Jacqueline Calleja, Balzan
Nothing new in the ‘progressive’ mentality
Around 300 years before the birth of Christ, the Old Testament provided us with a splendid script, Ecclesiastes, attributed to Qoheleth – the Preacher.
In it the writer constantly laments the vanity of created things which can never satisfy the heart of man and also decries the fact that really “there is nothing new under the sun”.
After the death of Christ many of his followers left the land of Israel and started to preach the Gospel in lands whose perspective and way of life contrasted sharply with that of the land from which they had come.
The influence of Rome over the known world of the time was immense.
Architecture, social organisation, military prowess, law-giving, the building of roads, aqueducts, theatres, public baths, etc., all contributed to the strength and power of the state.
There was, however, a darker side which the first Christians had to contend with when they embarked on their mission. It was a time of routine brutality and of great moral degradation and depravity.
In his letter to the Romans St Paul so says, “God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves.” Besides, human life counted for nothing and this was especially true of slaves who could be used and abused at will by their masters.
With the advent of Christianity a revolutionary vision of life was now proposed. All of a sudden there was hope for those without hope and men and women found that they had a newfound dignity endowed on them as children of God.
It was now wrong to expose babies to the elements and leave them to die if the father so decided.
Women were not considered chattels to be discarded at will and divorce a violation of God’s eternal laws. Abortion and homosexual behaviour were to be abhorred and condemned. For 300 years Christians battled to present Christ’s Good News to the Roman world and often had to pay a terrible price for their fidelity to their Lord.
Two thousand years later our modern world seems to have reverted to the mentality prevalent in ancient times. What today seems so progressive and innovative was considered normal before the appearance of Christ. Divorce, abortion, homosexual behaviour, the utter scorn of human life were ordinary facets of daily life. It was only when Christ in his Sermon on the Mount declared that the meek, the pure of heart, the peace-makers, the poor in spirit are blessed that the world was presented with a radical change of values and manner of living.
Sadly the decision to revert to those laws and to that mentality pertaining to the pre-Christian era is inevitably leading us to barbarism. The fifty million unborn children, some of them almost full-term, killed every year through abortion and the suppression of the weak and the terminally ill through euthanasia is enough witness to this. For as Pope John Paul II said at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, “Contempt of God inevitably leads to contempt of man.”
What are committed Christians supposed to do when faced with this situation, when they are often derided, ridiculed and marginalised because of their faith in Christ and in His Church?
The answer lies in the firm belief that Christ, the Lord of history, is still very much in control of the destiny of mankind and that He will keep true to his promises. Like the first Christians this unshakeable faith will help them face all the personal difficulties and sufferings that living in a neo-pagan society inevitably entails.
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Joe Xuereb
Jan 19th 2011, 22:38
I wonder how Malta would deal with a case such as this?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/18/gay-couple-win-case-hoteliers?INTCMP=SRCH
In a nutshell (quoted from the article):
The judge said the right of the defendants to manifest their religion IS NOT ABSOLUTE (my capitals) is not absolute and "can be limited to protect the rights and freedoms of the claimants".
Britain may not be perfect but as long as some things are sacred (pun intended).......
Joe Xuereb
Jan 19th 2011, 11:35
@ Mark Sultana. I like your quote from St.Paul to the Ephesians. In spite of the fact that I only get the gist of what it is trying to say. Maybe my English isn't so good after all. I mean, why the flowery language? I know it's only a translation but is it really necessary for one to crack one's skull in order to get anywhere near a shade of the meaning of the blessed contents? Why can't the gospels, bible, scriptures, whatever one wants to call them, be written in a style that is easily accessible so that one needn't crack one's head. I mean, how much wisdom can one expect from two thousand year old scribes who had no training in scribbling, anything like what we'd understand as journalism/reporting today. As I said, I get the gist just about. But it doesn't half reek of constipated static and stagnation.
Joe Xuereb
Jan 19th 2011, 01:30
2) As a homosexual what I say will be dismissed. Oh dear! I've come this far and learned to live without fellow mortals' endorsements, and that's fine by me. And the Church's for that matter. Their dismissal of me reflects on them not on me.
