To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Time For Some Fatwas
First, we need to issue a fatwa on Rolling Stone and Kanye West for that blasphemous cover.
Then, we'll issue a fatwa on NBC for The Book of Daniel and the upcoming episode of Will & Grace that has a cute cooking show called "Cruci-Fixins." (They need a fatwa for stupidity alone on that one. )
What? I can't issue a fatwa? Why not? They do it for editorial cartoons... why can't I?
Oh, yeah. Christians don't have "fatwas." We don't go after those who offend our sensibilities by mocking our Lord. My bad.
Brad Stine (a comedian who is a conservative and a Believer) says that one of the problems with being a Christian is that you can't hate. That's not entirely true, but you get the idea. As a rule (whether it is Biblical or not) Christians tend to aim for the "peace, love, and understanding" goals of the New Testament. They emmulate Rodney King's "why can't we all just get along?" The good news is that we don't just go off half-cocked whenever someone dares to criticize our God (unlike some people we know). The bad news is that we get stepped on and mocked, and we do nothing out of some miguided notion that we'll drive people away from God by standing up for our beliefs.
Maybe we need to spend a little more time in the Old Testament (remember, unlike our friends the Jews, we have to read the whole book, not just half of it). God had (and still has) plenty of enemies, and the Bible is quite clear about how God feels about them.
How does these OT stories translate into modern day? Well... think about it for a minute... How much does God grieve for His Children when they turn a blind eye to those around who need them? How do you think He feels when people make fun of Him and His Son, and Believers just shrug? How angry does He get when Believers stand by and do nothing while His standards (ie- the 10 Commandments... those things that are the basis of modern law) are trampled on in the name of diversity and freedom?
No, I'm not saying that we, as Believers, should go around beheading those who disagree with our beliefs or who mock our God or belittle us in any way. The first Believers didn't fight those who persecuted them- their quiet faith spoke far louder than any physical battle or verbal debate ever could. But I'm also not saying that their silent witness will work in all cases (God's pretty good about guiding people to do the right thing in the right situation).
What I am saying is that is it too much to ask that people who call themselves Believers show a little backbone... stand up for those things they claim to believe in? Think about it... do something daring and *gasp* pray about how to respond. Have a little courage (a Biblical command, by the way... in case you were wondering... just do a keyword search here) Then just do something.
(Special thanks to the Imperial Scholar who talked me through a couple of points here.)
UPDATE: At Newsbusters, they have a rundown of all of the media outlets who will not be showing the Mohammed cartoons, but who have no problem lampooning, mocking, or criticizing various denominations of Christianity. I do not agree with their decisions, and I find them to be the height of hypocrisy, but I do understand it. I mean, really- when they mock Christianity, their reporters don't get kidnapped, and their offices don't get taken over and/or bombed.
(And, honestly, I may not like it, but I'm ok with Southpark lampooning Mary- though not how they did it... ew, that's just plain gross- for one reason and one reason alone... they lampoon any and all religions equally. No double standard there. )
Then, we'll issue a fatwa on NBC for The Book of Daniel and the upcoming episode of Will & Grace that has a cute cooking show called "Cruci-Fixins." (They need a fatwa for stupidity alone on that one. )
What? I can't issue a fatwa? Why not? They do it for editorial cartoons... why can't I?
Oh, yeah. Christians don't have "fatwas." We don't go after those who offend our sensibilities by mocking our Lord. My bad.
Brad Stine (a comedian who is a conservative and a Believer) says that one of the problems with being a Christian is that you can't hate. That's not entirely true, but you get the idea. As a rule (whether it is Biblical or not) Christians tend to aim for the "peace, love, and understanding" goals of the New Testament. They emmulate Rodney King's "why can't we all just get along?" The good news is that we don't just go off half-cocked whenever someone dares to criticize our God (unlike some people we know). The bad news is that we get stepped on and mocked, and we do nothing out of some miguided notion that we'll drive people away from God by standing up for our beliefs.
Maybe we need to spend a little more time in the Old Testament (remember, unlike our friends the Jews, we have to read the whole book, not just half of it). God had (and still has) plenty of enemies, and the Bible is quite clear about how God feels about them.
Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies (Psalm 68:21)That's just one example. Search the OT and see what happens when you cross Him and His People. He sent His People out to destroy their enemies. He destroyed cities because of their wickness. And He went "so far" as to punish those of His People who disobeyed His Will.
How does these OT stories translate into modern day? Well... think about it for a minute... How much does God grieve for His Children when they turn a blind eye to those around who need them? How do you think He feels when people make fun of Him and His Son, and Believers just shrug? How angry does He get when Believers stand by and do nothing while His standards (ie- the 10 Commandments... those things that are the basis of modern law) are trampled on in the name of diversity and freedom?
No, I'm not saying that we, as Believers, should go around beheading those who disagree with our beliefs or who mock our God or belittle us in any way. The first Believers didn't fight those who persecuted them- their quiet faith spoke far louder than any physical battle or verbal debate ever could. But I'm also not saying that their silent witness will work in all cases (God's pretty good about guiding people to do the right thing in the right situation).
What I am saying is that is it too much to ask that people who call themselves Believers show a little backbone... stand up for those things they claim to believe in? Think about it... do something daring and *gasp* pray about how to respond. Have a little courage (a Biblical command, by the way... in case you were wondering... just do a keyword search here) Then just do something.
(Special thanks to the Imperial Scholar who talked me through a couple of points here.)
UPDATE: At Newsbusters, they have a rundown of all of the media outlets who will not be showing the Mohammed cartoons, but who have no problem lampooning, mocking, or criticizing various denominations of Christianity. I do not agree with their decisions, and I find them to be the height of hypocrisy, but I do understand it. I mean, really- when they mock Christianity, their reporters don't get kidnapped, and their offices don't get taken over and/or bombed.
(And, honestly, I may not like it, but I'm ok with Southpark lampooning Mary- though not how they did it... ew, that's just plain gross- for one reason and one reason alone... they lampoon any and all religions equally. No double standard there. )
