Does "love thy neighbor" come with an asterisk? Who qualifies as a "neighbor"? And just how much should we love them? Those are the questions being asked in the wake of President Trump’s ban on nearly all refugees into the United States, prompting Pope Francis to weigh in.
Refugee Program Paused
As one of his first actions after retaking office last month, President Trump halted refugee resettlement in the United States, prompting outrage and lawsuits from pro-refugee groups. The program was paused for 90 days as his administration determines whether welcoming refugees into America is “in the interests of the United States.”
(Trump did make an exception for one refugee group: Afrikaners, the white South Africans descended from Dutch colonizers, who Trump says now face race-based discrimination. This is notably a group of people from whom Elon Musk identifies.)
It’s no secret that Trump is an immigration hardliner, but he’s historically also been strict on refugee acceptance as well.
The formal creation of the United States’ refugee resettlement program was in 1980. President Trump in his first term dramatically lowered the refugee cap, setting a historic low of just 18,000 refugees in 2020 - an amount which was raised back to the more typical 125,000 when President Biden took office.
Pope Francis Comments
The pausing of the refugee program – and recent massive funding cuts to refugee groups – sent some of the United States’ most prominent refugee resettlement groups into a tailspin. It even prompted a response from Pope Francis, who drew parallels between modern refugees and Jesus Christ.
"Jesus Christ…did not live apart from the difficult experience of being expelled from his own land because of an imminent risk to his life, and from the experience of having to take refuge in a society and a culture foreign to his own,” the pontiff wrote. “I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters.”
The plight of refugees is one of the causes closest to Francis’ heart; Last year, he stated that knowingly driving away migrants in need is a “grave sin” which causes untold suffering and needless deaths.
Trump Team Claps Back
Tom Homan, the new administration's "border czar", had harsh words for the pontiff.
“I’m saying this as a lifelong Catholic – I was baptized Catholic, my first Communion as a Catholic, confirmation as a Catholic. He ought to fix the Catholic Church and concentrate on his work and leave border enforcement to us,” Homan said.
“He wants to attack us securing our border? He has a wall around the Vatican, does he not? So he has a wall to protect his people and himself, but we can’t have a wall around the United States,” he continued.
“I wish he’d stick to the Catholic Church and fix that and leave border enforcement to us.”
But how does the wider world of faith feel about the issue?
Survey: Evangelicals Are Pro-Refugee
A recent poll found that some 70% of evangelicals – a group that overwhelmingly supported Trump in the last election – also favor accepting refugees into the United States.
The survey, conducted by Christian surveyor Lifeway Research, shows wide support from the Evangelical community for bringing refugees to the United States. 7 in 10 evangelicals strongly or somewhat agreed that the United States “has a moral responsibility to accept refugees.” 23% said they strongly or somewhat disagreed, and 7% were unsure.
Meanwhile, 64% of evangelicals said that Christians have a responsibility to “care sacrificially” for refugees and other foreigners. And a whopping 73% agreed that Christians have a “responsibility to care for refugees and others who are forcibly displaced in other countries."
Refuge or Refusal?
So what does that mean for U.S. policy? Some are still bullish that Trump will change his tune on refugee resettlement.
“Evangelical Christians believe that legal immigration has benefited our country, a conviction that President Trump has repeatedly expressed as well,” said World Relief CEO Myal Greene. "My prayer is that President Trump will heed the voices of evangelical Christians and restore the U.S. refugee resettlement program.”
What do you think? How should "love thy neighbor" be interpreted when it comes to immigration policy?
165 comments
-
Rev. Robert
Love Thy Neighbor...
Let me preface this line to my life. Before I came back to the cloth I have been in the military, I have been to prison. I am again in a place I do not wish to be. I am in a low level nursing home.
In these environments I have been exposed to living hand and feet with some. some that I am surprised they made it this far in their lives. I can hardly understand what makes them tic because they will hoard toilet paper in case. Some will take the last snack , yes the one off your plate because they want it. i have seen a elderly man groupe an elderly retarded woman just to get his thrills.
I have fought for a government just because of family tradition and value. I have had ill feelings toward some and those feelings were unfounded.
Today for some in this nursing home I have no feelings for other than sorrow and hope that they will wake and mend their ways before it is late and I am administering the last rights to them as the flesh finally dies.
I can have compassion, empathy, sorrow for my Brethren and still protect the Values Of Doing The Right Thing. the Right Thing is try to provide a value of life for all.
May the Lord Step in and provide the light and the knowledge to all as I pray for world PEACE
Amen.
-
El Gringo
Reverand Robert. What a beautiful statement! I need to follow your advice when I am reading so many negative comments on this web site. I am very happy with the messages I have received from this website but I have let some of the negative comments bother me. I will try to have compassion and try to share my belief in a God who loves every one of us
-
-
Samael Sare Adib
??? wow just wow, We might not know what love thy neighbour really means. but I like respect your fellow man meaning (respect one another) even if you must do it from afar so be it. honestly people bring religion into and it gets all messed up. and that is what Washington is doing it is there new tool. STOP falling for the PROPAGANDA AND BS. do for yourself and those you care about. Cause I am going to tell you straight NO ONE else will.
Care for your fellow man and Woman and countrymen, be real to yourself and those around you. and Bright blessing to you all.
Samael
-
El Gringo
I have been surprised by the negativity expressed in recent comments. The political pawn pope. Stories about Jesus washing feet was just a story like so many others in the Bible. Jesus may not have existed? (Not my belief, I am only quoting recent posts)
I am curious. I believe in God and Jesus. Do you? It almost seems like you don't based on your comments. I ask out of curiosity in trying to understand where you are coming from. I am not trying to criticize, just trying to understand. Do you believe in anything. If so, what?
-
Tony Steven Minish
This Pope is a paid political Pawn he does not represent Christian Values! He is a Wolf in popes clothing!
-
Robert Deatherage
I have been reading these comments. What happened to the rules? The rule of being respectful. I see so much disrespect here I find it hard to believe all these people are ministers of anything but the world.
-
Lionheart
It’s just differences of opinion. Some like to have real demonstrable facts using logic, reason, and critical thought before believing in anything. Others like to believe in mythical stories and tales in books that they have read, like The Book of Mormon, Bhagavad Gita, Qu’ran, the Bible, the Veda’s etc.
🦁❤️
-
El Gringo
Lionheart gives a list of books not to believe in. I am interested or curious to know if there is anything that I can believe in?
-
Lionheart
The books are real, El Gringo, but believing in the tales and stories they contain is a totally different matter. That's where science can be a big help in deciding what could be true and what isn't. For instance, the Book of Mormon is a huge proponent that the indigenous cultures of the Native American Indians were remnants from the House of Israel who travelled across the ocean and settles into the Americas a few thousand years ago. We now know that is a complete fallacy due to recent genetic research using DNA samples of native Americans.
Scientific paleontological research has determined how humankind has evolved over the millennia of time, yet those uneducated will still insist in the stories of Adam and Eve, mostly because it goes against what they want to insist on believing.
So, long story short, using logic, reason, critical thought, along with scientific factual research, and testable data, can help in deciding what is true and what isn't.
PS: The Harry Potter books are also fictional stories, even though some of the place names in those stories are real, much like there are real place names in the Bible stories. Having just mentioned the Bible, it's worthy to note that there is still no evidence to support Moses, and Abraham, were real people, even though they might have been. The same can be said for Jesus and a few others. Harry Potter was definitely not real, unless you can prove otherwise. 🤭
🦁♥️
-
-
-
El Gringo
I enjoyed and appreciated your comment. I hope someday I will be allowed to attend my local English-speaking church. Fortunately, I know Spanish well enough to attend the Spanish speaking church.
