Just when we thought that Donald Trump couldn't possibly go any further off the deep-end, he surprised us all with his abhorrent plan to ban Muslims from entering the country. There's no need to even address the lunacy of that idea at this moment, because thankfully, at least as of now, he can't actually enforce his bigotry on the world. Thank the heavens.
Now, if Mr Trump was an openly professed white supremacist, I would just put his comments and ideas down to the backward thinking of an admitted racist. The issue is, this "gentleman" claims to be a Presbyterian, which means that he is a very confused man. As are the majority of his supporters.
Living in the D.C. area, we have more than our share of old fashioned gun-toting, anti-Islam Americans. We also have no shortage of debates. I must admit, I often have to contain my laughter when someone tells me that they support Trump, or that we should deport, well, pretty much anyone who isn't white, and in the same breath they tell me that they are a Christian. I hate to break it to you, you're really not. You're actually quite the opposite.
Here's why.
First let me say that I have the absolute and utmost respect for anyone who truly believes in what they preach, and practices their beliefs accordingly. I say this with regards to any and all religions.
The people that I do not respect are those who wish to have society conform to their personal beliefs, and hide behind twisted theology to do so. These people I like to refer to as Sunday Christians. Passionate followers of Christ, when it's convenient.
Sunday Christians are the people who pick and choose the scriptures, scriptures that for the most part are only being used to judge others. Let's take Kim Davis for example, a woman who is so unbelievably religious that she made a huge spectacle about same sex marriage, while all along ignoring her vast amount of sin and sexual impropriety.
Sunday Christians pile criticism on everyone around them while completely ignoring what are probably the two most fundamental messages of the bible, love your neighbor and don't judge them.
The entire purpose of Christianity is to be Christ like and spread his message of love and forgiveness. But somehow one of our front running presidential candidates and his loyal following of "devout" Christians have turned that message into one of disdain and separating ourselves from the needy. That is the opposite of Christ like.
For me, one of the most hypocritical elements of this asinine idea that we should shun refugees because of their religion is that it completely ignores the fact that Jesus himself, and his family, were refugees, from the middle east, fleeing to escape violence and persecution. Sound familiar?
When Jesus was a baby his family had flee Nazareth to seek refuge in Egypt to avoid the violence of King Herod. Thankfully, Trump wasn't running Egypt at the time, otherwise the story would have had a much different ending.
Some will argue that the comparison doesn't apply because they were dealing with Muslim extremism when Jesus was a baby. You should know that Muslim extremism certainly was a factor at the time, and was so 700 years before Jesus was even born.
Others will argue that you can't compare biblical Egypt to modern day America. I ask, why not? When you strip away all of the layers you have something that is very simple and straightforward -- families just trying to find a place where they can live without fear -- a sentiment that is the same now as it always has been and always will be.
If you're reading this and you're angry right now, there's a good chance that you fall into the category of a Sunday Christian. If that is you, I beg you, enough with the hatred and fear mongering. Enough with the stereotyping and labeling.
If you're still not convinced and still think that we should be slamming anyone and everyone who's different than us, I'll leave you with a Bible verse of my own:
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1
So by that virtue, ask yourself, when you get to heaven, would you like to be greeted by a giant wall?