There have been two events recently that I want to comment on. Things such as this are happening more and more frequently. I can’t comment on them all, and as this blog has just started, I have to start somewhere. So here goes…
The ban of incoming Muslim immigrants has been likened to the internment of Japanese citizens during WWII. Amazingly, some people and media are keeping the two separate, as they are separate issues. The one is banning people from entering the USA. The other is rounding up and interring people, citizens included, that already live in the USA. (One of the problems here is that both occurred at the same time during WWII, so some people apparently can’t separate the two issues.) To liken the one to the other is a deliberate flaming of emotions to get a response. It is the exact type of thing targeted by these words from God,
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16 – ESV)
Whenever we deliberately twist facts to emphasize the point we want to make, it is the same as bearing false witness. We need to watch our speech!
The other incident is in the backlash of where the Red Hen restaurant asked the White House press secretary to leave. She was there with family members.
In the backlash a certain senator from California, a democrat, is calling for people to rise up and protest against them directly. (Do note, however, that many other Democrats publicly disagreed with her). Her call to protest is surprising as there are still many incidents of people being refused service for one reason or another, or people refusing to serve. The incident of the baker refusing to make a special order wedding cake for a gay couple comes to mind.
Aside from the fact that the senator’s call for protest brings to my memory the ugly, and occasionally violent protests from Democrats against Republicans that were happening when President Trump was campaigning and shortly after he was elected, her call is screaming hypocrisy. It is sad when such a leader in the congress and on the political stage makes such a comment. It also brings up into light the whole question, again, as to when we, as citizens, can refuse to deal with particular people or groups based on our beliefs. Courts have ruled several times that public companies must serve people irregardless of lifestyle. Does this extend to ones political belief? According to the California senator, not only does it not extend to one’s political belief, but violence is okay when going after those of the opposing political belief.
We are called to pray for, and obey, our Government. We can protest – that is a right in this country. But we need to be careful to not step over the line and not commit murder (which, when Yeshua (Jesus) explained, includes even calling one another names – see the sermon on the mount in Matthew chapters 5 to 7), and not bear false witness.
Believers in this country need to repent on behalf of their country and pray for peace in our country. More then that, we need to start paying attention to both the commandments, “do not bear false witness”, and Yeshua’s words in Matthew 5:22, “whoever insults his brother will be liable to judgement.”