I keep referring to Jesus washing his disciple's feet. It is about him and his love for us and his command for us to love others. (I hope I got his demand right?)
-
El Gringo
To be clear, I was responding to the post by Robert Deatherage, not Lionheart.
-
Lionheart
Please don't forget that the story you quote about "the washing of feet" is still a story, just like all the others, written by historians decades later about people they never met. Those are the stories that ended up in the Bible. Those historians that "were actually alive" during those times Jesus was supposed to have existed, never wrote about him. Don't you find that weird? Apologists will try and find their own reasoning for this to support their "belief" system.
🦁♥️
-
El Gringo
I am sorry but I don't get your point. You seem to deny almost anything said about religion? Do you believe in God. If you do, in what way do you worship or understand him? What is your belief based on? I ask out of curiosity not to try to argue with you.
-
El Gringo
Talking about believing in god or some possible miracles. Several times in my life "I have been lucky." Things have happened that could be lucky but I have to wonder. I called my wife to ask her to marry me. We hadn't seen each other for over 20 years. The night I called her she was going to not be home but something came up at the last minute and she stayed home. She was very surprised to hear from me. Yes it was lucky or was it? Earlier I talked about my eye injury and how I was so lucky that it could only have been God. Not everything that happens is done by God but sometimes it is.
-
-
-
-
-
Robert Deatherage
Sometimes I wonder if all the criticism of others is not a ploy to gain attention. The famous certainly like to use the media to show the world how bright and intelligent they are. But all to often they make mistakes and, well you know those outcomes. Before criticizing some you most always get the facts. With the history of the Vatican, the Pope should be extra cautious. His making remarks that anti- American and I find myself asking why? The Pope is overseer of the richest religious group in the world. Where is his "Love thy neighbor?" When is he going to help support some of these 'Illegal Aliens' that have assaulted our country? When comes to immigration, we have to first look at cost. How many can the country reasonably handle. We have trouble taking care of our own. We have children going hungry day after day. We have elderly going hungry day after day. Doesn't the Bible teach us to first take care of our home? Doesn't the Bible teach that a man that cannot take care of his home is like an infidel? We must remember the Bible doesn't always teach the way we think we want things to be. Let's all pray that God is leading and guiding our leaders in the right way at all times. And pray for Him to bore into our hearts and teach each of us to be patient and understanding, reminding us of how easy it is to criticize others. Amen.
-
Rev Ned
God does. That said, apparently Evangelicals AKA Christo-Fascists don’t.
-
El Gringo
This may be a simple example, but I hope you catch my point. For years my mother would say that her German teacher had told her that if she didn't learn anything else, she needed to at least learn yada yada yada. I asked her what it meant, and she said I don't. know. Sometimes I wonder if that lack of understanding comes out in some of the posts I read.
I am not welcome at my local English speaking church so I have to attend the Spanish speaking one. I don't know what I did but It might be because I said that gays were good people not the evil ones like some say. Maybe it was because I felt God helped cure my eye injury and all the many miracles that happened to help me and my wife to leave Puerto Rico and go to an Army hospital in the United States. One church member suggested that maybe it was the Devil that had done it. I still remember the doctor telling another doctor, You would not believe how bad that eyes was yesterday. Maybe it was because I said my wife is not a believer. Whatever I am not welcome at a church that I feel should be welcoming and not rejecting.
-
-
El Gringo
Right below where I am entering my comment it says: Please be respectful, criticize ideas, not people and avoid profanity.
I joined this church because I felt it was trying to honor God and Jesus and what they mean to me. Love thy neighbor. Don't tell me you are important than me and I know I am not more important than you. I am trying to understand and follow Jesus teachings and I am probably not doing as much or as well as I should be. Please stop the name calling and trying to be superior to others.
-
Rev. Robert
In my humble opinion I must open my heart and do all that is possible to comfort the plights of my brethren. This meaning I must be like the ripples in the water when I drop a pebble in it. I must start at home and work out hoping there will be an edge to send that ripple back. I must educate the culture to provide for its self while I give them comfort and support. This should remind us all of Mark 12:41-44 tells the story of the "widow's mite," where Jesus observes her gift. So I say my opinion that we must use our hearts when we open our minds before we open our mouth and to start with home and move outward as you maintain stewardship of what you have.
-
Pastor Lyn
See? You just proved my point. You did not like the finger pointed at you. You are a white male, to satisfy your own ignorance and small mindedness, you talk about my wife. Lololol I'm not gay, but if it soothes your males inferiority problem, please continue acting exactly like I said you have been. You are both hateful and not worth listening too. I really just wanted to show you how right I was, by your own words. Hate, that appears to be all you know. Unless you have fragile masculinity?
-
El Gringo
your own ignorance, and small mindedness, your male inferiority problem, hateful and not worth listening to. I wanted to show you how right I was. Hate appears to be all you know. Unless you have fragile masculinity.
These are quotes from your comment. I do not agree with these statements. Please, the church asks us to be respectful and constructive and criticize ideas and not people.. We come from different paths and experiences, and I think the church is correct in asking us to be respectful.
-
-
Fred P Salumunek
You overlook that Trump has halted accepting refugees, including the cancellation of already scheduled refugee hearings. He's also pursuing deporting Haitian refugees- the ones he falsely claimed are eating pets.
-
Richard Alan Vollenweider
I find it funny how even here there is no difference between legal and illegal immigration. If I am understanding it correctly President Trump (not just Trump as you have written here, very disrespectful) hasn't said that they can't immigrate here from other countries, just that they have to do it legally. just like every other country says. and the Pope should not speak when the Vatican doesn't allow anyone to just move into it without going through the proper channels.
-
Ari Joseph Bertine
Isn't it interesting how no one questioned what this meant until it was time for them to not want to do it anymore.
-
Dwanda Denese Scott
Jesus forgave a criminal asked us not to judge a prostitute an adulterer. American citizens break the law. Immigrants are not the ones shooting up schools or are agents of mass shootings. Although there is a partial wall around the Vatican it is open to the public to come and go. The comparison is ridiculous. We are not being invaded by warring forces, as the Vactican was when the partial wall was built. The majority who come here seeking refuge are peaceful women and children escaping trouble in their home country. The biggest drug problem in this country is from big pharmaceutical companies. They even poison our food supply. People who invaded this country and committed genocide against the folks who lived here for thousands of years have no business telling anyone especially those whose ancestors built this country they cant come here. Most crime is committed by Americans. Of the over 6 million crimes committed last year a little over 3000 were from undocumented immigrants. After they round up all the immigrants what other group is then demonized with lies and rounded up. Fear is dangerous and contagious. The Lord says be not afraid. All those here leaving comments probably believe in God. In all scriptures in all the religions there is a heavy leaning towards love forgiveness mercy and grace. We are told these things because of our tendency to judge things outside of ourselves. The best way to address and fix any problem or issue is to start in the mirror. Once we fix what we see in the mirror we will not have time to look anywhere else. I guarantee once you fix yourself, the day will be done and you will be too tired to look around. This is true for everyday in your life.
-
El Gringo
You said something that needs to be said. Thank you.
-
Rev. Robert
As you points are well made and most obviously true to a point. My opinion is when it comes to statistics of numbers they can be manipulated. We can only base them on the source. Plus there is the other side. For example 3 out of 10 say blah blah blah that means 7 kept their mouth shut. Thank you for your commitment to a better world
-
-
-
Frederick Goslin
It is not necessarily an issue of "love thy neighbor" as much as trust thy neighbors. Today's world and it's situations have changed the way most people think about and trust others. Doors and windows are now locked, eyes of suspicion are watching, love has taken a back seat to trust, suspicion and preconceived ideas and ideals. Front porch socializing is non-existent and there just isn't any desire to be a communicative neighbor.
