Thankful for Bethesda Hospital

APOLOGIA

By Hendrik van der Breggen

The Carillon, October 10, 2013

Thankful for Bethesda Hospital

Recently I was hospitalized. One afternoon I was in Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre receiving shock wave lithotripsy (to smash a large kidney stone), and later that evening the pain was so great I ended up in Steinbach's Emergency Room and was subsequently admitted to Bethesda Hospital for about a week. Now (at time of writing) I am convalescing at home, awaiting surgery.

During my week at Bethesda Hospital, between doses of morphine, I had some time to think. Two thoughts dominated: Giving thanks, and asking why.

My first thought was this: I am grateful—I must give thanks to the doctors and nurses who tended to my medical needs.

Thanks, then, to emergency doctors Christo Minnaar and Hillary Widdifield. Thanks for getting me through the most painful night I've ever endured. Thanks, too, to the emergency room nurses. I'm sorry that I don't remember your names—the pain killers you administered worked too well!

Thanks also to hospitalist doctor Mohammad Shokri and thanks to the following nurses (BNs, RNs, LPNs, HCAs): Audrey, Bettima, Carrol, Cori, Dani, Daniella, Jamie, Janis, Jennifer, Jill, Kelly, Lyn, Millie, Theresa, Tina, Sharron, Sue. And special thanks to housekeeping: Verna.

I appreciate your expertise, and I appreciate your caring hearts.

Please know that I marveled at your pace: When you walked, you walked very quickly—and you often ran. You worked hard. You often worked overtime, again and again. Thank you for caring.

My second thought was this: Why? Why do we care for the sick and the weak? Why do we have hospitals?

I have no doubt that my pain was minor compared to that of others, and I have no illusion of thinking of myself more special than anyone else.

I saw an old man suffering from great pains in his heart. I saw a frail fellow who had a leg amputated above the knee. I heard a tiny newborn babe, crying its first breaths.

But why do we care for all who suffer, whether old or young, whether of high social status or low social status?

I find it interesting that the ancient Greeks and Romans generally saw aiding the sick and dying, especially those who were slaves or laborers, to be a sign of weakness.

Religious and social historian Rodney Stark writes: "in the [Greco-Roman] pagan world, and especially among the philosophers, mercy was regarded as a character defect and pity as a pathological emotion: because mercy involves providing unearned help or relief, it is contrary to justice." (Rodney Stark, The Triumph of Christianity [HarperOne 2011], p. 112.)

Sociologist Alvin J. Schmidt writes: "the Greeks and Romans had some form of hospital before the Christians introduced them, but [these] were not places where the sick of the general public were housed and cared for out of charity. They were at best only places for treating soldiers."

Schmidt adds: "Charity hospitals for the poor and indigent public did not exist until Christianity introduced them." (Alvin Schmidt, How Christianity Changed the World [Zondervan 2004], p. 155.)

Please don't misunderstand: I'm not saying that every hospital is Christian or that every nurse and doctor holds Christian beliefs. Rather, I'm wondering: Why do hospitals value people—all people?

I find it interesting that, whether we are Christian or not, Jesus Christ's influence on our culture—His call to care for "the least of these"—is still with us.

For this I am grateful, too.

(Hendrik van der Breggen, PhD, is associate professor of philosophy at Providence University College. The views in this column do not always reflect the views of Providence.)

Is religion the cause of fighting?

APOLOGIA

By Hendrik van der Breggen

The Carillon, January 31, 2013

Is religion the cause of fighting?

The internet (especially Facebook) is full of cartoons and quips that deserve critical reflection.

Not long ago I saw a single-frame cartoon that depicts the planet Earth from a perspective near the moon, the Earth has nuclear bombs exploding all over it, and two aliens pass by in a space ship. One alien says to the other, "As near as I can tell, they're fighting over which religion is the most peaceful!"

Okay, there is some humour here. It’s ironic and funny (in a slightly warped way) that purportedly peaceful religious people fight over religious matters. And, definitely, we've had too much religious fighting.

