Read my latest piece for The Good Sauce here: On Project Veritas’ exposé on CNN, how it demonstrates a significant breach in media ethics, why CNN have lost all credibility and trust, and how Twitter are protecting them. We desperately need more good and honest journalists in the industry.
Human life is precious. That should go without saying. However, in this day and age, it seems this basic tenet of society has been forgotten, or more maliciously, deliberately tossed aside. The problem that arises is that when we cast aside human life as if it does not intrinsically matter to building and maintaining a decent, thriving society, we also discard the very soul of society itself. Society would not exist without human life. This is why we must make every effort to protect the sanctity of life itself. But how can we do that in a world that has become so desensitized to death, and to the destruction of life even before it comes into existence.
Now I understand people have become wary of others pushing certain views, be they political, religious, or otherwise. I want to make it clear from the outset that while we are going to be discussing issues in this edition of Uncovering Christianity that are polarizing to some, they will be discussed in terms of morality. This series is, of course, one dedicated to looking deeper into Christianity, and so we will be exploring this topic in terms of Christianity and Biblical context as well.
Life itself is one of the most important aspects of this world. In the Christian perspective, life came into existence when it was created by God Himself. As mentioned previously, the world and all it entails, including human life, was created in six days, the seventh being a day of rest. God saw that His Creation, the wondrous expanse of life He had crafted, was good. We will go deeper into the world of Creation in a future edition. When God created human beings, the first being Adam and Eve, he created them in His image:
So God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27)
God gave us life. It was our duty to protect it. After God created man and woman in His image and likeness:
God Blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, and every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28)
In saying “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth, and subdue it”, it is clear God wishes for man and woman to have children, for more humans to be born, grow, and continue in this cycle, filling the Earth. Human life was looked upon with great regard by God. He created us with a specially dignified status amongst all other creatures on this Earth. And so we were called upon to procreate and protect the sanctity of life itself.
Procreation brings us, of course, to discuss the matter of when life begins, and the polarizing issue of abortion. In the modern world, there are those who are pro-life, and those who are pro-choice. Pro-lifers are those who oppose abortion, holding the view that the unborn baby is a human life from the moment of conception. Those on the pro-choice side of the matter often claim it is a woman’s right to choose whether or not she wishes to give birth to a child she has conceived, and that the unborn baby is not necessarily a human life, often using the terms “clump of cells”, “fetus”, or even “parasite” to describe the innocent life inside the mother’s womb. All of these terms are used in order to dehumanize the unborn baby as a means of justifying destroying it.
Over the years, I have seen two arguments made by those who are pro-choice in reference to the Bible to justify abortion. They will either claim that “nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about abortion”, or they will take a Biblical passage out of context in an attempt to justify their views. Both of these arguments, from a Biblical standpoint, are easily dismantled.
First, let us address the claim that there is no mention of abortion in the Bible. This claim is incorrect. There are several verses that address the matter, although not explicitly. Rather, they address it in a way that is clearly intentioned, but without using the word “abortion” itself. The first, as we have already looked at, is Genesis 1:28. God wished for man and woman to “be fruitful and increase in number”. The only way for them to increase in number would be to conceive a child, or children. In other words, God was in favour of procreation.
Before we move on to the next verse, I would like to take a brief moment to discuss the word “procreation”. In essence, there are two parts to this word: “pro” and “creation”. Procreation practically means “for life”. To procreate is to create life. It is all in the word itself.
The next verse that addresses unborn life is Psalm 139:13-16. It reads as follows:
It was you who formed my inmost part and knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; all your works are wonderful; I know that very well. My every bone was known to you when I was being formed in secret, fashioned in the depths of the earth. Before I took shape, your eyes saw me, and before any one of my days came to be they were written down in your book.
It is a really beautiful verse. It truly brings forth the sanctity of life and puts it on clear display for anyone willing to read and understand what the words mean. (Sidenote: The Book of Psalms is one I would highly recommend reading for anyone who is exploring the Bible and the faith more, even for those just starting out. It is a really wonderful book and shows just how incredible the presence of God is and can be in our lives.) It clearly explains how we each came to be, and how God knew us first before anyone else did. God created us in His own image and likeness, knitting us together in the wombs of our mothers. Each of us are wonderfully made, all with our own unique features and perfect imperfections. It is important to note that this world is not perfect, we are not perfect. But each of us is perfect in our own way, so long as we are living a fulfilling life and working toward our purpose in life. The unborn, innocent human lives created in God’s image and likeness, are perfect. They have not yet been touched by corruption in this world. They are perfect, innocent human lives that must be protected and given every chance to enter this world, just as was intended in their creation.
