Whether it be the Freedom From Religion's campaign against Christmas displays in the state of Washington or the ACLU's continued attacks on voluntary school prayer, many people on the left have declared war on Christianity in America. They continue to launch law suit after law suit and contribute millions of dollars year after year to candidates that promise to advance their cause. 

Why do so many people on the left find Christian values so threatening?  As an American who recognizes Christianity's historical and cultural significance, I don't understand why anyone would find Christian values threatening.  Christian values promote peace: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God".   They promote humility: "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."  They promote forgiveness and mercy:  "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."  Christianity teaches people to love their neighbours, give to the needy, feed the hungry and take care of the infirm. 

In America these values are not just taught in churches on Sunday.  Many people take them to heart and act on their convictions. For example, this week in churches, food kitchens, homeless shelters and private hospitals all across America, unwed mothers are cared for, the homeless are given a place to stay, the hungry something to eat and the sick are cared for.   Hope is given to the hopeless. 

I have felt the power of Christian values in my life.  When I was a young man, my uncle went through a devastating illness, an illness that eventually cost him his life in his mid thirties.  Throughout his illness, the people at his church cared for him by providing friendship, kindness and support.  People from the church routinely spent quality time with him despite the handicaps of his illness.  I remember one occasion toward the end of his life where my uncle (greatly handicapped by his illness) made his way to church one Sunday night.  After the service, everyone stayed late to pray with him and comfort him.  In the end he succumbed to his illness.  However, he departed knowing that he was loved and believing that he would see his friends and family again.  This made his last days less trying than they otherwise would have been. 

This is the reality of the effect of Christian values in America.  The needy are cared for, the hungry fed and the homeless given shelter.  These are the very things that the left professes to care about.  They advance a legislative agenda consisting of welfare programs for the poor and universal health insurance. So why do they continue to attack Christianity? 

It could be that they simply fail to understand what Christianity is all about.  It could be that they realize that if more people went to church and acted on the values taught there, there wouldn't be much of a need for the social welfare programs that keep them in power.  Let's face it, if more people took Christian values to heart and acted on them, the poor would be helped, the hungry fed and the sick taken care of.  We wouldn't need any liberal "great society" to ride to the rescue bankrupting the nation in the process.

The reality is that I don't know why the left continues to attack Christianity.  Maybe they are just morally confused.  It is as if, in their minds eye, right has become wrong and light has become dark.  What I do know is that their continued attacks on Christianity are an effort in futility because, if successful, they only serve to hurt the poor, the sick and the homeless.  Their attacks are an effort in futility because of the truth of the prophecy and promise of the Christmas season:  "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it." 

Sam is an attorney currently working as a tax consultant and advisor to a variety of business clients located throughout the Midwest.  He is a native of Belpre, Ohio, and a graduate of Ohio State University (B.A. Political Science) and Capital University School of Law (J.D., LL.M. Tax and Business Law).  During his career, Sam has worked as in house counsel to a health care service provider and as an attorney in private practice.