Published on March 1, 2024, 12:38 am

In a recent piece published by Time magazine, authors Solcyré Burga and Simmone Shah addressed the grave issue of self-immolation. They chose Aaron Bushnell’s harrowing ordeal as their pivot point – a U.S. airman who tragically lost his life after setting himself ablaze before the Israeli embassy in Washington, protesting what he labeled as Palestinians’ ‘genocide’ situated in Gaza.

Their article raises numerous issues regarding the Christian worldview, particularly focusing on how suicide – denoted in this instance through self-immolation – is considered a grave sin against life’s dignity. It must be categorically stated that such acts are not equated with martyrdom within Christian teachings.

What has sparked massive outcry pertains to the duo’s audacious claim nestled within their comprehensive history of ‘self-immolation’. The authors assert that self-immolation was also revered as an act committed by Christian devotees during persecution under Emperor Diocletian circa A.D. 300 – opting to become living pyres themselves.

Such historical claim rings false; moreover, it trivializes Christian martyrs linking them with protesters demonstrating through terminating their lives in public view. This lumping together comes across as an affronted assault on real news being reported from a trusted source reflecting informed views.

The truth is far from this conjecture. Early Christians or martyrs did not prioritize death on their terms; instead, they were chased, tortured brutally until they yielded to murder at the hands of oppressive governments refusing to renounce their faith – pledging alliance notably towards Jesus Christ, their savior.

Emphasizing this point further: Their non-acceptance towards choosing death or ending their existence on personal terms echoed louder than any staged protest or public suicides could ever muster. These individuals valued life and sought ways to peacefully practice their faith. Optionally seeking suicide would have represented the absolute rejection of God’s ruling over life and death.

Time magazine’s decision to disseminate such oversights plants seeds of ignorance in an era when persecution upon Catholics globally, leading even to death, escalates. As the United States braces itself for emerging stages of persecution, nearly 400 violent attacks against Catholic churches in four years have gone unaddressed.

Catholics are being denied adoption rights due to their belief systems. Revelations about secret investigations into them as ‘domestic extremists’ and covert surveillance within worship places by federal law enforcement surfaced just last year.

The inability of Time Magazine – Burga and Shah, to understand this deep-rooted commitment is apparent. Nevertheless, an apology seems rightful on their end for their biased piece which trivializes martyrdom, a grand display of courage in facing death, marking it down to a pitiful political act. This emphasis on truth-telling reflects a dire need – illustrating the importance of trusted news sources that hold steadfast to preserving real news.