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Anyone with an interest in religious matters could be
inclined to read more into current events than is warranted. But it does
seem as if a number of recent events have served to focus people's minds
on Biblical issues.
 The Passion of Christ
There is a great deal of controversy surrounding
the film "The Passion of Christ". By all accounts an extremely
violent depiction of Christ's arrest and crucifixion.
One
of the most popular films of all time
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The film seems to belong to that religious tradition
which has always had a morbid preoccupation with the sufferings of Christ,
while remaining ignorant of the true meaning of his sacrifice.
The film has set box-office records in the United
States and has attracted large audiences elsewhere. Who would have thought
that a film about the last twelve hours of Christ's life could become
one of the most popular films of all time?
Its popularity is not likely to signal a resurgence
of religious fervour. But it does seem ironic that at the same time as
the Western world is drifting further and further away from God, its attention
has been arrested by a religious film!
One of the criticisms of the film is that it encourages
anti-Semitic sentiments by its portrayal of Jewish involvement
in Christ's death. Whether or not that is so, recent studies have shown
that anti-Semitic attacks have risen dramatically over the past few years
in many European countries. At the same time Western public opinion is
becoming more and more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and critical
of Israel.
"Same-sex" marriage
Divine standards - the firm foundation
for our moral code
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Everyone must be aware of the debate taking place in various countries over
the issue of "same-sex" marriages.
In North America, courts have repeatedly ruled
that defining marriage exclusively as a union between men and women is
disciminatory. In response to this, there have been attempts (particularly
in the United States) to introduce legislation which would restrict the
definition of marriage to that of a union between a man and a woman.
The question has been raised - Is marriage simply a
social convention that can be altered at will, or is it a Divinely ordained
institution that cannot be tampered with? Both sides have invoked the
Bible in support of their views. A reminder that
Divine standards once formed the firm foundation for our moral code.
Noah's Ark
A recent BBC documentary entitled "Noah's
Ark" claimed that the Biblical account is simply a rehash of much older
Babylonian traditions. The producers do not seem to have wondered why these
Babylonian writings are now no more than footnotes in history, whereas the
Bible is still one of the world's best
selling books.
"If
humankind falls short of God's laws, there's a dreadful price to pay"
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The fact that major broadcasters feel obliged to spend
vast sums of money on programmes which attack the veracity of the Biblical
record is perhaps their own back-handed compliment to the Bible's
authority. But what is of greatest interest is the presenter's own
assessment of the story's meaning: "If humankind falls short
of God's laws, there's a dreadful price to pay".
Conclusion
As the world approaches its fateful confrontation
with the Son of God, it is doing so with its eyes wide open. Many current
events draw attention to the Bible and its relevance to life today.
So mankind is "without excuse" concerning the future God has planned
for his world. |
