“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 Authoritarian?”

Christian Authority

The argument goes something like, because Christians claim the one true faith and the Bible they feel little or no reluctance in using force and manipulation to impose Christian values and behaviors on others.  It is suggested that this is to the point of intruding into the personal lives of other people to include non-Christians.  Supposedly then this invalidates the Christian faith.

General Trends of Authority

The simple truth is that to live in any culture or sub-culture involves some kind of an authority structure and such a structure requires there to be roles and roles are totally invalid unless accompanied by some other things. Among them are responsibility, authority, and accountability.  

This would be true of culture in general and as well of a sub-culture such as a company or even a loosely organized group such as a gang of anarchists.  Without some form of authority structure the group simply does not function toward any agreed upon goal.  So authority is a necessity even for those groups who vehemently oppose it.

Intrusive Authority

Cited as problematic is the Church or a portion thereof that seeks to influence government and culture.  This supposed imposition is seen as intrusive.  Among the issues referenced as problematic are a woman’s supposed right to abortion, mandated abstinence education, creation education (actually it is intelligent design theory), and others similar issues. 

What is not understood is the push-back effect.  That is to say, if government would not have intruded into matters of faith and conviction, these and other matters would never have become issues.

PC Authority

Therefore, what one can readily see in all of this is that for government to intrude into matters of faith has become morally acceptable and therefore viewed as correct.  Someone observed accurately that what had been a legal issue is now a moral issue, that is the one way relationship between government and the faith community.

Where is the Ethical Authority?

What about ethical standards?  People of Christian faith at the very root formulated and today formulate ethical standards based upon Judeo-Christian Scripture.  Historically and at one time, the government looked to the Church and churchmen for the ethical compass, but no longer. 

Then there was a period of isolation.  It was then that it was acceptable for the Church to establish and maintain ethical standards but only as long as they remained within the confines of the faith community.  It was in that period of time and following that the government began its drift deep and deeper into secularism. 

Now however, there is a sense that not only should people of faith not seek to influence culture and government but culture and government may now influence the church.  An example of such is the 1950s law which restricted political speech from the pulpit.

Effects of Authority

Has there been excessive over-reaches by the Church but such does not end in the Christian Church but can be found in many other entities.  Of course, history is filled with examples.  Again one should not assume that all such expression to be the property of the Christian church, for there are many others from which to choose.

Leave the Divine out of the argument for just a moment.  Christianity in all of its various forms then becomes a philosophy.  How does that philosophy fare when historically compared to other philosophies throughout history?  Is the christian philosophy intrusive and oppressive because of its extreme authority?

Take one area, that of free speech.  The notion that Christianity suppresses free speech pales in comparison to Marxism as expressed in Communism.  The numbers of the oppressed are not even close which is most interesting since Marxism is relatively new on the stage of human history. 

Higher Expectations

Once again one finds that those critical of the Church hold the church to a higher indeed unique standard than other institutions.  Such only reinforces the thought expressed in previous essays that such suggests the unique place of the Church even in the minds of her critics.

Outcomes

Consider the point that unless authority is anchored to an ethical base and thus restricted in its expression and practice, it expands.  Such expansion flows and follows the moral compass of the culture.  Such is true of government as well as other institutions. 

That being the case, then one should not expect his free speech criticism of Christianity that is so freely expressed now will not be viewed differently in the future.  It would not be the first time that such speech comes to be viewed as a threat by a secular government. 

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.

"Answer Evil With the Greater Good"

Two years ago four young people--police officers with families, in the prime of career and life, and serving in their community were senselessly executed by an evil mad man.  Later that week he attempted to kill another officer only to meet his own demise--for which many of us are grateful.  Yes, that man and others prove that evil and all that is of the Kingdom of Darkness (Satan's domain) is alive on planet earth.  It will remain so as things go from bad to worse.  While we have an eternal hope in Jesus Christ, there is more in this life than that of some future utopian hope.  Such hope is not without present practice.  It is within that present practice that God's "good" is to answers such evils as was witnessed two years ago and as well other evils be they personal, national, or international.

Just as the Pacific Northwest, here in the USA was on alert for the despicable killer of those four young people, we too need to be on alert since the Devil and his ilk are on the prowl to create chaos, dissatisfaction, disconnect, and yes even murder etc.  There can be no doubt that the killer who is not worthy to have his name repeated, along with his cronies were evil--desperately evil and each worthy of the full measure of such punishment as society might impose upon them!  Not many will agree that the punishment of even those on the periphery was nearly enough.

Such evil bring suffering but it did not end with the four families, their police department, and the community in which they served.  Such evil brings suffering wherever it is allowed to roam unchecked!  This was not only true in this case but also on a broader scale.

One need only look at the suffering Christians in Muslim countries such as Egypt and in places such as Africa to understand that being a Christian is a serious business.  No other faith group has suffered what Christian have suffered and continue to suffer at the hands of Godless communism (Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot) and at the hands of other religious ideologies such as the one just mentioned.

Yet, just as those four served to keep order, preserve right, and stave off lawlessness in their community so too, we who serve the risen Christ must stand for those and other things.  Other things such as those that  bring unity among Christians who are not so in name but in relationship with the risen Christ.  That is so be they Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant.

Also, we who serve Christ, must seek to preserve that which is right, and live out the laws of the Scriptures--those things that keep us in right relationship with God, then right relationship with one another, and finally right relationship with self.  As my mother used to say, "JOY = Jesus, then Others, then You."

We as Christians often have been taught that we are a hospital for those injured by the world's treatment, fleshly failures, and Satanic attack.  That thought sounds so good and contains some truth but not the full measure of truth for no army has ever been victorious, nor has it held one centimeter of ground by being a hospital for the injured.  Aggressive armies win and so the Kingdom of Heaven's army--the Lord's Army, the Church must march forward in Scripture and prayer, living out the Lord's commands, doing good to all first to other Christians and then outward into the uttermost parts of the world.

God's Kingdom--the Kingdom of Heaven is divided into those here on earth and those now departed to be ever joined with Christ.  The earthly portion is to be the aforementioned army that fights with the weapons of earthly warfare at times but more often wages war with weapons of a spiritual nature, wages war by doing good, wages war by living out ethical truth no matter the cost, and expressing love in practical ways.  You see the weapons of the Christian are mighty to the tearing down of the strongholds built by the Kingdom of Darkness.

We who claim Christ will never be understood by those of the present world order.  Even so we must be ever on guard to do good, stay to the tasks, fulfill our calling, be ever alert at our station be it in the pew, behind the pulpit, in the work place, as a volunteer in some humanitarian enterprise, at leisure, or some other place.  All are responsible to go forward in the Lord and the strength of his might, to be spiritually strong, do good, to do their part!  All are to withstand the chaos of evil and the unraveling of this present world order.

Onward Christian, unite with one another, remember that no matter how many times an evil demented sick and despicable person such as killed the four officers attacks us, no matter how many people seek to defame us, no matter if we are martyred for Christ, lose our reputation in the cause greater than ourselves, if we die of some dread disease in a foreign land, or if we die of old age, we win.  We win because the Kingdom of Heaven of which we are a part ultimately is victorious--eternally victorious until there is but one Kingdom, that of Jesus Christ the Lord!