The world needs Jesus.

         It’s more than just a cliché, no, really, the world badly needs Jesus.   

        Particularly the moral values that gives life, not destroys life. Not a bandaid solution for an infected wound that is oozing.  

        This week “British Columbia is applying to the federal government to remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of illicit drugs in an effort to help more people get care in a health crisis” The idea is that “removing the penalties will reduce drug-use stigma, and convince more people to seek life-saving treatment.” (“BC applies to remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of drugs”, National Post, 2021/11/1)    

        The idea may seem noble, but it’s just another beautiful looking “bandaid of freedom” allowing people to do what they want. It trumps what is right and wrong; what is good and bad; what is gives you life and true freedom, versus what is slowly killing you (John 10:10).

               There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.  (Prov 14:12 NIV)

        “Destigmatization” is a term the world uses today to disregard good moral values, and say that it doesn’t matter. Destigmatizing drug use simply means “It’s ok, take the drug.”  

         It may have a small effect on people getting help (at this moment), but the bigger effect is removing a moral compass that there is something wrong with taking drugs. That’s what they are destigmatizing.

         Decriminalization will not remove the black market of illegal poisonous drugs. The decision to decriminalize marijuana already attests to that. It simply creates a huge industry that people make profit off, with the government pouring resources in to regulate the industry, and yet, the black market is still thriving (“Two years after legalizing Cannabis, has Canada kept its promises?”, New York Times, 2021/1/23)  

        They are right, it is NOT just a criminal problem, but neither is it just a “health” problem. It’s a heart problem. Departing from life-giving Jesus, means only a certain path is waiting.

  “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  (John 10:10)

  The world needs the life giving teaching of Jesus. 

          世界需要耶穌。

         這並不是一句「口頭禪」，一句隨便掛在嘴邊的說話，世界真的極需要耶穌。

         尤其在道德價值觀上，是一種能賦予生命，不是催毁生命的價值觀。或不是一個像「膠布式」的解決方法，只是在破損的傷口上貼上膠布將傷口掩蓋。

         在本週國家郵報“卑詩省政府正向聯邦政府申請，容許藏有少量毒品作個人用途可免除其刑事懲處，以幫助更多人能在公共衛生緊急狀態下得到所需的醫療護理...希望藉着免除刑事上的懲處，能有助減低與吸毒有關但妨礙民眾尋求護理的恐懼及羞恥感，藉以能說服更多人去尋求挽救性命的治療。” (“BC applies to remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of drugs”,國家郵報, 2021/11/1)

            這個想法表面上看似很合理，但它只是另一個外表美觀，但內裡蘊含着 “有自由去做你想做的事”的意識，這蓋過了對與錯、好與壞；「給你生命及真自由」、或是「一步步將你帶進滅亡」的對比。(約翰福音 10:10)

                                       有一條路人以為正，至終成為死亡之路。(箴言 14:12)

          「反歧視」(Destigmatism) 是今日的世界用來推翻任何好的道德價值觀的一句「口頭禪」，它指出好的道德價值觀是無關重要。在毒品議題上建議「反歧視」，簡單來說是指「吸食毒品是可以接受的」。

           在現階段對於那些正尋求幫助的人來說影響是微小的，但更大的影響是會將一個重要的道德指標挪去 - 「吸食毒品是有傷害的」，這正是他們「反歧視」的議題。

          反刑事化並不能除去非法毒品的黑市市場。將大麻合法化的決定已證明這事例，它只是製造一個龐大工業讓人謀取利益，緃使政府注入資源來監管這個工業，但黑市市場依然蓬勃。 (“Two years after legalizing Cannabis, has Canada kept its promises?”,紐約時報, 2021/1/23)

        他們是對的，這並不僅是刑事司法的問題，但也不單是 “健康”問題，而是 “心”的問題。離開賦予生命的耶穌，餘下的只有一條走向滅亡的路。

                   「10 盜賊來，無非要偷竊、殺害、毀壞；我來了，是要叫羊得生命， 並且得的更豐盛。」(約翰福音 10:10)

         世界是需要耶穌賜人生命的教導。

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