This weekend, I scrolled down my social media. With a heavy
heart, I learned of the Muslim ban and the heinous, ill-informed “Christians”
who, despite being taught to love your neighbor as yourself, have given their
hearts to a cause that is racist, discriminatory and unjust.
Yes, I am a Christian. When I was too small to reach the
dinner table, I sang “Jesus loves me this I know” hand in hand with fellow
Christians of varying races and backgrounds. As an angsty teen, I participated
in bible studies that taught on the embodiment of virtues such as love, forgiveness and non-discrimination
towards people that are different than us. We all sat around the same circle
studying and magnifying the works of Jesus, who hung out with tax-collectors, thieves,
gentiles, prostitutes and the ill. Yet, those same people have come out to the
forefront supporting the very same values Jesus condemned with all His being
and DIED to reveal to us.
The election has brought out the ugly in all of us, but I
would never imagine that my fellow Christian peers would allow themselves to
fall victim to such hate, violence and bigotry. This is against the very
doctrines of the Christian faith. However, this is not new. Christianity has
been used as the basis for racist, violent, and abhorrent acts since before the
founding of the New World, but it has to end. To those of you who are a little
bit salty (okay, very salty) towards
Christians right now because the majority of vocal Christians have been in
support of horrible things, I understand your sentiments, but please give me
your attention for a moment to clarify some things for you.
Above everything else, if you know nothing else about the
Christian faith, Christianity is about love. Unconditional love. I don’t care
who you are, I don’t care what your beliefs are, what your faith is, what the
color of your skin is, your sexuality, your gender, your political affiliation,
or socioeconomic status- my most IMPORTANT job as a Christian is to love you.
All of you. As a Christian, my responsibility is to treat you how I would treat
myself, because we are one family and one body. My responsibility, as the bible
tells, is to give food to the hungry, shelter to the homeless and help to the
helpless. None of this is conditional. I cannot refuse to help you because you
are Syrian, Muslim, a Republican, a Democrat, transgender, gay, an immigrant,
or just disagree with my beliefs. Jesus didn’t say to only love other
Christians. He didn’t say love those who agree with you. He said love YOUR
NEIGHBOR as yourself. Your neighbor is everyone. “For God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His
only son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting
life.” God so loves THE WORLD!!!!! Jesus was an outcast. He was born into great
poverty and conflict. His life is the reason Christians are supposed to help
the less fortunate, He is the reason we are to love others and He is the reason
we are to condemn hate against one another.
To everyone out there who is afraid, know this. There are
Christians out there who support human rights for everyone. There are
Christians out there who stand for justice for all (not just Americans) and
loving kindness. There are Christians out there who are not discriminatory
because of people’s differences. There are Christians out there who stand with
immigrants, Muslims, Hispanics, homosexuals, and the poor. I am one of them and
I will always stand with you, fight with you, and support you.
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