What has Christianity contributed to Western Civilization? I ask that because I heard a young college
student say that the world would be better off if not for Christianity. He said that Christianity was
responsible for many wars, genocides, and human misery. This “educated” person spoke of Christianity
putting down women and encouraging racism. I do not know which professors taught such outright lies
and obvious misinformation, but that person shouldn’t be in a place of responsibility in any college or
university.
This is what Dinesh D’Souza, a noted conservative speaker said: “In ancient Greece and Rome, individual
human life had no particular value in and of itself. The Spartans left weak children to die on the hillside.
Infanticide was common, as it is common even today in many parts of the world. Fathers who wanted
sons had few qualms about drowning their newborn daughters. Human beings were routinely
bludgeoned to death or mauled by wild animals in the Roman gladiatorial arena. Many of the great
classical thinkers saw nothing wrong with these practices. Christianity, on the other hand, contributed to
their demise by fostering moral outrage at the mistreatment of innocent human life. Likewise, women
had a very low status in ancient Greece and Rome, as they do today in many cultures, notably in the
Muslim world. Such views are common in patriarchal cultures. And they were prevalent as well in the
Jewish society in which Jesus lived. But Jesus broke the traditional taboos of his time when he
scandalously permitted women of low social status to travel with him and be part of his circle of friends
and confidantes”.
The concept that every person had equal, intrinsic value is a Christian belief and teaching. When Thomas
Jefferson wrote that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” he was weaving purposeful Christian
doctrine into the fabric of the new nation. And…it works. It made our nation unique and desirable
while endowing us with a morality far superior to previous nations and empires. We humans haven’t
always been successful in adhering to the great truths of Christianity while governing, but I honestly
can’t see Western Civilization being as great and effective without the heavy influence of Christianity.
Say good things about your Savior and His church.
Bro. Tony
student say that the world would be better off if not for Christianity. He said that Christianity was
responsible for many wars, genocides, and human misery. This “educated” person spoke of Christianity
putting down women and encouraging racism. I do not know which professors taught such outright lies
and obvious misinformation, but that person shouldn’t be in a place of responsibility in any college or
university.
This is what Dinesh D’Souza, a noted conservative speaker said: “In ancient Greece and Rome, individual
human life had no particular value in and of itself. The Spartans left weak children to die on the hillside.
Infanticide was common, as it is common even today in many parts of the world. Fathers who wanted
sons had few qualms about drowning their newborn daughters. Human beings were routinely
bludgeoned to death or mauled by wild animals in the Roman gladiatorial arena. Many of the great
classical thinkers saw nothing wrong with these practices. Christianity, on the other hand, contributed to
their demise by fostering moral outrage at the mistreatment of innocent human life. Likewise, women
had a very low status in ancient Greece and Rome, as they do today in many cultures, notably in the
Muslim world. Such views are common in patriarchal cultures. And they were prevalent as well in the
Jewish society in which Jesus lived. But Jesus broke the traditional taboos of his time when he
scandalously permitted women of low social status to travel with him and be part of his circle of friends
and confidantes”.
The concept that every person had equal, intrinsic value is a Christian belief and teaching. When Thomas
Jefferson wrote that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” he was weaving purposeful Christian
doctrine into the fabric of the new nation. And…it works. It made our nation unique and desirable
while endowing us with a morality far superior to previous nations and empires. We humans haven’t
always been successful in adhering to the great truths of Christianity while governing, but I honestly
can’t see Western Civilization being as great and effective without the heavy influence of Christianity.
Say good things about your Savior and His church.
Bro. Tony