Posted by
MKotyk on Friday, April 06, 2007 8:25:54 PM
Since the end of the Reagan Era, there has been a growing prejudice towards those of the Christian faith. It sprang forth from the Democratic Party's fanatic embrace of liberalism which cuminated in the election of Bill Clinton as President of the United States. This dislike of the left wing of our society of anything to do with Christianity was planted and watered liberally by our then President's party until it sprang in the 21st Century as a full-fledged movement to eradicate anything and everything that has to do with the Christian faith. I have lost track of the lawsuits I have seen in the news which have ranged from the trivial display of nativity scenes during Christmas (not X-Mas) to bigger and bolder attempts such as to try to remove 'under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance and the suppression of bible study classes after hours in schools.
During my time in the service, I have come across those in uniform, and not, who are of the liberal persuasion and who have taken a strong dislike towards those who profess a belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ. They openly participate in this prejudicial hostility towards Christianity and hide their prejudice under the moniker of 'seperation of church and state' or of being 'politically correct'.
I am attending college on-line through Thomas Edison State College where I became involved in a discussion of Christianity and it's role in history. The course we were studying was Western Civilization. It is no secret that Christianity has played a major role in the development of the West. While there are many countries in Europe who no longer practice Christianity, Western civilization, as a whole, still bears witness to Christianity's influence upon it with a mixture of both good and bad results.
I take Christianity at face value. I know that it has a storied past and I am not ignorant of it but I am also aware that it was not the religion that went bad but those who claimed to be acting in it's name. Still, I never thought I would have to defend my religion in a college class.
My opponents wrongly claimed Christianity as a cult. The exact term used to describe it was 'the Jesus cult'. They also claimed that Christianity is just a form of paganism and that we are not monotheists and that we are also idolators. They proudly boasted of the 'evils' of Christianity; of how we harass and persecute homosexuals and people of other faiths; mainly Muslims. We don't like sex nor do we like alcohol and all Christians want to do is to control how other people live. They claimed that all of Europe's wars were started by Christianity and that nothing good could come from the religion.
I wouldn't be surprised if I saw a claim that Christians were responsible for the 9/11 attacks for it seems that Christians have become labeled as the new terrorists to watch.
I believe that I defended my faith rather well. I told them that their interpretations of history were incorrect. Wars were started by individuals seeking their own selfish goals and ambitions. The name of God may have been used as a rallying cry to go to war but only a fool would believe that such a thing was sanctioned by God. Apparently, there were an awful lot of fools in history. Christianity has always been a religion of peace. There have been those who have misused it but it's essence of peace has always been there. I, however, live in the 21st Century; not the 11th or 13th century. I know, all too well, when a politician or religious leader is twisting scripture around to suit his or her own ends.
As to Christianity doing no good I beg to differ. The first schools in Europe were run by the clergy. The Irish monks became living repositories for Greek and Roman literature and philosophy following the fall of the once mighty Roman Empire. It was Christian priests who tended the sick during the Great Plague; the Black Death of the Dark Ages. So many priests died in service to the sick that there was actually a shortage of them for quite a while. Christianity brought about the creation of Chivalry and was the genesis of the very human rights we all claim to have today. Christianity is also much more successful in tending to the poor and suffering than many governments are capable of. In my city of Philadelphia I see more church run shelters and soup kitchens than I do city run ones. So much for left wing championship of socialism and welfare which fail where Christianity succeeds.
Critics of Christianity love to bring up the Crusades and the Inquisition but say nothing about pagans who openly tortured, maimed and killed early Christians for their own pleasure. Apparently, their memory is short.
Jesus is not a cult figure but is a real life historical person. He is noted in Greek, Hebrew and Latin histories of Judea. He performed miracles, true, but his greatest gift was not feeding hundreds with but a few fish and bread or even raising the dead. Jesus greatest gifts were his teachings for us to love on another which was emphasized by his death upon the cross.
When I question those who criticize Christianity I find something interestingly in common between them. The vast majority of it's detractors have either never been to church or attended it very sparingly. They have not read the Bible in it's entireity and instead are quite satisfied picking out bits and pieces of scripture which suit their argument. You cannot do that with the Bible. You must take both books; older and newer Testaments as one complete work for they compliment each other. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the prophecies described in the Old. It is God's promise to us come true.
I caution those who openly criticize Christianity for they are violating the very principles they claim Christians violate. Their accusations are biased, incomplete, false in nature and are completely ignorant and prejudiced. I think critics of Christianity should take their own advice and not judge a book by it's cover or at least, take the time to walk a mile in our shoes.