Crackdowns on undocumented immigrants. Stricter refugee policies. Rolling back protections for transgender people.
America is changing how it treats minority groups, sparking debates about the moral and theological implications of such moves.
Amid a tumultuous environment for migrants and LGBTQ+ people, we're seeing faith leaders step up to argue that the right thing to do is provide sanctuary for the vulnerable – not toss them aside.
Mercy for the Undocumented?
Some passionate religious voices are speaking out against this harsh re-examination of "Love thy neighbor."
Bishop Mariann Budde became a national name when she pleaded with President Trump to show mercy to migrants and the LGBTQ+ community at his inaugural prayer service. In case you missed it, here was her speech:
Pope Francis has also chimed in on the issue recently, saying:
"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. 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.”
Now some politicians, backed by a number of high profile religious groups, are hoping to enshrine some of that mercy into law.
A group of progressive House representatives recently introduced the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, which would ban immigration enforcement groups like Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) from conducting immigration raids within 1,000 feet of places like weddings, funerals, and houses of worship, except under “exigent circumstances.”
This was already longstanding policy at ICE, but was overturned when President Trump took office earlier this year.
Faith Groups Band Together
This is not a purely Christian effort; numerous religious groups endorsed the bill, including the United Church of Christ, Union for Reform Judaism, United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society, Sikh Coalition, and the Catholic Health Association of the US.
And some even took things a step further, as 27 religious denominations and organizations – including the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church USA, and the Unitarian Universalist Association – filed a lawsuit alleging that immigration raids at churches violate their right to religious freedom.
“Unannounced raids into our sanctuaries and other church spaces presents very real danger to both our members and our communities, most of whom are black and brown people,” explained Bishop W. Darin Moore of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, who are also plaintiffs in the suit.
Rt Rev. Sean Rowe, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, cosigned that sentiment. “By joining this lawsuit,” he explained, “we are seeking the ability to gather to fully practice our faith and follow Jesus’ command to love our neighbours as ourselves.”
Protecting the LGBTQ+ Community
Clergy members are also coming to the defense of the LGBTQ+ community, whom they view as being unfairly persecuted.
During a recent hearing about a resolution to make Worcester, Massachusetts a sanctuary city for the LGBTQ+ community, a local pastor insisted Jesus Christ would support the resolution – and her choice of words is making some headlines.
“The Jesus I know would be dressed in full drag and serving face, or handsome as a trans man, or wrapped in the garb of a non-binary person who knows one gender is way too small to capture their gloriousness,” stated Pastor Julie Payne-Britton of Hadwen Park Congregational Church.
“The Jesus I know would be at this mic with a trembling voice and a shaking body and tears that will not be held back crying, ‘make this city safe for my child,’” Payne-Britton continued.
Her comments have prompted backlash from some conservative religious circles, where critics have called the comments "blasphemous."
The stark disagreement raises a larger question of how scripture on this issue should be interpreted.
When it comes to offering sanctuary to undocumented immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community… what would Jesus do?
38 comments
-
Joe
If Jesus existed today, He wouldn’t last long. He would be a target from so many groups, mainly MAGA.
-
Thunder
MAGA, aka: Zionists and Evangelical Christian nationalists. Ironic that...
-
Lionheart
Yes, him and his 12 gay friends would be too woke wearing those white dresses that people like to call robes. 🤣
🦁♥️
-
Lawrence Pearce
Prove to us that American patriots would attack Jesus, when independent studies have shown that conservatives donate more money, food and clothing to help the homeless than all liberals put together. The reason for this is that liberals have no organized groups that help the poor, while Christians donate every day to the Salvation Army and a variety of church groups who volunteer at food banks and homeless shelters.
I personally met the man who founded the first food bank in America. He was a Christian, not a liberal leftist hater of American veterans and patriots.
-
-
Thomas P. Davis
There were sanctuary cities in the Old Testament
-
Lionheart
Yep, but not if you want to get into Heaven. There are strict immigration guidelines to get in to that mythical place. Look at the size of those Pearly Gates, and the Bouncer, to keep the riff-raff out. 🤭
🦁♥️
-
-
Rudolph M Garza
Oh the things people imagine about Jesus. 😄
-
ServantOfJudgement
They do a good job of creating God in their own image. It seems as though no matter what they are or how they see themselves, they see Jesus as being identical, even in lawlessness.
