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In this particular case I am most drawn to the question, "What would Love do?" History is marred with Christian certainty lived out in unloving (unChristian) ways. I would much rather err on the side of grace than judgement. Christians value freedom, respect and even joy/play (I'd suggest that cartoons are both serious and joyful/playful). Perhaps our voice might be a relational one to those around us, asking "How do we lovingingly talk, play and pray together?"

As an outreach evangelist I find the general "worldly view" of the christian is that we are "intolerant fundamentalists haters". Hopefully they will take a note from this whole "muslim cartoon" fiasco.

As christians we are "bashed" in the movies, "pounded" on television, "slammed" on the radio and ridiculed in the printed media. It happens constantly.

What is the true christians reaction? We forgive them and love the people anyway.

What was the reaction in the muslim view? "Death to the infidel!" The world, if not so blinded by the evil one, should easily see who is the "intolerant hater" I am not seeing much forgiveness and love. Do you?

Mark Wicks
www.saskatooncity.com

I agree with anonymous who has the gift of saying so much in so few words. I don't have that gift yet, but I promise to condense my comments in the future, as I learn to blog.

It is funny that you brought this subject up, for I found it interesting and almost comical that the same Conservatives in the West who defended the right of free speech and the press for the Danes, were outraged at Americans who exercised their free-speech rights at Coretta Scott King's funeral. Having a double-standard in this country is not that uncommon.

Pat Buchanan, who appears as a regular panelist on the McLuahlin Group, referred to Coretta Scott King's funeral last Saturday night as, "that funeral". And he hasn't been the only one speaking out. I suppose that it is okay for certain groups to react to what they find offensive, but it is not okay for other groups, like Muslims, to react when their spiritual Icon is disparaged. How would the West react to the same characterization of Jesus Christ?

You know what is wrong with America, I believe, is that its policies, laws and practices, are not always consistent with the word of God, and the church is of little help in that regard, with respect to changing it. Sure there are a few scriptures, inscribed on the walls of Congress, the Washington Monument and other buildings in our nation's capital. Congress even opens up each session with prayer. And many of the nation's Representatives attend daily and weekly prayer meetings on Capitol Hill. But in practice, one has to ask are these officials hearers only of the word like many Christians, or are they doers of the word?

I listened to James Carville, democratic strategist, on Tim Russert's show this past Saturday evening. James expressed his amazement at the hypocrisy of Christians, with regard to what and who Christians will vote for in American elections, particularly given that the policies and politicians that they vote for are not, and do not act in accordance with scripture. Mr. Carville even admitted that he found Jesus too liberal, himself, at times.

I used this blog to discuss Christians who on one-hand lamblast homosexuals and homosexuality, yet they went out in droves and worked for and voted for a ticket with a candidate on it who made no bones about the fact that he supported homosexuality States Right, (interposition and nullification) with regard to same-sex marriages. How do believers reconcile this contradiction, i.e, supporting and voting for such a ticket that itself held positions that were inconsistent with God's unadulterated word? At least that is what some wrote into this blog, that they believed in the unadulterated word of the Canon. Oops!!

Some would say that we have to choose between the lesser of the two evils. My response would be that we have four years between each election. That is plenty of time to come up with viable Christian candidates who adhere to the Canon. I had the pleasure of sitting in and listening to several debates and hearings on Capitol Hill, with respect to the Faith Based Initiative. How many of you have taken money from the Federal Government, and at the same time have had to remove religious pictures, symbols etc; from rooms in your churches in order to receive Caesar's mammon? Christians are too eager to compromise with the world, and its worldy government, even the American Idol, i.e., the United States, the United States Government, and the United States Constitution. People will die for it quicker than they will die for Jesus Christ, or stand up for his word.

Consider Acts 5:27-29, when the Apostles where recaptured and castigated for, "filling Jerusalem with their doctrine", and disobeying the command to cease from preaching the word. There response was simple and quick, "We ought to obey God rathen than men", Peter replied.

