Is This Blasphemy - Washington Post?

[OP_Carl]

The Washington Post, in a highly-offensive political cartoon, mocks Pentecostals and speaking in tongues.

Write-up of the issue

There are a lot of anti-religious people in high places these days. I wonder if they're brave enough to publish a similar cartoon about Islam?

In the last days . . .

[TRFrance]

Originally Posted by OP_Carl

There are a lot of anti-religious people in high places these days. I wonder if they're brave enough to publish a similar cartoon about Islam?
In the last days . . .

No they're not brave enough.
They figure that offended Muslims might firebomb their offices, but Christians wont. So they pick on us, not on them.

Very cowardly, IMO.

[Neubill]

Originally Posted by TRFrance

Based on the definition given by Webster's dictionary, I'd say yes, it is.

blas·phe·my
Pronunciation: \ˈblas-fə-mē\
Function:noun
Inflected Form(s):plural blas·phe·miesDate:13th century

1 a: the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God
b: the act of claiming the attributes of deity
2: irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable

Thank you TR for posting the definition of blasphemy.

"Thou dost not make to thyself a graven image, or any likeness which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth." Ex. 20:4 YLT

By depicting an image of The Lord of Hosts, Oliphant has transgressed the Second Commandment.

[HappyTown]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

Now you know how the Muslim folks felt about cartoons featuring Allah! At least we're not threatening to kill the cartoonist or bomb the paper!

true.

[Sister Alvear]

shows how christians differ from muslims...

[OP_Carl]

Originally Posted by Aquila

lol

While we agree that the cartoon crossed the line and could be considered blasphemous…I think the cartoon’s meaning should be evaluated. For example…is the cartoon a satire depicting the blasphemous politicization of the Pentecostal experience, God, and religion by the Republicans on the religious right

That WOULD BE the case if he had stopped with the first two frames within the panel.

….or is the cartoon aimed at actually defaming or disrespecting God himself?

The cartoon takes a potshot at Pentecost - ALL of Pentecost - in the third panel, where it insinuates that God is unfamiliar with speaking in tongues and does not understand it. And therefore, from a Pentecostal perspective, this blasphemes a core aspect of our religious experience. If the cartoonist, editor, publisher, or anybody else in the chain of the decision to publish this was ever at one point filled with the Holy Ghost, they have blasphemed against the Holy Ghost in this incident. I seriously doubt this to be the case, but it shows that more and more people out there are completely un-churched and completely irreverent.

Who is/are the blasphemer(s)? The cartoonist depicting what he believes is a blasphemous politicization of God and religious experience…or those who may be blasphemously politicizing God and religious experience for political gain?

Look deeper….

I hope the second option is hyperbole on your part, Aquila.

It may be shrewd, it may be pandering, it may even be cynical, for a non-conservative political animal like McCain to choose somebody like Palin for the sole effect of energizing a portion of the Republican base whose eyes are still sore from his many finger-jabs (McCain-Feingold, Immigration "Reform", etc., etc., ad nauseum), but I do not see how one could draw blasphemy out of this moves, whatever the assumed motives.

I think Governor Palin holds the key to the resurgence of American exceptionalism and a return to traditional American values. These could be very exciting times indeed.

Aquila, I think you'd benefit greatly from a week or two break from the intensive study you've been doing on MoveOn.org and the daily Kos.

It's not like we're unaware of their tactics or talking points. It's not like we're unaware that true leftists believe the ends justify the means, and this means lies and false compromises.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by TRFrance

Based on the definition given by Webster's dictionary, I'd say yes, it is.

blas·phe·my
Pronunciation: \ˈblas-fə-mē\
Function:noun
Inflected Form(s):plural blas·phe·miesDate:13th century

1 a: the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God
b: the act of claiming the attributes of deity
2: irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable

Amen, I was going to say that some folks do not really know what blasphemy means to say that cartoon was not blasphemous.

[freeatlast]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Amen, I was going to say that some folks do not really know what blasphemy means to say that cartoon was not blasphemous.

Some people do not know that to judge something or someone that his holy as unholy might well be blaspheming.


Where does that put judgmental pentecostals?

[George]

I voted "yes." It was irreverance towards God.

[Nina]

Matthew 12:31-32 (Larger context: 12:22-37)

31 "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

32 "And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the {age} to come.

Mark 3:28-30 (Larger context: 3:20-30)

28 "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;

29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"--

30 because they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit."

Luke 12:10

10 "And everyone who will speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him.


Without reading the whole thread, I'm sure these Scriptures have been cited already.

But:

I've never understood how You could blaspheme the Holy Ghost without blaspheming Jesus. Aren't they the same? (One)

Nina