Copyright by Shea Oakley
\nAll rights reserved<\/p>\n
One of the most strongly held tenants of those who disdain religion is that Secularism is the true promoter and guardian of human progress and happiness. An example of this deeply entrenched assumption is the idea that the historical advancement of human rights is based on the shedding of religious dogma in favor of a man-centered world-view. While it is true that some belief systems have and continue to mitigate against human dignity it is difficult to prove that Christianity has often been one of them.<\/p>\n
In fact Christians have been in the forefront of many movements in the Western world to improve the condition of human beings. This has been self-evident since the early days of the faith and continues to be self-evident today for those who are willing to study history with some objectivity.<\/p>\n
Things first began to happen when the numbers of those who gave there lives to Jesus Christ rapidly grew during the time of the late Roman Empire. When, by sheer numbers, Christians started to have influence in Rome and the provinces a movement began to end the practice of blood sports involving the killing of human beings as mass-entertainment in the arena. Thus the days of persons being literally thrown to the lions came to an end. While we may today have our own form of \u201cbread and circuses\u201d in popular media the deliberate murder of human beings as part of a culturally sanctioned spectator event is no longer present.<\/p>\n
The slow eradication of slavery in Western Europe and the United States was a direct function of agitation against the practice by Christians of many denominations. In England believers like William Wilberforce led the fight against the slave trade. In America the Abolitionist\u2019s of the Civil War era were largely motivated by religious conviction. A century after physical emancipation was secured the civil rights movement of the 1960\u2019s sought to bring about true equality and integration for blacks. The effort found its moral compass in its Christian leaders, most notably the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.<\/p>\n
During our own time followers of Christ continue to work to end injustice and suffering. In the early 21st Century among the most vocal supporters of the battle to eliminate the international sex-trafficking of children are the churches. In the aftermath of natural disasters around the world some of the most effective relief provided for its victims comes not from governments but from Christian relief agencies.<\/p>\n
The basis for Christianity\u2019s ongoing emphasis on human rights and relief has always been grounded in the Bible\u2019s consistent message that people have tremendous intrinsic value based on there having been made in the image of God. Beyond this Christians believe that the creator of the universe so loved his human creation that he was willing to actually become one of us through his son. For this reason those who claim the name of Christ have a continuing mandate, grounded in God\u2019s love for human beings, to work to relieve human oppression and suffering.<\/p>\n
That this is part of the outworking of the Christian faith is not religious propaganda. It is a fact of history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Copyright by Shea Oakley All rights reserved One of the most strongly held tenants of those who disdain religion is that Secularism is the true promoter and guardian of human progress and happiness. An example of this deeply entrenched assumption is the idea that the historical advancement of human rights is based on the shedding… <\/p>\n