-
Minister Rob
Thunder had it correct; Illegal entry into the Vatican will result in 1-4 years in jail and a fine of up to $25,700. How many migrants or refugees has the Vatican allowed to settle within it's borders? As with the "love thy neighbor" thing, it's yet another case of "do as I say, not as I do." The Abrahamic God has no credibility to speak of such things whatsoever.
-
Martin Grace
Trump and his blind followers say they're all criminals. Trump is a convicted felon, and pardoned those who assaulted our senate, and those inside protecting it. If you're not Native American, your a descendent of immigrants. Immigrants put the food on your table by doing the work that you feel is beneath you. The USA has forgotten it's humble beginnings.
-
Johnny Dale Crawley
I tell my neighbor to stay in his own back yard. Come to the US with working skills and enough money to support yourself.
-
Jonathan David Frank
The church has abandoned its responsibility to care for widows and orphans.. Because of this blatant disobedience to scripture, the state has stepped in, and the results speak for themselves. So let the churches open their doors, let the parishioners feed the hungry, let the sanctuaries become a shelter. Or continue in disobedience to God.
-
Brentifer Earla Lorenz
You don’t wanna know what I think Donald Trump or what I think of JD events or what I think of Elon Musk
-
Matthew W Meister
Reading through the comments on this story have left me in a quandry. Leave themonastery.org completely and permanently, or stay and try to find solace in the few sane people left commenting here. What this site has turned into is certainly not what I sought out when I first joined. This has become nothing more than another site for people to rant politically. What I see people saying in the name of God, Jesus or any other deity, projecting their own prejudices onto some kind of omniscient being is truly sad.
-
Brenda Sicble
Thank you Matthew Meister for your comment. I agree this site is not the same anymore, but rather, just one more place for political rants. Disgusting.
-
El Gringo
I am glad that you said that. What you are asking for is the church to follow the teachings of Jesus. We are all people f God To think that my group is holy and everyone else is scum is not the Christianity that I believe in. Too many churches have forgotten or don't understand God's message about love.
-
-
Lion on the Beach
When the individuals who want more illegals have to start paying for it, than let us know than.
-
Sheila Ann Murrey
Too many in the lifeboat, sinks the boat. And these aren't all refugees we're speaking of. Many are single young men of fighting age, carry weapons, have committed crimes, etc. So, all we're asking is that they come to America legally. If they're not coming here to escape punishment in their country of origin there should be no problem for them to come in the way all other LEGAL immigrants have. We need to know who they are. Also, "love" isn't about saving or rescuing. I'm all for a 'hand up' not a 'hand out'.
-
Michael Manning
Trump and most of the USA want people to come in just we want to know if they are from a prison or a terrorist origanization and they go through a process to approve .. We don't want more crime or another 911 just saying AMEN
-
Michael P Noctor
Love is wonderful. Thing is there is right and wrong way. Breaking our Laws is Wrong! Send all Illegal aliens HOME. We can not do anything else, and still have a Free America.
To those who disagree China will welcome you. Oops! China will kill you if you would cross it's. Border illegally. Giving help to law breakers then kick-out VETERANS TO HOUSE ILLEGALLY ALLIANS. IS THE CRIME HERE.
Any other way will destroy the USA.
Michael
-
Richard Reed
I'm all for helping and loving my neighbors, but there's a right way for immigrants to enter any country. Also in Roman's 13: 1 and 2 it says that we are to obey man's laws. Except when it opposes God's law and clearly there is a way to enter legally. So we are not going against the word of God because the US is only asking for the immigrants to obey our laws
-
Alexander Clarke
You are correct. There is a right way to enter the country. Masses of people overwhelming the border is not the way. Our whole immigration system is dysfunctional. The asylum system is broken. We need an orderly system that allows immigrants to enter the US only after they have been vetted and if asking for asylum that they are allowed entry only after they have been before an immigration judge.
-
Richard Mutch
Excellevernt analysis.
-
-
Michael Ray Lane
I think the Pope should stick to poping. Stay in his lane. His religion facilitates the illegal crossing of our borders. Catholic NGO is part of the problem.
-
Maggie Landes
I think using the Vatican Walls as a comparison is quite weak. The Vatican, the smallest country in the world, does have walls surrounding it but many of the walls were built in 9 century AD. Pope Francis didn't build them and they certainly aren't there to keep poor immigrants out. Neither do you not need a passport or a Visa to enter the Vatican. I feel it is a false equivalency made to justify ignoring our call as Christians to build the circle of compassion bigger so that all are taken care of and will know Christ's love. If that is not our call, how are we different? Are we not then showing the world that our belief in Christ doesn't really mean anything in the end and coveting this life and protecting our own is all that matters?
I am not saying there shouldn't be immigration policy reform and no borders so please don't mistake that as my position. I am only advocating that we approach this topic with the compassion I believe we as disciples of Christ should have. I am okay with having less worldly possessions if it means my brother and sister from another country can feel safe and have food to eat and a roof over their head. But that is just how I live out my faith.
As a side note, I am always so surprised when people do not realize that undocumented immigrants pay taxes and into our social security and medicare systems yet do not have access to them. With this in mind, I am sharing these stats here. Undocumented immigrants paid $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022. Most of that amount, $59.4 billion, was paid to the federal government while the remaining $37.3 billion was paid to state and local governments. More than a third of the tax dollars paid by undocumented immigrants go toward payroll taxes dedicated to funding programs that these workers are barred from accessing. Undocumented immigrants paid $25.7 billion in Social Security taxes, $6.4 billion in Medicare taxes, and $1.8 billion in unemployment insurance taxes in 2022.
We work with many immigrants who have temporary work permits and they are some of the hardest working people I know. They risked everything to be here, desperate to have a safer, better life for themselves and their family. I can't help but wonder at the courage and desperation it took to leave everything behind on the prayer of a better life.
-
Sheila Ann Murrey
It might help us if you define or clarify what the difference is between undocumented immigrants and those who have temporary work permits, because in my mind those are two very different groups of people.
We had a friend who brought her children here from Canada illegally. The friend eventually got a green card from marrying an American but her children remained illegal. When they turned 16, 17, and 18 and wanted to get a job, they couldn't. So they worked for cash, 'under the table.' Eventually, they went to college, and became documented. But when one had her first child, she was still undocumented and got everything paid for, as well as a private hospital room. My daughter, conversely, American-born, got her GED and got a job working to pay off her hospital bills because her health insurance through her job only covered part of it and she had a semi-private hospital room. Both our friend's daughter and my daughter went to the same high school and had their babies in the same hospital. I saw first hand, the handouts that we give out. I know life isn't fair, but it was frustrating to see the disparity of that situation at the time. (Just using that as an example now, not that it still bothers me.)
-
-
Orlando Felix
Let them come in through my front door, not jumping my fence.
-
David Wolf
There is a principle in dealing with refugees in the rest of the world that limits them to the next bordering country. Living in America may offer more hope and opportunity than Mexico, but if you focus is on escaping a life-threatening situation, then the next country over should be fine. As a Humanitarian country, we have in the past accepted people from all over the world, but we had a process. To provide sanctuary for Vietnamese people that felt they would be oppressed when the government collapsed, there was an application process where they were vetted and paired with a sponsor (often a Church) and then admitted to our country. why is an updated version of this system (that worked) not implemented?
