As the latest outrage over Western lack of sensitivity to the piety of
the Religion of Peace roils in the Islamic World, let us consider the
concept of blasphemy. It is not merely desecrating the Divine. It is
ascribing Divinity to the non-Divine.
The purveyors of
hate
have already attained much of what they hoped for
in murdering Nick Berg the way
they did. Their objectives were enhanced
by filming the atrocity and disseminating it to the world.Certainly
they hoped to spread fear and weaken our resolve. They also
wanted to inspire and nourish hatred. They have achieved a partial
victory so far. It is time we reflect upon this now so they can be
denied their ultimate goal.
One
would think that it would be presumptuous to pronounce who is
friend or foe of over one billion people. One would think that it would
be unthinkable to cite the Will of God for any human action – be it
benign or benevolent. To certify such an act as a suicide bombing as a
‘holy mission’ should be a most egregious blasphemy.
Should women be silent
and cover
themselves up lest they be held responsible for what men may think or
do? This
may be the dominant view in most world cultures, but I say it is not
only wrong
-- it causes misery for all concerned. Some Muslim women have
said that they happily choose to cover themselves, explaining that they
can
then be regarded for who they are, rather than their looks. That point
is well
taken and women certainly should be free to choose to cover themselves
up, but
not be required to.
We
men must take responsibility for how we react to any
and all external stimuli. If we can be successfully trained to ignore
bullets
whizzing past us as we charge forward on the battlefield, then we can
find a
way to let a woman be beautiful in our presence and simply enjoy it
without
making nuisances of ourselves. We men cannot fairly blame women for
what
thoughts they may inspire.
A sermon
offering a representation
of the development of the universe from the beginning to the present.
The
rules which govern the big picture are shown to equally apply to every
particle.
Theological
Exclusivism
Religion
is shown to have been
an inevitable development. The original purpose is lost in favor of the
pursuit of power, thus the crucial benefit offered by religion is lost
as well. The doctrine which holds that there is only one way to the
Divine
is shown to ultimately alienate others from the faith and oneself from
the Almighty.
Christianity
& HIV
The way
organized religion
handles a crisis is illustrated by the example of the various
approaches
that Christian leadership take toward the spread and treatment of HIV.
There are no effective proposals to stop the causes and the main
objective
of this religion [the promotion of soul salvation] is not accomplished.
"Love
God and Do What You Will"
With a
perspective from outside
the faith, the essential truth and universal applicability of this
premise
will be explored utilizing the expertise of contemporary Christian
theologians.
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