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"Charity and Compassion: Christianity Is Good for Culture
Christian Religion: Good or Bad for Mankind?
Standing on the jetway boarding a flight out of Cuzco, Peru, I overheard an American college student say to his companion, "See that older guy up there? He's a professor. Came here to give lectures on Christianity. Can you believe that?" In an apparent reference to abuses perpetrated on local Indians by the conquistadors centuries earlier, he added, "Haven't Christians done enough to these people?"
He didn't know that I was the professor's companion. Turning around, I said, "Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear. I'm with the professor and, yes, we were giving lectures at the university from a Christian worldview. But did you know that all these people in between us were helping with humanitarian aid in the poorest villages around here all week?"
He sheepishly mumbled something about every story having two sides. But his meaning was clear: what good could possibly come from Christians imposing their beliefs on these indigenous people? Their culture was ruined by their kind and should be left alone. Popular sentiments, but are they fair and accurate?
The churchand those acting in its namehas had its moments of injustice, intrigue, even murder. Unbiblical excesses during the Inquisitions, the Crusades, and other episodes are undeniable. Yet these deviations from the teachings of Christ and the Bible are overwhelmingly countered by the church's good works and novel institutions of care, compassion, and justice.
Carlton Hayes wrote, "From the wellspring of Christian compassion, our Western civilization has drawn its inspiration, and its sense of duty, for feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, looking after the homeless, clothing the naked, tending the sick and visiting the prisoner." As one writer put it, missionaries and other Christians lived as if people mattered.{1} Revolutionary!
Christianity exploded onto a brutal, heartless Greco-Roman culture. Believers in this radical new religion set a new standard for caring for the ill, downtrodden, and abused, even at risk of death. Through their transformed Christlike outlooks, they established countercultural ways that lead to later innovations: orphanages, hospitals, transcendent art and architecture, and systems of law and order based on fairness, to name a few. In the early church, every congregation had a list of needy recipients called a matriculum.
Enormous amounts of charity were given.{2} "Pagan society, through its excesses, teetered on the brink of extinction. Christianity, however, represented . . . a new way."{3}
Compassion and charity are biblical ideals. "Early Christians set a model for their descendents to follow, a model that today's modern secular societies try to imitate, but without Christian motivation."{4} We take for granted the notion that it's good to help the needy and oppressed, but wherever it's found, whether in religious or secular circles, it can be traced right back to Jesus Christ and His followers.
Compassion: Christian Innovation in a Cruel World
Christianity is unique. No other religion or philosophy values and practices wholesale taking care of the young, sick, orphaned, oppressed, and widowed, hands-on and sacrificially.
To ancient Greeks and Romans, life was cheap. Infanticidebaby killing was "condoned and practiced for centuries without guilt or remorse [and] extolled by Greco-Roman mythologies." This ungodly practice was opposed by Christians, whose compassionate example eventually caused Roman emperors to outlaw it.{14} First-century art shows believers rescuing unwanted Roman babies from the Tiber River. They raised them as their own.
Emperors pronounced death sentences on a whim, even beyond gladiatorial games. This was the ultimate extension of paterfamilias: a father had the right to kill his own child if she displeased him. Life was expendable, even among families!{15}
Abortion, human sacrifice, and suicide were also part of societies unaffected by God's love.How different from the scriptural doctrine that all are made in God's image and deserve life and dignity.
Slaves and the poor were on their own. One exhaustive survey of historical documents "found that antiquity has left no trace of organized charitable effort."{16}
The ancient code was: "leave the ill to die." Roman colonists in Alexandria even left their friends and next of kin behind during a plague.{17} Japanese holy men kept the wealthy from relieving the poor because they believed them to be "odious to the gods."{18}
By contrast, Jesus expanded the Jewish obligation of compassion well beyond family and tribe even to enemies. His parable of the Good Samaritan exploded racial and social boundaries.{19} Scripture says that Jesus "had compassion on them and healed their sick." Christ's disciples went around healing and teaching as their master had. Believers were instructed to care for widows, the sick, the disabled and the poor, and also for orphans. "Justin Martyr, an early defender of Christianity, reveals that collections were taken during church services to help the orphans," writes Alvin Schmidt. By the time of Justinian, churches were operating old folks' homes called gerontocomia. Before Christianity, homes for the aged didn't exist. Now, such nursing homes are taken for granted.{20}
Schmidt notes that "Christianity filled the pagan void that largely ignored the sick and dying, especially during pestilences." Greeks had diagnostic centers, but no nursing care. Roman hospitals were only for slaves, gladiators, and occasionally for soldiers. Christians provided shelters for the poor and pilgrims, along with medical care. Christian hospitals were the first voluntary charitable institutions.{21}
A pagan Roman soldier in Constantine's army was intrigued by Christians who "brought food to his fellow soldiers who were afflicted with famine and disease." He studied this inspiring group who displayed such humanity and was converted to the faith. He represents much of why the early church grew despite bouts of severe persecution.{22}
Basic beliefsor worldviewslead to basic responses. The Christian response to life and suffering changed the world for good....
