Thoughts on Christians and Muslims

I was listening to the radio this morning, and they reported that there had been a protest by some local Muslims (here in Minnepolis, Minnesota) about the quote/unquote "offensive" cartoons drawn in Denmark which depict the Muslim prophet Mohammed in various ways. I'm sure you can google it if you want to see it. The people on the radio were talking about the differences between Christians and Muslims, and asking why the Christians never protest when things like this happen to Jesus (their God, and God's son).

You can find Jesus being depicted in humiliating ways everywhere. Aparently, there is some major art display around right now that depicts Jesus hanging on an upside-down cross in a jar of urine. Heck, just look at Kanye West on the cover of last month's issue of Rolling Stone magazine. These things are very offensive to Christians, but they're not burning down the offices of rolling stone or bombing art galleries to show it.

So, this begs the question: why not? Is it because Christians are weak? Is it because they are aprehensive about their religion, and don't really have the same passion the Muslims do? Not at all. The reason that they can see immages like those about Jesus and not go ape is because they know that God is God.

God, by very definition, is a supreme being that has honor and glory unto Himself already. He is someone who deserves respect, because that's just who He is. But, no person here can take away from His respect by not respecting Him. The Christians know that God can take care of Himself. For them to follow Him, they do desire to respect Him themselves. And yes, it is offensive to them to see Jesus - their Savior and Lord - hung on a cross upside-down in a jar of urine. But, they know that just because some person chose to depict Him like that - it doesn't at all take away from who God is - a being of respect because He is God. Simply put - God is God, and we can't stop Him from being God because of what we do.

The Muslims, to me, seem like a very fearful people. Perhaps the fact that they get so angry and violent when one small human being chooses to draw one silly little picture of Mohammed (not a god himself, but a prophet and representative of their God) shows their insecurity in who their God really is. If they were so sure in their God being God, what possible difference would it make for other people to have different trains of thought or create offensive gestures toward Mohammed? Shouldn't Mohammed be able to stand up for himself? Yes, I think that the Muslims must be very afraid on some level to fight as hard as they do.

Its like when a friend of your's chooses to date someone that you both know is bad for them. When you say anything about the person they're dating - they blow up in your face and scream at you. Deep down, they know they shouldn't be dating that person either - but can't admit it to themselves. So, they throw logic out the window and won't listen to a thing you say. They hate any voice that would tell them anything different than what they want to hear.

To me, truth is truth no matter what. If something is right-down to-the-ground true, no action on our part can change it. And truth enlists belief, not the other way around. No matter how hard you try, you can't make something true if it just isn't, no matter how hard you believe it. Say what you will about the Christians, at least they seem to be ok with who they are and who their God is. The Muslims on the other hand, (from what I can tell and have seen) seem to be on shakier ground. Perhaps they realize that their house of cards could very easily topple, and that's why they fight so hard whever there's somebody around who's breathing a little too close for comfort.