“Christianity - Is it Cruel?”

Christian Cruelty

The suggestion is that various kinds of cruelty are central to the Christian faith.  The notion is that throughout Christian history, the Church and it members have been cruel to both Christians and non-Christians.  Further the notion is that vindictive and spiteful cruelty is one of the major tenants central to the Christian faith.

Again, the prudent will find such criticism lacking in factual and logical thought.  In fact such thinking comes as a consequence of biased and even discriminating thinking by those cynical of religion in general and the Christian faith in particular.  As well this and other criticisms is predicated upon the notion that Christianity functions only because of some great power of manipulation, dominant control, and threatening fear.

Concupiscence

To be sure one of the central elements of conservative Christianity is in the matter of sexual purity.  Such is viewed by those from a secular humanist view point as an impossible demand, thus cruel. 

The obvious assumption is that to resist and not give in to one’s sexual drives is at the very least unfair, at worst impossible.  Therefore to practice sexual restraint is to be cruel toward others and a mistreatment of one’s self.  Of course what this view of unrestrained sexual desire seems not to understand is that this is concupiscence and such is never without consequence in the life of the individual and those also involved.  This notion of unrestrained sex is what feeds into the notion of birth control through abortion.

Self Abuse

Another criticism is that such self abuse also includes self-flagellation, self-maceration, and self-immolation etc.  It is suggested that such is the sole property of Christianity.  That to say the very least is a limited, unfair, limited, and thus erroneous view.   

For example and though not widely reported there are those in India, Red China, and elsewhere who perform self immolation for political reasons. Another example is that there are those who live under repressive families and societal mores such as the Muslim faith in Afghanistan and are known to set themselves on fire.   Then there are Muslims who believe in and practice self-flagellation.  To even remotely suggest that these kinds of things are the sole practices of Christians is to say at the very least inaccurate.

Witchcraft

Then there is the matter of the occult.  This example cited by those who are cynical about Christianity concerns the treatment of those who are involved in occult practices (most popular term is “witch”).  Yes, it is true that there have been excesses on the part of Christians in this area, what is conveniently forgotten is that Egypt, Babylon, and the Roman Empire also legislated and negatively sanctioned such practices.

Again how easy it is to be cynical about Christian faith, label some excess of history as abhorrent and fundamental to the Christian faith today and condemn the same. Such is either of malevolent intent or the produce of a depraved mind that has lost it “logic” function.  Admittedly such is not the sole property of the militant atheist. 

Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas

At times named as typical of Christians is the activity of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas. It is here that there is common opinion on the part of those who are opposed to Christianity and most reasonable Christians.  One can field no justifiable reason for these supposed “Christians” to engage in their insensitive and barbaric activities.   

(To read a short piece on what it means to be a genuine Christian go to http://alviesthots.blogspot.com/2012/09/christian-what-is-christian.html)

However, to name this group as representative of what it means to be a Christian is equally unjustifiable. Perhaps those so cynical of genuine Christ followers might find issues with those who without thought of life and limb have served even the enemies of the cross.  People who have selflessly given and died for their efforts. 

Or how about those who today go to the remotest parts of the earth and care for those afflicted with HIV and AIDS.  It is all too easy to cite the few of Westboro while conveniently ignoring the thousands who have gone and today go in order to serve!

Cynicism and Bias

But then should one expect anything else from one who cites a few excesses here or there and with those make such outlandish claims.  What else should one expect from the kind of person who is so cynical that they are blinded to the truth.  The interesting even ironic point is that while pointing at the outgrowth of this kind of thinking (Westboro), they fall into the same thought traps.  

It is all too easy to take an excess here or there throughout church history and use those excesses to color the reality of Church history and of all who name Christ Jesus as Lord.

Such is not relegated to the past for the cynic fails to see that across the world today there are those who seek the betterment of mankind.  The predominant group to do so is not some government agency, certainly not Communist or Muslim countries but Christians and countries that have been strongly influenced by Judeo-Christian convictions.  This should say much to all but then such is as meaningful as the beauty of nature to a blind man.

Consider the Track Record

Again as in previous postings the challenge is this.  Among the adherence of various paradigms of truth, who is it that has done the greatest good and who is it that has been the most destructive?  The Christian church in its various rendering has exponentially out given, out served, and out sacrificed all other truth theories. 

On the other hand secular truth paradigms such as Marxism have been responsible for the torture, incarceration, and the murder of multiplied millions of people.  Consider the gulags, the Killing Fields, and communist repression.  It seems then that instead of providing reasons to reject or abandon Christianity, these and other facts provide a reasonable vantage point to consider, to embrace and maybe even to accept Christianity.

The evidence is there but only for the conscientious seeker of truth.  All others are destined to live out the consequences of their choices to look away from the truth.  As someone once said, “God gives you the power to choose but not the consequences!” 

Background

To see the list of subjects to be discussed in this series see my blog (Christianity – Is it a Faith Driven by Fear?).  Contained within that blog is a reference, 20 Reasons to Abandon Christianity and in that reference is a list which is the springboard from which this subject has been discussed.

"Christianity - Is it Arrogant?"

Christian Arrogance

The idea presented in this argument against Christianity is that the faith is invalid because it engenders a certain attitude of arrogant superiority.  Such superiority then is a plausible reason to abandon the faith and move on.  Those making that claim use a very broad brush and present as being of limited view.

Arrogance Disqualified

For example, arrogance is a part of the condition of man and is not limited to Christianity.   Who can miss the example of sports where one often observes that the participants develop and display an arrogant attitude. 