Oftentimes those who are pro-choice will argue that an unborn baby should be aborted merely because it has some sort of “imperfection”. One that I have heard and seen on far too many occasions is Down Syndrome. Pro-choice individuals would say it is justified to abort a baby with Down Syndrome, just because the baby has Down Syndrome. But how can we in good conscience take a human life simply because it is not what some view as “normal”? A baby with Down Syndrome is no different to any other human life. All human life is equal; That is important to remember. Yes, a baby with Down Syndrome may look different and behave somewhat differently, but that does not change the simple fact that it is a human life. It does not change the fact that it is an intelligent human being, capable of leading a good and decent life here on Earth. In fact, those with Down Syndrome are typically much more emotionally engaged with others and are amazing in their own ways. Just because they have an extra chromosome, a genetic feature that others do not possess, they do not deserve to have their lives taken from them.
Jeremiah 1:4-5 is similar in nature to Psalm 139. It reads:
The word of the Lord came to me saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart, and I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
In this verse God is addressing Jeremiah, but it is again clear that He wants us to have life, and that He know us all before we are born, setting us apart from one another, giving us our own special gifts and talents.
The next verse is also from the book of Psalms:
Sons are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the sons of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them, for he will not be put to shame when he contends with his foes at the gate. (Psalm 127:3-5)
This verse shows us that children are a gift from above, that they are valuable. They are indeed one of the greatest gifts from God that we can hope to receive. We should not take them for granted, including when they are not yet born.
Our next verse comes from the book of Proverbs. It reads:
There are six things the Lord hates, seven His inner being detests: the proud look, the lying tongue, hands which spill innocent blood, the depraved heart, feet which speed towards evil, a false and lying witness and the man who sows discord among people. (Proverbs 6: 16-19)
These tie in to the Ten Commandments, which we discussed in the third edition of Uncovering Christianity (Rules And Morality). Of course, the main focus for this edition is the third thing written in the verse above, “hands which spill innocent blood”. As was said from the outset of this edition, human life is precious. Taking a human life is one of the most terrible things one can do. The most innocent of human life is that of the unborn baby in the womb. Taking such a life is spilling innocent blood, a most tragic and reprehensible action.
Finally, we have the most obvious yet often disregarded line from the Bible that is completely and clearly against abortion:
You shall not kill. (Exodus 20:13)
It is simple, yet often it is cast aside as if it does not apply to abortion. The truth is it does. When you take a human life, you are killing someone. Now it is obvious this means we should not kill those who have already been born. Their lives are precious and must also be protected. But if we look at this in terms of the unborn, we can see that the rule also applies to their protection. As we have seen from previous verses cited, an unborn baby is a human life. But for those who are not necessarily religious and do not believe life begins at conception, do not take it from me, take it from science.
When fertilization takes place, an embryo is created with its own unique DNA, its own genetic makeup. It is a human life. Scientists agree. Dr. Maureen Condic, Director of Human Embryology instruction and Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Utah’s School of Medicine, has written that “the conclusion that human life begins at sperm-egg fusion is uncontested, objective, based on the universally accepted scientific method of distinguishing different cell types from each other and on ample scientific evidence (thousands of independent, peer-reviewed publications). Moreover it is entirely independent of any specific ethical, moral, political, or religious view of human life or of human embryos.” A study carried out by Steven Andrew Jacobs from the University of Chicago took a sample of 5,502 biologists from 1,058 academic institutions. These biologists were separated into 60 groups, which “assessed statements representing the biological view ‘a human’s life begins at fertilization’”, whereby “each statement was affirmed by a consensus of each group, including biologists that identified as very pro-choice (69-90%), very pro-life (92-97%), very liberal (70-91%), very conservative (94-96%), strong Democrats (74-91%), and strong Republicans (89-94%). Overall, 95% of all biologists affirmed the biological view that a human’s life begins at fertilization (5212 out of 5502).” The statistics from this study demonstrate that biologists from all walks of life, of various political and religious beliefs, agree that human life begins at fertilization (conception).
This makes sense, because basic biology says that when fertilization occurs, a human life is created. From that point forth, that is a human life that will grow, that will develop into a human being. And no, it is not part of the mother’s body. It may rely upon the mother’s body for survival when it is developing inside the womb but is a separate human being.
But it seems today that science has become corrupted by partisanship and ideological bias. The problem that arises is this: basic biology has been forgone by many to push their own political agenda that holds a blatant disregard for human life. People worship scientists as if they are gods, thus inflating their egos and giving them every excuse to push their ideology onto everyone else as “science”. In doing so, real science gets lost in the noise of false ideological “science”. Yes, science has its place in society. But so do basic moral principles.
