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| Posted by: Team Member |
7/12/2006 |
I suppose that the AIDS epidemic is one that has never been handled very well by American Christian culture. Personally, I am haunted by the childhood memories of 1980s newscasts about junkies, homosexuals and the promiscuous heterosexual behavior necessary for AIDS transmission. AIDS was new then. Scary then. It's still scary, but in the '80s it was different. There were no victims then, only immoral people who got what they deserved. Unfortunately, this also meant that there were very few, if any, good Samaritans.
Perhaps the most striking quality of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) is that he refused to judge the man nearly beaten to death by robbers. There is never any confusion about what the man deserved, nor did the Samaritan think it his place to contribute to the man's punishment is some capacity. The Samaritan gave of himself to help a man who, for all we know, very well may have received what he deserved. There was no judgment, only compassion.
During the commercial breaks of those 1980s newscasts was when I would occasionally hear my dad offer his commentary on the state of the nation and/or world. I was a young boy when I heard him say that he felt no compassion for those with AIDS because the only way a person attracts AIDS was to engage in sinful behavior. In other words, AIDS victims get what they deserve. I believed that for many, many years.
I don't know how much has changed today. I know that thousands die from AIDS and receive little more than judgment from Christians, but it's not our place to say who deserves what. It's our place to give of ourselves and help. It's amazing to me how many people complain about how "bad" things have become, but feel no inclination whatsoever to give of themselves, to personally sacrifice, to make things better. How can we expect things to change if we're unwilling to be a part of that change?
I only hope they never know how much punishment I deserve. |
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Re: Disillusioned--Brian |
By Ty on
7/12/2006 |
If a person has no compassion for those with AIDS, then they must, if they are to have a coherent theology, have no compassion for anyone with a disease, or any family who has a loved one who dies. Genesis paints ALL death as a result of sin; therefore, if compassion is limited to those whose disease is not the result of sin, there must be no compassion; if someone wants to claim that it was not THAT person's sin that resulted in a certain instance of disease or death, remember, "All have sinned . . . ." This passage is talking about sin as an action and thus implying all (adults); therefore,, only children, who are too young to sin, can be the objects of compassion.
On the other hand, upon whom did Jesus shower compassion? . . . Sinners, of which we are the worst. That means that we should be like Jesus and have compassion on sinners, or we condemn ourselves to a measure of compassion from Jesus equal to the measure we show to other sinners. |
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Re: Disillusioned--Brian |
By Gina on
7/13/2006 |
Exactly. Who did Jesus spend time with and minister to? The very poor, the outcast sinners and those with illnesses that caused them to be shunned by society. If we refuse (or even just neglect) to show grace and compassion to those with AIDS or drug addictions or those trapped in abject poverty or any other problem that makes helping them unattractive to our society, are we emulating Christ? Clearly not. We're playing the role of Pharisee. I'm pretty sure that's something to avoid.
Grace (in the form of love and assistance from others AND forgiveness and salvation from Christ) usually means more to people who REALLY know they need it--and who needs it more than those who are constantly judged and rejected by everyone around them? |
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Re: Disillusioned--Brian |
By Brian on
7/13/2006 |
| We all recognize who Jesus was and what he did, but for some reason I am amazed how often we fail to realize that we're capable of such love (i.e., we can truly be the hands and feet of Christ). One night last November, on my way home from class (Intro. to the N.T. I was researching a paper on the use of possessions in Luke-Acts.) I saw an old, broken woman who was obviously homeless. I felt bad for her. I knew I should have stopped. I kept driving. Knowing what Jesus did and living out what Jesus did are very different things. But, if we really want to say we're Christ's body, then both are required. |
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Re: Disillusioned--Brian |
By Gina on
7/13/2006 |
| Personally, it's a combination of fear and inertia that keep me from actually reaching out to the people who need help the most. Yes, when I worked in downtown Portland I always gave my "free sandwich" punch cards to homeless people, or sometimes my breakfast or an extra pair of gloves. But that costs me nothing--it's not self-sacrificial, it's not really giving in the Christlike sense of the word. I saw some violence and other scary things downtown that made me afraid to really get involved. I need to have enough faith to put aside my fear, or at least make the effort to find a safe place to serve. |
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Re: Disillusioned--Brian |
By Ty on
7/15/2006 |
| My problem is that I feel so helpless. I don't really think that what I do is going to help anyone. For that reason, I think the muslims may have giving down a little better than we (at least a philosophy of giving). They don't give for the sake of the receiver, but because it is their duty to give. The beggar, in turn, does not feel so much like the object of pity as an instrument of God. Maybe duty is not the right concept to place there, but there has to be something that allows me to feel okay about giving what I can even if I don't think it makes a difference |
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