Amen. As a resident of Charlotte I have seen this first hand. Saturday they were hanging around an apartment complex that houses many Hispanics. We have a multi-cultural church and all who are undocumented stayed home this past Sunday. Siempra had training at one of our churches here to help people support folk impacted by these masked thugs. They are carrying around rifles that make them look like they are going to war. They have arrested 250 people here in Charlotte and claim that 44 have some criminal record, none were murders or rapists! What a surprise. The people in our city do not know where they have taken their friends or family members. Our children have been afraid to go to school or their parents have been afraid for them. Our Hispanic businesses are either closed or empty of customers. Real world impacts of this immigration over rearch. Just heard they are leaving our city, but ICE remains so we have to remain vigilant. Hopefully our congregants feel safe enough to come back to church on Sunday, if they do indeed leave as the Sheriff has been told they are. We have to stand in the breach for these people just as the French Resistance stood against the Nazis or persons running the underground railroad did back in the days of slavery. At least I think so.
"There is no better, nor no worse, witness for Jesus than the Church"
This was said to me by a friend a long time ago, and I kind-of agree with him – well, at least on the second part of the quote; not quite so much the first!
But seriously, this is a perfect opportunity for the Church to display its witness. Far better than potluck suppers and coffee mornings; far better than evangelism or any other such twaddle. Far better than the old lady in the tweed skirt whose sole purpose in life is to bludgeon people into baking cakes for the church bazaar. I jest. But wouldn't it be great, for them to say Look, these are the people for whom Jesus said 'when you did it unto those, you did it unto Me'?
John, you have said what I feel with every fiber of my being! I am not torn by the stance we should take as compassionate human beings. I am appalled by the ruthless, barbaric tactics being used against primarily hardworking, honest people who have spent decades doing the dangerous and difficult work that Americans refuse to do. These immigrants fled countries to get away from the despots just like the one we now have, because they believed the fiction on the Statue of Liberty. They stood in lines trying to get legal papers only to be delayed time after time. They did not do anything wrong, but the system failed them! I have witnessed a woman with a Ph.D. in engineering trying to get her papers and each year she was denied. As a parent, she volunteered in the schools. Her English was better than mine or that of her Mexican American husband who she assisted. There was no reason for her to be denied other than racism! I have watched white businessmen who gained their wealth on the backs of the very immigrants they are having summarily arrested and deported. There are, however, maga businessmen whose work crews of immigrants are protected from arrest. There is obviously something crooked happening there, because the raids are selective but benefit them only. Their actions are criminal as they arrest anyone with an accent, a Hispanic name, a person who looks like a foreigner, etc.. These masked criminals have picked up children walking to school alone. They have gassed children and their parents at a Halloween parade! The crimes they have committed by arresting people who are legitimately responding to renew their paperwork is outrageous! These horrid ICE "agents" should be the ones under arrest! Those Latinos who covered themselves by ignoring the plight of people ethnically tied to them are finding out that they too are targets, since they can't hide behind that Anglo name they appropriated in marriage and hoped to go unnoticed by stating ,"I'm not one of them," but got audited by the IRS because of their Hisoanic maiden name. Oh judas has more than a few descendants! Shame on them and any of us that continue to allow these injustices to continue!!! It's time to get these criminals out of office and fire or incarcerate their wicked minions!!!
Well stated John. I have been preaching and teaching today's message for most of my life and, specially, during the 32 years of professional ministry as an ordained Lutheran minister in the former A.L.C. and present E.L.C.A. Unfortunately, my experience was that the proverbial people of congregational power (from Bishops to wealthy or well-to-do church members) in EVERY church were VERY pissed off and, at times, outright violent against me and my perceived "politics from the pulpit." My family of 5 and I suffered throughout my 32 years of ministry because I had the "audacity" to preach and teach what Jesus, himself, preached and taught: God's Kingdom ON EARTH engaging the world and its kingdoms.
Today all my adult children disdain the church because of how it treated me and my wife. My wife HATES the institution, one she grew up with in a small town that gave her many memories of comfort and love.
All to say, it is a HUGE ASK you are giving of many ministers who are trying their best to stay faithful to Jesus and his message while not rocking the proverbial boat and putting his/her/them families and feeding and housing (aka survival) at risk!!!
How many people, in ANY walk of life, are willing to DESTROY their ability to have a job, income, to have retirement, health care, a home, feed their children, etc, over today's issues???
I managed to SURVIVE 32 years in the belly of the beast that is the institutional church, a church that is seen, expected and DEMANDED by parishioners (and MOST Bishops) to be an ESCAPE from the "real world," NOT a place of engagement with the world!!! They also, want the church to thrive, grow and make money....LOTS of money! I wish I had a nickle every time I heard from disagreeable and angry Bishops and church members: "The church is a life boat in this world pastor! Have you not read how Jesus calmed the storm in the sea???" Ufda!!!