-
Thunder
Such as that he exists to start with... 🤪
-
Lawrence Pearce
Even Einstein believed Jesus existed. "No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life."
The fact that he got angry, he cursed and he made mistakes shows that he was a real life person who was more normal than most people claim him to be. Examples.. he cursed a bountiful fig tree because hungry people had eaten all of its fruits, which makes no sense... he cursed the moneychangers who didn't want contaminated pagan coins going into the Jewish treasury, which wasn't a big deal... he condemned the washing of hands before meals, which showed he had no clue about the importance of hygiene and prevention of diseases.
Yes, the person we call Jesus was real and he had his faults. It was only later that he was elevated to the status of a Greek god by the pagans who converted to his new religion.
-
ServantOfJudgement
Lawrence, the fig tree was barren.
Jesus approached the tree expecting food because the fig fruits when it grows leaves unlike most fruit trees. The presence of leaves implies the presence of fruit. Jesus found otherwise in his time of need.
This relates directly to this blonde chic with the priest costume. She gives the impression she's providing fruit but upon investigation, she is quite barren.
What an interesting aspect of message of the barren fig tree and a barren false teacher. Both are worthless beyond decoration.
-
Thunder
It seems possible that there was a person named Joshua (aka: Yeshu Ben Stada) living in that era, probably the bastard son of a Roman soldier named Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera from Sidon who served in the Cohors I Sagittariorum and died in Germany (modern Bingerbrück). That was attested by both Jews and Pagans of the following centuries (eg. Talmud, Sefer Toledot Yeshu, Celsus as recorded by Origen in "Contra Celsus" 248 CE), in spite of the Vatican trying to expunge it from their records. However the likelihood that the life of that Joshua bears any resemblance to the fantasy fish tale that's been elaborated for millennia since is basically nil. The Greek name Jesus itself is based on the name Ieso (recuperation) who was one of the famed daughters of the healer hero/god Aesculapius. In terms of his being portrayed as a Pagan God by early Christians, that's true. Some of the earliest original authentic pre-Nicene Christian communities like the Naassenes equated him explicitly with a host of Pagan deities. For example...
Blessed one! Whether you are born of Kronos or Zeus
Or Rhea, I loudly hail thee!
Attis, you are the name at which Rhea hides her face.
You the Assyrians call “thrice-desired Adonis.”
All Egypt calls you “Osiris.”
Greek wisdom calls you “Celestial horn of the Crescent Moon.”
Samothracians call you august “Adamas.”
Haimonians call you “Corybas.”
And Phrygians call you now “Papas,”
Now again “corpse,” “god,” “unfruitful,” “goatherd,”
“Green ear of harvested grain” or “fruitful one” whom the almond bore,
And “pipe-player.”
I shall sing of Attis, son of Rhea!
I shall not rattle with castanets
Nor bellow with the flute
Of the Idaian Curetes.
No, I blend with the Phoeban muse
As I play my lyre—euoi!
Euan! I shall sing of you as Pan, as Bacchus,
As the Shepherd of gleaming white stars!
-- "The Naassenes: Exploring an Early Christian Identity", by Dr. M. David Litwa (p27-28) translated from "Refutation of All Heresies" attribution to Hippolytus of Rome (or Pseudo-Hippolytus) in 222 CE.
-
-
-
-
Mary Haviland
It is my understanding the Bible had stipulations for people who accidentally killed people that they could flee to certain near by cities where they would not be sought down and persecuted for that crime of killing somebody. But these were not for just any and every crime. This was not just because they were illegal. That is a crime that was and is and should be punishable. It is done in purpose. Unlike accidentally killing somebody. And the key words here is accidentally killing somebody. Those cities were not to harbor people who were out right intentional murderers or out right criminals. People who I tended to do the crime.
-
Lori-Ann Neeb
I am not debating whether or not such cities existed. They very well may have existed. All I ever content is that if they did and te Bible documents them that is just one of the few correct historical statements that made inclusion. The bottom line is always the same. The Bible is inaccurate in many places and should never be taken literally. It should be read along with another available texts ans read with an open and inquisitive mind.
