THE DAVINCI CODE-BREAKING HYPOCRITES

On a big sign in front of a church where I had visited several months ago read the words “Cracking the Koran,” which was a two-part series exposing the evils of Islam. Ever since the “supposed” attack by radical Islamic fundamentalists on September 11, 2001, this has been the hot topic among the conservative Christian community.

Now the Evangelical Christian community is currently up at arms with the recent release of Ron Howard’s new blockbuster movie The DaVinci Code. The Christian marketplace is being saturated with books, tracts, DVD’s, and other materials which expose this heresy. In my own community, churches are organizing workshops in order to inform their parishioners how to witness to all of those poor “lost souls” who may otherwise be taken in by this deception.

Of course, this is nothing new. Approximately 2o years ago, another blasphemous movie, The Last Temptation of Christ, was met with similar types of opposition. Back then, church groups banded together and formed picket lines outside of movie theaters, and tried to discourage movie-goers from seeing this movie. Products that were involved in the sponsorship of this movie were even boycotted by some.

And on her new tour, the practicing Kabbalist Madonna has now been seen in a parody of the crucifixion, in front of a back-lit cross and wearing a crown of thorns. I can only imagine the backlash of self-righteous indignation that surely awaits her.

All of these examples serve to remind me of these words that were spoken by our Savior to the religious leaders of His day approximately 2,000 years ago:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” (Matthew 23:27,28 – New International Version)

Ecclesiastes 1 tells us that history will repeat itself; that there is nothing new under the sun. And just as it was in Jesus’ day, so it is in our day. The churches are led by:

“Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” (Matthew 23:24)

Today’s Christian leaders, who are so worried about their Lord and Savior being cast in a less than positive light by worldly people who are out to make a fast buck, should first concern themselves with cleaning up their own house.

“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)

Today’s Evangelical Christian community does indeed go to great lengths to point out everything that is wrong with what others are doing and saying about Jesus Christ. And yet they are the ones who are committing the ultimate blasphemy by teaching that our merciful and loving heavenly Father will burn all unrepentant sinners in a mythical place called “hell” for all eternity!

Quite ironic, isn’t it? They are the ones who have truly SWALLOWED THE CAMEL!