Caricature Conundrum

Earlier this month, a group drawing attention to freedom of speech sponsored a contest in Garland, Texas where artists were challenged to draw pictures of Muhammed. The group knew that this would be sensational and would precipitate discussion among a diversity of people including Muslims offended by the artwork, proponents of religious and speech freedoms, reporters and entertainers. They couldn’t be sure, but might have reasonably expected, that it would also precipitate violence surrounding the event, which it did.

Were these people wrong to point out that we have freedom of speech and that one person’s beliefs should not dictate what another person can say? No. Were they doing anything illegal? No. Did they do something that deserved a violent response…or was the violent response justifiable? Absolutely not!

Should we, as Christians, participate in similar events? I’ve seen plenty of Christian friends post everything from sympathy for the organizers... to praises for the heroic law enforcement that stopped what could otherwise have been a tragedy...to jokes mocking the killings of the dead men who were intent on violence. So where should a Christian stand on these issues?

It is my personal belief that Christians have no business either participating in or praising events like these. Other Christians may disagree, and certainly the organizers of the competition disagreed. (I don’t know if they are Christians or not.) That’s their prerogative. Here is why I say that we, as Christians, should have no part in this sort of events or behavior.

As Americans, we certainly have the right to draw pictures of anything we wish, including Muhammed. We have the right to say anything we want, with the small exception of the speech can’t violate any laws (such as committing perjury or fraud would if we used our speech for that). 

However, just because we “have the right” does not make it “the right thing to do".  We have the right to do many things as Americans that simply are not right as Christians. For example, we have the right to get a divorce for any reason whatsoever. We have the right to cheat on our spouse. We have the right to never set foot in a church and never open our Bibles to read them.  We have the right to spread gossip. We have the right to drink to excess. We have the RIGHT to do many things…but just because they are rights does not make them right.

The Bible has a lot to say about rights. Jesus had all the rights of God, but he gave those up to become a man and come to earth to sacrifice Himself for us. If we are truly his followers, we don’t insist on our rights at the expense of others.

I Corinthians 8:9 says, “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” This passage is specifically talking about those of us who are Christians and who are setting an example to younger Christians of how to live in Christ, that we are not so insistent on our “rights” that we confuse them. How much more can it apply to those who are not Christian and who are watching us?

I Corinthians 6:12 emphasizes that just because we have the right to do something does not make it beneficial. And in I Corinthians 9, Paul points out that he had the right to expect the church to support him as he taught among them, but that he worked for his living (as a tentmaker…not exactly a glamorous career) while he was there so that no one would look at his ministry and say that he was just in it for the money and to be taken care of by others. Paul voluntarily gave up support which was his right because in so doing, he was a better witness to other people.

Romans 12:18 says “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”  Does intentionally offending people for the sole purpose of offending them sound like living at peace with everyone as far as it depends on you?

The last commandment that Jesus gave when he was on earth was to go and teach all nations and make disciples of them. Does figuratively poking a finger right in someone’s eye by doing something you know is going to offend them sound like a good way to start off a teaching conversation?

Ask yourself, before you participate in an event like this or praise the people who sponsor it: Will this event point the Muslim who hears about it to Jesus? Will it make their heart more open to the sowing of God’s word by the next Christian who has an opportunity to witness to them? Or will it just harden their heart further when they see such a petty way that we use our “rights”.

I’m not saying that we need to tiptoe around and never offend someone of another culture or speak out about another religion. I won’t hesitate to say that Islam is WRONG and that their extremists such as the two gunmen in Texas are murderers (or would have been if they were not stopped by law enforcement first). I’m not saying that papers should not run political cartoons, even ones with Muhammed drawn in caricature, as a part of their everyday course of business. What I’m saying is that going out of our way to be offensive to other people is not Christian, and to praise or even give attention to those who do so is not Christian. To make jokes about the death of two men who were created by God - but who no longer have an opportunity for any eternity other than separation from Him is not Christian. Though all those things are permissible to us as Americans and are even seen by some to be patriotic…that does not mean they are Christian.

We should not be mocking those who follow Islam. We should be weeping for them and for how deceived they are. We should be taking any opportunity we have to point them towards Christ and to the salvation He offers.  And we should be on our knees before God begging Him to bring Muslims to him. When, if we were doing that, would we have time to participate or endorse such foolishness as that cartoon contest?

Our rights end where our duty to share Christ with others begins. THAT’S the purpose to which we should turn our speech and all the freedoms we have surrounding it.

How's That Do-Over Working Out?

