I flipped on the television on Boxing Day. The presenters on
our national broadcaster’s morning show were discussing the fact that many
people in Australia do not celebrate Christmas, as they are of faiths other
than Christianity or of no faith at all. They stated that many people chose to
take advantage of the holiday to go to the beach or local parks and have
picnics and play cricket.
I wonder why it was deemed necessary to make such remarks.
From memory I don’t recall hearing the same thing during Ramadan or Buddha’s
birthday or Chinese New Year. These festivals are duly mentioned respectfully
in the media. Why is it that anything Christian is automatically reason for the
media, the ABC in particular to be scornful and negative?
Our western civilisation is built upon Christian values. Our
system of law derives from canonical law. The values that we hold dear are
delineated in scripture- the equality of all men, honesty in business dealings,
consideration for our neighbours, faithfulness in marriage. We temper justice
with mercy. We seek forgiveness and
reconciliation rather than vengeance.
Anyone who states that all religions are harmful and much
the same would do well to seriously research the tenets of the major faiths.
There are major differences between them.
Which of course is why Christians are singled out for
ridicule. If you abuse and mock Christianity, the worst thing that’s going to
happen to you is that you will be prayed for. People are free to adopt or
discard Christianity without ramifications. And Christians believe that all
people are of one blood (Acts 17:26) made in the image of God, so do not regard
anyone of another ethnicity or religion as in any way inferior.
So the next time that the media decides to rubbish the
Christian faith, especially at times that are of deep significance to
Christians such as Christmas or Easter, I would question what their agenda is
and why the same deference is not accorded to Christianity as they seem able to
do to other faiths.
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