If you were to confront most Americans with what Jesus believed and taught, with respect to just social justice issues for example, many Americans would let you know right away, as James Carville did, that they simply could not go along with the teachings of Jesus on that subject. The same Christians would not therefore, expect anything different from their Federal, State or Local governments or government officals, in other words they can ignore Jesus on certain subjects as well.

I am a skeptic of the number of religious leaders in America today who seem to have sold their souls over to politicians. Too many are in bed with them, and endorse their questionable policies and practices. And look at the embarassment that is being caused to and by religous groups lately, like the Right. Many on the Right, proclaiming to be the party of God, have not seperated themselves from venal and sophist politics and politicians. Some of the biggest names come to mind, Mr. Reed, Dr. Dobsen, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and lately, I wonder what is going on with Bishop Jake's.

Unless the salt of the earth, the lights of the world are willing to stand up for the principles of Jesus Christ, how can the earth including the United States be salted?. Last week, I understand, that Focus on the Family came out in support of benefits for same-sexed couples in the state of Colorado. Ooops! Now isn't this a contradiction, in terms of what had been stated publicly by them in the past.

And for all of those who accuse me of being a liberal by today's standards, then what is Jesus then? The Scripture in Paul's Letter to Ephesus 4:11-15, tells us that we must grow up in him, to the stature of Jesus Christ. We are to be like him. We are not to crucify him all over again, by choosing worldly principles over the words of Jesus Christ. For as far as I am concerned that is choosing Anti-Christ!

I am afraid that too many believers have come only so far in the church. And, when it comes to the point of being like Jesus, like those who were told to eat his body and drink his blood, they are are at a crossroads and will will also fall back when required to drink of the cup. Many have already turned back, and are not going to proceed any further when they are confronted with certain truths anyway.

Many Christians today, when they are asked to choose between their politics and the principles of Jesus, like the Rich Young Ruler who was told to go and sell all that he had and to give to the poor, will do the same. Political ideology too often wins out over the word. Even the flawed conservative political ideology of today is the mantra of many Christians, and not the word of God, a lot of which is contained in the canon. Pat Robertsen even believes in murder, in deference to the word of God.

As Peter and the disciples filled Jerusalem with the doctrine of Jesus Christ, we must fill our government with the doctrine of Jesus. The doctrine of Jesus Christ must be our policy. Unless, of course you are admitting like James Carville, that you feel that Jesus was a Liberal and therefore wrong!

On the other hand if many believe the Canon is as they say, the unadulterated word of God, they will find that some of the liberties of the secular governments are in conflict with the word of God. The scriptures tell us how we are to talk to and about our brothers. The scriptures teach us not to say things that will offend our brothers. The scriptures teach us about the fruits of the Spirit. If we believe the scriptures, we will demand the same of our own government.

We should rebuke the Danes, and we should correct our own Government, and Israel as well (Remember, Paul's desire for Israel's salvation) for they are way off base on too many issues themselves. And, we should review our Constitution, its Amendments and the Bill of Rights to ensure that it is in keeping with the word of God.

I questioned a national group of Ministers at a conference in Huntville MD, four years ago, about employing capitalist principles in their churches. Five years ago I challenged a group of ministers and males at a church adjacent to the District of Columbia. I challenged them, given their proximity to the government, to hold the Federal Government accountable for its questionable practices. Being a patriotic does not mean that we can swallow everything that the government puts it. If we are going to reshape the government, lets reshape it with God's principles and not some half-hearted ideology desrived Christians who are settled into the world themselves!

Love me or hate me, thats how I see it, and at times I am as guilty as anyone else. Does the ROW have a reason to believe what they do about Christians?

Peace & Grace,
Rev. C. Solomon

I see what you mean when you said that you find it hard to be succinct. I am not sure what you wanted to say, but let's not reduce this to names and celebrities.

THe isue is clear, can someone in a democratic state write editorials or even caricatures that depicts a seeming conundrum? Can they execute freedom of speech when it causes others to be so unhappy?