-
Edward R. Barry Jr
"Neighbors " don't come for aid carrying banners and flags of the nations they fled. Neighbors don't come and take without asking . Neighbors don't complain about what was given to them freely. Neighbors don't invite others to come join in the grace given by their host. Neighbors don't lie and connive to get their will accomplished. Those are behaviors of invaders. Invaders not smart enough to hide their true colors. Now these " Neighbors " refuse to leave, condemn the hosts in their own house, wave their banners, protest against the hosts will. No good deeds go unpunished.
-
Donald K Mulcahy
Just my opinion. I personally have toured the Texas and Arizona border as well as the Maine border. People are dying being murdered family members held hostages till payments are made back to the cartels . Little children litterly thrown over the fence to fend for themselves. No family no identification maybe a scribbled note. What has been going on cannot continue.we have to haunt it and address the issues. Now my father was an immigrant ,my wife is an immigrant now a citizen . Legal immigration built the country the system works not perfect but works. We need to improve not totally cancel it. We have to protect our people first.
-
Charles G Sanders III
Don’t you just love the holier than thou “do as I say not as I do”mentality. It’s about time America stood up for ourselves. Love thy neighbor, strong fences make good neighbors, a penny saved us a penny earned… pick your favorite parable. It’s awfully easy to cast stones so I would remind the pope, let he without sin cast the first stone.
Maybe the pope should consider this as tough love. We are not here to fix the world’s problems but we try. Obviously too hard because we, the US, are consistently taken advantage of much like someone trying to help the poor by giving them bread. If they don’t earn it they don’t appreciate it and just expect more handouts.
Better to teach them to fish and let them feed themselves.
This sure seems like cutting off an addict. We need to let the world go through their withdraws.
-
Joel L Cube
I love my neighbor as myself and for love of thee i forgive all those who have injured me and i ask pardon for all to whon i have injured."Act of love".
-
Mark Ronn
I will care what the pope thinks about anything when he divests himself of only 50% of the value of the art alone hanging in the Vatican. He only gives hot air for the good of the poor. Sell some pictures. That’s only the tip of what they should be doing. But it’s a start. Until he starts doing anything on his own he has no platform from which to criticize anyone else.
As for what the US is doing? It is our country. We will run it as we see fit. If other nations are that concerned let them step up and open their borders. Don’t criticize us for finally doing what you’ve been doing for years and years.
-
Richard T. Dallas
I am a disabled veteran, near 70. I am a 3rd year Bible College student. I DO love my neighbor. Not as well as I could, but I find it ridiculous that the Pope makes an absolutely goofy and UNBIBLICAL argument for the US to have an open border, and let everyone into our country, UNCHECKED, when Vatican City has a wall around its entire perimeter. I don't have a problem allowing the poor and downtrodden seeking refuge and opportunity here in my country. Giving away the resources to uncounted and unvetted strangers, when there are HOMELESS veterans on the street (not to mention disaster victims here in our country) is just plain criminal. The US must control that disruption and chaos. Tell illegals to GET IN LINE AND WAIT YOUR TURN.
-
David Ciambrone
The Pope can mind his own business. How many illegal immigrants are housed in the Vatican? Illegal immigration’s are criminals and need to be treated as such.
-
Valerie Van Haltern
No one is illegal on stolen land ------guess what --- it is all creator's land ----your money, your house, your children are all god's ...It is creator's water, creator's air --- if there was true gratitude for these things and an understanding they all belong to creator then there would be no end to sharing and honoring and caring or those things because then you know in your heart and soul more will be provided if we only care......yes there will be enough as long as we share and honor the gifts from creator.....it is time we began to truly understand the power of the gifts we have been given --- not to share those gifts then means we do not honor what creator has given us...we do not respect it, ourselves or others ....it becomes the me, me , me....the world of taking, claiming, managing, ruling......the powerful dictate...the powerful who have forgotten that true power comes from creator.....those things that are not ours and have not been created by us we try to rule over and claim.....creator looks on as we destroy the earth, families, the water, the good we have been given..........If we keep on taking without giving back and honoring we will find when all has been destroyed we cannot eat money........
-
Edward R. Barry Jr
So when are you going to give your land back to whomever it was stolen from.? You idealistic talk the tl Alk but never walk the walk. America is the most generous nation ever on earth. The "evangelist " haven't been helping the illegal invaders out of their charity, it was because they received billions of U.S. taxpayers monies in form of NGO's.
-
Calvin F Pacheco
I would like to put your theory to the test. Add your address to this post so if anyone needs something they can just walk in your house and take it. I am waiting
-
-
ATL
I love my neighbor but if he comes in my house without being invited, he will be asked to leave, especially if he is behaving in a way that could pose a risk to my family. If he doesn't leave, he will be forcibly removed and taught some tough love about respecting people's property, rights, privacy, respect, and law. I lock my door at night so that no one will come and attack my family, steal my things or take things from me that I try to provide my family with. My locked door, my fence, and my property line isn't about not loving people just as a border around a country has nothing to do with love. We can love each other but still respect our differences and agree that my life doesn't need to infringe on others just as others don't need to infringe on me. God forbid they come in my house (a house I have bled to keep safe and secure) and demand that I change my house to meet their needs. I can love someone but not live with them and the same applies to countries.
-
James Mitchell Chandler
Love thy neighbor does not mean let them live in YOUR house. It means, be respectful and kind to them and their house. If they need help, offer help at their house.
-
Dean James Thompson
Respect your neighbors. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do not judge least ye be judged. There is so much in the Bible about treating others with brotherly love. Stop, think...What would Jesus do?
-
Ian Steel
I feel trumps immigration policies are cruel & inhumane. A majority of the undocumented people have come to this country to escape the dangerous & negative conditions in the home countries. Jesus taught love and compassion for all. I have worked with asylum seekers and their stories are heart breaking.
-
Kelly Rose Bolton
The USA welcomes LEGAL immigrants. Our country was founded on LEGAL immigration. Every country, even the Vatican, has laws. We welcome LEGAL immigrants who enter WITHIN THE LAWS.
Jesus himself said in John 10:1 "He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold but climbs up some other way, that person is a thief and a robber."
Immigration laws are designed to protect lawful citizens from those who wish to rob from the system by taking benefits while not becoming part of the contributing, LEGALLY entitled, populace.
Read what Jesus himself said before casting stones.
-
Andrew I Mychalus
Immigration is a complex topic. Few people want to leave their homeland unless forced to do so by bad govt, natural disaster or social strife. In the case of the USA our country has always been one to send mixed messages. On one hand wanting migrants to provide labor ranging from highly specialised professions to the lowest unskilled workers. Even while the USA is a beacon of hope, it also has a long history of exploiting and fearing people coming to the country. Most of the US chaotic policy towards immigration is easy to see. Lax border security on one hand, with a chaotic and complex legal process to establish residence on the other hand. And who is to blame for this situation? Our legislators. Neither Congress nor our executive has done more than blame for decades. It has been over thirty years since meaningful reform has been done. Instead racist rhetoric and conspiracy theory replaces sound policy reforms. Place blame if you will, but recognize the problem for what it is. Our country simply needs to fund border security backed with sane policy to manage the flow. Few who come to this country are criminals, but with the chaotic system the US has, it is a wonder we don't get even more problem individuals.
-
Maggie Landes
Thank you. I think this is spot on.
-
-
Rhonda L Grubb
Politics has NO PLACE IN THE CHURCH!!!
-
Roberta Hastings
I really hate it when people cherry-pick the Bible to fit their narrative like these so-called Christians. Read Leviticus 19:34.
The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
There are other references in the Bible. Romans 13:9 “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
You either follow Scripture or you don't. Period. There is no wiggle room on this.
-
Calvin F Pacheco
You just cherry picked the Bible to fit your narrative. Hahaha. You’re funny lmao
-
-
Peter A. Caputo
Without bringing up Trump or deflecting to something involving his present deportation actions, explain to me why it was OK for the residents of Martha’s Vineyard to immediately put those 40 immigrants back on the bus and get them off their island. Isn’t that a true example of “Not in my backyard”?
