The massive influx of children seeking refuge from Central American poverty, exploitation and violence is a crisis of massive proportion. It's times like these that I thank Zeus I'm not president of the United States, because there is practically no resolution to this issue that will be humane while not encouraging a further mass exodus across our borders and putting stress on our border control resources, immigration and social service finances. I have no idea how this will ultimately be resolved.
But what I do know is that self styled "militia", dressed in combat fatigues or cowboy garb and armed to the teeth, paroling the border to ostensibly face down these refugee children, and at gun point block their path, is among the most grotesque and unconscionable acts of hate, fear, racism and lack of empathy I could imagine. What makes it all the more bizarre is that these "men" refer to themselves as "Christian patriots," who have empowered themselves to do what that "nigra Muslim Kenyan in the White House" is incapable or unwilling to do.
I do not doubt their Christianity. Indeed, I'm quite sure they attend their church, pay their tithe, and admonish their children to love Jesus. But how then do they reconcile their actions with this quote from Jesus?
Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV)
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are
blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for
you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me
something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I
was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you
clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you
came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
There may be other verses that endorse this kind of charity and empathy, but I doubt there are any more apropos to the refugee issue, nor more condemning of the hostility being demonstrated by the "good Christians" of the religious right toward the "least of these".
Alas, they typically don't read the bible; and if they did they'd cry "context"; and when they couldn't give the context which dismisses the admonishment of their man-god they'd say "Fuck you, you greaser-nigger lover" and happily attend church the very next Sunday while packing their shootin' iron and stroking the perfectly brushed hair of their well fed fair skinned children.
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
There may be other verses that endorse this kind of charity and empathy, but I doubt there are any more apropos to the refugee issue, nor more condemning of the hostility being demonstrated by the "good Christians" of the religious right toward the "least of these".
Alas, they typically don't read the bible; and if they did they'd cry "context"; and when they couldn't give the context which dismisses the admonishment of their man-god they'd say "Fuck you, you greaser-nigger lover" and happily attend church the very next Sunday while packing their shootin' iron and stroking the perfectly brushed hair of their well fed fair skinned children.
12 comments:
That's why I can not be a Christian they are all really racist at heart
Apparently some of the kids are going to be sent up here to Michigan to the city of Vassar, but the fine Xian men and women don't want nutin' do do with them thar damn kids! One man was quoted as saying the humane thing to do was to turn them away at the border and send the ones already here back. How is that humane? Sorry pre-teen and toddler children of impoverished nations, the good Xian men and women of 'Murica think it is better to send you back. We don't want you growing up and taking our jobs! When I see stories like this, it pisses me off that these self proclaimed righteous Xian morons think this is what Jesus would do, then can't remember exactly in the Bible, but they know it's in there somewhere. Like you said Hump, they scream context when it's pointed out that this is the opposite of what Jeebus would do.
So beyond all of the humanitarian issues is the issue of basic security of the nation. As a former security person, I can tell you that the first job of security is to secure your perimeter. These poor kids are just walking into the country. That should just not be possible in my opinion. Is this just another problem that congress has refused to address?
If they know that they can't get into the country, they won't try. But while nothing is being done about security of the border, we have to help them all we can.
Like you, Hump, I don't know how your border crisis will end, but that doesn't stop me fantasizing on how the USA and the respective South American countries can stem the flood of refugees..Firstly, stop the ridiculous war on drugs in Mexico and beyond and legalize marijuana (as Uruguay has done), then override the destructive power of the catholic church by making contraceptives freely available to all (the positive side effect - lower abortion rates - should suit catholics). As for those good Xians, there is nothing left in them that relates to the words or ethos of their beloved Jesus...nothing.
It really is amazing how 'some" can support self-styled gun toting militias, and all their totalitarian, xenophobic and ethno- centrism, in the name of protecting our borders. This makes me wonder if the first colony in North America, Jamestown a christian settlement, was met with this same ethos what would the protect our borders zealots think of that? I'm sure our xtian neighbors would know how to spin that history to their favor. Thanks Hump.
There are churches - Christians, right now - who are at the border helping feed, clothe, and shelter refugee children. What are you doing?
Hedge, probably the same thing you're doing: Feeling disgusted by the actions of the other "good Xtians" who, in the name of god, protect our borders from children with military weapons in their hands like vigilante asshats,or who turn back buses on their way to the temporary housing of refugees, or standing along side rick perry and sean hannity..good Xtians both... who are cruising the Rio Grande on a machine gun equipped boat pretending they are true Christian patriots doing jesus' work.
The difference between you and I is, I write about it to raise people's awareness... as opposed to self serving apologists like you who pretend religious delusion and a belief in a make believe man-god is somehow the driving force behind what ever comfort and aid the government is providing the children.
Thanks for being part of the solution. We need more men like you.
Indeed..thanks for recognizing my roll in being part of the solution. The more people recognize the grotesque mentality borne of religious delusion, how the use of scripture is distorted to promote an obscene agenda, from discrimination, to misogyny, to hate of "the other", then perhaps the sooner the mind virus of religion will be rejected for the curse on society that it is. If I can make that happen one day sooner, then that will be the reward for my efforts.
So, you're very welcome.
You on the other hand are part of the problem, as you avert your eyes from the damage religion does, and deny how its fanatics wield it like a sword. You are the enabler, just like the Bishops who turn a blind eye to the perversion of their priests. The sooner your ilk are consigned to the annals of gross Christian history, the better for civilization.
We need fewer like you.
One of our government's fundamental responsibilities is securing our borders. That responsibility was abdicated long ago. What kind of a screwed up government do we have that won't allow the states to secure the borders because it is the fed's responsibility and then the fed's refusing to do the job? As long as the fed's turn a blind eye to the border we can count on someone else - such as the religiously affected - trying to fill the vacuum. Better them than no one.
I agree the fed gov't has done the job poorly. Perhaps when the Legislative branch can stop trying to screw each other for partisan political purposes a resolution will be found.
But until then, I no more endorse turning over the humane handling of refugee children by armed vigilante half wits itching to kill someone for Christ, than I endorse armed Thuggee vigilantes roaming the streets of Chicago or Detroit because they are dissatisfied with police efforts to stop crime.
I think it was Ghandi who said, "I liked your Jesus.... It's his followers, I have a problem with." That has become especially true at this time, at the beginning of the 21st Century....
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