As the Christian faith continues to lose influence (especially in the Western world), I am still impressed by the tremendous force for good it has been ever since its inception.
When I look around the world at those countries where the struggle for human rights has been most successful, they are almost always countries with a Christian heritage. No surprise, of course. It is the natural result of generation after generation hearing the lessons taught by Jesus — to love God; to do good to others; to be merciful; to seek what is righteous; to not judge; to treat others as you would wish to be treated; to help the weakest in society — just to highlight a few.
When I look around the world at those cultures where the fight for women’s rights has been most successful and where their lives are most valued, it is usually those cultures with a Christian heritage. I have always believed that if today’s men interacted with the women in their lives in the same way we see Jesus interacting with women over 2,000 years ago, there would be no need for court orders or transition houses to protect women.
One example of Jesus interacting with women involves a conversation he had with a woman at a village well — a conversation which should never have happened if he had obeyed the prevailing taboo that men and women who were strangers should not talk to each other. By having this conversation, Jesus smashed this taboo and established for his followers a new relationship between men and women — one based on equality and respect.
As for valuing women’s lives, Jesus led the way here as well. He did so when he saved the life of Jairus’ daughter with the same determination as when he saved the life of the widow’s son — that one was female while the other was male was irrelevant — each had value.
Of course, in this secular country of ours, it is easy to mock beliefs such as mine and to consider the examples I have given as little more than coincidences. The same kind of coincidence, I suppose, as the one where the Earth just happens to be the perfect place for human life to exist.
Llew Hounsell
Corner Brook
LETTER: Christianity is a powerful, positive influence
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