Pro-choice individuals like to take the Bible out of context to claim that God is also pro-choice and justify abortion. The verse most often used for this purpose is Numbers 5:19-22,27-28. It reads as follows:
19-22: He (the priest) is then to make the woman agree to an oath. He shall say to her: If it is not true that a man has slept with you, that you have gone astray and defiled yourself while under your husband’s authority, then may this water of bitterness and cursing do you no harm. But, if it is true that you have gone astray, and have defiled yourself by sharing your bed with a man other than your husband – here the priest is to pronounce an execration and a curse and say – May the Lord make of you an example of malediction and a curse among your people, making your genitals shrink and your womb swell! May this water of cursing enter your body to swell your womb and to shrink your genitals! The woman shall answer: Amen! Amen!
27-28: After he has made her drink it, if it is true that she has disgraced herself, deceiving her husband, then the water of cursing that goes into her shall indeed be bitte: her womb will swell and her genitals shrink, and she will be a curse among her people. But, if she has not disgraced herself and is clean, then she will go unharmed and will bear children.
The fifth chapter of the Book of Numbers focuses on three things: Expulsion of the Unclean, Restitution for Wrongs, and the Test for Suspected Adultery. The above verses are taken from the section on the test for suspected adultery. It is often misinterpreted by those who are pro-choice. They take it that the bitter water given to the woman will cause her to miscarry. The reason they come to this conclusion is a matter of translation. The original Hebrew terms used were “beten”, which is translated as “stomach”, “abdomen”, or “womb”, and “tsabeh”, which means “to swell”. The Hebrew words for “thigh”, “falling away”, and “wasting away” were also used. Most versions of the Bible stuck to the original translations when they were written. The only two that did not were the NIV and NRSV. The translators of these two Bibles clearly decided to follow Biblical commentary that claimed the thigh falling away was a Hebrew euphemism for miscarriage, with these two Bibles instead stating in these verses from Numbers that the woman’s womb would “miscarry”.
Even if the miscarriage translation was correct, this is not at all a justification for abortion. There is nothing to suggest the woman mentioned is pregnant, and it is clear that an abortion is not being performed. In fact, miscarriage is mentioned in the Bible, but in such a way that the unborn baby’s life is viewed as equal to that of the mother’s. Exodus 21:22-25 states:
If people are fighting and a pregnant woman is hit, so that there is a miscarriage, but she is not injured, the one who hurt her will pay the fine demanded by her husband and sanctioned by the court. But, if there is serious injury you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stroke for stroke.
The “injury” referred to in this verse, an injury which is to be compensated for like all others, applies not only to the mother but also to the child. The final nail in the coffin of the argument that abortion is supported by the Bible is this: there is no abortion legislation in Biblical law. Why? Because it was such an unthinkable thing that any woman would want to have an abortion that there no need for the offense to be mentioned. The only rule necessary to prohibit abortions was the 6th Commandment: You shall not kill. The Bible and God are very much pro-life.
And just quickly on the cases of pregnancy from rape and incest (because I know it is something many bring up), these are rare, and we cannot use a minority of cases to justify the majority when it comes to abortion, most of which are sought as a matter of convenience given the baby would cause an inconvenience to the mother in some way, be it stalling her career or her ambitions or the like. Personally, I do not believe an unborn child should have to pay for the sins of someone else, in most cases the father. I understand this may be difficult to comprehend, but there are many human beings born out of rape and incest that end up living decent, if not exceptional, lives. Why should they lose their chance at life because of the way in which they were conceived?
There is one final issue surrounding the sanctity of life that we must touch on: capital punishment, or, as it is widely known, the death penalty. This has become a point of contention even amongst Christians. There are indeed Catholics who support the death penalty, and it is something that I have been at odds with since discovering. As a Catholic myself, I oppose the death penalty for the sole reason that it is the taking of a human life. One of the tenets of our faith is that we should not kill. Nowhere in the Ten Commandments is there an exception to the rule given.
Now it is understandable that people would see the death penalty as justifiable for the worst criminals: Those who commit murder, rape, and other heinous crimes. These kinds of people are indeed vile and do not deserve freedom. But we should not kill them either. That would make us no better than them. Just as a murderer took a life, we would take their life.
I do not understand how Christians, those who live their lives by the moral principles and values of the Bible, can support the death penalty yet oppose abortion. They are both the taking of a human life. All human life is equal. One human life is not above nor below another. We all make choices, some good, some bad, that determine our place on Earth. But none of these choices devalue nor increase the value of our human life. As a Catholic, I believe in a consistent ethic, a consistent value, of life, from the point of conception to the point of natural death. The death penalty devalues life. Human beings are not supposed to be savages. We are supposed to be civilized. The death penalty, however, makes us appear to be the former. If you are going to oppose abortion, you should oppose the death penalty. Likewise, if you oppose the death penalty, you should oppose abortion. Both are the taking of a human life. Both show blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life.
