Journal: <>< ... Attorney at Law
The Jesus Fish, ichthys (Isous Christos Theou Huios Str: "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior") symbol graces the ads of many lawyers. What does this mean to you the consumer? This first came up in my life a few years ago when I happened to notice a local attorney's yellow-page ad with the featured fish. Also at that time, a friend of mine had a child who was a victim in an auto accident.
I asked my friend, "Hey, you want to find a Christian attorney? I may have a line on one."
"Nah, the wife and I talked it out, we don't want a Christian. We want a lawyer who will really win for us."
Well now, there's a rub. Christians are supposed to be meek peacemakers. Is that the fellow who you want fighting insurance companies for you? Indeed, after Googling the net on the topic, I found many mentions of the peacemaking role of attorneys.
Another problem surfaced in my preliminary diary on this topic:
by glor
... My wife is starting a small business, and has gotten a lot of advice from my father, who's been self-employed for about 20 years. One tidbit he passed to her was, "If somebody tells you they're a Christian, it means they're not going to pay you."
For this forum I should point out that the operative word there is "tells"; this was a remark from one Presbyterian elder to another.
So, could it be that people who feel the need to advertise their morality, might be doing so as a cover to an ethical deficiency?
I asked another friend about this, and he thought that an ichthys lawyer might actually give him a better shake.
Then I asked him, "Do you expect that you would notice a difference in the way he would perform his duties? Do you think he'd pray with you or something?"
"Nah."
That kind of disappointed me. If the Jesus Fish is just a seal-of-approval sort of symbol, like a BBB logo, in common use and understanding, then there is no implied promise of divine assistance.
I would prefer to think that the ichthys lawyer might have a deep relationship with the Almighty, the author of all laws, that would greatly aid my cause. When we have meetings, we'd study the Scriptures and pray over our situation. The Lord would be our strength.
Now, that brings me to the nature of Christianity and conflict. Would Jesus really want you to 'mop-up' your enemy?
Jesus, on court...
"Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him..."
-- Matthew 5:25 (New King James Version)
And this is the same guy who demands we love our enemies as ourselves and forgive our debtors. I can only come away with the idea that a Christian lawyer might be just the ticket when you want to restore peace with your enemy, not just get a piece of him.
more on this...
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