This is Just Wrong!
The ACLU is suing the city of Slidell Louisiana in Federal court for a perceived violation of the separation of Church and State . A painting of Jesus holding the New Testament with this caption: "To Know Peace, Obey These Laws" is displayed in the courthouse of the City of Slidell.
This portrait of Jesus with its caption is wrong on so many counts I don't know where to begin.
I don't know much about Church/State laws but the idea of putting a New Testament in Jesus' hands just isn't found anywhere in the Scriptures and historically isn't accurate. Moses gave us the Ten Commandments but where does it say Jesus gave us the New Testament? Sure, God gave us the Bible (His Holy Word) because he inspired the writers of it, but this portrait reinforces the mistaken notion that Jesus just reached down from the heavens and said, "Here it is folks, hot off the Heavenly presses!" The NT was written after Jesus died and canonized about 36o years after Jesus ascended so how would He have it in his hands as this picture depicts?
Also I venture to say that it also reflects a "works mentality." I thought to Know peace, Know Christ and No Peace, No Christ (just like the bumper sticker says!) Not "To Know Peace, Obey Laws! "
Now if this was the portrait, I'd have no problem with it.
Now if this was the portrait, I'd have no problem with it.
posted by Russ Rentler, M.D. | 10:45 PM
10 Comments:
I like your picture suggestion.
Regarding the ACLU, I have not given them so much as one thin dime and not a kind word or thought since Skokie in 1977. I haven't forgotten that and I never will.
http://www.rollins.edu/Foreign_Lang/Russian/pantokra.html
This is what the Icon is really about-not 'rules' at all.
There are many versions of this Icon Christ Pantokrator and they go back a long long way. The Bible in not to suggest He wrote it-and yes I can see the problem with modern protestants having that kind of myth-but that He fulfils it.
Normally His hand in the Benediction has thumb touching last two fingers; the circle made shoes His eternity andthe three digits shows He is part of the Holy Trinity. The two fingers symbolise His two natures, human and Divine.
You are quite right- this Icon is not about rules or Scripture at all.
MMF:
I just Googled "skokie" and couldn't believe it! They lost 30,000 members due to their decision to support free hate speech.
WSNS:
Thanks for that beautiful clarification.
Dear Tiber Jumper,
With respect, the image is a Byzantine icon. The placement of an open Gospel Book in the hands of Christ in such icons is standard and long predates Protestant vs. Catholic controversies regarding the origin or authority of Scripture. To take issue with the use of this image in the court is certainly understandable, but to take issue with its internal composition is to take issue with the long-standing iconographic tradition of Byzantine Christianity, be it Eastern Orthodox or Byzantine Catholic. Peace and good, Fr. Joseph Bittle
Hey TJ,
I zoomed in on the Bible in the picture. The writing appeared to me to be either Hebrew or Cyrillic, as I couldn't get it any clearer. Also, picking up on what white stone name seeker said: after over 30 years of being a Protestant, I have never met a Protestant who believed that Jesus wrote the New Testament. So I don't really understand what this supposed "Protestant myth" is. Thanks for your respectful publishing of my comments, in spite of our many disagreements.
Best,
Pilgrimsarbour
Hi tiber... glad you looked into that, a lot of people don't remember Skokie. I do remember like it happened just the other day. I consider it one of the "10 events that turned the USA off its just and righteous course and into ruination," I take the message and fall out from it that seriously. So absolutely nothing they do that is destructive surprises me in the least. The people who can't understand what they did to Skokie can't understand real justice, and certainly not God's justice!
My futile efforts to be humorous with the usual over the top absurdity didn't appear to work in this posting!
I thought my use of bumper sticker theology was a dead giveaway.
PD thought it was funny, ah well she says I still make her laugh.
Thanks for all the comments!
Your sense of humour has always been an enigma to me. I didn't get you for thirty years, why should this be any different? :)
I only wish the ACLU would spend their time working on things that actually matter to people... They often cause more harm than good and waste a lot of peoples' time and money...
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