Saturday’s Tribune had an article in the "Spiritual Life" religious section that drew my interest. The article is entitled "Easter cartoon angers some Valley religious leaders." The controversy surrounds a cartoon strip for Sunday’s paper by Johnny Hart that is described by some as a "tasteless" attack on Judaism.

The cartoon begins with a seven candle "candelabrum." In each panel, one of the candlesticks burns off the candelabrum until it forms and unmistakable cross. In the last panel the cross is found on a hill, a trail leading from it to a cave with a round rock for a door, and inside is a cup of wine and a loaf of bread. Underneath is the caption, "Do this in remembrance of me." Previous to that panel, when all the candles are snuffed, there is the caption, "It is finished."

The Tribune, in an obvious effort to make news and stir the pot, previewed the cartoon with east valley clergymen and Jewish leaders, nearly all of whom condemned Hart and his cartoon for its "anti-Semitic" message.

Rabbi Robert Kravitz is quoted as saying, "To place such an insensitive and divisive cartoon in the Sunday comic section during Passover and Easter – where it sneaks up and bites the reader – is an affront to Jews and Christians alike." Kravitz said of Hart, "He is not entitled, however, to foist those opinions on unsuspecting readers, including children."

Paul Eppinger, an American Baptist said that though he respects Hart’s freedom to express his faith, "it is inappropriate in a pluralistic society. In a pluralistic society, we need to respect each other’s concept of God, life, truth and salvation."

One of the main points of the controversy is the candelabrum. In its configuration in the cartoon, it looks a whole lot like a Jewish menorah, which symbolizes the six days of creation and the day that God rested. To snuff out the candles one by one, then to finally replace the menorah with a cross seems to the critics of the cartoon the ultimate desecration of one of the most holy[?] and oldest symbols in Judaism.

It is interesting how vicious some of the critics can get. The Arizona Jewish Defense League called the cartoon "anti-Semitic propaganda." In a statement to the Tribune the league said, "This comic strip fuels the ideals that have led to our persecution and murder for thousands of years." It is not enough to merely reprimand Hart, or inform him that his cartoon was offensive. Hart probably could have gotten by with an apology for his "ignorance," if that was what they did, and all this could be forgotten. But no, they have to put him into the same category as Hitler.

Rabbi Bonnie Koppell got closer to the issue behind all of the upset. The Tribune quotes her as saying, "It is very offensive because the message is implying, if it is not overtly stating, that Christianity is superseding Judaism, and the last words before the cross say, ‘It is finished.’ Well, what’s the ‘it?’ It is Judaism, and it takes what are clearly the religious symbols of Judaism and transforms them into symbols that represent Christianity. I think that is really a devaluating of Jewish tradition."

Now if anyone is interested, Hart, who claims to be a devout Christian, "sincerely" apologized, acknowledging the role of Judaism in religion, and expressing a hope that there would be generated by his cartoon "increased interest in religious awareness," whatever that is.

Today we live in a pluralistic society. That is, one society welcomes and nurtures a variety of concepts, races and beliefs. That is fine as far as government involvement is concerned, but to mistakenly believe that because we tolerate in our society and nation all kinds of beliefs, that makes them all okay is not merely pluralism, it is irrational.

Does Hart have a right to express his beliefs at the expense of the beliefs of others? The rabbis and pastors say not. But how can one who holds the New Testament story of Jesus to be the truth not believe that "Christianity" superseded "Judaism?"

As a matter of fact, that is exactly what Christians believe. The apostle Paul discusses the purpose and the conclusion of the law in Galatians 3. "What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator" (vs. 19). "Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ" (vs. 16). The law, the foundation of Judaism, was to last until the seed came which was Christ. Christ came. "But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor" (vs. 23-25). That is, the Torah, the basis of the Judaistic religion today is no longer valid.

The Jews were the people God entrusted with the law that they might shine a bright beacons in the Gentile world of darkness. They were the ones would usher in the Messiah and show him to the world. But they rejected the Messiah, therefore, God rejected them. From the Old Testament Peter quotes: "Because it is contained in scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.’ For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;’ and, ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence;’ for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed" (1 Peter 2:6-8). Then Jesus says to the Jews, "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; This was from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" (Matt. 21:42-43). Not only was there to be an end to the dominion of the Torah, but also to Israel’s most favored nation status.

Paul reported that the Jews would not all be able to see that. He wrote: "Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, and are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away: but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ. But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:12-18). Moses wore the veil to keep the people from seeing the glory of God fade from his face. The veils of prejudice and tradition are worn on the heart by Jews today who do not understand the glory of God has faded from the Law of Moses. "But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away." That is, it will be apparent that Judaism is what is finished.

There is no call here to persecute Jews. There is a call here for Jews who still follow Moses to repent (Acts 3:19). There are a lot of good people who are Jews, some of whom I have a great fondness for. But they are wrong, and unless they confess Jesus as the Messiah and Son of the Most High God, they will be lost in hell. For that I do not, I cannot apologize.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

"And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).