Satire and Faith: Should there be limits?

Samuel United Church of Christ

320 N. Forsyth, Clayton

Wednesday, March 11, 7:30 p.m.

The recent killings at Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical magazine, brought the issue of satire and faith to the forefront. The killings were roundly condemned by Islamic leaders in St. Louis and around the world; yet some radicals applauded them. While many Western publications declined to publish the cartoons deemed offensive to those of the Islamic faith, others did. How does Islam respond to the issue of mockery vs. reverence? How does Christianity respond when our faith is ridiculed? Should commercial artists expect to have full freedom of expression?

Speakers:

Dr. Ghazala Hayat chairs the Public Affairs Committee of the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis, a non-profit organization established in 1974 that arranges and holds congregational prayers, educational programs and social activities in conformity with the teachings of Islam. She is a neurologist at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Dan Martin has been an award winning cartoonist, illustrator and designer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for almost 35 years.  In addition to drawing the front page Weatherbird and the Saturday political cartoon, "Postcard from Mound City,"  his artwork frequently appears on the editorial page and in the feature sections.