Thought on Social justice

[nebula]

Not sure what exactly one means by "social justice".

If it refers to feeding the hungry, helping the weak, caring for the elderly and orphaned, giving to those in need, etc. If that is the issue, I believe those things transcend any and all religious faiths. There are many, many people --- Christians as well as non-Christians --- who engage in this sort of work. Helping one's fellow man is never a bad thing, IMO.

The quote stated, "Social justice without Jesus...."

And he didn't say it was bad, just that it is humanism (where humanity takes the place of God as the source, provider, protector, etc. for life rather than a deity).

[Fez]

Here's an old post of mine that goes towards social justice... (it's long, but worth the read)

WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS JESUS MADE IN HISTORY?

Introduction

Jesus rose above all of human history in a way that no one ever has or ever will. Everything in our world is in response to his life on earth. Entire books have been written about Jesus� life in various centuries and in pop culture. Newsweek ran a cover story in the new millennium titled �2000 Years of Jesus: Holy Wars to Helping Hands�

Quote - �By any secular standard, Jesus is also the dominant figure in Western culture. Like the millennium itself, much of what we now think of as Western ideas, inventions and values, finds its source or inspiration in the religion that worships God in his name. Art and science, the self and society, politics and economics, marriage and the family, right and wrong, body and soul � all have been touched and often radically transformed by the Christian influence.�

Noted scholar and historian WEH Lecky said that �The character of Jesus has not only been the highest pattern of virtue, but the strongest incentive in its practice, and has exerted so deep an influence, that it may be truly said that the simple record of three years of active life has done more to regenerate and to soften mankind than all the disquisitions (long or complex discussion of a subject) of philosophers and all the exhortations of moralists.

Understanding that the purpose and centre of history is Jesus, is incredibly important in light of our current purposeless and centerless world. We all grew up on television to believe that one day we�ll all be millionaires and movie gods, rock stars or sport idols. Of course we will not, we are slowly learning that fact and we are very peed off about it. We are a confused people about who we are, why are we on earth, what are dreams and hopes are - and who�s pulling the strings.

- Our purpose is to glorify Jesus, our place is with Jesus, our fight is for Jesus, our joy and spirituality is Jesus. Our God is Jesus.

Jesus is both the sum and centre of our Christian faith. Dr David Wells mentioned that unlike most religions, Christianity has no place, language, race or culture that serves as centre to hold it together. Christians share no worldwide headquarters, no common language, no common race or ethnic heritage and no common cultural framework. The only thing that holds all of Christianity together is the risen Lord Jesus Christ who is alive today.

Notable quotes

Many notable people have commented on Jesus� place as the most famous, important and significant person in history:

Stephen Neill: �He who says �Jesus� says also �history�,

HG Wells: �I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher form Nazareth is irrevocably the very centre of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history�

Napoleon Bonaparte:�I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and any other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius?

Upon force.

Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.

Fidel Castro:� I have always considered Christ to be one of the greatest revolutionaries in the history of humanity�

Charles Haddon Spurgeon: �Christ is the great central fact of the world�s history. To Him everything looks backward of forward. All the lines of history converge upon him. All the great purposes of God culminate in Him. The greatest and most momentous fact the history of the world records is the fact of Jesus� birth.

While the life of Jesus was simple, the legacy of Jesus is stunning. Jesus is not only worshiped as God by one-third of the people on planet earth, but no army or king has wrought as much influence on history as He.

Just some differences Jesus has made in history:

Children

The plight of children in the ancient world was horrendous, child sacrifice and abandonment were common and only half of all children lived beyond the age of 8. It was acceptable to put babies out with the trash. This meant that children were taken home to the worst kind of people to be slaves, prostitutes and or be molested.

How did Jesus change that?

Jesus himself was born into poverty and by coming as a child, Jesus honoured children. Jesus� circumstances gave dignity and hope to children. We all know from the Bible that Jesus loved and cared for children and taught that God is a loving Father and that our children should be treated as our Father treats us.

In the bible Jesus healed children, said that God provides wisdom to children, taught children and said heaven was made for children and that God would punish anyone who harmed children, laid his hands on children to pray for them, invited children to himself, cast demons out of tormented children and was worshiped by children.

