Prejudices
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commonplaces and answers – di Grantley Morris
Christians are bigots, racists, sexists and homophobes
“There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither bond nor free; there is neither male nor female:; because you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galati 3:28, Colossesi 3:11)
Bible verses like this still shake the world after 2000 years. The Bible was simply not 20 centuries ahead of the time it was written; indeed it was the Bible that at certain moments in history led our civilization towards tolerance.
In the presence of Jesus, all, regardless of their talents, muscles, capacity, intelligence, education, riches, professional status, social or ethnic class, color, physical beauty, assertività, kind, age, trends, habits, health conditions, and moral skills, they are equally accepted to receive the purity of Christ, the joy of being made children of God, and be welcomed in heaven for free. True Christians, true followers of Jesus Christ have always reiterated that both the newborn and the elderly, the sick, the criminal, the depraved, the alcoholic and the saint are all equally precious to God. Anyone can go to Him, be saved and become “a new creature”.
Several awakenings of biblical Christianity and the work of Christians like Wilberforce, Shaftesbury e William Booth (to give some examples of the nineteenth century), have made certain Christian principles, like the equality of all people, were accepted by the world and became popular. Few people realize that even certain anti-Christians such as Marxists and feminists who burned Bibles, unwittingly they included aspects of Christianity in their ideologies. Another example is the non-Christian Mahatma Gandhi, famous for its non-violence and its opposition to the prejudices of the Hindu caste system. Gandhi was consciously influenced by the teachings of Jesus Christ (if you see, eg, the book Non-Violence in Peace and War, 1949, vol. 2, cap. 166). Most of the people Gandhi inspired, in any case, often they were not aware that they were accepting principles of Christian origin.
A different view: Every day all over the world cruel manipulations are made by people who deceive others using the word “love”. The result is a lot of cynicism, pain and distrust. On the other hand, only things of value are counterfeited. Yet counterfeits can never invalidate the original. Like so many unscrupulous people they have discovered how to exploit and abuse the word “love”, so even today many sincere people have discovered a person, “Jesus”.
Religion has caused wars and abuses
The same could be said of politics, yet we do not eliminate politics from society; indeed the world continues to strive to find the right one “political formula”. A good start would be to find a leader who said: “Blessed are those who work for peace… love your enemies… bless those who curse you… turn the other cheek…”
Atheist ideologues are ready to point the finger at religion, but they forget that they themselves were responsible for numerous mass killings – let's consider eg. Lenin, Stalin, Mao… The extermination of millions of people by numerous atheists and as a result of their doctrines, it is no less serious than what has been done in the wars of religion.
When one thinks of any war, look at the causes – greed, selfishness, pride, hate, lack of mercy – the exact opposite of the teachings of Jesus. Atheist or religious be it, it is equally anti-Christian.
A different view: If you believe killing and abusing others is wrong, you are unknowingly following Christian values. I know, as the evolution advocated by atheists teaches, advancement occurs through the survival of the fittest, because we don't let war take its natural course? Try delving into the many non-Christian religions and you will find that they teach that all things are one – including good and evil. Why work for justice, if nothing – including the exploitation of others – it's wrong? E’ biblical Christianity which offers the rational basis for the attainment of justice and peace. Non-Christians often end up trying to dodge and avoid the logical implications of their own beliefs; then they plant Christian values on their anti-Christian basis. E’ like trying to plant rosebuds on plastic roots.