Now I know that it may seem like my Catholic faith biases me against abortion. But the sanctity of life is not a matter of faith. It is a matter of morality. Those whose lives are guided by good and decent moral principles, ones that likely align with the same moral principles of Christianity (as we discussed in the previous edition of Uncovering Christianity: The Anonymous Christian), would likely agree that it is immoral to take the life of an innocent human being, and thus the life of an unborn child. But some may still be uncertain about abortion, or even be of the thought that it is acceptable. So, I want each and every person to ask themselves a question: Is it morally right to take an innocent human life?
Life is valuable no matter who the human being is, no matter their circumstances, no matter their choices, no matter their place in the world. Human life takes precedence above all other things in this world, including money and power. Material things like money and power are only temporary. They do not add nor take away value to human life. Our life on this Earth is not permanent. But we must protect human life no matter what. What increases the meaningfulness of life is love, happiness, hope, faith, charity, peace, all those things that enliven and enflame the heart and soul. Who we spend our lives with can also enrich them and make them worth living. Life is precious. It is a gift. Accept it humbly, protect and defend it, live it well, and do it justice.
This is the Sixth Edition of a Series entitled Uncovering Christianity: Exploring the Roots of the West. This series explores the values and ideas originating from Christianity, looking back at Biblical times, and relating them to the modern world. There are central themes to each piece in this series, with key messages throughout to guide you in your own life. The series also looks at some of the threats to the roots of Western Civilization and discusses what can be done to placate them and protect the foundation of society. Keep an eye out for new series pieces each week.
Christianity is often viewed as solely religious doctrine. But it is more than just a religion. It is a faith. It is a set of moral principles that human beings abide by in order to live a good and decent life. But you do not have to be Christian to live by these principles. There are many individuals out there in the world who do not label themselves as Christian, nor religious, yet hold the same values that are at the very core of Christianity. In the last few months of 2020, I began thinking about these certain individuals, contemplating how, despite not being religious, they still acted like Christians. This was brought on by having a conversation with someone who was not religious but still held the same values attributed to Christianity. I had often thought about it since, and then, at the Good Friday service at my parish, the parish priest discussed what he called the “anonymous Christian” in his homily, and I knew this was something that had to be discussed further.
The anonymous Christian is someone who does not necessarily put a label on what they are, but their values align with those of the Christian faith. They may not be particularly fond of religion. Or, like the aforementioned individual who I conversed with on this matter late last year, they may have an urge, a desire to learn more about Christianity, about the faith. I hope that through my writing, through this series, and in a personal capacity I can provide guidance to those who have this urge to find out more. The Bible is more than just a religious text; it is a way of life. It contains principles, ideas, stories, and lessons that people may find are linked to what they already believe. Christianity is a universal truth. The effect it can have on people when they encounter it, when they are able to see how it links to their own lives and their own beliefs, is difficult to explain. It is one of those things that is really just beyond words.
Sometimes anonymous Christians are more Christian than us Christians. As a practicing Catholic, I do my best to uphold the values of my faith: caring for others, showing kindness, helping those in need, and even teaching kids about the faith and the values we hold as Christians. But I admit even I fall short at times. I stumble, I do or say something that does not align with my values, and I often feel a deep sense of regret, shame, or self-awareness afterwards. That is likely true for every one of us, given none of us are perfect. Sometimes the anonymous Christian espouses our values and puts them into action better than we do. While they are out there living their values and being rewarded for doing so in the joy they experience (much like the women who went to the tomb where Jesus had been laid on the third day to find it empty), we hide away like the disciples did after Jesus’ death on the Cross. Yes, in our hearts we may be good people, but we fail to live out our Christian values and use them to help others, to give back to the world, to give back to God in thanks for the gifts he has given us.
Anonymous Christians may at some point decide that they wish to label themselves Christians and begin to deepen their faith. They might start to read the Bible more, to try to deepen their understanding of Christianity, of the belief system, and of the faith itself. They might decide to consult someone who is knowledgeable in the faith, maybe a practicing Christian. Upon reading the Bible, or looking deeper into the faith, they might begin to form questions that they seek answers to, again possibly coming to those of the faith to ask and obtain those valuable answers. They might have an urge to attend church services, to be a part of a congregation of like-minded individuals and meet others who are on the faith journey. After some time, they might even decide to become a Christian or a Catholic and be baptized and/or confirmed as such. It is quite an incredible feeling being a part of a welcoming and loving community.
