Homily for Humanity May 4

Diversity is ordained by the Creator...so why do Christians hate it?

My 3 am musings took me to wondering about the great diverse world we live in. It just baffles me that this regime and the MAGA cult, most of whom claim to be Christians, reject the very idea of diversity, let alone equity, inclusion, and accessibility. I guess they don’t read their Bibles anymore than they read the Constitution, or anything else. Why read when you have Hannity to tell you what is truth?

We live in a world that is full of complexity and beauty. Nothing, not even snowflakes are identical! I love that! I grew up on a farm and had the opportunity to see all the wonder that nature provides for us. Every tree, every bush, every blade of grass is different from every other one.

Diversity is Beautiful!

People are the same way. I teach multicultural counseling, it is by far my favorite class to teach. Why, you ask? Because I love watching my students grasp the idea that we are all diverse, not one of us are the same. Even if we grew up in the same household, we are different. And that should be celebrated, not demonized. The importance of understanding that basic fact is key to providing support to people in crisis. We need to approach each individual as just that…an individual. Not a White person, not a Black person, not a gay person. But as an individual human being who is subtly or not so subtly different from every other individual human being.

So, what’s to hate?

I’m going to give you my two cents worth on this. But first, let me tell you how I came to the view I’m going to share. I became a born-again Christian at age 19. I was truly changed by that experience. And I began to read the Bible every day. Devouring it is more accurate.

I had good mentors and a great pastor. I was taught to read the Bible for all it’s worth, but to understand that it is also a historical book. In other words, what is written about has a historical context that we have to take into account when we apply lessons from the Bible. I was taught that to take a verse out of its context was to abuse the Scripture.

Unfortunately, not everyone takes this approach to Scripture. It is easier to just pull a random verse out that seems to fit your mood at the moment, or the agenda you are trying to push and use it like a cudgel. This is not how the Bible, or for that matter, any scripture (Torah, Koran, the Vedas, etc.) should be used.

C. S. Lewis had an insight into God’s character that he brings out in the Chronicles of Narnia. In the final book of that series, The Last Battle, we come upon the end of the world. As the world of Narnia ends, followers of Aslan are swept up into “heaven” - really just a new, and larger version of Narnia. Interestingly, not just followers of Aslan are brought in, but many who did not believe in Aslan, but were devout followers of other gods. I know a lot of people hate the ending of the Chronicles of Narnia, but what I do like is this feature - that everyone is welcome, not because they believed the right words, but because they lived a devoted life.

A Muslim who is devoted to Allah, and lives their life in accordance with the Koran, has as good of a chance of getting into heaven as any other devoted person. I believe, and this is important, that God looks at our hearts, not our creeds. In other words, how we live our lives matters more than if we swear on a Bible or other holy book and live like a devil.

So, why do those who claim to follow Jesus hate? Because rather than looking at a person’s character, too often we look at their creed. Does it sound like the creed I ascribe to? Do they believe like I do? Donald T. claims to be a Christian. Let’s put that to the test shall we? Or do you think he should not be judged? Jesus himself tells us to judge people. There are at least two ways of understanding “to judge.” There is the condemnation understanding. This is what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 7:1-5.

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

You could also say, “Condemn not, that you not be condemned.” When we condemn people, that is when we are judging negatively. However, just a few verses past these comes this:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20.

How do we judge in a right manner? By discernment. We need to use our critical thinking skills to discern between a person who is good and a person who is evil. This is judgement from a positive, and much needed, manner.

Christians were never instructed to follow blindly behind a leader. Loyalty to a particular person does not necessarily make you holy. In fact, this is often what leads to horrible acts of violence, and then we hear the phrase, “I was only doing what I was ordered to do.”

So, what is the fruit of our current president? He violates pretty much everything Jesus taught in the Gospels. Let’s look at this in detail.

After teaching the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12), Jesus went on to comment on his new teaching. In Matthew 5:21-22a we read:

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…

Who here has never been angry? Of course, we are all guilty of feeling anger. In regards to the Donald, his anger runs the country. His anger leads to murder. His anger is what motivates the hateful policies his regime is following. Anger is his fruit.

Moving on, Matthew 5:22b says, whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

How often does the Donald insult people? Like…daily. Hourly maybe? Every time he opens his mouth? When we treat people with disrespect (i.e. mocking a reporter who is disabled, labeling entire groups of people as rapists and murderers, lying about Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s knuckles) these are signs of what is happening inside Trump’s heart. There is no good there and the fruit of his character shows in the manner he treats others.

Then there is this, Matthew 5:27-28, 31: You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart….“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’

I mean…do I need to say more? The man is on his third wife, he credibly cheated on every one of them, and continues to cheat on his current one. His infamous Access Hollywood tape demonstrates his lustful intentions. And yet, his cult members merrily carry on as though this is normal. Nothing about this entire regime is normal.

What about retaliation? Trump loves to retaliate, it’s kind of his signature move. And he always punches down. When you are president of the United States, that is pretty much the only way you can punch.

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. Matthew 5:38-42

Can you even imagine in your wildest dreams Trump turning his cheek? It is not in his nature. He is rotten to the core and his only response to feeling any kind of slight, no matter how large, no matter if it is even imagined, is to hit back doubly hard. This is the fruit of a life lived only for oneself. Trump is not a good person. And I am not condemning him, I am discerning his character, his core nature, as being opposite of a godly person.

Finally, Jesus says this: You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:43-45

Here we see the standard of the Bible and the goal for which Christians should strive. To not just love those who love them, but to love their enemies as well. On a personal level, who is your enemy? Is it the undocumented immigrant who has fled persecution in their homeland, seeking a better life for themselves and their family? Is it the prisoner who is serving time for actually committing a crime? Is it the destitute? Is it the gay man who demonstrates a public display of affection for their boyfriend or husband? Is it the transgender person who feels disoriented in their body because there is a biological part of their brain that does not align with the gender they were assigned at birth?

Those and other enemies we perceive are not to be hated. Jesus commands us to love them. And not from a distance, or with words only. They are to be nurtured and cared for. I wrote about that here:

Hate has no place in our hearts. Regardless of your faith or absence thereof, I would say our best response to that sense of feeling different about someone, that they don’t match up to your version of what is right, is to put aside hate, and love them. Love begins with understanding. Seek to understand why the immigrants have fled their homeland. Seek to understand the prisoner. Seek to understand the gay man or the transgender person.

Unfortunately, it is a lot easier to hate than to love.

Love takes effort. Hate takes a stone.

Love demands that we change. Hate demands that others change on our behalf.

Love makes us examine our hearts. Hate demands only to condemn the unseen hearts of others.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. I Corinthians 13:4-8a

I’ll end on this note. Take from it what you will. I hope you will dwell on it. This is found in the Christian Bible, but it is a universal truth. Love never ends.

Thanks for reading.

Knowledge is Power. Love is Kind.

Greg