Jesus was born to a single mother and adopted by the man Joseph. The New Testament teaches that in our salvation, God acts in much the same way: he is our Father who adopts us into his family, the church. God�s people (us) began seeing themselves as spiritual orphans who had been adopted by God the Father and started treating children with great dignity as God�s image bearers, they also began to adopt orphans and started orphanages and foster care to demonstrate the gospel of God.

Women

In ancient and many contemporary cultures woman were and is regarded as property of the husband, women had no value and lived apart form the husband, she even may be burnt alive on her husband�s funeral pyre, a custom in some places in India. Girl infanticide was common as well as child widows, little girls raised to be temple prostitutes until missionaries such as William Carey and Amy Carmichael intervened.

God made us male and female; though different we are absolutely equal because both bear the image of God. Jesus violated social taboos regarding women and in doing so honoured them and gave them value. Jesus befriended the woman at the well of Sychar, spoke publicly with the widow of Nain, Jesus cast demons out and healed women, Jesus used women as examples of exemplary faith in his teachings (which was quite controversial because women were mostly unschooled). Jesus let a sinful woman anoint him and 2 of his closest friends were woman and like sisters to Him. Women were the fist to know that Jesus had risen from death. Jesus honoured, taught and loved women and even included them in vital positions in his ministry. The lives of Ruth and Ester are part of the Holy Bible on their own, the Priscilla is named before her husband Aquila.

Today most Christians are woman and religion offered them greater status and influence in every aspect of daily living as well as protection as wives and mothers.

Slaves

Roughly half of all people on earth were slaves in the days of Jesus. By calling himself a slave and servant, Jesus identified with those enslaved. Paul pleaded for the merciful treatment of the slave Onesimus. William Wilberforce was more effective in the fight against the ending of slave trading

Between Africa and the West Indies than anyone who has ever lived. In the USA the fight against slavery was led by Christians and Abraham Lincoln the most important American to fight against slavery.

Mercy

At the cross Jesus paid the penalty of justice, and then granted us mercy, which is one of the innumerable benefits of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In doing so Jesus paved the way to be merciful without being unjust. This mercy compels Christians to extend that same mercy to others, particularly those in need.

As Christians, good deeds are not done because we have to love our neighbour but rather because we have been loved, given mercy and enabled to share Jesus� love and mercy with others.

The extension of Jesus� mercy through Christians happens every day through helping everyone in need like single mothers, the homeless, hungry, sick, elderly the poor and abused and include housing, food, water, medical care and education. Christian relief organisations and churches are the driving force and over a billion dollars a year are spent in mercy work.

Education

As Christians are people of the Book, the Bible had to be translated. Publishing, literacy and education spread through books. Today the Bible has been translated into roughly 3 thousand languages. The printing press was invented by a Christian man called Johannes Gutenberg. From 1620-1837 almost all education was private and Christian. Pastors were commonly the most educated men around. The first public schools in USA were Christian and almost all the colleges and universities founded were of Christian origins. Missionaries started many Christian schools across the world.

Science

Christianity teaches that behind creation is a God of order who made us to explore his world. For science to operate there must first exist a worldview that provides a comprehensive understanding of how the world works and our place in it. Scientific inquiry would not be possible in other religious worldviews so fatalistic that change is not possible or so animistic (all things have a soul) that science study would be religiously condemned. Geneticist Frances Collins see no conflict between his faith and work, he wrote a book The language of God: A scientist Presents Evidence for Belief that explains the relationship of his faith and his scientific exploration of creation.

Economics

The Bible teaches private property rights, as one of the 10 commandments forbids stealing of private property, simply because it rightfully belongs to its owner. This simple principle is one of the pillars on which economy is built. In countries without Christianity the government owns peoples homes and reserves the right to take it.

The Bible also teaches that ALL WORK is sacred if done in the glory of God. Jesus spent roughly 90% of his life working an honest job as simple carpenter as an example to us an helped to create the Protestant work ethic.

Medicine

In the pre-Christian world labourers and the poor had no medical options or care, but that was changed as Jesus was called the Great Physician. The gospel of Luke was written by a Christian doctor and recorded many miraculous healings. As a result, Christian ministry include concern for the human body as a gift from God. In 325 AD at the council of Nicaea, it was decreed that hospitals were to be built wherever there was a Christian church. The Red Cross was founded by the Christian Henri Dunant and today continues its medical ministry.

