Zach Hunter
By: Heather Salon, The 700 Club
CBN.com –MODERN-DAY ABOLITIONIST
Zach Hunter is a 21-year-old abolitionist, activist, and author. He travels around the globe not only taking a stand against modern-day slavery but also to help people find their personal passions. When Zach was sixteen, he was active in his work against slavery and was the official teen spokesperson for the social justice campaign in conjunction with the AMAZING GRACE movie. It all began when he was twelve-years-old. In school, he was studying slavery in America. He was learning about Harriet Tubman, a former slave who helped other slaves on the Underground Railway before our Civil War. He remembers telling his mother, "Man, if I had lived back then, I would have fought for equality, and against slavery." Then his mother told him that slavery was still going on in the world with an estimated 27 million slaves. Zach was shocked to learn that slavery still happens today. He told his father he wanted to help slaves. Zach's father told him that at his young age, there was really nothing Zach could do. Zach came up with the idea that he could raise money to free slaves. He started a campaign called Loose Change to Loosen Chains (LC2LC), while he was in seventh grade, to raise money for groups that rescue slaves. His school and youth group students raised more than $8,500 to rescue victims of slavery and other forms of oppression.
Now, almost a decade since Zach started, hundreds of church and student groups have launched Loose Change to Loosen Chains campaigns. It has groups on every continent (accept Antarctica) and is especially strong in Scandinavia, England, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Brazil. LC2LC is now a fund with National Christian Foundation, which provides financial accountability. To date, this grassroots organization has raised an estimated $1 Million.
A NEW CAUSE - CHIVALRY
A new cause to fight for is chivalry. Contrary to a popular belief that, "Chivalry is dead," Zach says it is alive and well. There is more to it than the common idea that it is a list of rules of how men should treat women. True chivalry is a standard how people should treat each other and it applies to everybody because everyone is affected by it. Zach believes people think chivalry is dead because society has taught us to think of ourselves and not the other person. There is a sense of entitlement and self-centeredness. We have grown to have less honor, mercy, selflessness and love. On one hand, we might be for social justice abroad but be self-centered in daily life. If people knew how to live with true compassion and really love people, their actions for social justice, etc. would mean more.
Several things inspired Zach to research chivalry. Zach heard the phrase, "Chivalry is dead," from women around him. Also, Zach says personally he was coming out of a rough period in his life and he realized his behavior was inconsistent because he cared for causes but did not treat people kindly. Not only did he see this in himself, he also saw this conduct in others from his generation. Zach has always been fascinated by stories of knights/legends stories and people that are larger than life so he decided to research the codes of ancient knights. Zach found two codes: code of knights (which was a code of manners - he was more interested in studying this) and rules of royal courtship. For Zach, the code the knights lived by was revolutionary. For him, it was time to make a personal change and promote consistency in his life.
TEN CHIVALROUS PRINCIPLES
Drawing from ten principles of the ancients knights and uniting them with the teaching of Jesus, Zach developed this code of personal justice: 1) I Will Not Go On This Journey Alone 2) I Will Never Attack From Behind 3) I Will Practice Self-Control and Selflessness 4) I Will Respect Life and Freedom 5) I Will Fight Only for the Sake of Those Who Are Unable to Defend Themselves, or in the Defense of Justice 6) I Will Honor Truth and Always Keep My Promises 7) I Will Fear No Evil 8) I Will Always Follow the Law Unless It Goes Against What is Moral and Good 9) I Will Live and Die with Honor 10) I Will Never Abandon My Quest
One of the principles Zach thinks is important is "I Will Fear No Evil." Fear is not a good thing and many of us live in fear. We can have the fear of the unknown, we're afraid of things we don't understand, and/or we fear anything that seems evil. Zach says fear is considered evil in the Bible and that kind of fear is choosing to live a paralyzed life. Love is the antidote to fear. Zach believes it is okay to question and to doubt. In the Bible, even King David had questions and still praised God and knew God was there. There is no fullness of life if you are fearful.