-
Chase Elliot Hicks Sr
Yes, in my belief...you love everyone regardless of religion,ethnic,race,gender,economic class etc... In my opinion that is like rule # 2 ...1 would be whatever you choose to call The Most High God love that energy first and above all...2 would be love thy neighbor... For you cant achieve #1 without #2 because God is in all his creations so not loving your neighbor, to me is equivalent to not loving God...can't be luke warm in these times...
-
Minister Mark Wright
Our perspective is the here and now. Whilst migration was once historically an option in a less crowded world, the masses seeking to move to a new country are now at significant numbers.
With an established order and culture many of us are comfortable and excel in that stability. The influx of masses that bring a different culture and a different way of life potentially undermines the existing status quo. How often do immigrants move to a new culture and completely switch off their old ways, or actually maintain and reinforce their former identities and culture and move to neighbourhoods where it is possible to be the same as before crossing that border. In a world of sinister campaigns and aggressive leaders, the question of enemy states that send agents to infiltrate and quietly seed dissention may also be an issue that Government ponders upon.
Mass migration may bring great resources to the shores with the potential of productivity and taxes and or burden on the economy because of inability to work.
Whilst decency, humanity and compassion is a fundamental part of ordained existence, we need to be pragmatic and do the maths. Supporting your neighbour is one thing but permitting your neighbour to enter your home and destroy it, deplete you of resources and undermine you is far from sensible.
Is it not better to be part of a world order where the places that people want to run away from, are indeed safe environments and the place to be. Easier said than done, when we consider the rogue nations with despot dictators or evil criminality bigger than government.
Ultimately survival is the back stop. If my boat is full, but all on board can survive, do we permit the occupants of the sinking boat next to us, to clamber on and lead us to our demise. If we however, help to make the other boat sustainable, the occupants will not necessarily want to move to the other boat and this in context for me means a world where we open our minds to true neighbourly love that sees every body in their respective countries living quality lives and not feeling the need to escape horror and abuse.
Shared macro collective rather than micro focus.
-
Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Ahhh, it’s refreshing to see the Religiously Delusional find reasons now to express their racism so openly. And now we can that Jesus was a racist too. God, well, he’s always bern a murderous, hateful little deity, huh?
-
David Buck
Sorry, but I am firmly in the Trump camp on this one. The previous administration had an open-door policy, and that was utterly ridiculous (actually treasonous in my opinion). Time to clamp down. Legitimate refugees will still have a way in (after the 90 day hold) but economic migrants need to apply in the approved fashion at an official border crossing. And illegals? Well so sad, too bad. As for the Pope? Well he should stick to religious things and leave secular things to governments. "Render unto Caesar those things which are Caesar's." Immigration policy is most definitely Caesar's.
-
Donald G Magel
The new Trump bible does not seem to include any of Christ's "woke" messages! Christian America has gone the way of the ethics of the Grand old Party. Gone and forgotten. The ant-christ is now their chosen one.
-
Calvin F Pacheco
Whoa there cowboy. Do you have proof of anything you say? This is the problem with woke Christianity if it doesn’t fit their agenda then it’s wrong. So if you couldn’t glean from my text your ideas are scary wrong
-
-
El Gringo
Reading these recent posts leaves me feeling sad. When I was growing up I felt like my church teachings were about love and acceptance. When I read these recent postings, I almost feel like I am at the last supper with everyone claiming they are the best, better than all the others. I joined this church because of the message that they were open to all faiths. My experience with other churches had not been to love one another, it was to be better than and judgmental toward others. I joined this church because I feel that this church is about this ideal of loving and acceptance and I am saddened to see so many people being judgmental towards others. If I am being judgemental, please accept my apology. I wish more people would add their opinion about the need to be more loving and receptive.
-
Pastor Lyn
I agree with you. I too joined here due to the fact everyone was welcome. But more and more I see hateful trolls who claim to be speakers for their God, but dang it, I don't wish to have anything to do with their God. I'm assuming since dumpster fire took over there are many Republican men who now feel free to troll decent people and spread their vile hatred here. This post alone brought out true colors. I will stick around, because I came here to help everyone no matter who they were. However, I will not have anything to do with, nor will I tolerate male hatefulness in my life. Any hate actually. It's like nobody attends school to actually learn anything anymore.
-
Edward R. Barry Jr
In your own admission you state you're a hypocrite and a liar. How Godlike is that? What spiritual principle are you riding in on? You either are or you aren't. Are not your "true colors " showing "pastor" ?
-
Calvin F Pacheco
Did you not proofread your post? It’s not only men and not only republican men. I think you need to reavaluate your supposed Christian beliefs. But don’t ask your partner she probably feels the same way as you
-
-
-
-
JT Sunrise
Rev. JTSunrise on Exclusion and the Gospel of Love
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” — Mark 12:31 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink.” — Matthew 25:35
There are those who claim to stand for love and righteousness, yet their actions betray a narrow, self-serving patriotism. They impose policies that shut out the vulnerable and use selective compassion to justify exclusion. Such measures distort the sacred command of Christ and subvert the divine truth.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus taught that true neighborliness knows no bounds. The Samaritan did not hesitate to offer help to a stranger, regardless of background or circumstance. This is the unyielding mandate of our faith: to extend mercy and care to every soul, for every human being is created in the image of God.
Yet, today, certain political and social ideologies manipulate this command to narrow the definition of “neighbor.” They erect walls—both literal and metaphorical—designed to keep out those in desperate need, ignoring the clear instruction of our Lord. When policies deny refuge to the persecuted and when public sentiment is shaped by fear and division, it is a direct contradiction to the teachings of Christ.
The apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 3:28 that, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This truth calls us to a unity that transcends artificial barriers. To confine love to a select few is to betray the very essence of the Gospel.
We must stand firm and let our actions reflect the true love of Christ. When we care for the hungry, shelter the homeless, and welcome the stranger, we live out the gospel in a way that cannot be co-opted by narrow-minded ideologies. Our duty is clear: to reject any narrative that limits our compassion and to embody the radical, all-encompassing love that Christ exemplified on the cross.
Let this be a call to action: Do not allow the voices of division to silence the command of our Savior. Embrace the truth of Scripture, act decisively, and let your love be measured by the mercy you extend to those in need. Our faith is not a tool for exclusion—it is a force for universal compassion.
Rev. JTSunrise Celestial Nexus Church, Seattle, WA
-
Elizabeth Jane Erbe Wilcox
Although I’m not a believer, your words are kind and compassionate. They make sense. Thank you.
-
Maggie Landes
Do you have a church or website? Thank you for this post.
-
JT Sunrise
Much appreciated- I will be launching a website soon for the CNC and need help to spread this message. Please find my other posts until then. I hope to inspire people to read scripture for guidance.Thank you. Rev JT
-
-
-
El Gringo
I read these posts with a great deal of sadness. We are talking disparagingly about fellow humans. some are good and some are bad but we still need to show some compassion towards people who are suffering greatly. Maybe we can't help them all. This problem is extremely huge but we need to at least try to do as much as we can to help deal with this situation.
I think somewhere I read that we are all God's children.
-
Lionheart
Who really knows what gods children really means?
🦁❤️
-
Lawrence Pearce
Jesus and the god of the bible don't believe we are all children of God because Jesus called a Greek woman "a dog" in Mark 7.27 and the bible god told the Jews to kill all men, women and children in Palestine, even though they were living in peace and had never harmed any Jew. Joshua 8.