I always look forward to JC's outpourings. She can be relied on to deliver the daily bread. Certainly, she provides me with a platform to counteract her views, faith versus practicalities if one likes, and hopefully some up and coming homosexual will find the encouragement to be honest to himself/herself which is the only way to be.
In a wider since, of course, I draw attention to the fact that, after all is said and done, there is no difference between the various sexual orientations. We are all brothers and sisters, in the same boat, dealing with our demons and hopefully, learning how to deal with themwith practical means.
What is worse than 'Nothing new in the ‘progressive’ mentality'? Easy! That which is worse than regressive - that which is static and stagnant. And we all know what happens to those. Faith alone is not a strong enough mortar.
So JC, please keep them coming.
Joe Xuereb
Jan 19th 2011, 01:20
1) Life is difficult and always has been. At some point belief was 'invented' as an antidote to life's pain. Gradually our knowledge evolved to what it is today. More and more people are coming to realise that religion creates more problems, of the real kind on a real planet, than it solves. So more and more are learning to live life's INEVITABLE difficulties (ie illness and finally, death) without any props. Life's as difficult as it ever was but at least it feels more true, more honest. And ironically, very humbling.
@Joseph Attard (responding to JP Tabone Adami's comment), instead of sneakily asking questions via flattery of Mr Tabone, why don't you tell us what YOU think of a sixth-form teacher who openly vilifies homosexuals (when statistically, given their age, there must be homosexual students who are already aware of their homosexuality in his class/es)? He couldn't deride Jews or Black people in like fashion. He does homosexuals because he knows he has the backing of the Church. And where's a spineless State in all this?
continued
Mark Sultana
Jan 18th 2011, 22:02
Ms Calleja, how ironical that you mention St Paul and slavery in the same paragraph. Here are the 'progressive' instructions Paul gave to slaves regarding obeying their owners;
"Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; .." Ephesians 6:5-9
Used and abused at will by their masters indeed and in the name of religion !
Philip Sultana
Jan 18th 2011, 17:46
It has always surprised me that people can have such blind faith in a god or gods when there is scarce supporting evidence of god's existance. I wonder how people like Ms Calleja would feel in the event that irrefutable evidence is discoverd that god does not actually exist. How will they justify these prejuces against homsexuality, divorce, extra-marital sex, etc.?
Gerry Cowie
Jan 18th 2011, 20:35
So, on the one hand you are saying there is no God - prove there is not! On the other hand you are leaving an open door by wondering what would happen if :-
"in the event that irrefutable evidence is discoverd (sic) that god (sic) does not actually exist."
So you are undecided!
@Patrick Zammit - I think you'll find the Bible took ages to come to fruition and is considered to be inspired by God. He left it to mankind to "put it together". The time Christ came into the world was planned by God. Why do YOU think it took 196,000 years "to have it written?
@Ramon Casha - you're right about judgementalism. However Christ spoke about many things. He condemned people's actions and thoughts. I think you'll find many references He made were general ones - ie Sodom and Gomorrah because of what went on in those places with which He fundementally disagreed. Please take a closer look at the Bible if you are going to find fault with it or use it to challenge another person's fundemental beliefs.
Why deny the obvious that many are indeed badly treated because of their fervent beliefs? They are!
patrick zammit
Jan 19th 2011, 13:32
GC
Firstly, since you insist that God exists, the burden to provide evidence to that effect rests on you. Secondly, humans, passed the first 196,000 years of their existence without never having heard of the Bible, God, J Christ etc since the first books were written a few thousands of years ago (4 or maybe 5). So, a large number of all the humans that ever existed lived without ever hearing about the "instructions" that Catholics insist God inspired to be written. Now would a god, if it really existed, leave it "so late in the day" to tell us what Catholics insist is so crucial to their creed?
Alfred Ellul
Jan 18th 2011, 17:20
Quote: 'Divorce, abortion, homosexual behaviour, the utter scorn of human life were ordinary facets of daily life. It was only when Christ in his Sermon on the Mount declared that the meek, the pure of heart, the peace-makers, the poor in spirit are blessed that the world was presented with a radical change of values and manner of living.'
