"Christianity has done the most damage in our world", said my teacher when someone asked for her opinion on religions and their cultural impact on society. Taken aback by her statement, I challenged my teacher on her use of colonization and the crusades as examples of Christianity's destructiveness . This prompted her to rephrase her words, saying that, "people in the name of Christianity have done the most damage to the world".
My teacher' s words still ring in my ears not only because they were offensive to me, but because her words are simply not true. I am not writing this to call out my teacher, demand an apology or to even discourage people from criticizing Christianity or the Bible. I’ve been in classrooms where the Bible has been ridiculed by peers and teachers alike. I have no desire to silence people who want to rip the Bible, the Gospel or things I hold dear apart, despite my urge to do so. I think it’s important to maintain a society where topics can be discussed including hot button topics like race, religion and politics. Religion is controversial because it speaks to the core of who people are- worldview, values, identity beliefs and passions. These things make us human and are worth discussing. I just hope the same respect will be given to me to respond, point people to resources and talk to people with different worldviews without receiving unnecessary attitude or smugness. This conversation confirmed what I have always thought: Biblical Christianity has been distorted to a lot of people. Even the simple question of what a Christian is can garner different answers. Is the nun who teaches her young First Nation students that they're inferior and contributes to their cultural genocide a Christian? Is the man who faithfully goes to Church, reads his Bible and happens to be a KKK member a Christian? Is it even possible to know what a true "Christian” is? These are fair questions so I want you to journey with me as I address these questions throughout my blog series: The ABC''s of Christianity:
Until the ink drips, Akua B
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AuthorMy name is Akua B and I'm a lover of all things Africa, natural hair and poetry... Archives
March 2017
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