I really try to see the good in everyone, but lately I am struggling. If you support legal green card holders being abducted off our streets and deported, or sent to what could arguably be considered a concentration camp in El Salvador, for just expressing views that may be different than the current administration’s then we are not friends.
You may have goodness in you somewhere; But you are incapable of looking past your own small world and feeling empathy, and that is not the mark of a good person. I still see you as a person, but one who is either deeply misguided and ignorant, or bigoted and selfish.
I’ve never been a very outwardly religious person. I cringe a little bit when people go on about their religion, because there’s just so much hypocrisy and judgement cast in the name of Jesus nowadays. But I just have to speak up and say Christianity is about following “the way” of Jesus. And many self proclaimed Christians now are in conflict of that.
When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was he responded with two. The first was:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And the second he said was “like it.” “Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
That is Christianity. That is in Jesus’ words how we are called to follow him. Loving your neighbor is what it means to be Christian. And loving your neighbor is loving God, because he also said “What you do not do for the least of these you do not do for me.”
Loving your neighbor means loving the immigrant who came here to find a better life. Are we loving that neighbor when we send masked officials to literally drag them into a vehicle and lock them away without trial? Is that love?
I have watched as “Christians” cheer on breaking the MOST important commandment, said Jesus himself. He gave no exception to that command. Love your neighbor. Man, woman, Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, gay, trans. Love your neighbor. That’s the religion.
This radical teaching is what put Jesus in conflict with the political and religious people in power during his time. This movement for equality and love directly resulted in his death on the cross. Remember that this Easter Sunday.
-Courtney
This sums it up. There really are no tiny asterisks beside “Love Thy Neighbor” that lead you to footnotes filled with exceptions. It’s plain and simple and you nailed it with this message.
Totally succinct & powerful because it’s straight from your huge heart!!! May it bring awareness, acceptance, empathy and kindness to the forefront….as these qualities are lacking and completely necessary in these difficult times!!!!