceived to be Hindu, that is, anyone who is brown, is affected by the attitude of disrespect to Hindu culture which is thus perpetuated.

It’s more a question of power than of religion.

Thank you, you put it better than I did. I was responding badly to the comment that people have a “right” to disrespect in Hinduism, which seems to imply that it’s part of Hindu thought or something, as opposed to other religions where it’s not part of the religion. Fact is everyone has a “right” to disrespect any religion, under the conditions you specify above.

Everyone has the right to disrespect, but they must also be willing to face the consequences of said disrespect (loss of face, public humiliation, disrespect in return) and accept responsibilities for their actions/words (regardless of the right/wrong).

And Hindu fundamentalists, just like other fundamentalists do go around threatening, intimidating, and killing people when they feel ‘disrespected’.

Blasphemy is a Judeo-Christian-Islamic concept, doesn’t mean people don’t feel there is something analogous to it in Hinduism. It’s a very human concept with translations of these feelings of disrespect all over the place. All those times I’ve seen TV versions Ramayan and Mahabharat (I know, not the best sources), there always seems to be one Rushimuni or the other who decrees that they, or the Gods have been insulted, and the standard curse ensues.

Feeling insulted, relgiously, has more to do with a group mentality of true believers. It doesn’t matter what the scriptures or books say, all that matters is the interpretation of the leader of these true believers for it to become true in that group’s mind.

“Under the Banner of Heaven” by John Krakauer is a great read, even though it’s about Mormon fundamentalism, the ideas of what true believers are willing to do to justify their beliefs via their own interpretations is universal.

Those paintings are not created as part of the religion.

But Hinduism is also the only religion where you have a right to disrespect

No, you don’t have a right to disrespect, it’s just that we don’t kill you if you disrespect.