Anonymous Christians who want to learn more about the faith and immerse themselves more deeply in it should know that they would not be alone in doing so. Practicing Christians and Catholics are constantly doing the same. We learn more all the time. Take it from me. I was baptized Catholic and have attended mass practically every week since I was a baby. As I grew up, I learnt more about my faith and the values contained within it by discussing it with fellow Christians, by attending scripture classes throughout primary school and scripture seminars throughout high school (I was indeed lucky to attend a public high school that offered the opportunity to connect with the faith, something that is becoming increasingly rare nowadays), by attending mass each weekend, by reading the Bible and asking questions, and by watching others live out Christian values in their own lives. Over the years, I have come to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Christian faith and have learnt how to live a good and decent life maintaining the values that I hold dear.
Even now as an adult I am still learning. I have come full circle in terms of scripture classes, going from taking them as a student to teaching them as an adult, so that other kids will have the same opportunities that I did to grow and understand the faith and shape their lives using Christian values. I may teach them, but I often find myself learning things from them that I never thought of before. I also find myself still having epiphanies of sorts at mass when listening to the homily (that is, a reflection on the week’s readings and gospel given by the priest) or even the readings themselves, suddenly realizing something, connecting the dots somewhere that I had not before. For example, at the Easter Vigil mass this year, we heard the story of Abraham and his son Isaac, who he was going to sacrifice for God. But God, seeing Abraham’s loyalty and fear of the Lord, spares Isaac and provides the sacrifice Himself. This Old Testament reading reflects the New Testament story of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, who was sacrificed and died to save us from sin. There is a really beautiful Bible verse, John 3:16, that reads:
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Just like Abraham was willing to sacrifice his one and only son, God the Father was willing to do the same, and did so, out of love for His people, even though the people had strayed from Him. Despite having heard these Bible stories many times before, I did not connect the two until just this year, and it amazed me when I suddenly realised the parallels. The incredible thing about the Bible is that the Old Testament foreshadows the New. God’s test of Abraham, ultimately ending in His provision of a ram to substitute for Isaac as the sacrifice, foreshadows the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whereby God provides His only Son as a substitute for us. There is the story of David, who was rejected by his parents as a child, and later by his son who rejected him as King and attempted to take over the kingdom himself. The rejection David and his ultimate ascension as King foreshadows the rejection of Jesus by the Jews and his ascension to become their
spiritual King. And there is the story of Moses, who led the Israelites, God’s people, out of captivity in Egypt by the grace of God, just as Jesus leads all who believe in Him out of the slavery of sin and death. There was the Great Flood, which God used to wash away the wickedness he saw on Earth in the time of Noah. Just as the Great Flood washed away the sins of old, baptism washes away original sin from each of those who receive it, be it those in the New Testament, or even us today.
One can even go as far back as Creation itself, when God created the first human beings in existence, Adam and Eve. Upon creating the two, God gave them the breath of life, a truly magnificent gift. This first God-given gift foreshadowed the gift He would give the disciples in the New Testament at Pentecost, just after Jesus’ Ascension into Heaven. This gift sent from above, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the breath of God Himself, was bestowed upon each of them, granting them seven spiritual gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord (what is now more commonly known as wonder and awe). Each of these seven gifts helps their bearer to live a fruitful and meaningful life, doing good on this Earth just as Jesus did throughout His earthly life.
Wisdom allows us to recognize truth, to understand things from the point of view of God Himself. Understanding allows us to grasp the world around us and the points of view of others, as well as the truths of the Christian faith. Counsel helps us to discern right from wrong and make a good judgement as to how best to act. That is why it is also known as Right Judgement. Fortitude, or more simply courage, helps us to stand up for good and defend our world against evil. Knowledge allows us to understand our meaning, our purpose in the world, and to live up to it. Piety gives us a willingness to worship God and to serve Him and others out of love and the goodness of our own hearts. Finally, fear of the Lord, or wonder and awe, is the precursor to wisdom. It allows us to understand and comprehend the greatness, the awesomeness of the Lord and to understand who we are as human beings and why we are here in relation to God Himself. To put it another way, everything we are is a resultant of the wonder, grace, love, and perfection of God.
These gifts of the Holy Spirit are reflected in the way Christians live their lives. But the Anonymous Christian can also espouse similar ways of living, even to a greater degree than some Christians. They can also be witnesses to the gifts, and may be so inspired, so awestruck that they discover an urge, a desire in their heart, to learn more about the faith and come to allow God to enter their life and their heart, to subsequently watch as He works in His mysterious ways to transform their life, and to deepen their connection with Him.
