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Journey in Writing
Ray Waugh, Sr.

Some time ago, Charley Reese whose writings we often are privileged to read made a statement that has "stuck in my craw," as it were. In his word of 6/20/94, that I read in "Sword of the Lord," he said, "The current crop of Christian-bashers are essentially making this argument: Christian belief has no place in public debates, in considering public policy issues or in motivating people to participate in the democratic process."

Some time later, I was privileged to read a word about "A Personal Christ" by Emerson Colaw in "Beliefs of a United Methodist Christian." In this, he tells of the man, Sergeant Jacob De Shazer, who was shot down during the famed General Doolittle raid on Tokyo in W.W.II. De Shazer "spent the rest of the war in a prison camp and received brutal treatment." Nevertheless, after the war, he returned to America, went to theological school, and then returned to Japan as a missionary.

Captain Fuchida who had led the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941 could not understand why a man would do this. Through a couple of experiences, Captain Fuchida began reading the Bible. When he came to the place where the Crucified Christ said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," he understood. Captain Fuchida saw the importance of being Christian!

Too often, it seems, many people suppose Christianity is "a negative religion." They assume that it supposedly "takes the fun out of living." Emerson Colaw advises us, "We assert that there is not a single thing in this whole world to which we are not entitled if it will do us good and be profitable." Then, he goes on and explains, "Christianity is against drunkenness, because it is destructive. Christianity is against adultery, because it is a sickness. Christianity is against hate and revenge, because they erode spiritual potential," and bring on violence.

Then, he concludes that as Christians, "Everything that is life-fulfilling is ours to enjoy. Jesus lived life from a great depth of being and with joy! And we are to live that way." All of those who indulge in Christian-bashing, then, have never understood the real nature or the real purpose of Christianity. All such, perhaps, need to be pitied rather than censored for they have missed the only way of joy, the only way of peace, and the only way of hope that any of us can ever really experience!

Raymond A. Waugh, Sr.
Last update 24 February 2000

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