User talk:BostonMA/Maomé.jpg in Muhammad

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Restatement of Underlying Issues
(I have tried to collect what I believe are the unresolved issues in the dispute and to restate them in a concise format. Undoubtedly, the list reflects my percerption of the dispute which may not be shared by others.  I recommend that others prepare, if they are able, similar lists of what they believe to be the unresolved issues, (or of things that we may agree upon), in a similarly compact format.  I would also recommend that that editors, if they are able, formulate compact replies to any points raised.  Please place your counterpoints in their own compact space rather than interweave them with this statement.  Thanks. --BostonMA talk  00:35, 18 October 2006 (UTC))

The underlying issue to be resolved is whether the guideline WP:Profanity is applicable to the Maomé.jpg in the context of the Muhammad article. The guideline text under consideration is:
 * "Words and images that might be considered offensive, profane, or obscene by other Wikipedia readers should be used if and only if their omission would cause the article to be less informative, relevant, or accurate, and no equally suitable alternatives are available. Including information about offensive material is part of Wikipedia's encyclopedic mission; being offensive is not."

What is agreed

 * 1) Wikipedia is not censored
 * 2) The Maomé image is notable and deserves a place on Wikipedia
 * 3) Images of Muhammad are not in general proscribed on the Muhammad page by WP:Profanity, but would only be proscribed if at least one of two conditions were met, 1) they are not informative in the context of that article, or 2) equally suitable alternatives are available.  Agreement on this point does not imply agreement that one of these two conditions is sufficient to make an WP:Profanity applicable, but that at least one of these conditions is necessary for WP:Profanity to be applicable.

Unresolved issues which form components of the central issue

 * 1) Whether or not the Maomé.jpg might be considered to be offensive by (a large number of) other Wikipedia readers.
 * 2) Whether or not the Maomé.jpg is informative in the context of the Muhammed article.
 * 3) Whether or not WP:Profanity should be applied according to the common meanings of the words in its text, or whether the guideline should be interpretted in accordance with some concepts which are not articulated in the guideline, and if so, what those concepts are.

Unresolved issues with regard to whether the Maomé image might be considered offensive to Wikipedia readers
With regard to whether or not the Maomé image might be considered offensive (to a large number of) other Wikipedia readers, it has been argued that some standard of objective and subjective offensiveness needs to be used. What that standard might be has not been clarified, or that is the opinion of some editors.

Unresolved issues with regard to whether the Maomé image is informative in the context of the Muhammad article
With regard to whether the Maomé image is informative in the context of the Muhammad article, the following issues have not been resolved.
 * 1) Whether the Muhammad article is only tangentially related to Islam as it developed after Muhammad's death.
 * 2) Whether the Maomé image verifiably depicts any known event in the life of Muhammad
 * 3) Whether the Maomé image is typical or atypical of representations of Muhammad created or owned by Muslims.
 * 4) Whether Maomé image is informative about anything other than Islam as it developed after the death of Muhammad, Islamic art, Persian art, or similar topics which may be related to Muhammad, but which should be covered only tangentially in the Muhammad article.

Unresolved issues with regard to whether WP:Profanity should be applied according to the common meanings of the phrases its text
With regard to whether WP:Profanity should be applied according to the common meanings of the phrases in its text, or whether the guideline should be interpretted in accordance with some concepts which are not articulated in the guideline,
 * 1) There is lack of clarity regarding what these concepts are according to which the guideline ought to be interpretted.