It was a book published by the corrupt church in power at the time that had its own human agendas they picked and chose what to include or not then edited that until they had a product that suited them.
As always the truth is that all religions are manmade. Dogma is manmade in all of them. Anything Jesus would or would not have done had to do with spiritualism which comes from the heart and knows right from wrong.-
Lawrence Pearce
As a bible professor and scholar told me, "When you read the bible in the original Hebrew, you find so many problems with the official translations that it will drive you to drinking."
Simplify your life. You will feel closer to God and the Angels in Nature than anywhere else.
-
Theresa C. Marquess
Hi Lawrence, You and I are finally on the same page as we approach this subject. I totally agree with you.
-
-
-
Lawrence Pearce
You are right. The safe cities mentioned in the Torah were for those who accidentally killed someone. They weren't for convicted criminals or those who had invaded the nation like we have seen in the past four years.
Several nations opened their prisons and told the convicted criminals to go invade us. The results have been devastating... more than 300,000 Americans killed by deadly fentanyl and countless victims of criminal gangs from Latin America who should have stayed in prison. Jesus never approved of criminals killing innocent people, so no he would not provide them with shelter. Another reason is that Jesus didn't have a house or a home for himself or his disciples, so he couldn't shelter anyone.
"But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” Matthew 8.20
-
-
Colleen McAllister
I believe that Christ would offer refuge for any who came to Him. Trump and his ilk are as unChristian as they come.
-
Lionheart
Thank you for telling us what you like to believe.
🦁❤️
-
Lawrence Pearce
Christ didn't have any refuge or shelter to offer anyone according to his own words, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests but I have no place to lay my head." Where did you find the Jesus who had a homeless shelter for everyone? because he's not in your bible.
-
-
ServantOfJudgement
I listened the the chick with the blond hair in a priest costume talk at the microphone. She said a bunch of dumb stuff. Said some stupid stuff too. The chic said some nasty stuff. She reminds me of an idiot. Like a proper idiot in the sense of being a complete fool leaving no room for growth into deeper stupidity. She can not become any dumber than she is at this exact moment.
If Jesus were present on earth today, he'd not need a pathetic microphone, nor would he stand and tremble before vile men and women with rancid breath. He'd be above the fields of Megiddo laying waste to mankind's remaining armies filled with those who hate him. That's right, Jesus will be doing his strange work, slaying evil humans.
This bleach blonde chic is not talking about Jesus The Christ. Sounds like she's talking about some big fat dumpy white guy with taco sauce on his chin wearing a belly shirt with high heels that accent his tongue piercing and greasy blue hair.
-
Michael Burton
He was a vulerable person himself, so of coures he would offer sanctuary to others. "in my nhouse are many mansions"
-
Lionheart
Yes but he's put up his own border wall of guidelines and requirements to just get into his house, before you see any mansions, just like USA has. He obviously doesn't just want to let anyone in. Sounds like a good plan to me. He's in tune with President Trump. 🤭
🦁♥️
-
Lawrence Pearce
Jesus didn't have a house or a home for himself, let alone any shelter for anyone else! But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” Mt 8.20
The scripture you quote was when he was claiming "In my FATHER'S house are many rooms." John 14.2 Notice he said in his father's house, not in his house? Big difference!
-
-
John P Maher
OH LORD WON"T YOU BUY ME A MERCEDES BENZ ?
-
Theresa C. Marquess
I hope that he would use common sense before making decisions which would affect the masses.
-
Robert James Ruhnke
Then he died for nothing and your interpretation is a shallow husk worship of a golden calf. He meant all people. Not just some.
-
Theresa C. Marquess
When my Grandparents came to this country in the 1800s, they had to be under the quota to get into this country. My one Grandfather's boat met the quota before he disimbarked, so he was given the choice to go back to the 'old country' or go to South America. Since his wife and children were already here, he chose to go to South America to wait for the quota to open up before he came here. To do things legally is sometimes inconvenient, but it is always worthwhile. Each one of my Grandparents became proud citizens of the United States and took that citizenship very seriously. Don't be a fool Robert, there's always a lot more to people than you give them credit for. In a court it would be said that you 'rush to judgement.'