Our biggest contributers to social programs in our state are atheists ... go figure that a christian journalist writing for a christian site would completely ignore them, as well as all the Jewish people who support a lot of commerce and the pagans who sacrifice almost all they have for the poor ... then there's the atheists who support the economy by spending a ton of money on whatever they want, whenever they want, instead of using it all on rebuilding churches every year.
Our biggest contributers to social programs in our state are atheists ... go figure that a christian journalist writing for a christian site would completely ignore them, as well as all the Jewish people who support a lot of commerce and the pagans who sacrifice almost all they have for the poor ... then there's the atheists who support the economy by spending a ton of money on whatever they want, whenever they want, instead of using it all on rebuilding churches every year.
Despite the vastness of the Christian population worldwide, Atheists spend far more time discounting Christianity than we do attempting to convert anyone. There are exceptions to every rule, with every religion and zealots are indeed a problem with perhaps more than their share of skeletons in their closets, I'm sure. But mainstream Christianity of those who live a very peaceful, fulfilled, benevolent life do not knock on doors, protest against any other religion, bomb abortion clinics, and spread tyranny and destruction throughout the world.
Imagine that!
Anne Marie
Our biggest contributers to social programs in our state are atheists ... go figure that a christian journalist writing for a christian site would completely ignore them, as well as all the Jewish people who support a lot of commerce and the pagans who sacrifice almost all they have for the poor ... then there's the atheists who support the economy by spending a ton of money on whatever they want, whenever they want, instead of using it all on rebuilding churches every year.
Despite the vastness of the Christian population worldwide, Atheists spend far more time discounting Christianity than we do attempting to convert anyone. There are exceptions to every rule, with every religion and zealots are indeed a problem with perhaps more than their share of skeletons in their closets, I'm sure. But mainstream Christianity of those who live a very peaceful, fulfilled, benevolent life do not knock on doors, protest against any other religion, bomb abortion clinics, and spread tyranny and destruction throughout the world.
Imagine that!
Anne Marie
Our biggest contributers to social programs in our state are atheists ... go figure that a christian journalist writing for a christian site would completely ignore them, as well as all the Jewish people who support a lot of commerce and the pagans who sacrifice almost all they have for the poor ... then there's the atheists who support the economy by spending a ton of money on whatever they want, whenever they want, instead of using it all on rebuilding churches every year.
Despite the vastness of the Christian population worldwide, Atheists spend far more time discounting Christianity than we do attempting to convert anyone. There are exceptions to every rule, with every religion and zealots are indeed a problem with perhaps more than their share of skeletons in their closets, I'm sure. But mainstream Christianity of those who live a very peaceful, fulfilled, benevolent life do not knock on doors, protest against any other religion, bomb abortion clinics, and spread tyranny and destruction throughout the world.
Imagine that!
Anne Marie
First ... "vastness of the Christian population worldwide" ... WTH are you smoking ... for two reasons from that statement. Secondly ... um, no. Most atheists don't give a rat's ass about christians any more than they do for any other religion ... you are painting with the same broad strokes you seem to wish that others would not paint christians with ... so turn about is fair play, until you stop seeing everyone else as evil, you cannot expect everyone else to see you as any more than a religious zealot trying to prove to yourself that your own belief is valid ... oh wait ...
Despite the vastness of the Christian population worldwide, Atheists spend far more time discounting Christianity than we do attempting to convert anyone. There are exceptions to every rule, with every religion and zealots are indeed a problem with perhaps more than their share of skeletons in their closets, I'm sure. But mainstream Christianity of those who live a very peaceful, fulfilled, benevolent life do not knock on doors, protest against any other religion, bomb abortion clinics, and spread tyranny and destruction throughout the world.
Imagine that!
Anne Marie
First ... "vastness of the Christian population worldwide" ... WTH are you smoking ... for two reasons from that statement. Secondly ... um, no. Most atheists don't give a rat's ass about christians any more than they do for any other religion ... you are painting with the same broad strokes you seem to wish that others would not paint christians with ... so turn about is fair play, until you stop seeing everyone else as evil, you cannot expect everyone else to see you as any more than a religious zealot trying to prove to yourself that your own belief is valid ... oh wait ...
Is there some point here? And who do I see as evil? Sheeesh!