Mrs Calleja, nghidielek bil-Malti biex zgur nesprimi dak li ghandi f'qalbi ghalik bhalissa: imissek tisthi li qed tghid dan il-kliem! Jekk int veru Nisranija, b'wicci minn quddiem nghid li jien m'ghandi xejn x'naqsam mal-hekkimsejha religjon li int, jahasra, minghalik li qedha timxi maghha! Isthi! |isthi u erga' isthi! Minn meta 'l hawn inpoggu lill-omosesswali f'dan il-kuntest? Li huma kontra l-hajja umana? Minn meta 'l hawn inpogguhom a pari mal-abort? X'ghandhom x'jaqsmu l-omosesswali mal-abort? Jew sahanistra mad-divorzju?
Joe Zammit
Jan 18th 2011, 16:32
Par.2357 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church reads:
“Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained.
Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’ They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity.
Under no circumstances can they be approved.”
Robert Callus
Jan 18th 2011, 14:33
Putting abortion and homosexuality on the same level, not only puts an unjust image on homosexuals but trivializes the fate of the "50 million unborn children" Who do homosexuals harm?
Ironically you make references to the Holocaust, were homosexuals were killed for their sexual orientation. As despicable as Hitler may be, on this one can blame it on ignorance - it was the 1940's. Today anyone slightly educated knows that homosexuality is neither a perversion nor a disease. Simply a sexual orientation.
W Spencer
Jan 18th 2011, 18:31
Dream on Robert Callus. Don't worry, Islam will soon cleanse society of such depravity, Sharia Law is on its way !!
J P Tabone Adami
Jan 18th 2011, 11:30
I ask, would the Times editor consider for publication a letter scorning "blacks" or promoting cruelty to women?
Why then do some people take it in their stride that homosexuals are unashamedly described as "abhorrent"? Or that their behaviour is mentioned in the same line as "the utter scorn of human life".
I may or may not have problems with the rest of the letter, but such gross misunderstanding, unkindness and inability to appreciate human diversity, furthermore masquerading as path to a better life for all, makes my blood boil.
Joseph Attard
Jan 18th 2011, 17:15
Mr Tabone Adami, you impress me by your frankness and courage, even though I do not expect less from you, being an educator. However, I tend to call a spade a spade. Why are you so surprised at Ms Calleja's way of portraying homosexuality when one of your colleagues, an educator at the Sixth Form in which you teach, gives out the same kind of vitriol and the usual disgusting homophobic rhetoric in his lectures, and gets away with it, year in, year out?
Ramon Casha
Jan 18th 2011, 11:24
"...when they are often derided, ridiculed and marginalised because of their faith in Christ and in His Church?"
They aren't.
Generally speaking they are ridiculed and marginalised when they try to push their beliefs onto others. Nobody will ridicule or marginalise you for not getting a divorce, or an abortion, or starting a homosexual relationship. However you should expect a fair amount of stick if you go up to a gay couple and start berating them for their "sinful ways".
If you think it feels bad to be ridiculed, think what it must feel like for a divorcee, or a gay person, to have such a huge institution as the church teaching them, and all their friends and relatives, that they are evil. How do you think a child feels when they get taught at school and museum and church that their parents are sinners? Then think about the phrase "do not do unto others..."
In all his recorded ministry, Jesus never once mentioned homosexuality but he sure had a lot to say about being judgmental.
patrick zammit
Jan 18th 2011, 11:17
JC
God wanted mankind to live according to the Bible which He inspired and which was written not earlier than 4,000 years ago. Modern man has been living on this planet for 200,000 years. So why did he wait for 196,000 years to have it written?
Why did humans who lived through all those long 196,000 years, not need His instructions? What makes those born after the Bible was written, different?
Joe Zammit
Jan 18th 2011, 10:19
St. Augustine asked what pagans did when they did not succeed at resisting vices (or even try to). Very simply, they attributed them to God! And so they made a god for lust, Venus, a god for violence, Mars, and so on, feeling themselves justified in practicing these vices.
The same thing is happening today with regard to Christ, and it is one of the most disturbing signs of regression into paganism. There is no weakness or obsession in modern culture that is not somehow attributed to Jesus in a way that makes people feel justified in cultivating it.
Let us heed St Augustine's words: Oh God, you have made us for yourself and our hearts do not find rest unless they rest in you.