Refugees, Tennessee, and Christianity

Sometimes I think I should stop listening to the news. So often it makes me mad, so mad that I want to yell. I’m sure occupants of neighboring cars think there’s something wrong with me when that happens. Occasionally, though, the rage that rises within me can only be described as holy anger.

I think that’s what happened this morning when I heard the report on the Tennessee legislature suing the US Government over the refugee resettlement program. They’re mad that state funds (such as things like education and healthcare) go to help those people. They feel their rights are being oppressed because they have to teach little brown and black kids from other countries with their lovely white money.

 

Now, that’s enough to make me mad, but what caused my righteous indignation this time? It’s when I heard these words:

“This lawsuit is being introduced on behalf of the legislature by the Thomas More Law firm, a Christian firm.”

I did my research and I know what kind of firm Thomas More is. I know they are ideologically driven by their conservative principles more than by their faith. But here’s the thing, that’s the face of Christianity for many in our country.

I’m tired of it.

Stop calling yourself Christian if you are doing the very things that Jesus opposed. You claim to be holy but you oppress minorities through ‘legal’ measures. You claim to follow God but you actively reject the most vulnerable among us. And your only argument is we have to take care of our own first.

Have you not read the scriptures?

Are you not aware of what Jesus said?

“Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you….If you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:42, 47-48)

Did you hear that? Give to anyone who needs. It doesn’t say unless it’s hard. Jesus doesn’t give an out for giving to those people. He even says, “What good are you if you only give to your fellow citizens (brothers and sisters)?” In other words, don’t only give to my people…give to all.

But maybe one passage isn’t enough to convince you. Go back and read Matthew 25:31-46. The way we clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and welcome the stranger and immigrant is the way we are treating Jesus himself.

Or have you heard of the parable of the Good Samaritan? Remember that one where all the good religious leaders were found to be lacking but it was the hated outsider and heretic who was lauded as the example of a good neighbor. Now priests, Levites, and Samaritans may be very foreign concepts. So just replace “good Christian legislator” or “good Christian lawyer” or “well-loved pastor” for the priest and the Levite, and then instead of Samaritan, perhaps read “Muslim refugee from Syria.”

Then you’ll get the gist of what Jesus was saying.

Or maybe I’m being too narrow. After all I’m only quoting Jesus. What about Paul? What about all those Old Testament authors?

Let’s read that passage in Leviticus where it says, “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien.” In other words, don’t greedily take all you have for yourself…give some to the poor and the immigrant.

Or maybe you need to hear the word of judgment from Malachi where he says, “I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.” It seems God has a special place in God’s heart for the oppressed, the workers, and the immigrants.

Or perhaps we need to go back to the New Testament. What about Hebrews 13:2? “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Not only are we to simply let them have what’s left over in our fields, we’re to show them hospitality. We’re to welcome them into our homes and churches! We’re to feed and empower them! This is echoed by Paul in Romans 12, “Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”

It seems to me that Scripture is quite clear on this point. So I have one of two suggestions for the Tennessee Legislature and the Thomas More law firm.

1.) Drop your lawsuit, repent of your ways, and welcome the refugee with open arms.

or.

2.) Stop acting like you’re doing things from a Christian point of view, and stop dragging the name of God through the mud in your unholy war against outsiders.