In Matthew 13, Jesus tells two parables that claim there are children of God (the wheat and the good fish) versus the children of evil (the weeds and the bad fish). He claims the angels will separate the two groups so the good children of God will be taken to heaven while the children of evil will be burned in a furnace of fire. https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/13.htm
-
Patricia Ann Gross
Lawrence: Context is everything. Please show me in these verses of Mark 7 where Jesus calls ANY human a dog:
24 Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.[g] He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
27 “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
28 “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
29 Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”
30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
The Syrophonecian woman went to Jesus for help with her child, and she helped the child. Read the full context of the passages. The dogs were canines that ate better than the poor people at the gates. The text is quoted from NIV directly from Biblegateway.com if you want to look it up yourself.
-
-
-
Monica Arteaga
Love thy neighbor? Oh hell no! Especially when that neighbor filed a lawsuit against me, tore my siblings apart, is a narcissist & is only out to get what her greed can take away! Haven’t spoken to her in 10 years. Yet, God keeps taking the elderly parents of my good friends but not my neighbor (she’s 87). I have a feeling the Devil himself doesn’t want her either. Did I mention? She’s my mother! 😂
-
Lawrence Pearce
Have you tried a spoonful of cayenne pepper in a cupcake? I hear it drives the devil out of some people.
-
-
Rev. Carol M Anaski-Figurski
Cultivate kindness immigration reform could be as simple as a kiosk. Sanctuary in religious places needs to protect those who are living in America & trying to citizenries. Long live that Pope Francis & God bless the Pope. all these work visas could they be protected under sanctuary. People are working, paying taxes & reaching for the American dream a better life for themselves & their families. Plus generations.
-
Lawrence Pearce
Your own Vatican church has built 80 foot tall walls to keep out strangers, criminals and burglars. Here's a photo of the walls with people standing far below... https://www.livescience.com/64410-vatican-city-walls-explained.html
If you want to claim it's in the bible, you haven't read where Jesus called a neighboring Greek woman "a dog" and told her to go away, instead of showing concern for her as a human being who loved her daughter. Mark 7.27 That's not love, that's hate.
You also haven't read the book of Joshua where the bible god tells the Jews to "kill" ALL of their neighbors in the land of Palestine, so they can steal their houses, gardens, vineyards and olive groves. That's not love, that's genocide. So climb down from your pulpit and read the bible for the first time. You'll find it teaches hatred and mass murder, not love.
-
Amber Fry
That was a bad translation. He was not calling her a dog. Jesus was known for testing people on their faith, whatever it was. He was calling out her faith and testing her in it. He actually called it great and granted her request because she understood him and his faith. Read Matthew Chapter 15 through the verses 20-30. It's in there somewhere.
You do understand the bible is split in two, right? The Old Testament being old Jewish ways that Jesus was pretty well versed in and the New Testament which started with his teachings and continued with the teachings of others, yes? Probably a good idea to take a course that actually breaks that down for you if you don't get that.
-
-
-
Nicholas J Page
I love my neighbours apart from the ones who have disrespected us for 20 years they behave worse than children but no.one cares.
-
ServantOfJudgement
I have a neighbor that's a fantastic soul, he and his family are all good as good can be.
I have another that's killed my dog, cut wires under my car, sole my Internet, poached animals on my land and throws garbage where they will.
Patience and long suffering comes to mind.
-
Lawrence Pearce
Contact your sheriff and file a report for each incident. Tell the sheriff to interview the problem neighbor and get the interview on video to share online. When your nasty neighbor realizes he has been reported and is being watched, he will probably make plans to move out.
How I got rid of a problem neighbor who would get drunk and fire his gun outside every Friday and Saturday night? I bought a "one million candlepower spotlight" that plugged into my car's electrical outlet. Then just before he usually stepped outside to fire bullets, I slowly drove past his house while shining the spotlight on his windows and cars to make sure he "saw the light" before I quickly drove away so he couldn't see who it was. He moved out within 30 days.
Walmart / Performance Tool Million Candlepower Spotlight Black. Performance Tool Million Candlepower Spotlight Black Light output 2000000 lumens Now $44.07
-
Elizabeth Jane Erbe Wilcox
Your misfortune provides great insight to your character…
-
-
-
Pastor Lyn
A couple of you commenting in here can truly take a hike.
I won't even acknowledge what God may or may not want. I can't even believe this is a topic for conversation.
God and religion aside, if you can't be a decent human being to everyone and you cannot fathom being kind or charitable to those less fortunate without being told to do so by an invisible deity, you should not call yourself Christian. You are totally not a Christian and I know for a fact that most dump supporters have not even read the Bible, they have no idea what being a Christian means. They are only paying lip service to God and Jesus and trying to convince themselves and others that hate is what God wants...
All of this mess lends legitimacy to just eliminating religion all together. Can't even get humans to agree on what one friggin deity wants us to do.
Just be kind. How hard is it?
-
ServantOfJudgement
How many illegals do you think is an ok number Lyn?
Is 5 million too many for a country of 300 million? 20 million? 600 million illegals? 1 billion? 6 billion? Surely you have a number that's "too many".
-
EnjoyYourMilquetoast
I wonder how many she's personally invited to live with her. For those who don't believe in secure borders, I challenge them to remove all the locks from their doors, and put out a sign inviting the local homeless to stay in their house.
-
Lawrence Pearce
So true. Removing the locks on the gates and doors of the Pope and all leftist "elites" who are hiding behind high walls would soon educate them on what illegals, thieves and criminals can do to them.
The Texas governor had buses drop off illegals in front of Kamala's mansion in DC, but since it was surrounded by a tall iron fence, she didn't get to experience their real life dangers for herself.
The time when Governor DeSantis flew illegals into Martha's Vineyard was a genius move. The leftist liberals immediately demanded the illegals be removed from THEIR island and they took action to get them out as fast as you could say "Kamala failed as border czar."
Their hypocrisy was exposed for the world to see... not only about the illegals that they claimed they loved so much, but also the fact they live in houses near the ocean where they falsely claim the rising waters will cover them in a few years! They don't believe any of the lies they tell the rest of us!
-
-
-
Lawrence Pearce
If you claim you love everybody but then you call certain people "dump supporters" are you not guilty of despising those people instead of loving them? Eliminate hypocrisies from your life by being consistent with your words. Don't tell someone "I love you" and then stab them in the back. That's not love, it's hate.
-
Matthew Mastrogiovanni
I want to help anyone, who doesn't want to hurt me.
-
-
Mark Stephen Edwards
People prefer to have religion avaiable for various reasons. The International money cartel and its nasty tentacle, the Federal Reserve must go.
-
-
Reverend Paula Copp
Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones! When the Catholic Church can control the abuses of its members, then they can start yacking about how to treat others.
-
Lawrence Pearce
Also when the Pope tears down the 80 foot high walls around his Vatican Palace, he might be able to criticize those who want walls to protect their lives and their property from criminals. Until then, the pope is a hypocrite.
Picture of the Vatican wall with people standing far below its top.. https://www.livescience.com/64410-vatican-city-walls-explained.html
-
Mark Stephen Edwards
The Church of Rome often steps lightly, but the popes can be rather inappropiate.
-
Edward R. Barry Jr
Why hasn't anyone mentioned that all of a sudden this current pope is so enlightened that he knows more than the hundreds of pope's before him. All the pope's before him just weren't smart enough. The hubris of this guy is extraordinary.
-
-
-
Kevan B Copelin
Loving your neighbor is to the human what forgiving a human is to the spirit. Liken unto the first; love your neighbor as you love yourself. Christ does not say you must, or have to, hang out with the neighbors. Don’t cast your pearls before the swine. Discernment is a virtue and loving your God is foremost. Christ came not to save the world; through Christ the world might be saved. Loving the unlovable makes that happen.