But I wonder if the cartoon’s caption would portray reality more accurately if it read as follows: “As near as I can tell, they’re fighting over which atheist ideology will bring in the most peaceful society”?

Some perspective is needed here. In the secular West, Christianity is considered by many (e.g., the “New Atheists”) to be the world's bogeyman, so let’s compare the goings-on of some officially atheist societies with that of some predominately Christian ones.

As far as I can tell from history, the major horrors of Christian Europe—i.e., the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition—amounted to the murdering of about 1.4 million people. This is terrible and wrong, to be sure.

Significantly, however, the following numbers of people murdered under officially atheist regimes should also be noticed. In China (Mao Soviets 1923-1948; People's Republic of China 1949-1987): 80,170,000 murders. In the U.S.S.R (1917-1987): 61,911,000 murders.

The total murders for officially atheist U.S.S.R. and China exceeds 142 million.

Clearly, officially atheist regimes are responsible for many more killings—over a hundred times as many—than predominantly Christian societies.

(Note: The above numbers are from Rudolph Rummel, a Nobel Peace Prize nominated political science professor emeritus at U of Hawaii, whose life-work has focused on genocides and democides.)

Yes, Christians have done and do bad things. Nevertheless, it’s good to remember that when Christians do those bad things they go against the teachings of Jesus Christ. According to Jesus, the two greatest commandments are these: (1) love God with all your heart, mind, and strength; and (2) love your neighbour as yourself (where "neighbour" includes the rest of humanity).

Mao, Stalin and company, on the other hand, were doing what their atheistic philosophies approved.

At this juncture, a response (which I've encountered on the internet) is that religion, especially Christianity, should still be condemned. Why? Because there are (it is alleged) statistics that tell us that as many as 9 million women were killed by the witch hunts during the 15th and 17th centuries.

In reply, we should note that the 9 million figure is seriously inflated.

Sam Harris (who is no friend of religion) estimates in his 2004 book End of Faith that the number of witch killings in Europe amounted to 100,000. This number is also held by Rummel (the Nobel-nominated expert on genocides and democides, mentioned above). Also, Philip Sampson (PhD in social sciences) in his 2001 book Six Modern Myths refers to research which suggests 40,000 to 100,000.

Yes, every “witch” killing is tragic, but an estimate of 9 million is a far cry from 100,000. It’s an inflation of 8,900%. It's 9,000 times the true value.

Surely, then, we should continue to challenge the internet cartoon's message (or at least its apparent subtext) by remembering the truth: Compared to Christianity, the vast majority of genocidal-type murders have been due to officially atheist political regimes.

Why is this important? It’s important because our internet culture indoctrinates the unwary—e.g., our children—with the lie that religion—especially Christianity—is to blame for many or most of our world’s problems. However, in the case of Christianity, as I will argue in a future column, the truth is much different: Christianity has been a huge source of good.

As a teaser for my future column, think of the cross in the Red Cross, think of the "C" in YMCA, think of the fact that most of the West's first major universities were established as Christian schools, think of William Wilberforce and his work to abolish slavery in Britain because of his Christian conviction that all people are made in God's image, think of contemporary Christian relief agencies such as World Vision, The Salvation Army, Mennonite Central Committee, Samaritan's Purse, Mission To Children, Africa Mercy.

Read the internet with care. Maybe read more history, too.

P.S. Please know that I'm not suggesting that every atheist commits atrocities, because, of course, they don't. For the record, most of my atheist friends and acquaintances are very decent people. Also, I'm not suggesting that religious people are wholly innocent, because, of course, they aren't. For the record, most of my religious friends and acquaintances are very decent people, too. I am merely challenging the falsehood—that Christianity is a major cause of the world's fighting and suffering—which is supported by the internet cartoon and has for many people become “common knowledge.”

(Hendrik van der Breggen, Ph.D., teaches philosophy at Providence University College. The views in this column do not always reflect the views of Providence.)