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 
-Psalm 51:10

Last week, the story hit the news about the tragic death of a teenage heart transplant recipient. Only a year after receiving his transplant, he died while he was fleeing from police in a stolen car. He had allegedly burglarized a house and fired a gun at the elderly homeowner before fleeing from the cops. My first thoughts when reading this was, “How awful! How could he do that? What a stupid thing to do!”

There were thousands of other people on the transplant list who could have benefited from that heart.
About a month after the transplant, the young man had himself said that the new heart would help him stay out of trouble. He rejoiced over what he called his "second chance".

While we can look at his case and comment on how foolish he is, we should take a look at ourselves. If we’re Christians, then we’ve got a new heart. We’ve got a new spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, living within us. We get to start over with a clean slate. We don’t just get a new heart…we get an entirely new life. We get to be born again. It’s the ultimate do-over!

But how are we using that do-over. Are we just “doing over” the same old things we've always done? Are we stuck in the same habits, slaves to the same addictions? Are we still running on the hamster-wheel of sin and its consequences?

Consider today that if your DO-OVER looks a lot like the life you’re supposed to be DONE WITH, then some serious change needs to take place. Don’t fall back into the same old life.

Just like that teen, you have a new heart, a second chance that many people never experience. Don’t waste it!

Why Are People Picking on "Fifty Shades of Grey"?

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  - Philippians 4:8

Note: This post contains references to graphic content by virtue of its non-virtuous topic. It is okay for adults, and should not be anything that will offend, but it is not okay for young children. It needs to be said, but please read with discretion.


Before I start, I ought to tell you that I haven't actually seen the movie Fifty Shades of Grey, and I haven't read the book, either. So I can't say with authority what's in it, only what I've heard is in it.

So, why are people, specifically Christians, picking on this movie? Sure, it has some objectionable things, some nudity, some sex outside of the boundaries of what is considered a healthy relationship by most people. But why call it out and make a big deal out of that exact movie?

I'm not saying at all that we, as Christians, shouldn't speak out against degradation in our society or against immorality and evil. What I am asking is why suddenly that movie?

Is it the first movie with nudity? No.
The first movie with immorality? No.
The first movie with deviant sex? No.
Maybe the first with bedroom bondage? Still no.

So why now? Why not before? Why this movie and not those others that had similar content and themes in the past? We, as Christians, should certainly call out when we see immorality, but, truthfully, wagging our fingers and criticizing the rest of the world is not going to accomplish anything if we are indulging in watching those very same things ourselves.

 Think about this: If you object to Fifty Shades of Grey, is it really that you find it morally offensive? Or is it that the content is unbiblical? Is it because it has nudity and graphic intimate scenes?
   ...Or is it because it has these things but also isn't a topic, concept, or plot that you like?

Is our criticism selective? Are we more lenient towards what is acceptable if we like the show and its plot?

For example, if nudity and sex are your objection to 50 Shades of Grey...do you watch Game of Thrones?
   Ouch, that audience includes like half of America.

If the problem is dysfunctional relationships or language, did you complain about 50 Shades...but then call Birdman art?

If the problem is the depiction of corruption of the innocent by a deviant predator...was that okay for you in the Twilight series?

These are just examples, but think about them. I think many of us are more lenient with ourselves in turning a blind eye toward objectionable material if the specific entertainment is one that we prefer. We're not as forgiving with content in movies or shows that simply don't suit our personal style or preferences.

We've changed, as a culture and as Christians. We see things today on network TV that would have been objectionable on the big screen in the worst-rated movies years ago. Some of the mainstream cable shows would even have been labeled pornographic a few years ago...and still are considered that by people with intact discernment.

Next time you sit down for a show, think about if your grandmother was there...would you be embarrassed to watch? Cultural standards may have changed over the decades since Grandma was young, but morality isn't changeable. If it was wrong in her generation, it is wrong now.

Then think about if Jesus was sitting there, would you still watch the show? As a Christian, the Holy Spirit is there with you all the time, so are you expecting Him to sit through that kind of garbage with you? ... Really?!

We need to get back to a higher standard of morality for ourselves. Quit pointing fingers at the rest of the world, and get our own house in order. We've been flirting with sin for too long, compromising on what is "okay" to watch, and filling out minds with things of questionable morality. And now we've been morally living in the territory of the questionable for so long that we haven't noticed that we've moved from a morality made of "shades of gray" and have wandered off into the realm of the "pitch black".