Art

God is both Creator and creative and He created us to be creative like him. In architecture, cathedrals are widely appreciated as some of the most inspiring places. In music the works of Handel, Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi and many great hymns of faith flowed from Jesus. In art, Christians like Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo de Vinci remain the standard by which all other artists are measured. In literature, Dante, Dickens, Tolstoy, Tolkien all wrote out of their faith of Christianity.

Charity

The most ardent unbelievers agree that people who worship God tend to be more generous in their charitable giving of time, money to donating blood. Religious people give more than their secular counterparts in every way of life.

Atrocities

During the 20th century 170 million people were killed by other humans. 130 million of those died because of atheistic ideology. Added to this number the 1 billion aborted and killed in the womb. Comparatively about 17 million people were killed by professing Christians in 20 total centuries of Christian history. Today we condemn their misguided zeal we do not make heroes of killers.

3 things deserve mention �

- Those who commit sins who profess to be Christians but are really atheists has been the source of far more atrocities than any religion.

- those claiming to be Christians but are not are people that will find out on judgement day that they were never true Christians and will be sent to hell for their sins.

- if someone is a Christian and they sin they are acting against Jesus. This kind of hypocrisy is grievous and wrong and we all do it to varying degrees many times every day. If not for Jesus we would sin more and not change to sin less. Jesus� influence makes a new life possible for us.

General

The library of congress holds more books on Jesus than any other historical figure (17 thousand).

The difference Jesus made in history is staggering and even more endearing the difference he makes in our own histories. Billions of testimonies prove how Jesus made a difference in their lives throughout history.

Jesus never ran for political office, but more people chose him to be their leader than anyone else who ever lived.

Jesus was not formally educated, nor did he lecture in a classroom, but he has more students than anyone else have or ever will have.

Jesus was not a therapist, but he has helped more people than all the counsellors, therapists and psychologists combined.

Jesus was not an artist, but more artwork has been commissioned of him than of anyone else who has ever lived.

(Taken from a talk to the St Lucia home group in South Africa and based on Mark Driscoll�s DVD series �Who is the real Jesus�)

[jasoncran]

well the jews when they did the torah did treat women and children like what you said jesus changed. i have evidence on this as the torah(imho) was given to isreal for that purpose. that is, to make them a holy nation unto GOD.

[Matthitjah]

well the jews when they did the torah did treat women and children like what you said jesus changed. i have evidence on this as the torah(imho) was given to isreal for that purpose. that is, to make them a holy nation unto GOD.

In essence, Biblical Social Justice is the direct result of Holiness outworked. (mind you I am not talking about the hijacked meaning of the word)

[Matthitjah]

Here's an old post of mine that goes towards social justice... (it's long, but worth the read)

WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS JESUS MADE IN HISTORY?

Introduction

Jesus rose above all of human history in a way that no one ever has or ever will. Everything in our world is in response to his life on earth. Entire books have been written about Jesus� life in various centuries and in pop culture. Newsweek ran a cover story in the new millennium titled �2000 Years of Jesus: Holy Wars to Helping Hands�

Quote - �By any secular standard, Jesus is also the dominant figure in Western culture. Like the millennium itself, much of what we now think of as Western ideas, inventions and values, finds its source or inspiration in the religion that worships God in his name. Art and science, the self and society, politics and economics, marriage and the family, right and wrong, body and soul � all have been touched and often radically transformed by the Christian influence.�

Noted scholar and historian WEH Lecky said that �The character of Jesus has not only been the highest pattern of virtue, but the strongest incentive in its practice, and has exerted so deep an influence, that it may be truly said that the simple record of three years of active life has done more to regenerate and to soften mankind than all the disquisitions (long or complex discussion of a subject) of philosophers and all the exhortations of moralists.

Understanding that the purpose and centre of history is Jesus, is incredibly important in light of our current purposeless and centerless world. We all grew up on television to believe that one day we�ll all be millionaires and movie gods, rock stars or sport idols. Of course we will not, we are slowly learning that fact and we are very peed off about it. We are a confused people about who we are, why are we on earth, what are dreams and hopes are - and who�s pulling the strings.

- Our purpose is to glorify Jesus, our place is with Jesus, our fight is for Jesus, our joy and spirituality is Jesus. Our God is Jesus.