As you know, The Bible is western history's most abused and misused "book" ever! Why? Because in the book itself is a LOT of disagreeable and conflicting statements and passages and stories. On one page you read God demanding the genocide of a people in Canaan and on another page you have the demand to forgive. You'll find passages and whole letters on how to care for your slave!!! Not even Jesus condemned this inhumane practice!
So, when you ask churches to engage with the world's sin.....how many look at their own book of "holy script" as a SOURCE of that very sin that kills innocent human beings??? Hell, those who owned slaves in the Confederate South QUOTED SCRIPTURE as a basis for owning slaves!!! We literally see today's White Christian Evangelical Nationalist quoting this same book!!! Hello?! Asking for a friend on this one....
Nonetheless, I still have Jesus as one of my North Star heroes (along with Thích Nhất Hạnh, Bonhoeffer, Dr. King Jr., Thomas Merton, etc) of history demanding and living better than the generation before. I still advocate and SHOW UP at events to CHANGE what needs changing. Anything less is COMPLICITY to that which is wreaking havoc on lives in our country and around the world. Unfortunately, I could NEVER get any church member (much less a church) to feel moved by Jesus to "pick up YOUR cross" and engage the world. Never happened. I failed.
I had to medically retire in 2018 because the church work, my doctors and specialist were telling me, was killing my body...literally. STRESS was killing me in the 32 years of trying to be faithful and LIVE the life Jesus called us to. So here I sit reading you and responding from my experience.
Thank you, again, John, for this powerful message. You are a gifted writer. I just wish it could magically find traction and life in the overall institutions we call church. I won't hold my breath. I bet you won't either or you wouldn't be writing this plea in their direction!!! Peace brother.
Thank you! Churches and their leaders are the most effective against the inhumanity of ICE. Please talk your pastor about stepping up to the challenge of spiritual conviction.
Amen. As a resident of Charlotte I have seen this first hand. Saturday they were hanging around an apartment complex that houses many Hispanics. We have a multi-cultural church and all who are undocumented stayed home this past Sunday. Siempra had training at one of our churches here to help people support folk impacted by these masked thugs. They are carrying around rifles that make them look like they are going to war. They have arrested 250 people here in Charlotte and claim that 44 have some criminal record, none were murders or rapists! What a surprise. The people in our city do not know where they have taken their friends or family members. Our children have been afraid to go to school or their parents have been afraid for them. Our Hispanic businesses are either closed or empty of customers. Real world impacts of this immigration over rearch. Just heard they are leaving our city, but ICE remains so we have to remain vigilant. Hopefully our congregants feel safe enough to come back to church on Sunday, if they do indeed leave as the Sheriff has been told they are. We have to stand in the breach for these people just as the French Resistance stood against the Nazis or persons running the underground railroad did back in the days of slavery. At least I think so.
Well said, thank you.
"There is no better, nor no worse, witness for Jesus than the Church"
This was said to me by a friend a long time ago, and I kind-of agree with him – well, at least on the second part of the quote; not quite so much the first!
But seriously, this is a perfect opportunity for the Church to display its witness. Far better than potluck suppers and coffee mornings; far better than evangelism or any other such twaddle. Far better than the old lady in the tweed skirt whose sole purpose in life is to bludgeon people into baking cakes for the church bazaar. I jest. But wouldn't it be great, for them to say Look, these are the people for whom Jesus said 'when you did it unto those, you did it unto Me'?
