In a time of SJW, we must aim to misbehave [Daniel 3]

There is a very difficult passage today (I John 3) for anyone who has a conscience, who considers how they continue to sin. There are sins that are secret, that we struggle with, and we wear the consequences of them in our bodies. Although we will see the next life, we carry an extra 20 kilos because of our gluttony, have to deal with the diseases we have acquired be it by sharing needles, unchastity, or falling of our mountain bikes. My gym is full of guys and girls who have bad backs, or chronic injuries, left over from our earlier sporting career, and these we have to manage.

But this passage is more timely. It is longer, and it applies now. For ideology is the statue that we are told to worship, if we want to or not: if we do not the activists will shame us, or the islamics crucify us.

And to that knee we cannot bow. We must aim to misbehave.

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

(Daniel 3:1-18 ESV)

The trouble is that we live in a society, and we don’t see the biases. We think of idols as tools of tyrants and empires: symbols of ancient times, that lack power. We forget that we don’t need idols anymore: instead we have computer games and the next episode of Glee.

The only virtue of that show is that they can sing in tune (or have an autotune budget, and there are many like them.

Now I have not got rid of my TV. I watch Discovery channel, and follow some sports (Formula 1, cricket and cycling). But most shows are tedious, and the current affairs programmes more than any others.

And our idols are now in broadcast media or cyberspace. We need to ensure that we do not worship the state approved versions. Particularly as the USA and UK start their electorate cycles, and the politicians are buffed up to me telegenic.

More locally, we have the mythos of the ANZACs. It is close to 100 years since the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed at Subic Bay, Turkey, and demonstrated our colonial superiority to the average British squaddie by being slaughtered. The Turks had the high ground, German officers, and were in well fortified positions. Our civil religion relates to a tribal honouring of this sacrifice. But at that idol, of our nation, we also shall not worship.

We will respect humans as such, and worship God alone. This means the elite will mistrust us, for we do not think correctly or behave correctly. Let them. For we must serve God, and him alone.