Exercising The Attributes of Christianity: Kindness
Kindness
Kindness is another attribute that deserves mention. It's important for kindness to be acknowledge. We do share a planet with billions of people. And as far as we know, it's the only planet of its kind to date. Kindness is showing equal respect and solidarity for your fellow man, regardless of their background or belief system. We always show respect and commitment for our beliefs. At the same time, we also share a healthy respect to those that don't subscribe to our beliefs. This is important because all of us people go through the same trials and issues, regardless of our backgrounds.
Kindness is a very awesome attribute. Kindness was the one of the attributes that contributed the Macedonia Church to freely give to those suffering in Israel when they were going through the famine described in the book of Acts. The Macedonia Church was a poor congregation. But yet, they gave everything they had to help those in suffering. Jesus demonstrated kindness those who had leprosy, diseases, and those who were Samaritan. Pain afflicts everybody, regardless of who they are. The Kindness bug also afflicts everybody as well! During the 2014 wave, the needs of the immigrants were meet by the kindness of individuals throughout the community giving what they could out of the kindness of their hearts. The community responded, along with other churches and other religious organizations, and various non-profits.
If a disaster like a earthquake or hurricane strikes an area, it affects everybody in the region, regardless of the social and/or economic status of that particular person. Disasters don't take age, race, gender, political affiliation or religious beliefs into consideration. Everybody is afflicted, regardless of their personal attributes. This strengthens solidarity because everybody can relate to the same pain that the other is going through. Cooperate and teamwork in the name of community spirit. I still remember the work done after Hurricane Dolly back in 2008. All of us worked long hours reaching out to the community to offer food for those that needed it. Our canteen, or mobile kitchen, could reach areas that were badly affected, reaching those who had issues getting out. One thing that we need to remember is that our needs are the same as well, regardless of our personal attributes. We all need shelter and food to survive. Kindness is what was demonstrated by the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan had compassion of the person who was robbed and beaten, regardless of the background of that person. He demonstrated how we need to be to each other. Kindness and solidarity could mean the difference between life and death in certain circumstances.
Persecution is a
very serious topic. Highlighting the issues that persecuted Christians
go through is important. However, we need to realize that persecution
isn't just restricted to Christianity. Persecution was widespread.
Persecution is a universal problem that affects anyone, regardless of
their religious, political, ethnic, racial, or gender. The act of
persecution is the same, regardless of the groups that are afflicted by
it, because the pain afflicted is the same, regardless of those feeling
it. At the end of the day, where all people. As a result we need to
recognize, support, and pray for others that are going through their own
trials as well. Kindness demands that of us.
During the ISIS takeover of Northern Iraq, many suffered at their hands. The Christian Community in Mosul were driven out. The Kurds, a ethnic group in the same area, were terrorized by ISIS as well. Followers of Yazidism, a religion found in the Kurdish-populated areas, were persecuted and killed for their beliefs. Women were the slaves of draconian policies inflicted on them by ISIS. Many women and human rights activist had to flee from the violence inflicted upon them. Shia Muslims were terrorized as well. Yes, other Muslims suffered from persecution as well. Homosexuals didn't have a chance in the ISIS-controlled areas. The militants embrace Wahhabism, a very strict interpretation of Islam. Following this interpretation, followers were demanded to throw gay people off of mountains. They were using tall buildings as a substitute. Many died. Some would describe that they had to hide from their own fathers because they would turn them over to them if given the opportunity. Many suffered at their hands. They were persecuted for who they were.
It's important that we pray for those Christian's that
are being persecuted for their faith. At the same time, we also need to
pray for the other groups suffering as well, because their going through
the same pain as well. We can't dismiss their suffering just because
their not Christian. Focus of the plight of persecuted Christians,
while ignoring the pain that others go through, makes their pain seem
unimportant. Their sacrifices need to be recognized as well. They
experienced the same pain that the other was going through. Pain brings
unity together. Most of these groups would join forces to fight a common
enemy that has no respect for the sacredness of human life, especially
theirs. All of these groups are in the same boat. Kindness and respect
calls on us to pray for those going through the same trauma and
experiences that we Christians do through. This is critical especially
with the events transpiring in Myanmar. The Buddhist/Hindu have launched
a campaign of genocide against the Rohingya Muslims, which in turn, are
committing acts of violence and destruction against the Buddhist/Hindu.
The Muslim extremist of the future are being created at the hands of
the Myanmar government and their genocide against them. Violence,
disfranchisement, and marginalization breeds extremism and a bloody,
vicious cycle that only knows death. The complete opposite of kindness.
Within our own society, displaying kindness is very essential as well. There are sporadic, isolated hate crimes against people, regardless of their backgrounds as well. It doesn’t matter if you're Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindi, atheist, African-American, women, or of the LGBTQ community. These are the people we need to pray for and show our solidarity to as well, because, again, we are all in the same boat. There are many people going through their own trials and tribulations. There are sporadic attacks on people for their beliefs, which are, unfortunately, becoming more common, with the rising rates of hate crimes. Many in the LGBTQ community are still looked down upon. Their pain is real. The pain that someone goes through when their loved one, a innocent black man, is shot is very real too. They need the prayers and support as well. We demonstrate kindness to eat other as a society because Jesus calls upon us to do it. Ignoring kindness is what allows Radical Islam, paranoid citizens, and White-Supremacist to commit their crimes. The latest FBI statistics have shown that hate crimes have risen again for 2 years in a row. A trend that's likely to continue.
As
we approach the one-year anniversary of the events that occurred in
Charlottesville, Virginia, we need to realize that hate is the opposite
of kindness. Hate prevails when people embrace the idea that a person
embrace the idea that someone should be oppressed by the color of their
skin, regardless of what merits that person holds. I believe that Jesus
would have condemned the actions of those White-Supremacist and
Nationalist, and called them out on what they did. Hate breeds anger and
violence. Attributes that should not define us as people.
Contradictions can be seen when various preachers declare that American Christianity is persecuted because of the loss of perceived political privileges, and that their suffering is equal to what other persecuted Christians around the world go through. Many declare that even critiquing/criticizing of their idea is persecution, as their trying to monopolize Christian thought to represent their idea of what Christianity is suppose to be. This is a huge disservice to those who actually are persecuted, suffer, and even killed the world over for their beliefs, regardless of what those beliefs are. When we concentrate on our own petty grievances, and loose focus of the attributes that Jesus would have wanted us to embrace, and those in suffering; everybody suffers. If the attributes that are suppose to define Christianity are ignored, then the decline of the church will continue. If Christian Churches continue to ignore the fundamental teachings of Jesus, then these issues will continue.
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