Article  Human Dignity  Sanctity of Life

Darren Sharper and the value of human life in the U.S.

Yesterday we learned NFL star Darren Sharper’s sentence for raping nine women: “a little less than nine years,” according to a USA Today article. Less than one year in prison per rape? Let that settle on you for a minute. In our culture, a man can arbitrarily select a woman with whom he wants to have sex, violently force himself onto her and the punishment is less than 12 months in prison. When did life become so cheap in these United States? Is there anything in our culture whose value is depreciating more rapidly than humans?

Sharper’s sentence again highlights the decline in value our culture places on women. What is happening to the female demographic is not happening in isolation. Pockets of our culture discuss rejecting the responsibility to care for our elderly since they are no longer contributing members of society and thus a financial burden. A woman can decide the human being in her womb is an inconvenience and dispose of him or her. Society knows that tens of thousands of our children remain in the foster care system trapped behind the iron door of a $25,000 plus ransom, while thousands of adoptive families are just outside, ready and willing to adopt them. I could go on and on, but my point is made: Life has become very cheap in these United States and our women, children and elderly are especially vulnerable.

The official term for this is “the sanctity of human life.” Despite all the modern progress in psychology, the feminist movement, education, and the like, the value of human life continues to depreciate more rapidly than the raw vegetable tray at a Super Bowl party. It remains that the only kingdom in whose culture life is truly valued, especially women, children and the elderly, is the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Where Christ’s rule is established, the value of human life rises; where his rule diminishes, the value of human life follows suit.

Culture will hate this, but if you are a woman and you want life to have great value, turn to Jesus Christ. If you want to live in a kingdom whose culture esteems new and young human life, turn to Jesus Christ. If you get that the elderly should receive utmost respect from their society, you will love living in the kingdom of Christ; you should turn to him.

This was originally published here.



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