As I listen to and read world news, I am disturbed by a furious trend toward punishment as the cure for every societal ill, real or imagined
Recently, for instance, I heard that the small country of Brunei has just passed a law that adulterous and homosexual acts will be punished by stoning to death.
Stoning to death.
In our country, we have a so-called "president" who instituted a policy that directly caused thousands of children to be taken away from their parents and incarcerated in cement-floored holding cells for an indeterminate time, with no plan in place as to how the children and parents would ever be reunited - all because the family came to this country, fleeing poverty and gangs, hoping for a better life.
Their kids were taken from them because, essentially,
their papers were not in order.
Donald Trump claims, falsely, that President Obama did the same thing. He did not. Trump is lying, once again. While the occasional incidental separation of children from parents convicted of serious crimes DID take place during the Obama administration, Trump's "Zero Tolerance Policy," as announced by Jeff Sessions (many videos available of the day he announced it) is what caused a huge uptick in the number of case of children separated from their families - so much so that the incarceration of these children and the conditions under which this was carried out, is a major scandal of this administration, in part because of the THOUSANDS of children and families thus brutalized.
I could write quite a bit about the punitive temperament of Donald Trump, but I just can't bear to let my mind touch him any more than I absolutely have to, other than to say that he and the people he represents form a large block of humans whose orientation tends toward harsh penalties, incarceration, and cruel practices.
I have observed that the people who ignore Christ's preference for the poor, and the Biblical injunctions against the amassing of wealth, are the same people who, with angry hearts, continually castigate the poor and disadvantaged. They are the ones who revel in the punishment of lawbreakers. To them, harsh worldly laws that target the poor and disadvantaged, are more important than the commandments of Jesus and the apostles, despite many of them advertising themselves as the best Christians ever. They are the modern Pharisees.
To combat our cultural tendency toward this harsh punitive orientation, we need to cultivate the love of Christ and advocate for the poor and disadvantaged, just as he and his Biblical forbears did. Resist the political narrative that encourages hatred of desperate immigrants who come here searching for peace, safety, and survival. Resist the lies and obfuscations that would have everyone believe that massive numbers of people are "gaming the system," "faking disability," and illegally obtaining food for their children at our expense.
The Pharisees are using gullible people to advance their agenda, which is to further enrich themselves while feigning religiosity at the same time. In doing so, they are twisting and torturing the Christian faith beyond all recognition.
Try to stay focused on the heart of Christ and his commandments. I recommend meditation on His words. Ignore the countless justifications for cruelty that the Pharisees present to us. Concentrate on the heart of Jesus' message, his continual preference for the poor and disadvantaged, and everything good will flow from there.
May the Lord submerge your heart in His love.
Silver
I could write quite a bit about the punitive temperament of Donald Trump, but I just can't bear to let my mind touch him any more than I absolutely have to, other than to say that he and the people he represents form a large block of humans whose orientation tends toward harsh penalties, incarceration, and cruel practices.
"Sell your possessions and give alms; make yourselves purses
which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no
thief comes near, nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also."
Luke 12:44
It is all smoke and mirrors, sleight of hand, and
the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain; meant to
distract attention from the disobedience of the
modern day Pharisees for whom commerce is
their God.
To combat our cultural tendency toward this harsh punitive orientation, we need to cultivate the love of Christ and advocate for the poor and disadvantaged, just as he and his Biblical forbears did. Resist the political narrative that encourages hatred of desperate immigrants who come here searching for peace, safety, and survival. Resist the lies and obfuscations that would have everyone believe that massive numbers of people are "gaming the system," "faking disability," and illegally obtaining food for their children at our expense.
The Pharisees are using gullible people to advance their agenda, which is to further enrich themselves while feigning religiosity at the same time. In doing so, they are twisting and torturing the Christian faith beyond all recognition.
Try to stay focused on the heart of Christ and his commandments. I recommend meditation on His words. Ignore the countless justifications for cruelty that the Pharisees present to us. Concentrate on the heart of Jesus' message, his continual preference for the poor and disadvantaged, and everything good will flow from there.
"If you wish to be complete, go and sell your
possessions and give to the poor, and you shall
have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
Matthew 19:20
May the Lord submerge your heart in His love.
Silver
Dear Sister,
ReplyDeleteEvery word touches my heart, i too must keep giving because those i give to fall short are we to punish them more? Is the Christian community all about control and judgement?
I am humbled by the words in Matthew 19:20 I want to be complete ...the Stations of the Cross are not an easy journey, but as it is HIS Passion and our Salvation give me my cross each day I will bear it to learn to be like Him.
Your support and encouragement does you credit, Iris. I certainly appreciate it. I wouldn't say that all Christians are about control and judgement, but there DOES seem to be a segment that is particularly harsh. They pay more attention to their concept of a harsh Old Testament God than that which is reflected in the words of Jesus in the New Testament. We must pray for them. Bless you!
DeleteSilver