-
Lawrence Pearce
According to the 'words of the Lord' written by the prophet Ezekiel, NOBODY can die for your sins except yourself. "The soul that sins shall die. The father shall not be punished for the sins of his son, nor shall the son be punished for the sins of his father. Everyone must answer for their own sins." - Ezekiel 18
This is where the basic claims of all churches and cults must stand or fall apart. What honest judge would let an innocent person die by execution so a convicted killer could go free to kill more people? Not one, so that's how we know that each person is punished for their own crimes or sins. Karma is real. Galatians 6.7
"Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant." Galatians 6.7
-
Lionheart
Bless your heart. Try not to believe everything you read in that book.
🦁❤️
-
-
-
Charles Jude Platt
Does it hurt anyone to be kind to another? We "Christians" today practise a bastardized principle of "love one another." I love the Felon in the White House & his lackey Musk. I pray some higher power to take both of them & ship off to the ends of our galaxy. Bye guys, love one another who knows?
-
Lawrence Pearce
Your mouth says "I love everyone" but your anger says "I hate Don and Elon." Choose one or the other.
-
Patricia Ann Gross
You don't have to like someone to love them. Families do it every day. I love my all my sisters, but some, I don't like very much. Have you ever heard of tough love? Its a concept of not being an enabler to bad behavior. You can still love a person and at the same time not like what they do or stand for.
-
Elizabeth Jane Erbe Wilcox
Have you noticed that by the addition of just one little letter “Elon” becomes “Felon?” Quite telling.
-
Mark Stephen Edwards
Elon = Oak Tree
-
Warren Calvin Wall
Elon is a Druid? I've seen speculation about Jesus spending years with Druids being educated.
-
-
Edward R. Barry Jr
Did you know that if you rearrange the letters in your name you get crazy woman?..
-
-
-
Lionheart
Don’t worry, our president will take care of you to make your community safe, and to make sure your tax dollars are being well spent. You can thank him later when your left leaning prejudice has realigned by using logic, reason, and critical thought. It might be a struggle for you but I’m sure you can do it. 🤗
🦁❤️
-
-
Juan Rolón Rosario
Each person has the right to have an opinion and thinks what they want, but yes, certainly in ancient times God acted in one way, but then he acted in another way, since Jesus Christ was among us. The will of the Most High God is Supreme and Sovereign, but in the affairs of men the situation is more complicated, and much more so when politics is involved. The Command is clear, love your neighbor as yourself, that includes our neighbors that live in another country of course. Many accept it, others do not accept it. We all living in a world in conflict (not to mention that it has been since man was man from the bigining.) On a large scale the world situation is terribly difficult and what remains for us is to try to do the best we can to fix this society, of course we need help from Almighty God, Great Architect of the Universe.
-
Lawrence Pearce
No, the god of the bible does NOT say we have to love anyone in any other country. In fact he told the Jews to kill everyone who lived in Palestine so they could confiscate their homes, their gardens, their vineyards, their olive groves and everything else they enjoyed.
Geographically speaking, the Palestinians were their "neighbors" and Moses even married into one of those families, but the bible god told him and his fellow Jews to wipe them out, old and young, male and female, so they could steal their treasures.
Reread the book of Joshua and you'll learn what the bible god thought of the Jews "neighbors." It was diabolical and homicidal.
-
EnjoyYourMilquetoast
Zionists today, Christian and Jewish alike, all believe in and justify their genocidal behavior using the Bible. That's a fact!
-
Lawrence Pearce
True. Netanyahu publicly stated a few years ago he wanted Gaza to be destroyed and all Palestinians removed, so the zionists could turn it into their summer luxury beach front resorts with casinos and hotels.
Looks like he will get his wish after he failed to rescue his fellow zionists at the rave when they were attacked by Hamas on October 7. There are some orthodox Jews and some Christians who denounce the zionists, but they are silenced by the paid off media
-
ServantOfJudgement
While atheists use science and law to justify they're genocidal behavior. Last century the atheist gobbled up over 120 million souls. Not bad huh?
Thunder, you'll find it to be a human problem.
-
EnjoyYourMilquetoast
The fallacy of relative privation doesn't excuse the fact that this body of literature has been reliably and consistently the cause of over 2,000 years of genocidal violence and abject bigotry towards people of other beliefs. Saccharine platitudes don't excuse it either. The Bible is explicitly a malignantly narcissistic ethnic nationalist fan fiction and has the track record to show for it.
-
-
-
Warren Calvin Wall
Except for the young, virgin girls who they could keep as sex slaves.
-
-
Mark Stephen Edwards
The Law of Moses was meant only for his tribe. Love your neighbor as ourselves meant the soul brother living next door or near you is to be respected since he similar to you. The Ten Commandments is the same: for Jews only. They have graciously formulated the NOAHIDE LAWS for the way Gentiles should behave.
-
-
Theresa C. Marquess
Let it be said that I do believe in God, a higher power, or whatever you choose to name him/her. Love one another? No, not literally, but it doesn't hurt anyone to show others kindness, courtesy, and be gentle toward others. It costs nothing to do this, and it is a better way to live. Of course, there will be others who disagree with that, and that is okay. It takes all kinds to make up our world. I choose to live my life gently. I've had enough of the other.
-
Mark Stephen Edwards
Strangers from a different type culture can be contrary and especially onerous.
-
Theresa C. Marquess
Indeed they can. That is why you have to be careful, always recalling that this is year 2025.
-
Fred P Salumunek
Most often, they are good people. We can't take everybody, and we need to be careful, but that doesn't mean we can't take ANYONE.
-
Theresa C. Marquess
Yes, Fred, they can come here, but they have to do it legally like so many before them did.
-
-
-
-
arawngraalrd
Love your neighbor as you love yourself, but don't make him dependent on Charity, as you do not wish to be dependent. Love is the essence, of what we're growing towards, but Life is a luxury. If you want to bring all the poor to America, that they may be rich, you should understand America better, that you can make it the World. You'll need an outside viewpoint, until there is no outside.
-
Lawrence Pearce
True. The Euros who migrated to the Americas brought their educations, their muscles and their skills. They didn't receive cash or health benefits. They had to work to build their cabins from logs, plant gardens for food, hunt game for meat and suffer long cold winters without internet, radio or tv.
Today it would be like illegals moving into northern Canada, where they would have to build log cabins, plant gardens, hunt game and suffer through long winters. I don't see any of them who want to do that, do you?
-
Mark Stephen Edwards
Seriouly, these poor people yearning for a square meal whant to eat our lunch too.
-
Amber Fry
Not to mention now there are laws and regulations and permits involved that were not back then. Building their own these days would cost more money than most people ever make, never mind refugees looking for a safer place to live. We do have to make considerations where the laws have changed.
-
-
-
Najah P Tamargo
Najah Tamargo-USA
Considering that we are a nation appropriated BY immigrants, and the millions of Indigenous Peoples that were already here and forced into reservations (basically concentration camps), how can we NOT open our doors and hearts to those who seek a better life? Isn't that what Jesus would do?
-
ServantOfJudgement
Jesus would have them follow the law of the land.
-
Lawrence Pearce
Paul told his disciples to obey the laws of the land in Romans 13. Jesus told everyone to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar.
-
Matthew Mastrogiovanni
No he wouldn't.
-
ServantOfJudgement
Lol, Jesus would have said break the law of a foreign land? Have you ever met the guy?
Let me introduce you to Jesus. Pray for understanding and start in Genesis. You won't have to wonder by the time you reach 2 Corinthians.
