The Holy Family – Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Unlike nearly all other religions on earth, including Judaism and Islamism, Christianity views men, women and children, and more importantly, fathers, mothers and children as equal participants in the family unit. All contribute to the family in whatever capacity they can. Each is valued and loved by the other members of the family and all are nurtured, supported and respected for their contributions to the family unit, no matter how small those contribution may be.
The Christian family unit is modeled after the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. And as such, the Christian family is the great uniter of men, women and children. Christ’s family life has been a profoundly successful inspiration, for Christian families, for over 2,000 years. Christ loved His family and the lives of every Christian family man, woman and child reflects His love of family. Through the Holy Family’s example, Christian families have been given the keys to a happy life, both here, and eventually, in Heaven.
Christianity does not treat women and children with less deference then men. Christian women are not relegated to distinctly separate lives defined by arbitrary religious, public or private practices. They are not abused, beaten, manipulated, coerced, or intimidated into silence or conformity. Christian women are free to love their men and children, with the expectation that they will be loved and respected in return, just as Joseph loved and respected the Blessed Mother and Jesus.
Unlike many Jewish sects, and all Islam sects, Christianity does not isolate women’s activities from men’s. Christian women are not
Mary and Joseph focused their lives on the child Jesus
forced to live in separate quarters, enter by separate doors, shave their heads, wears certain clothing, live separate lives or eat in separate rooms. they are not treated as a contagion. Christian women can go out in public alone, drive cars, go to school, socialize with people than their relatives, get a job or drink alcohol, if they so choose. They can sing, dance and be happy in their love of Jesus and their families.
Unlike most Islamic sects, Christian children are the focus of their parents lives, just as Jesus was for His parents. Christian parents are obligated, through Christ’s teachings, to set good examples for their children, so that their children can follow in their footsteps, and one day join them, once again, in Heaven.
Christian children are cherished, loved, nurtured and protected, just as Joseph and Mary cherished, loved, nurtured and protected Jesus. Unlike some Jewish sects, Christian children are nurtured, close at home, rather than sent away to school and camp, Christian fathers remain with their children, never deserting them through divorce or abandonment, and Christian mothers protect their daughters, never encouraging sexual promiscuity or radical feminist ideology. As revealed by God, the Christian family is a fortress against evil. Simply stated, it keeps men, women and children safe from harm.
The Holy Family inspires Christian families to this very day.
When compared to the peaceful and joyous life Christian men, women and children live, only a fool would choose another path, paths proven to be fraught with daily doses of sarcasm, rudeness, cynicism, intimidation, unhappiness, fear and in some cases, mental illness and birth defects and, in the extreme, threats of death, mutilation or familial rejection, for non-compliance.
Coercion and negativity are ever-present elements along these other paths. But unlike the others, coercion is never necessary within Christianity as people freely embrace the happiness obtained through Christ and His teachings and, negativity withers, as well, before the joy expressed within the unified Christian family.
Why anyone, in their right mind, would choose another religion, confounds me. None can hold-a-candle to the joy and happiness that people, and especially families, experience through the human love generated by the example of Christ’s love for His Holy Family and His people.
It's the Women, Not the Men! 