Don't Hide Behind Piety During Totalitarianism's Rise

[Frederick Meekins]

On Issues Etc, the topic was addressed if the Christian must defend the Charlie Hebbdo cartoons construed as blasphemous .

From the clip highlighted as the sound bite of the week, one gets the impression that articulating a defense of the gunned down editorial office's freedom of expression isn't really all that much of a priority.

After all, the ultimate concern of the church is not so much with things such as innate or constitutional liberties but rather with the proclamation of the Gospel message.

That might be true in regards to those called to the ministry in the strictest sense of that narrow vocation.

However, not everyone within the church is required to emphasize the exact same aspect of the comprehensive Christian worldview.

Given that this program is Lutheran, one would think they might be quicker to remember the wisdom of Martin Niemoller who reflected how, because he remained silent as the acolytes of totalitarianism hauled off a variety of dissidents, that there was no one left to protect him when the Fascist hordes came to take him away.

Christians don't have to applaud religiously offensive artwork.

However, when bloodthirsty savages begin murdering those that they disagree with, the believer needs to realize that it won't be long until these demoniacs gun down worshipers for little more than singing doctrinally distinctive hymns or reciting the classic creeds.

By Frederick Meekins