Respect For A Christian Martyr
Reactions to John Allen Chau’s death offer a peek at a post-Christian world. Even many Christians I’ve read are critical of his actions.
How about the cultures in Central America where prisoners had their chests torn open and their beating hearts pulled out before their own eyes?
Some political conservatives also make it clear he broke Indian law by even approaching North Sentinel Island.
First, Chau believed God’s law supersedes man’s law. Any disagreement among Christians? Two, he was following a tenant of his faith. To preach the Gospel to all corners of the world. Chau may be guilty of some poor planning in his effort but his heart was in the right place.
The naysayers fear he could spread disease to a tiny isolated population. One that has had periodic contact with the outside world for 250 years. The North Sentinelese didn’t get wiped out totally in the 18th century, when it was estimated 8-thousand people inhabited the island. Even with a disease epidemic the number would’ve recovered over two centuries (I read this over the past weekend). If the population is as low as the estimates there is another problem. Remember, it’s an island with a very shallow gene pool. New blood could be what the people need.
As for saving the ancient culture, it appears the isolation protects a violent and vicious people. Liberals claim all cultures are equal but for our own. We practice a modern form of infanticide as a method of birth control. Many cultures straight up practice childhood sacrifice. Was it wrong to convert those societies when Westerners arrived? How about the cultures in Central America where prisoners had their chests torn open and their beating hearts pulled out before their own eyes?
It could be claimed Chau was bringing not only eternal salvation but perhaps as well as temporal salvation.