The Christian faith is built upon a foundation of moral principles and values that many of us in the wider society likely share. You do not have to be a Christian to live by these principles and hold these values dear. These are values that make society a better place, that make the world a better place. They help us to live meaningful and purposeful lives, ones in which the potential of achieving fulfillment increases significantly. If more people live their lives according to these values, the world will be the better for it.
So, to all the Anonymous Christians out there, I want you to know that we see you, we see the good that you are doing, the good lives that you lead, and the positive energy you are putting out into the world. Even though you share the Christian values and principles, you may not wish to put a label on yourself just yet, and that is perfectly fine. But if you have an urge to learn more, to discover the faith and all it holds, then I would highly recommend you do so. It will likely be one of the best decisions you ever make and will surely be worthwhile. If you are seeking a stepping stone per se into the world of Christianity and the Bible, I highly recommend watching Jordan Peterson’s Biblical Series. It is quite well done and is a great starting place for those who have that urge to find out more. Peterson himself is a good example of an Anonymous Christian, given he lives by Christian values and principles. In his case, I think after all the lectures he has given of a Biblical nature, all that he has written on Christianity and the Bible, and all that he has been subject to in his own life, particularly over the last few years, he has come to a point where he is wrestling with God, and, at least from my perspective, is coming to a point where he is willing to accept God into his life. It is something that is clearly an emotional and incredibly reflective journey for him, as it is for many who come to discover God’s presence in their lives.
Peterson has helped many individuals who were wondering or who had no idea at all about the faith to come to begin to understand it and embark upon a journey of further investigation and understanding. Indeed, I would say it is almost certain his work has brought more people into the faith, that it has brought more people to God. And that is truly an incredible thing for any one man to accomplish. It shows just how much of an impact Anonymous Christians can have on those around them, and on the world itself. As a Catholic, I aspire to be able to do the same. But Anonymous Christians should know that they can have an incredible impact on the lives of others, and that should inspire them to continue forth on their path, and to embark upon their own journey of discovery and understanding of the faith. I hope that this series might serve to help you on that journey.
This is the Fifth Edition of a Series entitled Uncovering Christianity: Exploring the Roots of the West. This series explores the values and ideas originating from Christianity, looking back at Biblical times, and relating them to the modern world. There are central themes to each piece in this series, with key messages throughout to guide you in your own life. The series also looks at some of the threats to the roots of Western Civilization and discusses what can be done to placate them and protect the foundation of society. Keep an eye out for new series pieces each week.
You can read my latest piece for The Good Sauce here: On the Left’s contemptuous and degrading treatment of women, and how a Twitter tirade exposed modern feminism for what it truly is.
One of the things that makes humanity so great is our ability to overcome. There are often times when we shoulder incredible burdens, when we face the most difficult of challenges, when we climb the highest, steepest mountains. We are subject to pain and suffering, but that is part of human life. It is essential to growth, to build more resilient human beings who can bear not only their own burdens, but aid others in carrying theirs. While it may be a difficult task to accomplish, it is finding courage and grace in times of hardship that allows the human race to flourish and thrive, creating a far greater society.
Courage is not at all easy to come by. It takes strength to muster it, to manifest it into being. There are two parts of us from wherein courage takes form and burgeons out: the heart and the mind. For the most part, courage derivates from the mind. Our mentality is what determines how we navigate the journey of life, how we approach obstacles in our path and ride the waves of emotion that ebb and flow. The heart is where courage catches ablaze and burns bright, flowing out into the rest of our body. To put it into an analogy, the heart is like the furnace, where fires of hope, love, courage, and the like are all lit and burn, spreading warmth throughout the body, throughout the soul, brightening the life of a human being. But fires do not typically occur spontaneously. They must be sparked and kindled by other forces. In the case of humanity, that force is the mind. It is a powerful force that can change the way we feel, see, and act in an instant. In order to create the spark of courage, or indeed of hope or love in our hearts, we must steer our mind in the right direction.
This is not an easy thing to do, especially when we are at a challenging point in our life. Throughout each of our lives, we are guaranteed to face times of hardship. If we did not, we would not have the opportunity to learn and grow as human beings, and this would be a truly dull existence. Framing our mind to deal with these times is a task that takes focus and self-trust. The ease with which we do this depends on where we are at in our lives, what we are dealing with, and any factors that may increase the difficulty of achieving the two key factors of framing the mind.