-
Mark Stephen Edwards
Go straight to John and then Corinthians. The pope is a wrongheaded puppet. 70% of "American" believe the bleeding heart yarn of Bring me your wretched refuse. Then open your wallet and home to them, take them to church. The congregation will be amazed.
-
-
-
-
Lawrence Pearce
Did you learn anything from the Native Americans? They opened their doors and look what happened to them. Don't be stupid. Learn from history and ban all foreigners or we will find ourselves in concentration camps!
-
Mark Stephen Edwards
No more immigrants unless they are severly vetted to benefit the USA.
-
Edward R. Barry Jr
Natives didn't "open their doors " to settlers. They were hostile, killing, mutilating. Kidnapping and slavers. Read factual data instead of watching Hollywood movies.
-
Edward R. Barry Jr
Natives didn't "open their doors " to settlers. They were hostile, killing, mutilating. Kidnapping and slavers. Read factual data instead of watching Hollywood movies.
-
Amber Fry
They allowed in people with weapons and more technology. What's coming isn't highly educated or weapon carrying people. You are a bit backwards there.
-
-
Warren Calvin Wall
Pretty much all nations, with very few exceptions, were created by conquering invaders. According to those in science, all of these conquering invaders came from Africa originally. We've been conquering each other ever since. It's never stopped. The only thing that has changed is the technology. Homo sapiens is not a rational being. It is a rationalizing being.
-
-
EnjoyYourMilquetoast
Illegal entry into the Vatican will result in 1-4 years in jail and a fine of up to $25,700. How many migrants or refugees has the Vatican allowed to settle within it's borders? As with the "love thy neighbor" thing, it's yet another case of "do as I say, not as I do." The Abrahamic God has no credibility to speak of such things whatsoever.
-
Lawrence Pearce
True. The Jew God and Jesus both despised those who were not in the cult of Abraham.
The OT god demanded the Jews "kill" their neighbors in Palestine via genocide and Jesus called a woman a "dog" because she was born into a Greek family. Mark 7.27 We have to rethink our view of them. Were they as "loving" as we were told in church? No.
-
Paul Joseph
Come to church and find some understanding and tolerance, not the antisemitic nonsense that you're spouting.
-
EnjoyYourMilquetoast
Antisemitic? LOL no. First off, Palestinians are also Semitic people who speak a Semitic language. Secondly, criticizing an ideology (religion, politics) has nothing to do with vilifying an ethnic group. If the two are being conflated that's due directly to the deliberate propaganda stemming from Zionists (Christian and Jewish alike) over the past century in an effort to deflect from their own heinous conduct by hiding behind their supposed victim status. Never mind that Zionists collaborated with the Nazis to drive Jews from Europe to Palestine.
You can't deflect from the blatant track record of genocidal behavior and even ethnic supremacist ideology that's ensued directly from the Bible narrative and it's adherents since their inception to present (thousands of years worth). Labeling valid criticisms of that as "antisemitic" is completely asinine and will only fool people who are incredibly gullible and historically ignorant/misinformed. Besides which, if being against such genocidal ethnic supremacist ideology and behavior is considered antisemitic these days, then so be it! There's no shame in it. If you have a problem with that, then you shouldn't have brought it on yourselves.
-
-
-
-
John P Maher
NOT ANY CHRISTIAN or MUSLIM GOD BEKNOWST to ME, "EVER" YOU ???
-
Lawrence Pearce
An illiterate bot has entered the chat? Try to make sense of that SHOUTING PHRASE.
-
Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
If it’s a bot then it’s doing a decent job mimicking a religiously delusional person.
-
-
-
Lionheart
“Does ‘love thy neighbor’ come with an asterisk? Who qualifies as a neighbor?”
And what qualifies as a God? The god Christians like to follow killed off a lot of neighbors back in the day when he was struggling to get his deistic act together, so we perhaps shouldn’t follow that one. He set a bad example, but amazingly, apologists always find some excuse to still love and worship him. He obviously needs lots of TLC, bless him.
🤗❤️
-
Lawrence Pearce
If you want to know what the definition of "neighbor" was to Jesus, listen to his words when someone who was not a Jew asked him for help... did he show love to this "neighbor" of the Jews? No. He refused to call her a woman or even a neighbor. Instead he insulted her by calling her a DOG! Mark 7.27
To Jesus, a "neighbor" was a fellow Jew and not one of those who the Jews considered to be "dogs" by their Pharisee leaders. If we apply this same principle today, a Christian will consider only a member of the church "a neighbor" to be loved, while everyone else is "a dog!" This is exactly what Jesus thought of people outside of his Judaism cult. Sad but true.
-
Theresa Lynn Slusher
Jesus wasn’t referring to the Canaanite woman as a “dog,” either directly or indirectly. He wasn’t using an epithet or racial slur but making a point about the priorities He’d been given by God. He was also testing the faith of the woman and teaching an important lesson to His disciples.
-
Richard T. Dallas
Theresa Lynn Slusher: My wife and I are in our third year of Bible College. Your analysis and interpretation of Jesus is CORRECT.
-
-
JaZe
All those 'quotes' were introduced as the real thing by men of the church who gave themselves the moral high ground just as it is happening today.
-
Karl Arvid Bergman
Nice use of disinformation, using one specific verse to make your point. If you were to look at verses 24 through 30 you would might get a different idea of what was said and what was intended, as he granted her request and drove out the demon that was possessing her daughter. And mind you I do not believe in the bible or other holy books, but I do know how to research a specific citation to determine the context.
-
Ari Joseph Bertine
You aren't understanding the point of that encounter, or you are ignoring all but the part that makes you feel okay with rejecting refugees.
Jesus's disciples wanted to send her away and Jesus didn't let them do so. If he'd been rejecting her due to her nationality and the assumption that implied about her faith, he would have had no reason to demonstrate what he did to his disciples. Instead he addressed her directly with his analogy, and she replied, accepting the term of his speech as given. She humbled herself instead of taking umbrage at his provocative wording, and she asked for the crumbs his attention. He replied that because she had replied in that way, he had healed her daughter. He was showing his disciples that this woman from a land that worshipped other gods had faith in him to be what she needed to save her daughter. Even though her people were not his priority, she could have faith in him. He showed his disciples that she was not the enemy, and that she didn't respond the way one would assume someone would to insult, but that she was seriously in need and willing to do what was needed to get that help.
He healed many, many, many Gentiles. Only on that one occasion did he speak out of character about one of them, and it was to make a point. He demonstrated in all his dealings with foreigners and those not of his own people that reaching out to help them was the right thing to do.
He was also very clearly about what isn't the right thing to do. Matthew 25:42-46. Take warning.
-
-
Father Flanagan
The pos pope should keep his evil nose out of AMERICAN business and be grateful we allow his and all the other made up religions and gods in OUR country! So tired of all of these supposed “one true god’s” pushing they’re evil agendas all over the world, nothing but cults for the weak minded!
-
Robert Deatherage
Oh my! Do you not know that God's way are far above our ways? Sometimes we cannot fully understand what God is accomplishing. But He promises to bring all things to the good. I don't know how He does this but He does. God is good and everything He does is good. I don't believe that He sees death as we do, for He has conquered death. I hold to His promise that I will spend eternity with HimI am praying that you will find the answers you need. Bless you!
-
Lionheart
Your comments and claim there is a god is no different from all the gods mankind has created throughout the eons of time. Until you have demonstrable evidence that any god is real it will remain just a fallacy. I hope you don’t believe in that biblical Old Testament god listed in that book. He was one of the most genocidal deities that mankind has ever created. There are plenty of other mythical gods floating around in peoples heads better than that one if you really want to believe in one.
Thank you for your comment though, Sir Robert.
🦁❤️
-
-
Leviticus 19:34 covers this topic