HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-09-27, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012.
By Rev. Dr. Peter Kugba-
Nyande
Duff’s United Church, Walton
In the last few weeks, violent
protests spread across Libya, Egypt,
Tunisia and countries across the
Middle East and Asia, targeting U.S.
diplomatic missions. The
provocation: a 14-minute trailer
posted on YouTube for “Innocence
of Muslims,” a low-budget film
depicting the Prophet Muhammad as
a degenerate, a womanizer and a
pedophile. This raises very
uncomfortable questions about the
fine line between defending the
freedom of creative expression and
inciting religious hatred. While we
all think the violence, the injuries
and even the deaths were
inexcusable, these tensions come at
a time when the Muslim world feels
itself under cultural siege by the
United States and the West in
general.
What exactly is blasphemy?
Merriam Webster’s Dictionary
defines it as: (1) the act of insulting
or showing contempt or lack of
reverence for God, (2) the act of
claiming the attributes of deity,
(3) irreverence toward something
considered sacred or inviolable. To
treat something with significance is
the opposite of taking something “in
vain.” Names identify and instruct as
to what something is. We all want
good and honourable things
associated with our names, because
our names are reflections of who we
are. All agree that a strong
relationship is based upon respect.
One of the most important ways to
respect God is by reverencing His
name. He tells us not to only obey
Him, but also to hold His name as
holy.
The most profound ways we
respect God are found in the second
and third commandments. The
second commandment refers to the
worship we are to render to the Lord
our God. It is forbidden to make any
image or picture of the Deity, in any
form, or for any purpose; or to
worship any creature, image or
picture. (Exodus 20:3-6)
In the third commandment we
show our love to God by honouring
and obeying Him. The third
commandment concerns the sanctity
of God’s name. We are commanded
by God to honour and respect His
name: “Thou shall not take the name
of the LORD thy God in vain; for the
LORD will not hold him guiltless
that takes his name in vain” (Exodus
20:7). “Vain” means empty, useless,
false, unreal, and worthless. In short,
taking God’s name in vain refers to
the abuse, misuse, blasphemy,
cursing, or manipulation of the
Lord’s name.
On another level, these
commandments ban against
dishonesty of speech, perjury, false
promises and the breaking of our
word. In order to be believed one
had to call upon God to witness to
the truth. Some are of the view the
cover-ups and evasions going on
today in the political arena and
elsewhere are modern phenomena,
but the problem is really as old as
civilization. The idea also surfaced
that if you didn’t swear by God, then
you didn’t have to tell the truth. But
slowly people became such liars that
even that didn’t help. People felt that
unless they took a certain elaborate
oath they were not required to tell
the truth. This third commandment
has an even deeper meaning. It also
warns us against the misuse of God’s
power. In both the Old Covenant and
the New Covenant a person’s name
was thought to be an extension of
their character.
The word of God does not give
believers enough information to
make a faithful representation of
Christ’s physical appearance.
According to Isaiah, regarding the
Saviour’s outward appearance there
is nothing of beauty to delight the
eye (see 53:2). In the book of
Revelation there is an apocalyptic
description of the exalted Lord (e.g.,
Rev. 1: 13-17) and the Saviour as a
slain Lamb (Rev. 4:6). However, no
competent scholar would regard
these apocalyptic statements as
literal descriptions of Christ. They
are vivid prophetic visions that are
intended to teach the church a rich
theology regarding our Lord and His
work. The apostles who spent over
three years with Jesus, who knew
exactly what His human face looked
like, who had strong memories of
His person and work, could have
worked with artists to leave the
church an accurate portrait of the
Messiah. Yet they refused to leave
the church such a portrait. Therefore,
it is obvious that God does not
sanction portraits of His Son.
There have been several times
Jesus had been depicted in ways that
are annoying to Christians too. For
instance, on June 26 2006, under
free speech an Australian boy, 16,
was stopped by police in Biggera
Waters after he was spotted wearing
a t-shirt which claims “Jesus is a
(expletive deleted)” and depicts a
nun masturbating. It is a t-shirt for
English extreme metal band Cradle
of Filth.
On Oct. 18, 2007, an artist
portrays chocolate Jesus resurrected
in New York: “My Sweet Lord,” an
anatomically correct milk chocolate
sculpture of Jesus Christ that
infuriated Catholics. Since no
accurate picture of Christ can be
produced by man, all pictures of the
Saviour are false representations of
the Son of God. Pictures of our Lord
cannot sanctify because: (a) They
flow from the imagination of the
artist and thus are fiction; and, (b)
they pervert the biblical teaching not
only by robbing Him of His glory
but by separating the two natures;
the divine from the human.
David Bauder of the Huffington
Post wrote, “Whenever South Park
features Muhammad in an episode,
Comedy Central obscures the
character with a black box; Muslims
consider any physical representation
of their prophet to be blasphemous.”
I consider any unbiblical
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m.
CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS
MINISTER
Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div.
All Welcome
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224
SEPTEMBER 30 ~ Bicycles for Humanity Luncheon fundraiser
OCTOBER 7 ~ Thanksgiving, Communion Sunday,
You Can’t Always Get What You Want!
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9017
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
250 Princess St., Brussels
519-887-6388
www.bmfchurch.com
Guests Welcome
Jesus Is Lord!
Brussels
Mennonite
Fellowship
Worship Service 10:00 am
Sunday School 11:15 am
119 John’s Ave., Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
Rev. Mark Royall, Sr. Pastor
9:25 a.m.
Sunday School for all ages
10:30 a.m
Morning Worship Service
From the Minister’s StudyFreedom of expression vs. blasphemy
THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH
CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS.
OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Brussels:
St. Ambrose
Saturday
6:00 p.m.
17 Flora Street
Wingham:
Sacred Heart
Sunday
9:00 a.m.
220 Carling Terrace
Listowel:
St. Joseph
Sunday
11:00 a.m.
1025 Wallace Avenue N.
getlivingwater.orgPastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water Christian Fellowship
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
Wingham Bible Study - Tuesdays 7:30 pm
Youth Group - Tuesdays 7:30 pm (at CRC)
Women At The Well - 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm
Evangelical Missionary Church
Guest preacher
Dan Walker,
Mitchell YFC
Potluck to follow, all welcome
Sunday, September 30
at 308 Blyth Rd.
(NEW LOCATION!former Church of God Building)
11th
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, September 30
Brussels Business & Cultural Centre
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age at 9:30 a.m.
Childcare provided for infants and
preschoolers during the sermon.
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship
Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743
www.blythcrc.ca
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Sandra Cable, Pastor
Church Office 519-887-6259
E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com
SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00 am
Sunday School
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
United Church
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