Society withholds fair treatment of Christians
Toolbox
Published: January 28, 2007
When I wrote this paper on Christmas Eve about bigotry directed toward Christians, I was referring to editorial choices. Since then, I have noticed a marked shift to reporting on Christians in a more balanced way. Thank you.
When we report only negative things about a group and seek out commentary by their foes and critics, without giving the group a full opportunity to speak from the deepest convictions which they hold, we are either into mud-slinging politics or bigotry.
Imagine asking a neo-nazi to review a local Jewish celebration of Purim, or the leader of the Ku Klux Klan commenting on Kwanza celebrations. Would we expect a fair treatment of those events? Would we really get a deeper appreciation of what these events mean for their practicing members? Or, would we likely experience some form of bigotry?
The letter of Walter Amses in the Jan. 14 edition of the Sunday Rutland Herald and Times Argus is exhibit A for the case of bigotry against Christians. It proves that even a public educator can practice bigotry without apparently being aware of it. While it is true that the date of Christmas is arbitrary and coincides with pagan festivals, this completely misses the spiritual and theological meaning of this holy day. The fact that I am a minister of the Gospel should not disqualify me from asserting the right to share and explain that meaning, any more than a teacher should be disqualified from speaking about what makes a good educational environment. The fact that Amses finds some public figures calling themselves Christians and practicing foul things does not condemn Christianity or all Christians, any more that the observation that some people of race "x" are criminals makes all people of that race criminally inclined because of their race. This is the kind of rationalization which condemns groups for the seeming errors of some of them that one would hope our schools might caution against from logical and moral points of view. We need only review the history of the 20th century to see how this sort of argument contributed to millions of deaths and millions of oppressed lives.
So, I would encourage all Christians to pray for Amses that he may come to self-awareness, repent and experience the forgiveness of God for himself, because the Christian God is loving and forgiving; one who seeks out those living in bitterness and hatred to bring them into peace and joy through faith.
The Rev. Ralph W. Howe
Barre
36