Authors Note/Confession: I apologize if this is a little bit behind the times. I've had it written for some time, and it's been on my heart to say this. However, I really didn't want to. You see, when this conviction first entered my mind, I had recently borrowed Season 3 of Game of Thrones from the library and was really looking forward to watching it. I like the series and have enjoyed the first two seasons, though some scenes required selective not-watching. I tend to skim over those and just watch the other bits. Well, I knew that if I wrote this, then I'd have to admit that I should not be watching that show...and, on the other hand, I realized that if I watched the video, then I couldn't possibly in good conscience post this piece. I sat on the fence for awhile...until I'd rechecked the video so many times that I ran out of renews at the library, and it came to the point where I had to make a decision to watch it - or turn it in unwatched. So it went to the book drop rather than into my DVD player, and I opted to post this instead.

Why Be Good?

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10

What good works have you done this day?

       How about this week...?

Many people perceive Christianity as a list of rules, particularly a list of "thou shalt nots". Sadly, even many Christians seem to, in a more pious way, embrace this same perception as those outside the church do. Some, maybe a majority of, professing Christians seem to think that if we avoid doing anything evil, then that makes us good Christians. We should be fine, that should be enough - if we can just steer clear of the "thou shalt nots".

No WONDER the rest of the world thinks that's what Christianity is about. That's what we LIVE like it's about!

One of my favorite pastimes is Dungeons & Dragons, a fantasy storytelling game. In that game, each character has an alignment that determines their personality, and one aspect of that alignment is where they stand on the spectrum between good and evil. There are three options: Good...Neutral...Evil. If even the designers of a secular game can see the obvious truth that "not being evil" does not necessarily make a person "good", then why do we as Christians assume that we can just try to not be evil and that's good enough to call ourselves followers of Christ?

Throughout scripture, we are called, encouraged, and even commanded to DO GOOD. The verse above is a perfect example, but consider these, as well:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. - Matthew 5:16

      - If we don't do good works, works that cause men to glorify God, we are not obeying the direct instructions of Christ. We are not doing what He SAID.

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? - John 10:32

       - If we don't do good works, then we are not following what Jesus DID, either.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works - Hebrews 10:24

        - If we don't do good works, then we deprive other Christians of an example of how they should do good works. 

Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold , glorify God in the day of visitation. - I Peter 2:12

         - If we don't do good works, we also deprive non-Christians of their opportunity to see and to glorify God.

The book of James tells us twice that faith without works is dead. (James 2:17 and James 2:20) What good is a dead faith? We are not, and never could be, saved by works. But works are the evidence that we are saved. 

Clearly, the Christian life was never meant to be lived coasting along in some easy state of just-good-enough or simply-not-being-evil. We are supposed to be doing good works on a daily basis. Most of the rest of our non-believing neighbors shoot for (and usually hit) the target of "don't do anything overtly evil or grossly immoral". We need do to better than that. 

When people look at us, they need to see us being actively, peculiarly, unreasonably GOOD.

Light in the Darkness

And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
-John 1:5

Think about light...and darkness. Even a tiny, tiny light looks bright if we're in total darkness. Even the strike of a tiny match can look bright against a backdrop of dark. So how is it that the darkness that pervades this world didn't comprehend the Light when He arrived?

I think the answer lies in the nature of that darkness. Satan is behind the darkness in the present world. And the idea that God would Himself come to earth not as a King or a Judge but in the form of a tiny baby would be totally incomprehensible to Satan. Satan's sin was, originally in the first place, deciding that he would be like God. He wanted the glory, the worship, and the praise that belongs only to the Creator, not to any created being. The idea that God the Son would set aside, for awhile, that very glory and venture to earth in a humble form, acting out of love for His creations probably never even occurred to Satan even as a remotest possibility. It would be a completely foreign concept to him.

So the darkness did not comprehend the Light that came to earth in the form of a man. Fully God...but fully man, as well. An act of love like that was so unusual and inexplicable that it took the kingdom of darkness completely by surprise.

As followers of Jesus, we ought to be imitating Him and the way He came to earth. Obviously, we don't imitate the actual act of incarnation. But we ought to act...out of love...in ways that are so surprising that the dark is taken off guard. When we pour out the love of Christ on other people and seek to do His will, it ought to make us act in ways that leave the powers of darkness reeling with confusion. In addition, forgiveness, love, and compassion exhibited in situations that logically call for anger, strife, and indignation should leave unbelievers scratching their heads and wondering, "Where did that come from?"

The darkness shouldn't be able to comprehend some of the actions the we take if we are walking in His light.

