March 15, 2010

• Raising a daughter is like watering your neighbor's garden

  "Raising a daughter is like watering your neighbor's garden."

  -- fascinating, horrible, quote from this article examining the trend of 'gendercide' (more and more baby girls being aborted around the world).

  This raises again the old questions of morality and altruism, for atheists.  Why should one be good to one's fellow man, if one does not believe in an afterlife?  Especially if it inconveniences you?  Why water your neighbor's garden?  Why succor people who are 'inconvenient' to care for and who don't have any potential to repay you (at least in the way you desire), like the baby girls of that article, or elderly people, or handicapped people?

  For those of us who believe in the one true God (described in the Bible) and His Son Jesus Christ, the reasons and motivations to love our neighbor (even when it requres self sacrifice) are compelling.  Not that we are trying to 'increase our reproductive success'.  Not that because we are 'guilted into it'...  Not because we are trying to earn our way to heaven... Not that we are trying to better our karma for a higher reincarnation and eventual absorption into nothingness... Not simply that it makes our earthly lives more pleasant in the long run...

  Instead, because we ourselves have already been shown huge, specific, mercy through Jesus' sacrifice of Himself to die for our sins.  And because God has already given us the undeserved hope and reward of eternal life in glory out of "the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus".

  Why do we, disciples of Jesus Christ, go out of our way to help those who are struggling around us?  Because we want to - because it's what God did for us - because of the incredible inheritance that God has given us...

  Luke 14:12-14

  And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

  • 11:33 pm
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