Gasp! A college newspaper has printed a cartoon that pokes fun at Jesus!

Normally I wouldn't care but there's been a lot of press here in New England about it. While the cartoon certainly is odd and quite immature, it doesn't offend me. The artist clearly doesn't understand who Jesus is and instead mocks both His attire (sandals & stinky feet) and the Virgin Birth (deadbeat dad - at least I think that's what it means). Both of these are very superficial and neither original nor funny.

Jesus very likely had stinky feet from time to time. Most everyone does. That's why foot washing was very common back then - dusty roads, sandals, walking everywhere. Yawn. Juvenile at best.

The reference to Jesus' father is more interesting. Jesus had an earthly father in Joseph (Luke 4:22 for example) that everyone knew. The whole circumstances behind Mary seem odd when you think about it.  Everyone in town must have thought they didn't wait until the wedding night to - ahem - consummate the marriage. Joseph thought to divorce her when he found out she was pregnant. Joseph and Mary had to live with a certain amount of shame from what their neighbors must have thought of them as well as the knowledge that they were entrusted by God to raise the Messiah. People have been questioning these events ever since.

A little more recently people starting thinking maybe Jesus was fathered by the angel Gabriel. Why? I'm not sure, except just to confuse the issue and try to disbelieve what the Bible says.

Maybe the artist isn't thinking so deeply. I don't know.

There have been calls to censor such cartoons and the publishers of anything that depicts Jesus in an unfavorable light. I disagree.

We live in a free country with the freedom to say stupid things as well as preaching the truth. The same right that allows me to say "Jesus saves sinners" allows the artist to draw this cartoon and the publishers to print it. We cannot allow freedoms to be removed for one without the possibility of our own freedoms being taken away. The freedom to free speech has the unfortunate side effect that you also have the freedom to be offended. The two go hand in hand.

What bothers me more than the cartoon itself is the discussion over Christian reaction. Offended Christians are being compared to the Muslim reaction to the Muhammad Cartoons. I hope most people will see this a very poor comparison.

Christians tend to not go for boycotts (even Disney, which I don't think was very effective do to lack of participation) and don't call for the deaths of cartoonists or other offenders. The very few that do are easily identified as outside the norm. Our Scriptures tell us to "turn the other cheek"(Luke 6:29), "pray for those that persecute you","Love your enemies" (Matt 5:44), and other such teachings. 

The Christian response should not be to call for censorship, or boycotts, or other action against either the cartoonist or the college paper. Instead, we should pray. Pray that they learn the truth about Jesus and about their need for salvation. Look for opportunities to discuss the cartoon with others and open up some conversations about who Jesus really is. Who knows how God can use what appears to be evil for good?

(And by doing so you "heap coals of fire" on their heads (Romans 12:20). I love that part!)