Jesus is both the sum and centre of our Christian faith. Dr David Wells mentioned that unlike most religions, Christianity has no place, language, race or culture that serves as centre to hold it together. Christians share no worldwide headquarters, no common language, no common race or ethnic heritage and no common cultural framework. The only thing that holds all of Christianity together is the risen Lord Jesus Christ who is alive today.

Notable quotes

Many notable people have commented on Jesus� place as the most famous, important and significant person in history:

Stephen Neill: �He who says �Jesus� says also �history�,

HG Wells: �I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher form Nazareth is irrevocably the very centre of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history�

Napoleon Bonaparte:�I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and any other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius?

Upon force.

Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.

Fidel Castro:� I have always considered Christ to be one of the greatest revolutionaries in the history of humanity�

Charles Haddon Spurgeon: �Christ is the great central fact of the world�s history. To Him everything looks backward of forward. All the lines of history converge upon him. All the great purposes of God culminate in Him. The greatest and most momentous fact the history of the world records is the fact of Jesus� birth.

While the life of Jesus was simple, the legacy of Jesus is stunning. Jesus is not only worshiped as God by one-third of the people on planet earth, but no army or king has wrought as much influence on history as He.

Just some differences Jesus has made in history:

Children

The plight of children in the ancient world was horrendous, child sacrifice and abandonment were common and only half of all children lived beyond the age of 8. It was acceptable to put babies out with the trash. This meant that children were taken home to the worst kind of people to be slaves, prostitutes and or be molested.

How did Jesus change that?

Jesus himself was born into poverty and by coming as a child, Jesus honoured children. Jesus� circumstances gave dignity and hope to children. We all know from the Bible that Jesus loved and cared for children and taught that God is a loving Father and that our children should be treated as our Father treats us.

In the bible Jesus healed children, said that God provides wisdom to children, taught children and said heaven was made for children and that God would punish anyone who harmed children, laid his hands on children to pray for them, invited children to himself, cast demons out of tormented children and was worshiped by children.

Jesus was born to a single mother and adopted by the man Joseph. The New Testament teaches that in our salvation, God acts in much the same way: he is our Father who adopts us into his family, the church. God�s people (us) began seeing themselves as spiritual orphans who had been adopted by God the Father and started treating children with great dignity as God�s image bearers, they also began to adopt orphans and started orphanages and foster care to demonstrate the gospel of God.

Women

In ancient and many contemporary cultures woman were and is regarded as property of the husband, women had no value and lived apart form the husband, she even may be burnt alive on her husband�s funeral pyre, a custom in some places in India. Girl infanticide was common as well as child widows, little girls raised to be temple prostitutes until missionaries such as William Carey and Amy Carmichael intervened.

God made us male and female; though different we are absolutely equal because both bear the image of God. Jesus violated social taboos regarding women and in doing so honoured them and gave them value. Jesus befriended the woman at the well of Sychar, spoke publicly with the widow of Nain, Jesus cast demons out and healed women, Jesus used women as examples of exemplary faith in his teachings (which was quite controversial because women were mostly unschooled). Jesus let a sinful woman anoint him and 2 of his closest friends were woman and like sisters to Him. Women were the fist to know that Jesus had risen from death. Jesus honoured, taught and loved women and even included them in vital positions in his ministry. The lives of Ruth and Ester are part of the Holy Bible on their own, the Priscilla is named before her husband Aquila.

Today most Christians are woman and religion offered them greater status and influence in every aspect of daily living as well as protection as wives and mothers.

Slaves

Roughly half of all people on earth were slaves in the days of Jesus. By calling himself a slave and servant, Jesus identified with those enslaved. Paul pleaded for the merciful treatment of the slave Onesimus. William Wilberforce was more effective in the fight against the ending of slave trading

Between Africa and the West Indies than anyone who has ever lived. In the USA the fight against slavery was led by Christians and Abraham Lincoln the most important American to fight against slavery.

Mercy

At the cross Jesus paid the penalty of justice, and then granted us mercy, which is one of the innumerable benefits of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In doing so Jesus paved the way to be merciful without being unjust. This mercy compels Christians to extend that same mercy to others, particularly those in need.

