what you have done for the least of these...
It is highly ironic to me that the Bible belt and the Rust belt have governors declaring they will not accept Syrian refugees, despite our nation's already extreme and over long refugee vetting process. Whereas the liberal west and east coasts, except for northern new england, seem to exhibit the kind of faith in action the Bible talks about.
Maybe those godless liberals have never read these words from Jesus.
The godless liberals have surely missed out on St. James words,
James 2
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
It's not surprising that believers who have trouble finding mercy for our gay neighbors also have the same trouble finding mercy for Muslim refugees fleeing terrorists.
Meanwhile, several Syrian families have been patronizing the local library where my wife works for the past few months and have not terrorised her yet.
I'm a descendant of immigrants, German farmers and hungry Irish and European Jews. Some spoke the wrong language. Some had the wrong religion. Some were associated with bad actors from their ethnic background. But this country took them in. Our country is a mish mash of immigrants and refugees, yet for some reason our country has always been xenophobic. It's one of our many national faults. Our ideals welcome the world's poor, tired, and hungry but our reality often trails long behind those ideals.
I hope my country will welcome in hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in their time of need. I'm glad my state is one of them.
Maybe those godless liberals have never read these words from Jesus.
Matthew 25:40-45 “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.’
“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. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 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.’ “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?’ “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.’
The godless liberals have surely missed out on St. James words,
James 2
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
It's not surprising that believers who have trouble finding mercy for our gay neighbors also have the same trouble finding mercy for Muslim refugees fleeing terrorists.
Meanwhile, several Syrian families have been patronizing the local library where my wife works for the past few months and have not terrorised her yet.
I'm a descendant of immigrants, German farmers and hungry Irish and European Jews. Some spoke the wrong language. Some had the wrong religion. Some were associated with bad actors from their ethnic background. But this country took them in. Our country is a mish mash of immigrants and refugees, yet for some reason our country has always been xenophobic. It's one of our many national faults. Our ideals welcome the world's poor, tired, and hungry but our reality often trails long behind those ideals.
I hope my country will welcome in hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in their time of need. I'm glad my state is one of them.
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