Mocking Mohammed

Being a Christian I do not, of course, believe in any of the tennets of Islam. I believe the entire religious system is false, yet the outrage over the cartoon that is circling in the news has led me to think about the "persecution" of Islam in the media.

Statements of the insidious nature of this cartoon have been issued by numerous nations, state departments, and institutions. Mocking Mohammed is being hailed as a serious offense to a religious group, yet it strikes me that these same institutions, nations, and state departments were nowhere to be found when cartoons mocked Jesus (or plays, or poems, or NBC's recent television flop, etc.). So it seems that it is considered morally reprehensible to mock any religion, except Christianity. You can mock Jesus, just not Mohammed! How frustrating, how hyprocritical! What should Christians do? Should we riot in the streets? No. John Piper reminds us well of just one difference, among many, between Islam and Christianity. Christians do not seek to kill the cartoonist who mocks them, they seek to call him to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. We do not pray for the mocker's damnation, but for their salvation. Christianity has and will continue to be hated by the culture, but it will continue to be the responsibility of all Christians to pray for those who persecute us and to love them enough to point them to Christ. As Paul said, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them" (Romans 12:14). And how can you bless someone who persecutes you? By sharing the gospel with them and praying for the salvation of their soul.

Here's a great commentary on this news story: http://www.challies.com/archives/001641.php