LittleBig Planet Delayed after Quran passage found in sound track.

[Stewdawg24]

LittleBig Planet Delay Story

 

As pointed out in the article, Sony may still be a bit trigger shy from their recent run-in with the Church of England over Resitence. However, this seems to me to be a case of Sony being afraid of the reaction of the Muslim community. Whereas the C of E wrote a strongly worded letter to Sony and threatened to sue for having a battle take place in one of their houses of worship they're probably fearlful that their offices in Malaysia will be firebombed for a couple references to the Quran.

 

Although I have no interest in playing this game I personally think Sony should let this game ship as is. I'm sick of the world living in fear of how Muslims will react to insignificant slights (if you can even call a reference to passages in the Quaran a slight). Actions susch as these only embolden them and legitmize their ridiculous behavior.

[I want teh kotor 3]

LittleBig Planet Delay Story

 

 

Although I have no interest in playing this game I personally think Sony should let this game ship as is.

 

I'm tempted to agree. This is just stupid. I wasn't gonna buy it anyway (turning on the PS3 is too much like work), but seriously? You don't see the rest of the world flipping a **** when someone quotes a passage from their holy text. Seriously Sony, grow a pair, and remember that the freedom of speech exists.

Edited October 19, 2008 by I want teh kotor 3

[Rosbjerg]

I depends on the context. If it's used in a manner that could be considered seriously offensive I think it's a good idea to remove it. But if it's just a passage from the Quran in no particular context, I can't see how that would be an offense. Most muslim probably don't even care and the more serious zealots should be happy that a game company is spreadin the good word.

[random n00b]

Yeah, problem is, fundies always manage to find a way to get offended by seemingly innocuous and trivial stuff. I have a hard time believing that SCEE would commission a product that could be viewed as openly offensive by anyone who isn't a total crank.

[Stewdawg24]

Ironically enough the soundtrack was written by a devout Muslim.

Edited October 19, 2008 by Stewdawg24

[Hurlshort]

I depends on the context.

 

Yep. I've read a couple article on this already, and maybe I'm just not getting what this game is about, but I still have no clue what the context is.

 

Also, these generalizations about the "Muslim community" make my head hurt.

[Meshugger]

This will be like handing free candy to the anti-islam(pretty much any xenophobic group)-groups that's out there. They have gotten a lot of ground lately here in Europe.

[Stewdawg24]

I depends on the context.

 

Yep. I've read a couple article on this already, and maybe I'm just not getting what this game is about, but I still have no clue what the context is.

 

Also, these generalizations about the "Muslim community" make my head hurt.

 

Here is a breif article regaqrding the context...."As SCEE vaguely put it, "one of the background music tracks licensed from a record label for use in the game" is the cause of LittleBigPlanet's -- now worldwide -- delay. So which track is it? Well, the song is "Tapha Niang" from the 2006 album Boulevard de l'Independance by Grammy award-winning Malian kora player Toumani Diabat

[Strix]

The problem is that Sony, especially, caved to blackmail. As long as people and conglomerations do this, they, the radical Muslims, will continue to have little bitchy-fits whenever they encounter something "offensive."

[julianw]

The perceived offense to the Muslim group was that the scripture of Qu'ran is not allowed to be used for music. Obviously, the Muslim musician himself does not believe in this so this is probably not something even all Muslims stick to.

[mkreku]

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/279444.html

[Laozi]

This is important, I payed too much money for a PS3 to have some radical Islamic group come in and take it over, possibly blowing it up because of some song. Thank you Sony, for protecting the little guy

 

 

Oh, and there is some precedence for this, David Byrne and Brian Eno's My Life In the Bush of Ghosts iirc.

Edited October 20, 2008 by Laozi

[Walsingham]

I have no desire to offend any religion. However, a couple of things occur to me:

1. Caving in might lead to unnecessary self-censorship

2. Is being offended occasionally such a bad thing? Surely too keen a sense of pride is irreligious, in the true sense of the word.

3. Conversely, given how tense things are at the moment, can't we accept some delicacy on the part of Sony? YOu can insult my mother, but not if she's just been hit by a car.

[LostStraw]

Here's a link to a better quality version of the song -- have to say I like the sound of it. http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/278932.html

 

However, one should take note as to what the two passages translate to as well as note that this is an "E" rated game. This is Sony's way of trying to avoid controversy that would extend beyond those with certain Islamic beliefs.

[Blank]

I have no desire to offend any religion. However, a couple of things occur to me:

1. Caving in might lead to unnecessary self-censorship

2. Is being offended occasionally such a bad thing? Surely too keen a sense of pride is irreligious, in the true sense of the word.

3. Conversely, given how tense things are at the moment, can't we accept some delicacy on the part of Sony? YOu can insult my mother, but not if she's just been hit by a car.

1. Or one could say it leads to less disputes. The trick is in balance: do not be stifled by a stance of over-caution/fear, nor be besmirched by a stance of insensitivity/tactlessness, where the former stance eliminates conflict, yet renders one flavorless, and where the latter incites dislike or even disgust in a people's prevailing opinion.

2. That assumes "religion" in general esteems humility.

3. But what if your mother is always getting hit by a car?

[Hell Kitty]

So did Sony actually "cave in" to the demands of some group or individual as others here are suggesting?

[LostStraw]

So did Sony actually "cave in" to the demands of some group or individual as others here are suggesting?

Here is the thread posting that supposedly started it all: link

[Tigranes]

I wasn't aware that the inclusion of Qu'ran in music (or games as a multimedia text?) can be offensive, can someone confirm this?

 

If so, probably for the best.

[Hell Kitty]

So did Sony actually "cave in" to the demands of some group or individual as others here are suggesting?

Here is the thread posting that supposedly started it all: link

 

Hmmm, well I suppose if responding to a polite request is caving in then Sony caved.

 

I agree with Tigranes, that if it is considered offensive, it's probably for the best for Sony to remove it, and they've done so before some crazy fundamentalists potentially freak out about it. I also agree with Meshugger. If anyone is going to make a big deal about this it'll be folks who want to complain about the big bad Muslims forcing their will on everyone. Or possibly crybaby gamers with a sense of entitlement who can't handle getting a game a week or two late.

[Gorgon]

It seems that anything to do with the Koran can be offensive these days.

[Gorgon]

Removing the music is probably good sense, it's not like it's a key part of the game anyway. I'm just continually annoyed at all the whining and general 'offense taking'.

 

What we need here is a Muslim Nietzsche.

[Hell Kitty]

We all need to be offended by something. It's what powers the internet. The question is does it draw more power from offended Muslims or those offended by Muslims?

[Kaftan Barlast]

Given that there are dozens of games out there who allow the player to gun down muslims by the hundreds, I think its a bit daft to get upst by something like this.

 

 

 

 

 

...well, theoreticly, the generic arab towelheaded opponents of Cod4 could have been methodists.

[Walsingham]

I was thinking about this some more and decided that if we want Muslim fundamentalists to compromise by not getting offended, then we free speech fundamentalists may also have to compromise.

[Gorgon]

Free speech ideologues win over fundamentalists any day, just by definition.