In central New York the federal government is cancelling naturalization ceremonies! This is a new level of low for people who have done everything legally and are looking forward to overcoming the last barrier to US citizenship. Our Governor, typically, has remained silent. I hope this makes the national news! https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/trump-administration-cancels-citizenship-ceremonies-in-upstate-new-york-claiming-county-courts-dont-meet-legal-requirements/
John, you have said what I feel with every fiber of my being! I am not torn by the stance we should take as compassionate human beings. I am appalled by the ruthless, barbaric tactics being used against primarily hardworking, honest people who have spent decades doing the dangerous and difficult work that Americans refuse to do. These immigrants fled countries to get away from the despots just like the one we now have, because they believed the fiction on the Statue of Liberty. They stood in lines trying to get legal papers only to be delayed time after time. They did not do anything wrong, but the system failed them! I have witnessed a woman with a Ph.D. in engineering trying to get her papers and each year she was denied. As a parent, she volunteered in the schools. Her English was better than mine or that of her Mexican American husband who she assisted. There was no reason for her to be denied other than racism! I have watched white businessmen who gained their wealth on the backs of the very immigrants they are having summarily arrested and deported. There are, however, maga businessmen whose work crews of immigrants are protected from arrest. There is obviously something crooked happening there, because the raids are selective but benefit them only. Their actions are criminal as they arrest anyone with an accent, a Hispanic name, a person who looks like a foreigner, etc.. These masked criminals have picked up children walking to school alone. They have gassed children and their parents at a Halloween parade! The crimes they have committed by arresting people who are legitimately responding to renew their paperwork is outrageous! These horrid ICE "agents" should be the ones under arrest! Those Latinos who covered themselves by ignoring the plight of people ethnically tied to them are finding out that they too are targets, since they can't hide behind that Anglo name they appropriated in marriage and hoped to go unnoticed by stating ,"I'm not one of them," but got audited by the IRS because of their Hisoanic maiden name. Oh judas has more than a few descendants! Shame on them and any of us that continue to allow these injustices to continue!!! It's time to get these criminals out of office and fire or incarcerate their wicked minions!!!
Amen, brother! I live in California’s Central Valley where ICE has made any number of raids. It’s only about intimidation.
Well stated John. I have been preaching and teaching today's message for most of my life and, specially, during the 32 years of professional ministry as an ordained Lutheran minister in the former A.L.C. and present E.L.C.A. Unfortunately, my experience was that the proverbial people of congregational power (from Bishops to wealthy or well-to-do church members) in EVERY church were VERY pissed off and, at times, outright violent against me and my perceived "politics from the pulpit." My family of 5 and I suffered throughout my 32 years of ministry because I had the "audacity" to preach and teach what Jesus, himself, preached and taught: God's Kingdom ON EARTH engaging the world and its kingdoms.
Today all my adult children disdain the church because of how it treated me and my wife. My wife HATES the institution, one she grew up with in a small town that gave her many memories of comfort and love.
All to say, it is a HUGE ASK you are giving of many ministers who are trying their best to stay faithful to Jesus and his message while not rocking the proverbial boat and putting his/her/them families and feeding and housing (aka survival) at risk!!!
How many people, in ANY walk of life, are willing to DESTROY their ability to have a job, income, to have retirement, health care, a home, feed their children, etc, over today's issues???
I managed to SURVIVE 32 years in the belly of the beast that is the institutional church, a church that is seen, expected and DEMANDED by parishioners (and MOST Bishops) to be an ESCAPE from the "real world," NOT a place of engagement with the world!!! They also, want the church to thrive, grow and make money....LOTS of money! I wish I had a nickle every time I heard from disagreeable and angry Bishops and church members: "The church is a life boat in this world pastor! Have you not read how Jesus calmed the storm in the sea???" Ufda!!!
As you know, The Bible is western history's most abused and misused "book" ever! Why? Because in the book itself is a LOT of disagreeable and conflicting statements and passages and stories. On one page you read God demanding the genocide of a people in Canaan and on another page you have the demand to forgive. You'll find passages and whole letters on how to care for your slave!!! Not even Jesus condemned this inhumane practice!
So, when you ask churches to engage with the world's sin.....how many look at their own book of "holy script" as a SOURCE of that very sin that kills innocent human beings??? Hell, those who owned slaves in the Confederate South QUOTED SCRIPTURE as a basis for owning slaves!!! We literally see today's White Christian Evangelical Nationalist quoting this same book!!! Hello?! Asking for a friend on this one....
Nonetheless, I still have Jesus as one of my North Star heroes (along with Thích Nhất Hạnh, Bonhoeffer, Dr. King Jr., Thomas Merton, etc) of history demanding and living better than the generation before. I still advocate and SHOW UP at events to CHANGE what needs changing. Anything less is COMPLICITY to that which is wreaking havoc on lives in our country and around the world. Unfortunately, I could NEVER get any church member (much less a church) to feel moved by Jesus to "pick up YOUR cross" and engage the world. Never happened. I failed.
I had to medically retire in 2018 because the church work, my doctors and specialist were telling me, was killing my body...literally. STRESS was killing me in the 32 years of trying to be faithful and LIVE the life Jesus called us to. So here I sit reading you and responding from my experience.
Thank you, again, John, for this powerful message. You are a gifted writer. I just wish it could magically find traction and life in the overall institutions we call church. I won't hold my breath. I bet you won't either or you wouldn't be writing this plea in their direction!!! Peace brother.
Thank you.
Absolutely 💯
Thank you! Churches and their leaders are the most effective against the inhumanity of ICE. Please talk your pastor about stepping up to the challenge of spiritual conviction.