So I was online yesterday and saw this video and decided to watch it against my better judgment, BUT I'm actually VERY glad I did because it revealed something about our culture. Many, MANY Non-Believers go on and on about The "Christian Majority" and how Christians run EVERYTHING and so on so forth. As if to say we're in complete control of everything and whine to get our way. This couldn't be further from the truth as our beliefs are constantly ridiculed, maligned and referred to something evil that should not exist and even worst yet a mental disorder. And while some Christians have made it a point to defend the stronger criticism we receive from people in places of authority, it doesn't effect the criticism we receive from the people without authority. We are often told that the only reason we get offended by ridicule of Christianity is because we don't actually believe it. As if that's the only reason we can be offended and it's not because our Lord and savior is being maligned a fashion He does not deserve. As if it's not because we feel that Christ is sacred to us and hold Him in high regards? No, we're offended because we don't actually believe any of it is true...Right.
But today we find a different scope of what I'm talking about. Naturally you'd expect MASSIVE Christian outrage over the comments made in the video. I mean EVERY Christian should be talking about this! Dave Foley should be on Twitter offering a public apology for the MANY Christians he offended by calling Jesus a pedophile. Dave Foley should be facing lawsuits for insulting Christianity, and he should be recieving HUNDREDS upon THOUSANDS of death threats DAILY from Christian Terrorists who are SO violently angry at his offensive words about Jesus Christ. The Laugh Factory should get bombed, it's owner should be threatened with death if he allows Dave Foley back on stage!
Yeah, I'm kidding of course because none of that will happen and you wanna know why? BECAUSE NO ONE CARES ABOUT JESUS! Simple as that. But Dave Foley pointed out that if he made the same comments about Islam he wouldn't be so lucky. The funny thing is, when a certain group is offended they tend to be very vocal about it to the point when an apology is given. Not too long ago Daniel Tosh had to issue an apology after an unfortunate rape joke he made at the expense of a Female audience member who took offense to it at The Laugh Factory, the same place where Dave Foley performed. Funny, I don't recall any Christians shouting at him, I do recall a collective groan in the vein of "Wow, he's really going there." but there was no one REALLY offended. Offended enough to make a public scandal about it. Why? Because no one would care. I believe that was the entire point of Dave Foley's act. NO ONE CARES ABOUT JESUS!
Even funnier still is the fact that Dave Foley recognizes he could not make the same comments about Islam. Is it because Muslims take their faith more seriously than we do? No, it's because Muslims have been known to take radical action when their faith is ridiculed. Noted Agnostic Textual Critic Bart Ehrman a very vocal opponent to Christianity is known for his many work criticizing The Bible, however he would not apply the same criticism for The Quran, Dr. Ehrman gives his reasons:
The best part is Christians still get blamed for being just as extreme as Muslims when it comes to the mock and ridicule of their faith. Yet, if you look at the track record of how Christians handle the ridicule and the response we get, you'll see that we are nothing alike. And oddly enough, I have "South Park" to thanks for this. I appreciate "South Park" due to the fact that it's an equal opportunity critic and doesn't hold anything as off-limits, I can appreciate that. HOWEVER! "South Park" has gotten away with portraying God as someone hippo, snake, monkey creature and Jesus as some moronic talk-show host not so much as a peep has been heard from Christians. SURE The Parent Television Council raised an issue with it, BUT would you look at that, they were COMPLETELY unsuccessful in accomplishing ANYTHING and it didn't make the National News.
 |
| God & Jesus as depicted in "South Park" |
However, when "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker did "Trapped In The Closet" an episode full on mocking Scientology, "South Park" was hit with a MEDIA STORM the likes of which will only be seen with their next mockery. Scientology went back and forth with the creators, including the shows long staying cast member Isaac Hayes left the show due to Scientology being mocked (despite not having a problem mocking Muslims, Christians, Jews, ect.). Scientologists have been known to file lawsuits and silence ANYONE who would combat their beliefs on the public stage. And of course Scientologists can do this because many of them are very affluent and have quite a bit of influence on various forms of media.
Then comes Islam. "South Park's" battle with The Muslims. This frenzy began in 2005 when a Danish Newspaper published a comic featuring Muhammad, within a mere 4 months, violence escalated to the point where The Danish Embassy was bombed in Pakistan, other Danish embassies were burned in Syria, Lebanon, and Iran. Flag burnings of Germany, Holland, Norway and Denmark broke out in Gaza City. The cartoonist, Kurt Westergaard came under death threats, with Danish police officers actually arresting 2 men who were attempting to assassinate Kurt. Kurt was placed under police protection, a hotel in Coppenhagen was bombed in an accidental bombing that was meant for The Newspaper's office. There was MASSIVE economical and social consequences that results in HEAVY boycotts, property damage and many lives lost. The pressure got so harsh that The Danish Newspaper Editor in Chief issued a public apology for offending Muslims.
 |
| Hundred of people died because of this... |
 |
| ...but not a peep was uttered about this... |
Which brings me back to Dave Foley's comments. He's 100% right about it. Christians AREN'T going to do anything about it and you wanna know why?
"44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."- Matthew 5:44-45
"11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me." - Matthew 5:11
"14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." - 1 Peter 4:14
18 “ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘ A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. - John 15:18-21
"18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." - Romans 12:18
"4 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." -Hebrews 12:14
The list goes on and on telling Christians that we WILL be mocked and ridiculed for our faith in Christ and urges us AWAY from violence. Of course we are allowed to take offense and make appeals through the proper channels in order for our voices to be heard but we are STRONGLY urged away from any violent or deceptive actions to get our way. Clearly the only reason why the world has not taken Christian offense seriously because Christians aren't known for slaughter people in droves when we get offended. There is no overall pattern of Christian terrorism or Christians continuously filing lawsuits against people who question their beliefs. Let's look at what The Quran says about dealing with persecution.
Funny when Christians are offended about a depiction of Jesus, no one cares and we're just being hyper-sensitive, but when Muslims are offended about a depiction of Muhammad, it's a moral outrage, it's tasteless and offensive (even to people who aren't Muslims themselves). Worst of all, when addressing the topic of Islamic Terrorism, outlined as The Quran teaches, based on the actions of Muhammad and his followers, they're only referred to a small minority of "Radical" Muslims who don't follow The Quran. BUT if I were to suggest that EVERY example of "Christian" terrorism from The Spanish Inquisition, The KKK, Timothy McVeigh to Anders Behring Breivik were NOT following The Teaches of Christ, I'd be laughed out of the building.
We need to realize that not EVERY religion will incite violence. If a Buddhist went nuts and murdered a bunch of people, people EVERYWHERE would be saying "That's not what Buddhism teaches.". Well Christianity doesn't teach Racism, Violence, Sexism, Classism and so on so forth. Christianity teaches the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. We as Christians are called to preach that word in peace and love to our fellow man, pray for those who do not listen that one day they will listen and encourage those who are listening. We are NOT called to perform any acts of violence to achieve converts.
Am I calling for censorship of "South Park" and "Family Guy" ? Am I demanding that Dave Foley issue an apology? No. I'm merely pointing out gleefully people will mock Jesus and yet won't do the same for Muhammad and the dichotomy that everyone seems to ignore. Muslims will kill you for mocking Muhammad, Christians won't kill you for mocking Jesus...so which one of us are truly insecure in our beliefs?
No comments:
Post a Comment