If that is the question, then I say absolutely. Now if you ask if whether that freedom should keep them free from hostile reaction, then I would say most certainly not. We can never divorce freedom of Speech from responsibility.

JJ Miller

Well, you have proven my point. I suspect that you understood what I said, but you simply did not care for what I said.

Paul once made it clear that all things that are legal are not expedient. We may have been accorded certain freedoms given the Constitution of the United States of America. However, as followers of Christ, we are not at liberty to take advantage of all of those freedoms.

We are believers first, we follow Christ's example and his teachings! We do not bite & devour, nor we support those who do.

Peace & Grace!

Why the questions you posed are so important to every believer? Each of us must choose whether we will be shaped by the culture or by the word of God. An American who is shaped, from conception, in a culture that is the antithesis of what God intended, will not have any problems with the behavior of the Danish Press.

1. The Bible teaches how man should behave and think from a divine perspective

2. The United States Democratic form of self-government, with its many man-made and sanctioned forms of liberties, is duplicitous and the very antithesis of how scripture teaches that man is to govern and to be governed. It is our form of government that teaches, despite its 'Under God', duplicitousness, that the individual is the highest form of attainment, and each individual is, therefore, free to live as he chooses.

3. Christians must transcend that duplicitous shaping by recognizing that each of us lives in a country that provides us freedom of religion and thought, yet the country which provides those freedom, under its founding documents, articles, and principles is not divine, neither the one that I worship. And although I accept the freedoms afforded me under the Constituion, et al, I must reject those freedoms that are in conflict with divine law, and the one who gives freedoms to all men and women.

4. The results of a self-governing form of democracy has yielded self-centerdness, greed, aggressiveness, insensitivity to my fellow human-beings, an unwillingness to share or compromise, class stratification, corruption and more. Paul warns us in scripture about something that every Christian should be concerned about today, "...that liberty of yours...". 1 Cor. 8:9. Again, "liberty of yours', is it God sanctioned or is it a way that seems right to a man? Is it lawful under the Constitution of the United States but not expedient or acceptable under God's systems of law and jurisprudene.

The purposes and goals of divine government is to govern and transform the creation from selfish liberties, to righteous abiding with God and each other, in Love. The goal of every man, without that kind of understanding is self-government, i.e, to do what I please, when I please, and in the manner that I please and as I see, which is the opposite of love.

Again scriptures teach us that there is a way that seems right to a man, and the ends thereof are death. And can we not see that the conclusion of pretty much all that we conceive and do in the USA, and on earth ends up in some form of death, either by war, abortion, attrition, experimentation, lack of necessities, of the human and divine spirit, et al.

Still, we are being prepared to live in the presence of The Divine Governor. If we compare what we accept from human forms of government now, and how we are shaped by duplicitous human governming principles, we can see that although we call our selves and follwers of Christ, we are presently living in conflict with the divine governing principles, in this instance, including Freedrom of Speech.

And, we are not living as citizens of or supporting the principles of God kingdoms on earth, rather we are a part of the Anti-God movement that covers the face of the earth and that exists in many man-made present day governments. Satan, is the head of those forms of government.

Long ago, I was on visitation for our church. We visited a lady who kinda gave my mind a twist that I've never really forgotten. She said that she didn't see fit to come to church because of the pictures on the walls. She spoke of the commandment in Ex. 20:4: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or the water under the earth;" We explained to her that this only had to do with the idolatry of long ago. Does it, though? When we take a picture or paint a picture, we often brush away the flaws of the one being pictured, making an unreal image that we can adore or idolize. Young girls starve themselves to death trying to look like their idols. We have a show called "American Idol." So, what does any of this have to do with muslims being oversensitive about pictures of Mohammed. Maybe it is not they who are oversensitive. Maybe it is we who are not sensitive enough. Maybe we should take a lesson from them.
The problem is, it's pretty hard to condemn images like Michelangelo's.

I say a lot, hoping that some will catch on. The reference that I made to the American Idol, as I indicated, had little to do with the TV show, American Idol, instead, borrowing from its title, I was referring to those who make America an Idol.

