On Violence, the Human Person and the Other
Dr. Michel E. Abs
General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches
The United Nations has designated the 25th of November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
This year, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women sets 16 days of activism under a campaign title of “Unite to End Violence against Women”. The campaign will end on December 10, the day commemorating the International Declaration of Human Rights.
https://www.un.org/ar/observances/ending-violence-against-women
The same website which appears above, mentions the existence of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, issued by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993.
Violence against women is defined as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.” Whether it occurs in public or in private sector life.
The site is based on statistics which point out to the fact that "one third of women and girls are subjected to physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, most of the time by an intimate partner." Statistical data since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic also show an increase in cases of domestic violence in many parts of the world. In addition, 71% of all victims of human trafficking in the world are women and girls, and three quarters of these women and girls are subjected to sexual exploitation.
It is very important for humanity, through its various existing international organizations, to take care of the vulnerable and marginalized groups and to protect them by finding effective policies and programs in order to alleviate human suffering and thereby ensure a better life for them.
But the inevitable question is: Does violence only affect women?
It is good to work on protecting women, because they have historically constituted the weakest link in a society that is based on force instead of law and violence instead of justice. But is it not rather right for humanity to combat violence in absolute terms, condemning its use in any situation and under any circumstances?
Violence is violence, whether it is perpetrated against women, children, refugees, displaced workers, the disabled, or even co-workers. Violence in itself, and in absolute terms, is the transformation of human being into an object, stripping him of his dignity and humiliating him, leading to his removal from society and perhaps from life itself.
It is good to hold specific days for specialized campaigns, such as combating violence against women and children and against all groups that make up humanity which, due to their social status, are not able to defend themselves and assert their rights. But the most important thing lies in combating the culture of violence that has been afflicting humanity ever since the time of its genesis.
The Master has adamantly protected women in his behavior, as for instance the examples of his attitude towards the woman accused of adultery as well as towards the Samaritan woman. Moreover , many of his teachings reflect the best expression of the Christian approach towards protecting women within the framework of the protection of human dignity.
The Master stopped at length in front of human violence and his teachings and actions were against violence. Even though He affirmed “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34 ), this He in no way meant by it to incite for some sort of a revolution but rather to redress a devious social state in order to promote a better way of life devoid of any violence that would ultimately lead humanity to oblivion.
The rebellious spirit of the Incarnate Master did not imply the promotion of violence and His meekness did not imply some sort of compliant defeatism. In His farewell, He showed a lot of dignity and vigor, and He did not resort to violence against anyone in order to confirm what He was saying.
In the timeless Sermon on the Mount, the Master emphasized that “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:4) and “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they are called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9), as He added in another place, “anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell “ (Matthew 5 :22 )
And He went further than that, as He said, "Do not resist the evil one. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, offer him the other also" (Matthew 5:38) and "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:43).
But when the time came for the ultimate Surrender, and when one of those who were with the Lord drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear, Jesus said to him: “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:51-53).
As for the climax of the fight against violence, it was matched with the climax of pain and bitterness, the pain of whips, nails, and spears, and the bitterness of farewell, as the Incarnate Lord forgave his torturers, addressing his heavenly Father, pleading “forgive them, Father, because they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34) as if He was saying to them “I love you despite your hatred and violence”.
From a sociological point of view, Christianity has historically constituted a source of values and a guide to behavior for a large part of humanity. Based on these values as well as motivated by them, they infused them into civilization thereby contributing to its progress.
A society that is based on violence or that allows it to spread is a society that is doomed to self-destruction, and the more so if such inherent violence is directed in it against the groups most in need of protection .
However, on the other hand, the fight against violence must be based on a faith dimension stemming out of the teachings of the Incarnate Master, because they are the source from which all the ideas that were later called Enlightenment and codified in societal principles and ideals, seemingly new, are in their essence and depth nothing but the teachings of the Master expressed in New terms.
Two thousand years ago, the Incarnate rebellious Master said what He said, charting a course for a new humanity free from hatred that leads to violence.