I'm not complaining about your contentions. That's your disposition, not mine. I'm simply qualifying the viability of Christianity against your contention. I'm not complaining nor condeming it. This is a message board for discussion about religion right?
Would you rather talk about something else that makes you less uncomfortable?
Anne Marie
First ... "vastness of the Christian population worldwide" ... WTH are you smoking ... for two reasons from that statement. Secondly ... um, no. Most atheists don't give a rat's ass about christians any more than they do for any other religion ... you are painting with the same broad strokes you seem to wish that others would not paint christians with ... so turn about is fair play, until you stop seeing everyone else as evil, you cannot expect everyone else to see you as any more than a religious zealot trying to prove to yourself that your own belief is valid ... oh wait ...
Is there some point here? And who do I see as evil? Sheeesh!
I'm not complaining about your contentions. That's your disposition, not mine. I'm simply qualifying the viability of Christianity against your contention. I'm not complaining nor condeming it. This is a message board for discussion about religion right?
Would you rather talk about something else that makes you less uncomfortable?
Anne Marie
No, you are talking about christianity only, not religion.
Is there some point here? And who do I see as evil? Sheeesh!
I'm not complaining about your contentions. That's your disposition, not mine. I'm simply qualifying the viability of Christianity against your contention. I'm not complaining nor condeming it. This is a message board for discussion about religion right?
Would you rather talk about something else that makes you less uncomfortable?
Anne Marie
No, you are talking about christianity only, not religion.
And? I mean would there be any point to including all religions in a debate? There are many encyclopedias on the internet for that. No?
Anne Marie
Christians are not the only religious people, and they are no different than any others, for better or worse, including the atheists. You want to paint with broad strokes yet continually get uppity when others do it in kind. So long as you continue to behave like this, none of my responses to you will be kind because I will use the broad stroke for christians in response to you until you stop, and it's not a good broad stroke, just ask Allie. I hate broad strokes, and I hate hypocrites, you are doing both right now.
No, you are talking about christianity only, not religion.
And? I mean would there be any point to including all religions in a debate? There are many encyclopedias on the internet for that. No?
Anne Marie
You really missed the smartassery I posted in that? Okay, let's see if I can make it clearer to you.
Christians are not the only religious people, and they are no different than any others, for better or worse, including the atheists. You want to paint with broad strokes yet continually get uppity when others do it in kind. So long as you continue to behave like this, none of my responses to you will be kind because I will use the broad stroke for christians in response to you until you stop, and it's not a good broad stroke, just ask Allie. I hate broad strokes, and I hate hypocrites, you are doing both right now.
This fun could go on forever.Atheism is not a religion, kitten.Christians are not the only religious people, and they are no different than any others, for better or worse, including the atheists
Apparently, JB isn't aware of how fiercely dogmatic Ayn Rand was.Atheism is not a religion, kitten.Christians are not the only religious people, and they are no different than any others, for better or worse, including the atheists
Atheists are also not so different from those who follow religion ... you paint with broad strokes to.
Apparently, JB isn't aware of how fiercely dogmatic Ayn Rand was.Atheism is not a religion, kitten.
Atheists are also not so different from those who follow religion ... you paint with broad strokes to.
1. Half of the Christians in the world are Catholics, and if I recall, Protestants generally don't consider Catholics Christian at all.Our biggest contributers to social programs in our state are atheists ... go figure that a christian journalist writing for a christian site would completely ignore them, as well as all the Jewish people who support a lot of commerce and the pagans who sacrifice almost all they have for the poor ... then there's the atheists who support the economy by spending a ton of money on whatever they want, whenever they want, instead of using it all on rebuilding churches every year.
Despite the vastness of the Christian population worldwide, Atheists spend far more time discounting Christianity than we do attempting to convert anyone. There are exceptions to every rule, with every religion and zealots are indeed a problem with perhaps more than their share of skeletons in their closets, I'm sure. But mainstream Christianity of those who live a very peaceful, fulfilled, benevolent life do not knock on doors, protest against any other religion, bomb abortion clinics, and spread tyranny and destruction throughout the world.
Imagine that!
Anne Marie
Do you not see the irony and hypocrisy of painting atheists with such broad strokes in accusing them of painting with broad strokes?Atheists are also not so different from those who follow religion ... you paint with broad strokes to.
Who the fuck is Ayn Rand? Sounds like a screen name for a neonazi.Apparently, JB isn't aware of how fiercely dogmatic Ayn Rand was.
Do you not see the irony and hypocrisy of painting atheists with such broad strokes in accusing them of painting with broad strokes?Atheists are also not so different from those who follow religion ... you paint with broad strokes to.
Who the fuck is Ayn Rand? Sounds like a screen name for a neonazi.Apparently, JB isn't aware of how fiercely dogmatic Ayn Rand was.
