Paying attention to the log in our own eyes

In some of the South African newspapers (Beeld etc) a heated debate is going on about the use of God's Name. Some Christians have been outraged at a young south african band's using the Lord's Name in vain after a concert. Hate emails have been distributed, marches have been organized and letters have been sent to the newspapers. I underwrite the commandment in Exodus 20:7 that we are not to take the Lord's name in vain, and I want to take the discussion just a step higher. I have written an article that will appear in the Beeld of today (17 March 2006.) I raise the question if we as Christians don't make ourselves quilty of the same thing when we act in a way that is not in line with the Spirit of the Jesus? Everyone of us has an image of God and William Temple, an anglican minister, once said that if someone has a wrong image of God, the more religious they become, the worse the consequences are and later it would have been better for them to have been atheists. I wonder if anyone has tried to spend some time with the band - to just listen in a spirit of grace and acceptance? Maybe their image is of a God who just judge, who is distanct from our situation, a God full of wrath and anger? And when they curse this "God" is it really the One we serve?

I can understand that they would not want to have anything to do with Christians at this stage? Our actions might again have re-inforced the idea that Christians can be judgemental and without the love and grace we often talk about. We need to ask them for forgiveness in the way we have attacked and lashed out on them. We may need to pay attention to the log in our own eyes before we try to take out the splinter from others. We might be taking the Lord's Name in vain when we dont act in the Spirit of the One we follow........Ur thoughts?