Religious Mockery

The news media has carried a story over the past few days about a leaked Foreign Office memo, covering a brainstorming session regarding the upcoming Pope's visit to the UK, which mocked him and made him a subject of ridicule. This strikes me as a symptom of the society we have made for ourselves, even at the highest level.


I am all for free speech, and the Christian religion in all its aspects, and all its traditions support this, but it should be noted that not all religions do! Everyone in this country is free to worship in the way they want. We live in a free society... but...
Yes, you knew there was a 'but' coming. There have been cases recently in the UK where a Bible has been scribbled on and defaced, and we were told it was a form of art. There was also the play, claiming to be 'opera' which depicted Christ as a figure of ridicule. In spite of many Christians complaining about both of these instances (and there are many others) nothing was done to change them. After all, we have free speech.
BUT.. there are religions where freedoms are not given, and no movement is allowed on how their leader is portrayed. One of these is of course, Islam. This country allows Islam to be practised as a religion, but do you honestly think that the Muslim community would have allowed their Koran to be defaced, whether as art or not, or for Mohammed to be shown as a figure of ridicule and mockery? I think not. Remember Salman Rushdie? The Danish cartoonist? Islam does not allow freedom, and will defend their religion with lives.... theirs or even someone else's! That's serious and extreme.


Our nation has now lost its Christian title, and we will live to regret it sooner or later. The question is, what will replace it? A form of extremism? Are we prepared for that? Maybe it is time to recognise that, instead of highlighting the small differences between the Christian faiths, we celebrate the things which we do agree on. At the basis of every Christian tradition is Christ. It's in the name, and maybe. just maybe, we will find that we will have to unite in Christian love, to be able to counter the extremism which we seem to tolerate so readily.


So, we should be open to the Pope's visit, and welcome him gladly, and not allow his time in our country to be marred and spoiled by extreme remarks from any section of society, and that includes the Foreign Office. Have you really considered the alternative? Now that is scary!! 
"God is Love" and "Fear the Lord" are good and certainly not contradictory statements! We need to live them and defend them.