Many countries in the so-called West, emulate or pattern themselves after America; the Danish are guilty of the same. Most Americans support the Danish with regard to this situation, in deference to scripture, because they put American ideals above God's ideas. America is the Idol god of most Americans, christian and non-christian. They pledge their allegiance to America, they love and will die for it; they will not do the same for God, not even standing up for his word over American ideals.

Remember Isaiah, God ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our throguhts. He gave us Jesus Christ to be our model.

This event was not unique however, the same reporter tried to do the same thing before in another incident, however, he was stopped by the Editor of his organ that time. Why was he stopped? Because the caricatures that were created before, were of Jesus Christ. The reporter was pushing his Free Speech Rights! Why was he stopped the first time and not the second?

God's law teaches us that we are our brothers keepers. We don't intimidate, aggravate et al, even when our government allows us the freedom to do so, over God's laws. We do not encourage others to do so either. Paul warns believers about that 'liberty of yours'.

Our Western style self-government that is replete with personal freedoms, is in contradiction, many times, to the laws of God. Given a choice, most Americans, including the religous ones, choose American governance over the laws of God, in effect making America an idol god.

As a result we have some of the rudest, most abrasive, confrontive, argumentive people on this planet, and we support others in the West who do the same. However, imagine if it had of been the Muslims who caricaturized Jesus Christ or America, our idol.

I had the pleasure of visiting, in the land of Democracy and Freedom of Speech, the headquarters of the NAACP, Washington Bureau, its national headquarters. During our meeting we discussed the problems that the NAACP has with its electronics systems, particularly the Email system. I was told that over half of the thousands of e-mails sent there each day, from free thinking, freedom of speech and loving christian Americans, was hate mail; so free speech is working, right? Is that Christian behavior? Is that what we Americans, who want to export freedom and democracy around the world, encouraging? Well, some will say yes, given that America was founded in racism, and that spirit seems to linger here.

American's prejudice runs deep, particularly when you do not see or do things the way that they do or see things the way that they do. It is no small wonder that Americans, many Christians, would not see anything wrong with this characterization of the Muslims Religous foundner as reprehensible. Thank God we instituted laws against hate crimes, over the objections of some, in this country.

A friend of mine's son who was in the 8th grade at the time came home to report that his friend's family referred to Muslim's as, 'Sand Niggers'. This 8th grader, who happens to be black, was confused, well what does he think of me really he thought! Think about the other reason that America would say, hey its okay to do and say things like that to certain people.

I feel that based on my understanding of the things of God that it is wrong for anyone to do anything like that, even when its done in the name of Free Speech.

If you get a chance, read the book, 'The God That Failed'. In it you will read about a man who once believed and saw the Russian system as being a God. Some in America don't realize it, but they idolize, see and depend on America in the same fashion.

Similar to the children of Israel who once worshipped the Temple in Jersualem, and felt that they were invincible as a result of having the temple there,(see the book of Jeremiah), many Americans have made America, its laws, precepts, ideology a god in and of itself.

We have been groomed in this type of thinking and therefore most Americans don't see anything wrong with what the Danish writers did, because if America says that it is okay to do so here, then it is okay for you to do so there. Wake up believers...if my people who are called by my name...!

Peace & Grace,
Rev. c. Solomon

P.S. In deference to what our evangelist said above, many people around the world really cannot see Jesus clearly, because every time they think of Christianity they think of America. We are suppoed to be lights for Jesus Christ. For many around the world, if America is a christian country, based on what they know, they feel then that they do not want any part of Jesus Christ, particularly if he is the God of a country like ours. Brothers and sisters, this country is not a paragon of virtue itself. And America, as I understand it, has considered how it might destroy the Theocracies in many of the middle-east countries. Lets stop being so one-sided and naiive, and begin to follow the principles of Jesus Christ. It will help us to correct our missteps and those of our friends and hopefully those that America considers to be enemies.