“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.

"Something is Missing from Ministry! But What?"

What does it mean to be mighty in faith and power?

The libraries of the world could not contain all that comes in pursuit of the answer!  However, in the current discussion and pursuit of same...something is missing. 

Of recent date I engaged with another on the subject of supernatural signs and wonders that are to be normative in the Church.  Certainly I agree such is to be so.  Further I agree that these things should not be limited to some move of God here or there.

However, there is a concern!  In the course of the discussion and to no avail, I referenced what one denominational leader had said some weeks earlier, "The Scriptures provide the river banks within which the Holy Spirit flows."  Made sense to me but apparently not to the other in the discussion.

One asks, "What do those river banks look like?"  Such is currently under study for me; however, I can say that paramount is the matter of humbly aligning thinking, belief, and one's life with the principles and precepts set forth in the Scriptures.  In other words studying in depth God's Word and then applying it in the small and the great arenas of one's life!   Applying it even when one does not understand it.  Though out of fashion in many congregations the terms we used to use for such things are dedication, sacrifice, repentance, holiness, righteousness, obedience, humility, etc.

Throughout the history of the Church, known and unknown there have been men and women of power who would die rather than bring any kind of reproach upon the message of the Scriptures as lived out in their lives and situations. These are those who humbly live lives above board and who were and are on a constant hunt for a deeper life that aligns more perfectly with the Word of God and the God of the Word.

These are those who clearly understood that to fail ethically while in ministry was not a matter to be taken for granted nor lightly.   It was not a matter to be hidden but confessed.  It was not a matter to be explained away but prayed through. It was not a matter to be pridefully regretted but of which one humbly repented. It was not a matter to be arrogantly dismissed but submitted to spiritual leaders for such restoration as was possible.  Failure certainly lead to forgiveness but also it was understood that it would put blight upon a person's character and ministry.  Such seems not to be so today as such things are explained away as being "just" one's fallenness, frailty, and fallibility and that we must forgive and forget and move on.

These were men and women who clearly understood that any part of their lives that was not totally committed to being a follower of Jesus Christ would impede the flow of the Holy Spirit of worship, of love, and of power.  They were on a quest for those signs and wonders previously referenced but they understood it all began with one's life being pleasing to God! They understood that such came as one humbled one's self before the Master, Jesus Christ.

These were men and women who clearly understood that one day there would be those who touted their spiritual power and prowess and would hear, "Depart from me, I never knew you."  They purposed to not be among that number but to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

These were men and women who clearly understood that in order to have spiritual might in their lives and ministries, their relationship with God had to go beyond citing some promise or another with an "I deserve" almost prideful attitude.  Even today in conservative Christianity there are those who make demands of God and propose that they know the will of God.  It has gone so far for some that they teach, preach, and counsel that praying; "Never the less not my will but Thine be done" is wrong.  I see such praying as deferring to God's decisions and in that being submitted to His will.  Wonder what they do with the "Our Father?"

If someone cares to look throughout the pages of Church history, on every continent, in every Christian movement, in every age, there are men and women who lived exemplary lives dedicated to serving God and man.  They lived lives of prayer and the Word.  They lived lives of confession, submission, and dedication.  Often they were thrust against their own druthers into the local, national, and international spotlight.  Even so they sought with all of their hearts to be humbly faithful--trustworthy in the eyes of their Lord, Jesus Christ.

These were men and women who clearly understood that one shunned evil and the very appearance of evil.  They took seriously the injunction to "...take up your cross daily..." and thus were denigrated by even their fellow Christians.  No cost was too great a sacrifice for following Jesus Christ.  These are those who chose to sacrifice ease, personal wealth, popularity with the world, position, safety and security, a comfortable future, retirement from service, and much, much more in an eternal cause greater than themselves.  They demanded nothing of God and in fact only demanded of themselves in their service.  They knew nothing of, "You have to love yourself before you can love others."

Some years ago there was a couple at a major Christian University who though wanting to marry realized that to do so would not be in keeping with God's call upon their lives and so sorrowfully parted. There is another who gave up success, power, position, the possibility of marriage, and even his name to become a follower of Jesus Christ.  Indeed to listen to some today is to hear an opposite message. Today's message all too often is, "you deserve."  One can only wonder how that squares with, "Seek you first the Kingdom of Heaven and His righteousness..." which is what that couple and that man did.

Thomas Cranmer Memorial, Oxford

There is great danger in this opposite and wrong message.  Yet the message of plenty, leisure, and pleasure has been foisted upon the unwise by the winsome.  The message is simply unfounded in the Scriptures.  This has been carried to the extreme, teaching that those who belong to God deserve.... (You fill in that blank).  The reality is that because of our own sinfulness we deserve eternal punishment!  That is what we deserve!  Thankfully God in His mercy and grace made it possible for us to escape that which we deserve through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

How inconsistent these new beliefs, with the lives of people such as the Apostle Paul, martyred by Rome; Thomas Cranmer, burned at the stake; David Brainerd, died at a young age, spent serving the American Indians; Jim Elliot and his 4 friends, martyred while seeking to reach the Auca Indians of South America; John and Betty Stam, martyred by the Chinese Communists; then there are those who occupy the pages of Foxe's Book of Christian Martyrs, and yes, the Christians who are even now being persecuted, enslaved, and dying in places such as Egypt, Africa, China, and Iran.

When you think about the sacrifice of these and others, it leads one to conclude that some of us ought to give up the title "Christian" for its use suggests that we with our easy faith are like they who traveled long and difficult trails of travail.  It connects us with these and others who gave so very much.  Most of us, it seems to me, are unworthy of such a connection.  Indeed as with the closing of the Hebrews 11 list of similar people, the world was not and is not worthy of them.  The degree to which the world is in us is the degree to which we are not worthy of them or the name by which they are remembered.

What does it mean to be mighty in faith and power?  That too is to be studied but there are some things we can know.  This comes of submitting to spiritual disciplines to include the following.

Such comes when one in humility seeks to perfectly aligns his or her life with God's Word through the study of the Bible, through the ministering presence of the Holy Spirit, through prayers of repentance, through humble obedience, and through long seasons of intercessory prayer.  It comes of establishing and maintaining the eternal view.  It comes with companions in prayer.  It comes as one seeks God for strength to do the will of the Lord.  It comes of Christian fellowship, and service.  It comes of having those to whom one is accountable for word and deed.  It comes of failure, confession, and restoration.  It comes of selfless obedience.  It comes of implicit trust in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, even when they seem not to make sense.