When good is considered bad
Eddie Arthur reflects on a report in the UK that more than half of Brits no think religion is harmful:
To my mind this represents a very important trend that Christians need to think about very seriously. The bottom line is that Christians and other people of faith are no longer seen as ‘good’ people. At one point a Christian might have been thought of as morally upstanding and a good member of society - someone you would cheerfully lend your lawnmower too, now they are more likely to be thought of as sexist bigots. People don’t think that religion is a good thing - even if they have some sort of spiritual beliefs themselves. (Yes, I realise that this may not make sense, but since when did people make sense?)This information makes me wonder: how far behind are opinions in the US and Canada?
posted by Milton Stanley at 8:27 AM
4 Comments:
i personally think that the hatred toward the name Christians is to be expected. i also believe that it will become more so.
I agree on both counts, and the words of Christ certainly support them (Jn 15:18-19; 17:14; 1 Jn. 3:13).
It seems to me that many things are said in the media which emphasize the negatives of historical religion. I think it really got a leg up with the Islamic terrorists, but, for Christians the negatives are in our history which all Westerners would know from their own history. This would include such things as the inquisitions, the missionary abuses that sometimes occurred, the Crusades and other religiously generated wars, etc. People have forgotten that it was the Christian religion that also started hospitals by the thousands, universities by the hundreds, missionary efforts to help the poor, ill, etc. They forget all of the help, comfort and hope that servants of the Word have brought to those in need. I think we Christians need to emphasise all the good that has been done throughout our history, while at the same time continuing the best of the good works that our foreparents have done. This should not be a time for fear or resignation. It is a time of opportunity. We are in a position to win the hearts of the world through sacrificial acts of love, just as the (much maligned) early church did.
Amen, John. As I began reading through your list of "Christian" abuses, I thought of the very same positive gifts the church has given to mankind. Thanks for the reminder and for articulating the opportunities facing the Western church.
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