West allows burning of holy books, not critique of sexual perversions: Academic

By Somayeh Khalili

Western countries allow the desecration of holy scriptures such as the Quran under the guise of freedom of expression but do not allow criticism of sexual perversions and deviant behaviors, says a Swedish university professor.

In an interview with the Press TV website, Greg Simons, a Swedish academic who currently teaches at Latvia-based Turiba University, said the laws in Sweden say there is freedom of speech, but it only applies if the speech concerns “approved” topics by the state system of power and control.

“Informally, there exists a 'corridor of opinion' and if an individual or group diverges from the allowable limits then there will be an attempt to 'correct' them, if this does not work then they (politics, media and public institutions) try to silence them,” he remarked.

“If this does not work, they seek to destroy their reputation and isolate them from the wider community.”

The university professor and researcher hastened to add that people are allowed to burn holy books in Sweden “as part of freedom of speech” but the same rule does not apply to “criticizing different sexual perversions and deviant behavior or to say that only two genders exist that of man and woman.”

“This is classified as being hateful and intolerant. Hence a rather Orwellian world of doublespeak exists. I will now try to answer the remaining questions one by one,” he told the Press TV website.

Simons noted that the mantra of “liberal democracy” is democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, which he maintained “looks benevolent only on paper, not in practice.”

“Liberal democracy is trying to shape a new type of man like the Soviet Union tried with "Homo Sovieticus". The new liberal man project is deeply dystopian and anti-human as it goes against the fundamental aspects of being human,” he told the Press TV website.

Insults to Islamic sanctities are rooted in West’s anti-religion ideology: Analyst

The repeated cases of the desecration of the Holy Quran in Europe are rooted in the West

“It is against the idea of a nuclear family, and a clear definition and delineation of the identity, roles and purpose of man and woman in society. It is breaking up or attempting to destroy the traditional values and traditional family that held society together.”

Religions such as Islam, he asserted, are therefore seen as an “enemy of this deeply politicized ideological project, and it boils down to “co-option - silencing - destroying - opposing thoughts and ideas.”

The Swedish academic said laws in the West have been “weaponized” and are used as an “instrument towards this global liberal project by destroying the traditional basis of societies.”

“Religion is seen as an impediment to the state assisted by law seeks to co-opt independent and traditional religion and/or discrediting it and/or silencing and destroying it. One merely needs to look at the current level of the Swedish Lutheran Church or the UK Anglican Church to see the results, not to mention attacks on the Catholic Church,” Simons stressed.

“This intolerance towards religion and traditional values is 'justified' and legitimized as being necessary for 'tolerance' and 'inclusion' - in this respect, the waves of wokeism and cancel culture of liberalism can be viewed as a form of cultural Marxism.”

He said people should not have the “right” to insult the religious beliefs of others and this “right” should not take precedence over the rights of a community to sacred worship in peace.

“Rights should be practiced wisely, carefully and with responsibility. Those who breach this as individuals and groups need to be openly and publicly condemned for their actions, and perhaps diplomacy should be conducted with the state that allows and tolerates such intolerance.”

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir