╦╤─ The truth of injustice in this world is an ugly one. Even though my upcoming book is “fiction” the human rights abuses are real and happen in this world on a daily basis. People are dying everyday at the hand of injustice either being done unto them, or in their fight against it!
Whether it be the genocide in Sri Lanka, or the murder of human rights activists such as Natalia Estemirova, people dying of starvation and minor disease in Africa, and millions that are tortured, imprisoned and killed for their faith, we must do whatever we can to stop it and ‘repair the fabric of “shalom” (or the way things ought to be)’ while we have life on this earth.
“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” (Proverbs 21:3)
“Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the LORD that a man gets justice.” (Proverbs 29:26)
“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” (Isaiah 1:17)
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Luke 11:42)
There are even injustices plaguing our churches today as written in James 2:
1My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
8If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
What Is JUSTICE??? “Justice; if we only knew what it was?” – Socrates
justice = repairing shalom – peace is too weak a word – best definitions of shalom:
– Sin, Not The Way Things Ought To Be by Cornelius Plantinga – the webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight. Universal flourishing, wholeness and delight – a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom He delights…in other words, the way things ought to be. God designed the world as an intricate fabric…interwoven together in a harmony – they penetrate one another – to do justice is to repair the fabric where it is breaking apart.
╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─
I believe that God has burdened my heart for JUSTICE, and so I do whatever I can, which right now, is to write. But with two school-aged children to care for and a disabled husband who is ill, what else can I do???
So, I write, I pray, I fast regularly (my form of fighting) – all for the sake of those who cannot fight for themselves!
“Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity. Those who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience usually recognize also the voice of justice.” – Alexander Solzhenitsyn
╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─ ╦╤─
Here is an excerpt from the prologue of my upcoming novel: (It is from a page in the journal of the main character)
“If I have to choose between truth and beauty, I choose beauty. Why, you may ask. A fair question. . . and for that I have a more than fair answer. Quite simply put, I prefer the view from beautiful.
But do I have to choose between Truth & Beauty? Are the great minds of today correct in their theorizing that truth is ugly? Even still, are there any absolute truths or is all truth relative? If all truth is relative, that could get pretty ugly! There are truths that I face every day, every moment, in my line of work that are grotesquely ugly. I hate ugly. . . hate it with a passion. My eyes desire to drink in only what has extreme aesthetic value. That sounds cold and heartless you may say. Sure, I understand why you would think that, but let’s think about some cold, ugly truths for a minute shall we? Give me a chance to validate my preference.
There are great global injustices plaguing our world today, none of which are beautiful but all of which are so true and real that, if you have a heart that cares for others and the world around you, they injure your soul. The plight of world hunger is one example. Others would include, but are not limited to child soldiering, HIV/AIDS epidemics, all forms of racism, prejudice and genocide, sexual violence against women and / or children, child slavery, and third world sweatshops and prostitution. These injurious crimes against humanity tend to infuriate anyone who loves justice and beauty. Every day I try to do something about it. I have made it my mission in life to bring about justice and find truth. But I don’t have all the answers as yet. . . I’m still searching. There are so many more questions out there than real answers. And I’m sick of asking and getting apathetic, indifferent responses and others’ opinions. So I take action. I look for clues to the truths that I’m after and every now and again I stumble upon beauty along the way. I have this sneaking suspicion and a hope that one-day truth and beauty can become as one.” – Christiaan Keaton © 2009
╦╤─ ”When you fight to expose injustice, beware – injustice fights back!” – Christiaan Keaton © 2009 ╦╤─
Leave a Comment
No comments yet.
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
