We
Christians can become so frustrated at
the unjust attacks against our Church
and the pope. This is especially when
we see how the media, except in rare instances,
pedals so softly when it comes to Islam
including its excesses.
But
rejoice! This is exactly what points
to the uniqueness and vibrancy of our
faith. It is precisely about the core
of Christianity, which is the cross
of Jesus Christ. It is the wisdom of
God that is so contrary to the wisdom
of the world. Thus it is a stumbling
block and is foolishness to many, especially
in today's secular society.
It
may seem that we Christians are down,
or even defeated at times. That is how
it certainly seemed even to the disciples
when Christ was crucified. The demons
of hell were already rejoicing. But
on the third day Jesus rose, and the
victory belonged to him.
We
continue to be called to embrace the
cross of Christ. In doing so, we endure
suffering, but such suffering is redemptive.
And it is we who rejoice, as we are
assured that we already share in Christ's
victory.
Opinion:
What’s the difference? Media, The
Koran Burning, and the Pope’s U.K.
Visit
Commentary
by Matthew Anderson
September
21, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com)
– One can’t help but notice
that religion is all the rage in the
news these days. First there was the
planned burning of the Koran on September
11 by a Florida pastor, and second,
the visceral reactions by some British
against the Pope’s visit.
Interestingly
(but perhaps unsurprisingly) the reaction
from the mainstream media has been rather
different regarding these two stories:
One is decried as an outrage, while
the other is protected under freedom
of speech.
This
gives rise to an important question:
What is the difference
between Islam and Christianity? Why
are journalists, and the majority of
people for that matter, ready to rush
to the aid of Islam, but they allow
Christianity to be openly attacked?
It
goes without saying that burning the
Koran was a terrible idea, and there
should have been an outcry against it.
I may not believe the Koran is inspired,
but many people do; and destroying something
that many people love (though that love
may be misguided) for no constructive
purpose, is against charity. For the
same reason, non-Catholics should be
disturbed by the treatment the pope
has received at the hands of certain
members of British society. It is extremely
offensive to Catholics when the Holy
Father is abused so viciously by such
as British scholar Claire Rayner, who
recently referred to the pope as “this
creature,” and said that she has
“never felt such animus against
any individual” (See previous
LSN Coverage
here)
Yet,
despite the similarities between the
two situations, they haven’t been
treated alike at all.
For
instance, after the burning of the Koran
didn’t happen, CNN posted a
story on its blog called,
“Lessons from the Whole Quran
Episode.” For the large part,
the comments from the CNN writers who
contributed to the post were dead-on.
Akbar
Ahmed, a contributing writer and professor
at the American University in Washington
said, “We … learned how
Jews, Christians and people of other
or no faiths all categorically rejected
the idea of burning the Quran as disrespectful
and even harmful. In that sense, Jones'
story had a happy ending, showing that
there is such a thing as reason and
compassion in the hearts of the high
and mighty and the ordinary folk, which
trumped hatred and bigotry.”
But
last week CNN posted a
story under a picture
of the pope entitled, “Opinion:
Why I Oppose the Pope’s Visit,”
that does anything but advocate for
“reason and compassion in the
hearts of the high and mighty.”
The
author, Peter Tatchell, the UK’s
most prominent gay activist, says, “As
a democrat, I defend the right of Pope
Benedict XVI to visit Britain and to
express his opinions. But people who
disagree with him also have a right
to protest against his often harsh,
intolerant views.” But Tatchell’s
defense of the remarks of Rayner, or
Richard Dawkins (who has been hurling
an endless stream of abusive epithets
at the pope for months now) is a far
cry from the media’s reaction
to the burning of the Koran. When
the abuse is aimed at a Christian figure,
the media is happy to allow it in the
name of free speech.
So
again I ask, what’s the difference
between Islam and Christianity that
leads to this disparate treatment? The
primary difference may be found at the
very root of each religion: man’s
relationship with God. One believes
God can never be subject to anything
outside himself, the other believes
God’s willingness to be a servant
to man and humiliated by him is what
defines His identity as Love itself.
In
Islam, God is all powerful. He is far
beyond man’s grasp, and thus to
attack him strikes against his nature.
He is incapable of being subject to
anything. Even depicting God is forbidden.
This “untouchable” aspect
of God is transmitted to Islam as a
whole, making any offense against Islam,
such as drawing the prophet or burning
the Koran, incompatible with God’s
nature.
The
president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai,
expressed the Islamic view of God recently
when he said, in reference to the planned
Koran burning, “Humiliation of
the holy book represents the humiliation
of our people.” It is humiliation
that cannot be tolerated. An all-powerful
God cannot be humiliated; any attempt
at humiliating him must be rejected.
Christianity,
however, is built upon the greatest
humiliation God could ever endure. No
one sums this up better than St. Paul
who describes Christ as he “who,
though he was in the form of God, did
not count equality with God a thing
to be grasped, but emptied himself,
taking the form of a servant, being
born in the likeness of men. And being
found in human form he humbled himself
and became obedient unto death, even
death on a cross.” (Philippians
2: 6-11)
In
Christianity, unlike Islam, God allows
himself to be attacked. It is a religion
where God allows all to touch him, in
love or in hate. Those who approach
Him out of love are invited deeper;
those who approach Him out of hate only
advance His will and face judgment in
the end. But all are allowed to approach
Him.
The
media takes advantage of God’s
humility and allows any and all to attack
Christianity.
Because he won’t come down from
the Cross, the media is not afraid of
the Christian God, not realizing they
will one day face judgment for their
silence in the face of such attacks,
or, indeed, their complicity in them.
More
importantly, they do not realize the
attacks they are allowing only further
the mission of the Church they often
criticize. They forget that the Crucifixion
comes before the Resurrection. The Pharisees
wanted to get rid of Christ so they
had him murdered, but this only advanced
his mission. By aiding those who attack
Christianity, the media does not realize
it has taken the place of the Pharisees
in furthering Christ’s mission
in our day. It still has not learned
the lesson of the Cross: that God brings
redemption out of suffering, and victory
out of defeat.
The
view of God as one who “humbles
himself and becomes obedient unto death”
and the view of God as “unapproachable”
are polar opposites. Surely, the religions
that espouse each view will be treated
differently by outsiders. One will be
accepted as the target of criticism
while the other will remain untouchable.
However, as Christians we must have
faith. Good Friday always comes before
Easter Sunday.
"For
to me to live is Christ, and to die is
gain." (Phil 1:21)