Muhammad Cartoons and the Book of Daniel

Yesterday, as people around the world were burning down buildings, rioting, and killing other people over a bunch of dumb cartoons, I settled in to my car for the drive home. I tuned into a local talk-radio station when the host poised the question:

What if the shoe were on the other foot? What if it were cartoons of Jesus shown in a Middle East newspaper. Don't you think Christians would react just as violently?

After I stopped laughing, I thought about it seriously.

Forget about the Middle East - what about this country? The Muhammad cartoons are considered blasphemous by Muslims. What kind of blasphemy do Christians see in the USA? Remember the lovely "artwork" when the NEA gave the grant to an "artist" for pissing in a jar, dropping a crucifix in, and taking a picture? Some clown put an image of Jesus on the cross in the jar - a jar full of urine - and he received taxpayer money for this? A little blasphemous, maybe?

What about the successful NBC series, The Book of Daniel? Wait, newflash - NBC just cancelled this show. Why? It had such compelling storyline. Here we have a druggie Episcopalian priest (Daniel Webster) who has a son sleeping with the bishop's daughter, another son who is gay, a drug-dealing daughter, a bisexual aunt, an alcoholic wife, a lesbian secretary. Oh, and he has talks with Jesus, who looks and dresses like Charlie Manson in "Helter-Skelter" and dishes up the most non-biblical advice possible. Just a hint of blasphemy, perhaps?

It wasn't "art" - but what about the actions of the justice system demanding the removal of the Ten Commandments all over the place? Something that Christians maybe had a right to be unhappy about, even though the Supreme Court offered some kind of "compromise" ruling to try and please everyone?

When Christians have spoken out in this country against blasphemy, all we hear is "1st amendment" this and "separation of church and state" that. We hear smirks about their faith, belittling comments from the intelligentsia on the major talk shows. But in spite of it all, I haven't noticed any houses of NBC executives being burned. I haven't heard or read of any attacks on the NEA headquarters. Too my knowledge, there were no threats made against the members of the Supreme Court by Christians.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.
- Jesus
Matthew 5:9

Tags: Islam , Christianity , Muhammed Cartoon