If the Hallmark Corporation could see my home office, they’d try to have me burned at the stake. I have blatantly religious items all over the place – statuettes, symbols, pictures of our Lord and Blessed Mother, Crucifixes, a Rosary, a candle… Jeepers. It’s a veritable den of religiosity!
Today, Lifesite News reported about Daniel and Sharon Dixon, an Atlanta, GA couple who were fired from their position as rental property managers because they had a painting of lilies with a Scripture quote hanging in their office. (link for the full story appears below)
Funny, if the Dixons had hung a painting of, say, their deceased mother and a quote of something she’d once said, Hallmark likely would have said nothing. If they’d hung a picture and words from their adoptive father, nothing would have been said. If they’d hung a picturesque scene with a quote from Ghandi, it would have been let slip. Perhaps Hallmark would even have stopped to admire it. And if it was a portrait and quote from our current president, well then! They would have received an immediate promotion and a bonus to boot.
But the words of Jesus Christ!? How DARE those…those…those dirty, filthy Christians! Scumbags! Jesus freaks!
No one would ever criticize us for displaying artifacts that honor a deceased family member or other loved one (yes, I’m talking about significant other loved ones, including same-sex other ones). That’s perfectly fine. After all, they’re part of our family and we have a right to honor them.
By Baptism, we are all members of the Body of Christ, which makes Jesus truly our Brother, the heavenly Father truly our Father, and the Virgin Mary truly our Mother. And yet, we are scandalized, criticized and persecuted for displaying our affection and admiration for our own family members.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in.” (Mt 23:13)
Now, there’s a quote for you, Hallmark.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/oct/10102802.html
