STUDY IN CONTRAST: New Orleans v. Houston

A STUDY IN CONTRAST: New Orleans V. Houston

While we were hearing about looting, shooting, raping and people being treated like animals in New Orleans, we also heard about order, help, caring and people being treated with dignity in Houston. What made the difference? The power of Christian culture. You see, New Orleans prides itself in maintaining a general atmosphere of paganism and debauchery, even celebrating what they call “A Day of Decadence.” Houston, on the other hand, is home to some of the largest Churches in the United States. The general atmosphere is one of caring for your neighbor as yourself. We’re even hearing that many evacuees will not go back to New Orleans, because of what they’ve found in Houston or in other parts of Texas that likewise have a greater Christian presence. This serves as an example of the choices we face as a nation. Do we really want God out of our public life, and end up like pre-Katrina New Orleans, or do we want a strong Christian presence where we care about others. Do we want a nation where the law of the jungle rules, “survival of the fittest” or do we want a nation where the Spirit of Christ –the spirit of compassion- is expressed in our public as well as our private lives. The choice, as always, is ours. The consequences will be visited on our children, and coming generations. The tragedy called Katrina allowed us to see the spirit of a city. Let’s reject that spirit, and pray that New Orleans -and our nation- is born again in more ways than one.