09-16-07

The shortcircuits that seem to be affecting our cultural conversation in this country need urgent attention. A case in point concern biblical quotations in the media that are often taken as insulting by members from other faiths or even more so by secularists.
It is important for the sake of our unity as a nation that we learn to overcome this roadblock. And it all has to do with the constitutional "freedom of speech" that we all claim to support and to believe in.
Yes, often biblical quotations upset people and I dont see how it cant possibly be otherwise. Its in the very nature of the message of Jesus, we only need to remember how He ended up.But now, people have every right to express their opinions, cite verses from all their favorite spiritual books be it the New Testament, the Koran or the Torah. It is, I believe, high time that we acknowledge this and stop hurling insults and derogatory or demeaning remarks to those with whom we disagree no matter how. strong our feelings .Remember, friends, the beauty of America precisely resides on this magnificent "marketplace of ideas" In a true democracy, ideas are fought with ideas-anything else has a name, persecution.
So, if biblical quotations quotations upset you, thats part of what reading it is expected to accomplish. We, Christians, call it the power of conviction of the Holy Spirit. And yes, it upsets, as it did me before I accepted Him.
Frankly, if we cannot rise to the level of civility, we, as Ameicans, have become a very sorrow bunch.