Unfortunately, often the darkness doesn't comprehend our actions, but it's for an entirely different reason. Sometimes, the darkness doesn't comprehend our actions because it doesn't even notice our actions. If we as Christians look, act, and behave like everyone else around us, then the darkness isn't going to notice us at all. Darkness inside of darkness doesn't show up at all. If we watch the same movies, go to he same places, indulge in the same pleasures, have the same pass-times, and generally act in the same manner as non-believers, then we look just like the rest of the darkness.

We shouldn't completely cut ourselves off from the world and live in seclusion because then we won't reach anyone with the message of God's love for them. Honestly, though, that's not a problem for most of us. Most of us are very in tune with the world, and it's past time for us to quit living so in tune with the world that we're not just in tune...we're playing the exact same notes.

NOW I Believe

And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.

Picture by George Hodan from PublicDomanPictures.net.

I Kings 17:24

As you read the verse above, realize that the woman speaking to Elijah was a widow and had only one living relative that we know of: her son. And that son had just died and been raised from the dead by the prayer of Elijah. And so she tells Elijah "NOW I know that you are a man of God".

This seems like a very reasonable response on her part...until we consider what has happened in this chapter, of which this is the very last verse. In this chapter, the widow, her son, and their house-guest, Elijah had been living for many days, in the midst of a drought and resultant famine, on a bit of food that was only enough for one small supper. The widow had been preparing to make this tiny bit of meal and oil into a last meal for her and her son when Elijah arrived, and since his arrival, they'd made that same bit of meal and oil into cake...after cake...after cake and had been sustained on one meal's worth of food for "many days".

So, why hadn't she said, "NOW I know"...days ago?!?

Is it because she was stubborn, just like we are? What does it take for us to finally get around to saying now I believe God will do what He says He will? Is it because we are waiting for some huge sign...and overlooking the many blessings God has given us? How long do we persist in a sin that we know is wrong until we finally repent and do what God is leading us to do?  Are we waiting for some miraculous revelation to use personally...when the instruction He has given us is already clearly addressed in His Word?

We should consider, as we are being stubborn about accepting what God is showing us, what the cost might be. The woman in this story was eventually given a sign big enough for her to believe...but look at what she had to go through. She watched her son fall ill and die, and she suffered through that as any mother would.

Would the widow...and her son...have gone through that agony anyway if she had believed at first? Perhaps, or perhaps they only went through it because she kept stubbornly resisting what God was making plain to her, so He gave her a sign she couldn't ignore.  We can't know the answer to that, but what we can know is that if God has revealed something to us that we should first believe and then act on that belief.  There is no advantage to delaying that action. If God has put a calling on our hearts to change our behavior, habits, or character or to take a specific action, then the time to do that is NOW.

As At This Day

Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

I Kings 8:61

 

This verse is part of a beautiful prayer offered by Solomon at the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. (If you want to read the entire prayer, it is found in I Kings 8:22-53.) When Solomon prayed these words before the congregation of Israel, they were experiencing a very high spiritual peak. After years of planning, gathering of costly materials, and construction, the Temple was finally ready to be dedicated to its use as a holy place. The Temple itself, made with gold, silver, and brass, was a tangible and physical reminder before them as they listened to Solomon’s prayer.

Solomon took this opportunity to bless the people of Israel by encouraging them to continue following God’s statutes. He knew they would fail to do so, and he knew that at times they would not follow as they should. Just a few words previous, in verse 46, he had said “for there is no man that sinneth not”. He was wise enough to know that it is easy to be faithful, thankful, and resolved to follow God’s statutes when you’re at a high point, celebrating, listening to inspiring words, and surrounded by throngs of other faithful people. His blessing for the people ends with a reminder, a plea to them to follow God when times are tough, when they’re living in a foreign land, when they’re surrounded by people who don’t believe (or even by people who persecute them for believing).

We should learn the same lesson. It’s easy to sing praises if you’re surrounded by believers. It’s easy to say “Amen!” at the end of a beautiful prayer. It’s easy to resolve to break that sinful habit when you’re sitting in a pew being inspired and feeling God’s presence.

But it’s not so easy to praise when your car breaks down on the way to work. It’s not as easy to talk about God when you are surrounded by people who disagree or maybe even mock you. It’s not easy to follow God’s laws when the object of a sinful temptation is right there in front of you instead of being an abstract idea that you’re contemplating overcoming from the spiritual safety of a pew.

We should remember, when we are feeling in the spiritual “mood” in church that faith is not a mood. Faith is shown in daily obedience to God’s statutes, and we shouldn’t check our obedience at the door of the church on the way out. We should keep God’s commandments, even on the dark days, “as at this day…” where “this day” is the mountaintop spiritual high.