I have reached my limit for lies, hate, and violence. I have reached my limit for the whining of so-called
“men with fragile masculinity” who can’t accept women having just as much right
to succeed at work and leadership as they do. I have reached my limit for white
men, and women, who think they are the only ones who have rights and
privileges. I have also reached my limit for “so called evangelical Christians”
who have hijacked my faith to feed their power, position, and greed.
I am disgusted with the so-called Christians who deny
services to people who are LGBQ, they refuse to welcome the immigrant, or care
for the hungry, homeless, or ill. They profess to be “Pro-Life” but don’t
support child health care programs or food programs to keep children healthy,
which has led to an infant mortality rate in the US that is 19th out
of the 20 wealthiest countries. (CNN: Among
20 wealthy nations, US child mortality ranks worst, study finds, By Jacqueline
Howard, January 8, 2018) All practices taught by Jesus of Nazareth.
Despite what they call themselves the evangelicals they have
nothing in common with the carpenter from Nazareth. And, it is time we stopped them from using
the title of Christianity to promote laws removing safeguards for the most
vulnerable in our country. It is time to stop people, like Donald Trump and
Mitch McConnel, from using religion as an excuse to hord the wealth of our
country as they seek to persecute the poor, immigrants, people of color and push
middle income Americans into poverty.
It is time to take back the moral high ground from people
who have no morals. Lying, bigotry,
hate, greed, and selfishness have no place in our country where there are
enough resources to care for all. Providing for the welfare of our citizens is
mandated in our constitution and in the scriptures of every major religion. To
do otherwise is a crime against humanity, a crime against the Divine.
I have had it with the lies and false information coming out
of the mouths of elected officials. I am tired of their denial of climate
change, their love of firearms, and their refusal to accept firearm regulations.
I am tired of destructive international polices and the relations with
dictators that has put our country at risk. I am tired of people who manipulate
our political and legal systems in order to fill their pockets with money they
don’t need and satisfy the need for power.
I am tired of the theft of our electoral systems to consolidate power
and money in the hands of the few. All of it done with the approval of evangelicals.
I am tired of . . . all of it.
As a Christian, a person who follows the teachings of Jesus,
I can no longer stand by and not speak out.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes:
“When societies grow affluent, when
the burden of law-abidingness falls on the state and institutions, when people
define right and wrong in terms of externalities – punishments and rewards –
and in terms of what other people do and are seen to get away with . . . on
immediate benefits not long-term sustainability, then society begins to erode
from within and there is little anyone can do to halt it.” (The Great Partnership, Schocken Books, New
York, 2011, pg 161)
Faith has traditionally held our society in a cohesive unit.
Whether or not people attend or claim a religious background the basic rules of
a civilized society that are learned and kept comes from religious practices.
The ideas of right vs wrong, that might does not make right, that it is better
for everyone when all people have what they need to survive and thrive are
lessons learned and kept.
Our country once had the reputation for altruism. While we have never had or needed a state religion, we still helped those in need of shelter, food, health care, clothing, all without the expectation of return. Individuals and in concert with our elected bodies we helped people. We provided a beacon of giving light in a world where there were men who wanted to extinguish that light. Compassion, mercy, and kindness were traits we valued in our society. So, what happened to us? I have asked myself that question many times and I have no answers. I am sure the “experts” have one, but, I do not. What I do know is the only ones who can put a stop to the madness sweeping America, is us.
“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
Speaking out is an obligation, a duty, of being a Christian,
as are all members of Judeo/Christian/Islamic faith, when injustice occurs. Speaking
through Prophets, God repeatedly extoled the Hebrew people to care for the
widow, young, elderly, and the ill, and welcome the stranger. Through the
prophet Micah, God tells the people of Judah:
Jesus also tells us
34 Then the king will say to those at
his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you
gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a
stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was
sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the
righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave
you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that
we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And
when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king
will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of
these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:34-40)
Such lessons from our faith are being twisted by people we
normally would trust, our own leaders, nation, state, and local. Instead of
honoring the commands of God, and Jesus, they have assimilated the values of
ancient Romans and Greeks who held self interest as the most valuable ideal.
For today’s leaders the ideals of compassion, mercy, and justice only applies
to them. Their actions display anti‑Christian
beliefs so why do allow them to demean our faith, our good name.
It is time to call them out, for Christians to standup and
speak out about their abuses. We have been way too silent, letting people like
Paul Ryan claim to be a good Christian while working to dismantle all of the
work of the last 50 years to support the welfare of Americans. Donald Trump
proudly tells his thuggish supporters to beat up, and attack those who he
doesn’t agree with, where in scripture do you find that?
Because of people like Mitch McConnell, and Donald Trump who
favor racist, bigoted, and violent speech there has been a loosening of
violence across this country. More people are afraid of those who follow these
people than they do ISIS! I am not saying to copy the actions of the followers
of Trump or GOP, no, there are ways to resist them that are not violent or
contrary to the teachings of scripture.
- Do not endorse, by your silence, racist,
bigoted, violent, or abusive religious statements. Speak up and demand it to stop.
- Become involved in some way with the Poor Peoples Campaign, https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/. This is a National Call for Moral Revival
uniting tens of thousands of people across the country to challenge the evils
of systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation and the
nation’s distorted morality. This is a
non-violent group that provides many avenues and opportunities to challenge
those who would destroy us.
- Identify Anti-Racist groups and organizations in
your local area and work to change our communities
- Write, e-mail, or phone your congressmen,
senators, state and local representatives that racial discrimination, bigotry,
and violence must end.
- Write letters to the editors
- Do as I am right now writing a blog.
- Last but not the least (and this may be the most
powerful) use social media to support anti-racism, anti-bigotry, anti-violence
in speech and actions.
There is something for everyone to do to resist and challenge those who would see the end of the United States. We must never become a dictatorship, we must repel the tyranny of the religious few who have desecrated the name of Jesus and of our Judeo/Christian/Islamic God. Only we can do this. The fate of who governs this country, what we will believe is in our hands no one else’s.
Ruth Jewell, © February 14, 2019
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