Factors that may increase the difficulty of framing the mind to spark courage in our heart include those such as anxiety, depression, or any other mental health conditions. Stress and other factors also contribute to this. Opposite them are those that decrease that difficulty, allowing us to frame our mind more easily and effectively. Calm, peace of mind, relaxation (although not too relaxed because that can create a sense of complacency from which we can slip quickly into a world of chaos as we begin to lack awareness of our surroundings, both in a mental and physical aspect), and others can help us to quickly achieve the frame of mind we wish to enter. There are, of course, ways to transform the factors that make this task difficult into those that make it simpler. We can do this by exercising the mind in certain ways, be it through breathing exercises, meditation, closing our eyes and acknowledging our thoughts, or any other method that allows us to focus. Sometimes we need some help to find the right method/s, to order our minds. There is nothing wrong with that. It is something many of us would have done, and continue to do, and no-one should be afraid to do so.
The point we are at on our journey through life depends on the path we take, which, as I mentioned in the second edition of this series, may change as we progress. When we are at a point in our lives where things are cruising along, where we are not coming up against many obstacles, we will typically find life is easy, and be capable of framing our minds without much of a challenge. When many obstacles are in our way and we are struggling to comprehend them all, we will find that life is difficult, and struggle to frame our minds in the necessary way to deal with the blockades in our path. But then there are times when we are at a crossroads, when we come to a point where we must make a decision that will determine the trajectory of our life. These are times when we either thrive or struggle. But it is in these times that it is crucial that we are in the right frame of mind. We might be able to make a decision quickly, although this is not necessarily a good thing as it may come from a sense of complacency that has become self-defeating and has created an unhealthy lifestyle, sometimes physically, but more so mentally. When it comes to important decisions, we need to be able to take time and reflect upon the potential outcomes, but not to the point that they become overwhelming because this can significantly increase the difficulty of the decision and the time it will take to make it. Being in the right frame of mind will greatly assist us in determining which of our potential choices will lead us to the greatest outcomes for our life, both spiritually, and in our quest for growth, understanding, and leaving our mark on the world.
What we are dealing with will greatly influence how we deal with it. There is a wide-spanning array of situations and scenarios that we must navigate throughout our lives. Each individual will deal with these in at the very least a slightly different way to another. These may include things like the death of a loved one, broken family relationships, determining our career, or indeed figuring out our place in the world. There are indeed many others, but these are some of the most fundamental problems many face in their lives that take immense courage and grace to traverse.
Death touches us all at one point or another. Losing a loved one is an immensely difficult part of life to transcend. Sometimes it brings a slight sense of peace knowing that someone important to us who may have been suffering and in pain is now at peace. For Christians, we find solace in believing that when we pass from this world, our spirit moves on to the next, to the Kingdom of Heaven that God built. That same Kingdom that we all now have the opportunity to enter because of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us. God the Father sent His Only Son to this Earth to live amongst us, to walk amongst us, to teach us how to live a good and faithful life, and to ultimately bear the greatest burden of all and go to His death on the Cross so that we would be saved from sin. Jesus knew the way in which He would die, He knew the events that would take place, and He fulfilled them to the last. Even though He knew He would suffer, even though he had such a heavy load to bear, He continued forward, and allowed it all to happen. Only someone possessing great courage could shoulder such a burden and keep going. Throughout His final hours, His Mother and some of His disciples kept near Him, following Him to the place where He was to die. His Mother, Mary, and disciple, John, watched on as He hung on the Cross, through to His last breath. They watched Him die, great sorrow filling their hearts. On the third day Jesus would rise, having conquered sin and death, but in the time immediately following his passing, there was great despair amongst His followers.
This is what death does: it spurns sorrow and pain in the hearts of those close to the person who has passed. I remember in the days and weeks following the passing of my grandfather, I was trying to contemplate, trying to make sense of why this had happened. Even in the days preceding his passing, I was deeply emotional and began questioning God as to why pop was not getting better, why he was fading away. I wondered why God would allow him to die now rather than giving us more time with him. It was indeed one of the most difficult times in my life. Compounded by mental health problems I was facing at the time, it resulted in a spiral that left me in pretty terrible shape. But in those weeks and months that followed, I found solace in the blessings we had been given in the months prior to pop’s passing. We had gone on a cruise to New Zealand with him only two months prior and had hosted him for a couple of weeks at our home during the bushfires just weeks before. Upon reflection, I was even more grateful to God for giving us these incredible opportunities to spend time with pop before he passed from this world to the next. It was these moments of grace that helped me to overcome the tremendous loss I had felt.
