Denmark is a “marked” country.  The Great Danes are stunned to see their flag on fire.  Besides delicious goats cheese, Scandinavian countries have one thing in common.  Each has a Christian Cross on their national banner.  It was put there when the world was less Dane-Dangerous.  They are trying to cope in Copenhagen and things have not been so ugly since Hans Christian Anderson’s Ugly Duckling. 

As a matter of fact the Western World is surprised by recent actions by the cartoon cartel’s fuss over a simple satire.  Personally, I suggest one keep one’s hand out of a hornet’s nest whenever possible, and at all cost, keep one’s head.   If you chose to do otherwise you are not wise.  Americans don’t know what to make of the fury.  While I, as a peacemaker, condemn it, I must say I understand it.  The French didn’t understand it when they were fighting the Arabs with their French Foreign Legion.  The British did not understand it in the Charge of the Light Brigade, and we Americans don’t have a clue.

It is called reverence and respect.  We live in a world where freedom gives us the right to mock and lampoon whoever we wish.  Our main industry is the entertainment industry and we will be amused.  While we don’t have a cross on our flag, we claim to be a “Christian” nation (although that is getting harder and harder to explain).  We love freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of worship (but mostly, these days, freedom not to worship). That is the problem.  While this kind of talk is not politically correct, here goes.

 The Muslim world (to say nothing of the poor Mexican illegals) do not abort their babies.  We say that is our right in a free country.  The Muslim world honors the “aged” and respects the “elder.”  Our idea of the aged is Homer Simpson and Gramps.  Our grand parents sit alone in nursing homes while our politicians are discussing laws to “pull the plug,” or provide a “death with dignity” (the new term for euthanasia).  Then there is God.  Oh yes, God.  We dare to depict Him as someone that looks like George Burns or Jim Cary.  We lampoon sacred and holy things because we don’t think there are any.  Nothing is “off limits” to Saturday Night Live.

 Children once mocked an Old Testament Prophet.  They were cursed by God and eaten by bears.  This was not written by Hans Christian Anderson, it was written by God (2Ki. 2:23).  Moses was told to remove his shoes when he stood before God.  The Muslims remove their shoes when they go to worship.  We edit our Bibles, add to and take away according to our fancy and think the Reader’s Digest Version is just as valid and the next.  We have prophets like Hugh Hefner, and Larry Flint and Mecca’s called Las Vegas and Hollywood.  The Rolling Stones sing songs about not being able to get any satisfaction (sexual) and a Christian nation gyrates into a fanatical frenzy over a football game.  We just don’t get it. 

 There is a God.  He is real.  He is right, and He is Holy.  We worship a caricature and a cartoon god who winks at our wantonness.   We worship the Almighty Dollar and believe nothing is not for sale.  We forget that nothing is more precious than the human soul which must answer to it’s Creator at the end of the day.  We have forgotten what it is to be Christians, to live in a Christless world, and yet dare to live like Christ.     

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