As the "Ice Bucket Challenge,' a social media campaign intended to bring awareness to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has become viral in recent weeks, with many celebrities' participation in the challenge. The widespread campaign has also brought about the question of what a Christian's perspective should be in terms of this campaign.
The challenge consists of a participant dousing him or herself with ice water, and then selecting three other people who must either also douse themselves with ice water, or donate $100 to the ALS Association. Through social media, the campaign had been spreading among people who believed in the purpose behind it, and soon became a worldwide phenomenon as celebrities and public figures started participating as well. Although the campaign has indeed brought about a greater awareness of the disease itself, it also has recently become simply a form of entertainment to be able to watch these celebrities soaking themselves with ice water, and hearing who they would select. The campaign, as a result, has had ambivalent reactions from the general public.
On the one hand, supporters emphasize the fact that the campaign gives the general public the opportunity to participate in doing good to the greater community. Craig Gross, a leader in the evangelical community and a pastor who is often known as the "Porn Pastor' as a result of his work with XXXchurch.com, said that the ice bucket challenge is a challenge unto Christians as well. He explained that it serves as an example and encouragement to Christians that even small actions can make a difference.
"Not everyone is called to lead a big ministry or go across the globe as a missionary. That's OK," Gross said. "In fact, most of us are called to serve God in our everyday lives. If every Christian committed to serving God wholeheartedly right where He places them, our world will be a much better place."
He added, "Just like one person dumping cold water on his head won't make a difference for ALS, serving God in your everyday life"”from grocery shopping to carpooling to work"”can feel small. It's when we all come together and commit to the cause"”or the whole nation decides to dump water on their heads"”that we see a change."
On the other hand, some argue that participating in the ice bucket challenge goes against biblical values. Among many forms of research, the ALS Associations also funds embryonic stem cell research, which Christians stand against. Nathanael King, a pastor of a megachurch in California, said in a recent blog post that although he has received ALS ice bucket challenges, he cannot accept them.
"My concern is where the publicity and money might go. Specifically I'm concerned with the KIND of research that might be financed by my hypothetical promotional activity," he wrote.
Embryonic stem cell research consists of taking "a female egg and a male sperm and fertiliz[ing] the egg in a lab, and then after the new life begins to form, they remove the building blocks of life"”embryonic stem cells "¦ They are created for the express purpose of destroying them for medical research," King wrote.
"At conception, a baby has a unique genetic code, and all of the necessary building blocks for life, and the Bible attributes the properties of personhood to us from conception," he continued.
King further encouraged Christians to continue supporting those who have ALS, but to do so with organizations or in methods that are ethical and according to biblical values.
Many other Christians who are also against the ALS ice bucket challenge also give several other reasons for their opposition, including the fact that: the ALS Association funds research that experiments on animals unethically; the challenge wastes water; and that the challenge does not provide specific or practical help for the ALS patients but brings more focus on the performance of dumping ice water on individuals.