As Christians, good deeds are not done because we have to love our neighbour but rather because we have been loved, given mercy and enabled to share Jesus� love and mercy with others.

The extension of Jesus� mercy through Christians happens every day through helping everyone in need like single mothers, the homeless, hungry, sick, elderly the poor and abused and include housing, food, water, medical care and education. Christian relief organisations and churches are the driving force and over a billion dollars a year are spent in mercy work.

Education

As Christians are people of the Book, the Bible had to be translated. Publishing, literacy and education spread through books. Today the Bible has been translated into roughly 3 thousand languages. The printing press was invented by a Christian man called Johannes Gutenberg. From 1620-1837 almost all education was private and Christian. Pastors were commonly the most educated men around. The first public schools in USA were Christian and almost all the colleges and universities founded were of Christian origins. Missionaries started many Christian schools across the world.

Science

Christianity teaches that behind creation is a God of order who made us to explore his world. For science to operate there must first exist a worldview that provides a comprehensive understanding of how the world works and our place in it. Scientific inquiry would not be possible in other religious worldviews so fatalistic that change is not possible or so animistic (all things have a soul) that science study would be religiously condemned. Geneticist Frances Collins see no conflict between his faith and work, he wrote a book The language of God: A scientist Presents Evidence for Belief that explains the relationship of his faith and his scientific exploration of creation.

Economics

The Bible teaches private property rights, as one of the 10 commandments forbids stealing of private property, simply because it rightfully belongs to its owner. This simple principle is one of the pillars on which economy is built. In countries without Christianity the government owns peoples homes and reserves the right to take it.

The Bible also teaches that ALL WORK is sacred if done in the glory of God. Jesus spent roughly 90% of his life working an honest job as simple carpenter as an example to us an helped to create the Protestant work ethic.

Medicine

In the pre-Christian world labourers and the poor had no medical options or care, but that was changed as Jesus was called the Great Physician. The gospel of Luke was written by a Christian doctor and recorded many miraculous healings. As a result, Christian ministry include concern for the human body as a gift from God. In 325 AD at the council of Nicaea, it was decreed that hospitals were to be built wherever there was a Christian church. The Red Cross was founded by the Christian Henri Dunant and today continues its medical ministry.

Art

God is both Creator and creative and He created us to be creative like him. In architecture, cathedrals are widely appreciated as some of the most inspiring places. In music the works of Handel, Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi and many great hymns of faith flowed from Jesus. In art, Christians like Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo de Vinci remain the standard by which all other artists are measured. In literature, Dante, Dickens, Tolstoy, Tolkien all wrote out of their faith of Christianity.

Charity

The most ardent unbelievers agree that people who worship God tend to be more generous in their charitable giving of time, money to donating blood. Religious people give more than their secular counterparts in every way of life.

Atrocities

During the 20th century 170 million people were killed by other humans. 130 million of those died because of atheistic ideology. Added to this number the 1 billion aborted and killed in the womb. Comparatively about 17 million people were killed by professing Christians in 20 total centuries of Christian history. Today we condemn their misguided zeal we do not make heroes of killers.

3 things deserve mention �

- Those who commit sins who profess to be Christians but are really atheists has been the source of far more atrocities than any religion.

- those claiming to be Christians but are not are people that will find out on judgement day that they were never true Christians and will be sent to hell for their sins.

- if someone is a Christian and they sin they are acting against Jesus. This kind of hypocrisy is grievous and wrong and we all do it to varying degrees many times every day. If not for Jesus we would sin more and not change to sin less. Jesus� influence makes a new life possible for us.

General

The library of congress holds more books on Jesus than any other historical figure (17 thousand).

The difference Jesus made in history is staggering and even more endearing the difference he makes in our own histories. Billions of testimonies prove how Jesus made a difference in their lives throughout history.

Jesus never ran for political office, but more people chose him to be their leader than anyone else who ever lived.

Jesus was not formally educated, nor did he lecture in a classroom, but he has more students than anyone else have or ever will have.

Jesus was not a therapist, but he has helped more people than all the counsellors, therapists and psychologists combined.

Jesus was not an artist, but more artwork has been commissioned of him than of anyone else who has ever lived.

(Taken from a talk to the St Lucia home group in South Africa and based on Mark Driscoll�s DVD series �Who is the real Jesus�)