BIBLICAL LESSONS

BIBLICAL LESSONS

Tom Gross.
Published: Friday, April 7, 1995
Section: PERSPECTIVE

It was very edifying to read of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin's statements acknowledging the role of Christianity in keeping anti-Semitism alive through the ages, ultimately leading to the tragedy of this century's Nazi Holocaust ("Bernardin tells church to repent for Jewish bias," Main news, March 24). It was a bold and courageous stand for him to face the truth rather than hide in denial and add, by neglect, to the damage already done. He commendably displays a trust that the truth leads to freedom, not disgrace.

It's ironic that the Bible, which provides invaluable inspiration to so many people, also provides the seeds of anti-Semitism. It is worth noting that passages from the same Bible have also been used for long maintaining second-class citizenship status for women and for justifying the institution of slavery. It was through the admirable efforts of many brave people (like Bernardin) that religious and secular philosophies have now evolved beyond these obvious shortcomings of our forebears.

Today people are once again citing a few passages from the Bible to justify oppression via the limitation of the rights and freedoms of gay men and lesbians. I feel we have come too far in our understanding of human rights to allow the limited world view of past millennia to stunt social evolution and affect contemporary public policy as we approach the 21st Century

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