-
-
Lawrence Pearce
Most Americans wish foreigners would obey our laws and enter the USA the legal way instead of running across the border and then stealing from taxpayers with their demands for free food, free medical care, free hotel rooms and free travel anywhere in the USA.
We all know if they tried to illegally cross into other nations and demand benefits they would be arrested and expelled immediately after spending a few nights in a dirty jail cell
-
-
Robert Louis Rada
What is The Rule of Law? Let it be said, let it be written.
-
Nicholas J Page
Of course he would Jesus help's people in need.Not the greedy ones who want a brand new car or whatever he doesn't work like that.
-
David Arthur Lewis
Christian Nationalist Jesus would not help anyone other than self and immediate family, unless there was money to be made. It's called "Ordo Amoris" and it's a great excuse for cruelty and negligence.
-
Lawrence Pearce
So tell us how many strangers and illegal invaders have you welcomed to stay in your house, eat all of your food and use your car? None? I thought so. When you point a finger at someone else, you'll find 3 fingers are pointing back at you!
-
-
JT Sunrise
Today we must stand with a resolute heart and unwavering conviction as we resist the reemergence of Satanic darkness that plagues society like a sickness and defies the sacred Word of God. In our troubled nation, the cold ICE raids near our churches, the callous exploitation, abuse, and imprisonment of undocumented immigrants, and the relentless assaults on our communities are not mere political or policy missteps—they are deliberate acts of evil, the very work of Satan and the Lawless One, who seek to sow division and despair in humanity.
The Bible speaks unmistakably against these iniquities. In Exodus 22:21, we are commanded, “You shall not oppress a sojourner, for you know the heart of a sojourner.” This ancient mandate reminds us that every stranger is deserving of compassion and dignity. Jesus, our Savior, embraced those shunned by society. In John 8:44, He warns that those who persist in hate and cruelty are “children of the devil,” aligning themselves with darkness rather than the light of truth. And in Matthew 25:35-40, He teaches that every act of mercy—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and sheltering the homeless—is an act of service unto Him.
These timeless truths are echoed in our modern struggles. When policies dehumanize and marginalize, those who follow Satan repeat the playbook of the oppressions of old, evoking recognizable ancient evils. The heartless actions we witness today, from the brutal tearing apart of families to the systemic neglect of the vulnerable, stand in stark contrast to the path of righteousness we know to be true. Jesus came to proclaim liberty to the oppressed (Luke 4:18) and to extend His love to every soul, irrespective of its past or its place of origin.
Let it be known: those who perpetrate hate, discrimination, and violence against humanity are damning themselves to Hell in the eyes of God our creator. Their actions are a defiant rebellion against the divine command to “love thy neighbor” (Matthew 22:39) and a betrayal of the very essence of Christ’s mercy. In a world shadowed by such wickedness, we are called to be beacons of hope, justice, and inclusive love.
Here in Seattle, at Celestial Nexus Church, we reject the darkness and embrace the light. We stand united to dismantle systems of Satanic oppression, building communities where every soul is cherished. With the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11) and the unyielding truth of His Word against evil, we will overcome evil with good. May our collective call for justice and mercy resound powerfully, ensuring that the light of Christ and universal love triumphs over every act of human cruelty.
In faith and righteous resolve, Rev JTSunrise Celestial Nexus Church, Seattle
Of course he would! To think otherwise is to be oblivious to the core message of christianity …
Good Christians are kind of adorable. At heart I support your naive well meaning attitudes, much like those of ॐ chanting newagers who yammer on about unicorns and rainbows while holding their chakra powered yoni eggs aloft.
But in the real world outside the bubble of saccharine platitudes, the experience of Christian charity is characterized by a narcissistic contention that everyone else's belief system is a produce of Satan, and that we're only entitled to charity if willing to be saved (ie. condescendingly indoctrinated with irrational nonsense) in exchange for ill gotten table scraps. Frankly unless very gullible or desperate, I don't think the koolaid (aka: charity) is worth the price of entry. In my experience it really makes no practical difference what the fairy tale character would do or not.
Remember Thunder, when it's unwilling charity it's called taxation.
Of course he would? Really? He told everyone he didn't own a house or a home to shelter himself or anyone else! Tell us how he could provide shelter to anyone when he didn't have shelter or a house of his own??
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” Matthew 8.20 and Luke 9.58