There’s no doubt the ABC when falsely
accusing Christian men of being more prone to family violence is guilty of
a cultural-left bias. And it’s not just the ABC that’s running a secular
campaign against Christianity.
Read the Fairfax Press and the impression is that
paedophilia mainly involves Catholic priests (ignored is that most children are
abused by family or relatives), that Catholic schools don’t deserve government
funding and that there’s no place for Christianity in public debates on issues
such as abortion and euthanasia.
Academics such as historian Tony Taylor argue against
including Judeo-Christianity in the school curriculum as it’s a “Cold War
rhetorical fiction” employed by “the Christian right”.
In Victoria the Labor government has replaced religious
instruction with its gender-free, anti-male Respectful Relationships program.
While secular critics are happy to undermine Christianity,
especially Catholicism, what is ignored is Judeo-Christianity is central to
Australia’s cultural, economic, moral and spiritual wellbeing and one of the
foundation stones of Western civilisation.
As argued by English poet TS Eliot in Notes Towards The Definition
of Culture, Christianity is central to Western cultures when deciding right and
wrong, the common good and how we should live our lives.
Eliot even says “if Christianity goes, the whole of our
culture goes”. More recently, the atheist Douglas Murray also argues about the
importance of Christianity when he describes himself as a “cultural Christian”.
Murray made the point in a debate with another atheist,
Richard Dawkins, that in banishing religion the danger is people end up with
“meaningless lives in a meaningless universe”.
Given the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and the dramatic
increase in Muslim migrants in Europe and England, Murray also argues it’s
vital “left-wing liberal progressives” recognise they are living “in the wake
of the Judaeo-Christian tradition”.
Evidence Eliot and Murray are correct includes the fact
that concepts such as the sanctity of life, free will, being charitable to
others and the separation between church and state are primarily Christian in
origin.
Many of the most evil crimes against humanity have been
committed by secular, godless ideologies such as fascism and communism.
Hitler’s gas chambers, Mao’s starvation and torture of millions and Pol Pot’s
killing fields highlight the danger of denying the significance of religion,
especially Christianity.
It’s also important to recognise the benefits of
Christianity to Australia’s economic and social wellbeing. Catholic and other
faith-based schools teach 34 per cent of Australian students, saving
Commonwealth, state and territory governments the billions of dollars needed if
those students enrolled in government schools.
Christian schools, compared to most government schools,
achieve stronger Year 12 results and are better at addressing bullying caused
by racism, and parents see such schools as having more disciplined classrooms.
Christian-inspired or managed hospitals, philanthropic
organisations and charities such as the Salvation Army, Catholic Health
Australia, the Brotherhood of St Laurence and World Vision Australia are also
integral part of Australia’s health and welfare system.
Instead of presenting a negative and one-sided picture,
secular critics such as the ABC and the Fairfax Press should acknowledge the
benefits of Christianity and its central place in the life of the nation.
Dr Kevin Donnelly
is Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Catholic University. First published in The Daily Telegraph, Sydney.
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