Islam cannot. It rests upon principles of punitive justice and retribution.
Hinduism cannot. Its historic track record of burning widows alive and sending orphaned daughters into forced temple prostitution compromise its moral and theological underpinnings beyond recovery.
Shintoism cannot. It is founded upon a noble respect of elders that expresses itself in a burdensome and inescapable shame, devoid of any redemptive potential.
Marxism cannot. The only expression of motive is power. Power is always expressed in control and oppression, no matter the source of the power or the object of control.
Even secular critical theorist, Jurgen Habermas, recognized the reality that justice and love are the moral high ground of the Judeo-Christian tradition.
"Universalistic egalitarianism, from which sprang the ideals of freedom and a collective life in solidarity, the autonomous conduct of life and emancipation, the individual morality of conscience, human rights and democracy, is the direct legacy of the Judaic ethic of justice and the Christian ethic of love. This legacy, substantially unchanged, has been the object of continual critical appropriation and reinterpretation. To this day, there is no alternative to it. And in light of the current challenges of a postnational constellation, we continue to draw on the substance of this heritage. Everything else is just idle postmodern talk." (Jürgen Habermas - "Time of Transitions", Polity Press, 2006, pp. 150-151, translation of an interview from 1999).
Even secular critical theorist, Jurgen Habermas, recognized the reality that justice and love are the moral high ground of the Judeo-Christian tradition.
"Universalistic egalitarianism, from which sprang the ideals of freedom and a collective life in solidarity, the autonomous conduct of life and emancipation, the individual morality of conscience, human rights and democracy, is the direct legacy of the Judaic ethic of justice and the Christian ethic of love. This legacy, substantially unchanged, has been the object of continual critical appropriation and reinterpretation. To this day, there is no alternative to it. And in light of the current challenges of a postnational constellation, we continue to draw on the substance of this heritage. Everything else is just idle postmodern talk." (Jürgen Habermas - "Time of Transitions", Polity Press, 2006, pp. 150-151, translation of an interview from 1999).
Historically, social justice initiatives have been birthed by noble Christian souls, disturbed beyond their complacency by the cultural sins of their day. John Wesley felt a moral obligation in his soul to right the wrongs of British slavery, work houses, and child labor. William Wilberforce, acting upon the influence of the Holy Spirit through the testimony and correspondence of Mr. Wesley, successfully put an end to slavery in Great Britain.
The Civil Rights movement in the United States of America was birthed in Christian churches, both black and white.
The social justice warrior initiatives of today have departed from defending Christian values of justice and love. These have extended to promoting values, lifestyles, and behaviors antithetical to Judeo-Christian principles. Progressive social justice initiatives advocate for LGBT rights, abortion rights, and and forcible redistribution of wealth. These misguided postmodern initiatives are based in a rejection of historic Judeo-Christian virtues, and bear little resemblance to the call to justice and love they represent. Nevertheless, social justice warriors parade themselves in the interest of their causes.
The misguided pursuit of fairness and justice in the current immoral climate of our culture is made possible because of the Judeo-Christian ethic of our culture. Honest, and even disingenuous, conversations about currently popular causes are only made possible because of the surviving influence of the Old Testament value of justice, and the New Testament value of love.
Even in our sinful rebellion, we cannot escape the longing for justice, fairness, love, and mercy. The lingering stamp of the image of God from creation, imago Dei, longs for virtue even while embracing sin. The plan of God, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, beckons us to the real, even when we are trading it for the counterfeit versions.
"He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?"
Micah 6:8 NKJV
Thank you, Dr John. True, passionate, and reaching the crux of the matter.
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