Does that mean that such a sport is should be abandoned?  Of course not!  Then why disqualify Christianity based on a perception of arrogance?  The implication of course is that Christianity is held to a different standard.  Those leveling the criticism in some sense validate the uniqueness of Christian belief and practice.

The Values Involved

Once again, as in many of these kinds of criticisms, one arrives at the question of values.  To negatively value arrogance suggests that there is something which is antithetical to arrogance.  That something then would be the value by which arrogance is determined to be wrong.

What is that opposite value but modesty?  Modesty is in the sense of humility or reticence.  That then leads to two further questions.

First, what is the origin of that value?

Second, by whose authority does one pronounce something as arrogant?

Relative Arrogance

Some consideration needs to be given to the degree to which someone or a group is arrogant.  Certainly, one man’s arrogance is another man’s humility. 

Would that not mean then that to judge something as arrogant, is simply saying that such an attitude or action is more arrogant than the one making the judgment.  By inference then to make the value judgment is to imply that the one doing the valuing is more humble than that which he is valuing.

Those of Arrogance

To be sure there are people and movements that have assumed some air of superiority.  However, such arrogance often leads to the humility of downfall.  The reality is that such groups have missed the point of Jesus message which was that His followers were to be humble servants (actually the word is slaves).

The Overall Picture

Were one to take time to view Christian history, certainly there are times of conflict and arrogant attitudes regarding others.  However, more often than not the genuine Christian was quite the opposite—often sacrificing much in the service of others.  Sometimes that “much” included the ultimate sacrifice.

Because of the sacrifice of Christians as they sought and today seek to follow their Lord there are education institutions, medical care facilities, stable governments, civil rights, women’s rights, and so much more.  However, one views the subject, one cannot easily dismiss the place of humble Christianity in these and other things.

Background

To see the list of subjects to be discussed in this series see my blog (Christianity – Is it a Faith Driven by Fear?).  Contained within that blog is a reference, 20 Reasons to Abandon Christianity and in that reference is a list which is the springboard from which this subject has been discussed.

Go Ahead Disparage Christianity and the Church but first...

Go Ahead Disparage Christianity and the Church but first would you mind listing for me what organization or movement has accomplished...the freeing of slaves?  Even today there are people who at the threat of their own personal safety are doing what they can to stop human trafficking.

Maybe you know of and can list organizations or movements that have elevated women.  How many Muslim countries have women heads of state, in fact how many non-Christian countries have women heads of state?  One maybe two from time to time, but not many!  Or here is one, how many places other than in countries with Christian histories do we find women leading major corporations?

Oh, do not forget about the elevating of women in the family and in the society.  Does any other major religion require of the adhering husband to love and honor their wives?  Can you think of one?  How about Islam, does it demand of its children that they honor and obey their parents--no, no, no, not just young girls, no you male children that includes you obeying the mother.  Any takers on that one?

Where did the notion of hospice houses that led to hospitals and hostiles originate.  It was the tradition of Christians to take the aged, in-firmed, sick, mentally disturbed, other outcasts of society (including female babies who were left to die of the elements), and wayfaring travelers into their own homes and treat them and care for them as if they were family.  This care they provided even to pagans who opposed the Christian faith!  Then in 325 AD at the Council of Nicea the Pope required that every city that had a Cathedral also have a hospice for the reasons already listed.

How about education?  It was Christians who though persecuted for doing so educated the factory children of largely pagan Europe.  Oh and where did the Great Enlightenment (an oxymoron to be sure) begin?  On the foundations of those educated in Cathedral Schools and Universities which were originated to train men for Christian service.  World wide compare the number of people educated because of Christianity with the number educated by or for any other religion.  It is not uncommon to find people today who can recite the Qur'an but not read it.  It is not common today to find that to be so with the Bible.

Oh and then there are those who say such outlandish, even slanderous things such as, more people have died because of faith in general and Christianity in particular than for any other reason (they conveniently look past the USSR, China, and other communist countries that have slaughtered millions of people).  Or here is another, Northern Ireland Christians and Catholics.  How many died?  Now compare that to the number who died because Muslims cannot get along with their brother Muslims.

Go ahead tout the superiority of Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism, Hinduism, and the currently sacred, do not disparage Muslim religion. Go ahead and believe that all roads lead to god--they do but problem is it is not the god you think nor the God who is!  Go ahead and look past that last 2,000 years of Christian history and what responsible Christians and responsible groups of Christians have accomplished for one reason alone.  Certainly do not consider that many hundreds of thousands if not millions have left home and security and have gone and in going suffered greatly at the hands of these other faith groups and other godless people.  Don't forget to disparage those who packed all of their worldly goods in their casket and then sailed for foreign lands knowing that they would never to return to their homeland and even be buried on foreign shores.  Call them misguided since they went not because they were trying to earn their way into paradise--eternal bliss or believed in some kind of Karma experience.  No, not at all, not in a million years! They did not do these things because they feared the wrathful vengeance of a vengeful God (sorry Muslims).  They did these things because they wanted to obey the Holy Scriptures and in doing so please only one person--their Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.  Problem is that if you are not in the same relationship with Him you will never understand them nor will you understand Him.

Even many of those who went on the Crusades, though mistaken in what they did, did so for no other reason than to seek to please their Lord, Jesus Christ.  So while you are busy being critical of Christianity and its adherents, seeking to dig up dirt on them, just remember that you would not be enjoying the blessings you do if it was not for them and the sacrifices they made to lay the groundwork that they did.

You remember that the next time you have a sick kid in the ER, or you help in your child's classroom, or you stop at a hotel in your travels, or you give blood at the Red Cross, or someone you know benefits from going to AA, or...