Death is, however, not the only hardship we must face in life. Broken relationships within our own families can be incredibly difficult to deal with. It is especially difficult when we value family greatly, and we do not wish to lose these connections we wish to have for the duration of our lives. Within Christianity, family is one of the most important things in existence. We will discuss the family unit in more depth in a future edition of this series, but for now let us dip our toes in the water. When we have known someone for most, if not all, of our lives, it is difficult to comprehend what life might look like without their presence. Yet when conflict arises in families, particularly with extended family (eg. cousins, uncles, etc.), it can create a divide, a breakdown of communication, and lead to a sort of alienation. This kind of scenario can be quite difficult to overcome, given it may not have been your doing (i.e. It may have been the doing or overreaction of the family member who has cut ties with you) and the action you take may affect others outside of yourself and the family member you are attempting to reconcile with. As someone who greatly values my family and does not want to see them divided to the point where they are unable to reconcile with each other, I will do most anything to ensure this does not happen. Conflict must be addressed and resolved, not permitted to hang in the air unaddressed creating tension wherever it is present. Sometimes, we must help to bear the burdens of others, just as Simon of Cyrene, a man entering Jerusalem on the day Jesus was carrying His Cross to the place where He was to be crucified, aided Jesus in carrying the Cross, helping Him to bear His heavy burden. It takes grace to help shoulder someone else’s burden, but it can be incredibly rewarding.
Determining our career and our place in the world go somewhat hand-in-hand. I suppose the former could be seen as a critical part of the latter. What we choose to do in life obviously gives us some sense of direction, some inkling of our place in society. Say, for example, one chose to be a journalist. They would be responsible for getting information and conveying it to the public to keep them informed. Choosing a career is not always easy, considering it will play a significant role in where you end up in life. Oftentimes people change careers throughout the course of their lives, thereby changing its trajectory to a degree. Our career choice is important in that it gives us some sense of purpose in life. But finding our place in the world does not simply derive from our chosen career. The way we live, our families, friends, and those who we choose to allow into our lives and maintain connections with, our talents and what we choose to do with them, all these things contribute to our greater purpose in this world. If we look back on the Biblical times of the first Holy Week, that is, Palm Sunday (when Jesus entered Jerusalem), Holy Thursday (the night of the Last Supper), Good Friday (the day He was condemned, sent to die, and crucified on the Cross to save us from sin), and Easter Sunday (the day of His Resurrection), we can see that Jesus Christ’s purpose was to take upon Himself all our sins, all our wrongdoing, and face pure torture and a tragic death so that humanity could be saved. His purpose was written from the moment Adam and Eve consumed the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Like Jesus, our purpose is also written, but it is on us to discover what it is. And we cannot do that without courage.
When we look back on the first Holy Week, on the first Easter, we can see that courage and grace were central to Jesus’ willingness to die for God’s people. That courage, however, did not come easily to those around Him. For the most part, His disciples hid, or, in the case of Simon Peter, denied him (three times) to save themselves. They were scared, and rightly so given the Pharisees were angered by how Jesus had taught the truth, the unfettered moral principles and laws laid down by God Himself, rather than the appropriated versions instilled by the Pharisees to maintain power and authority over the people. Jesus was courageous in breaking their rules. He knew He would ultimately pay for the transgressions of the people, and yet gracefully accepted this hardship. Jesus’ disciples did not necessarily possess the same degree of courage that He did, but there is no doubt they had some in following Him and, after His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven, spreading God’s Word to the people. We must also remember that Jesus Himself was a human being like us. He felt pain and sorrow, particularly on the final day of His human life. He was also somewhat fearful when praying in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His death, requesting of His Heavenly Father that He would “remove this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). But His courage and grace rose to the occasion and were with Him to His last breath, evident in that even after all that the Pharisees, the Romans and the people did to Him, He still prayed for them, saying in His final hours upon the Cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
Like Jesus, each of us possesses the capacity for courage and grace. When we face our own times of hardship, we must ensure that we focus on what matters most, and do our best keep it intact. We must navigate to the right frame of mind via methods that work to get us there and remember that fighting fire with fire is not going to help, no matter the circumstances. The only fire we should even be thinking of is the one of courage that we need to enflame within our hearts. With just a little courage, and a little grace, we can do incredible things: we can mend broken relationships within our own families, we can bear heavy burdens, help others to shoulder their own, land a job that we have been working towards, make a new connection with someone, start a relationship, stand up and speak out for what is right; the possibilities are endless.
Holy Week, the week that changed the world, all began with grace and courage. Christ’s coming into the world started with grace and courage from His Mother Mary. The greatest sacrifice made for mankind was made through courage and grace. Every time we face hardship in our lives, let us remember the incredible courage and grace that Jesus Christ showed in the final days of His life on Earth, and reflect that in our approach to these challenging times.
JJ’s Outlook 