This is an important question, in a country that is ruled by people who claim to be Christians. In the US, 85% of the population identifies as Christian. Many of these people are reluctant to challenge the Bush administration, even now, because of Bush's self-proclaimed "born-again Christian" identity.
Christians rely on the Bible, especially the gospels, to dictate their understanding of life. In the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25: 32-46, the returning Jesus separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep inherit His kingdom, the goats are sent to eternal punishment. He goes on to describe what defines sheep and goats. To the sheep He says:
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
To the goats:
42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Hurricane Katrina is separating the sheep from the goats. On the sheep side, we see the many volunteers who have flocked to Louisiana to help those left naked, hungry, sick in the wake of the flooding. Camp Casey in Covington is run by the Veterans for Peace, and its main support base is my home area of Mendocino CA. Many of the wonderful people who are devoting themselves to this effort are not Christians, but they are doing what Christ told us to do. He made clear in the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10) that it is not the label or title that a person bears that shows his/her love for neighbor, it is action.
On the goat side, we see the false Christians of the Bush administration, who mouth words of compassion, yet failed to respond to the plight of the hurricane victims until many had died, and many more were ill. Bush is more interested in photo-ops than in charity; he actually had food tables set up for a press interview, and then dismantled without feeding people!
When will the good Christians of this country wake up and heed the words of the Bible? When will they start to notice the goats that masquerade as sheep? When will they say, with Jesus:
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.
The "everlasting fire" stands for the shame of impeachment and conviction for crimes against humanity and abuse of high office. Let's get going!
In the name of the Prince of Peace, Carol Wolman
Carol S. Wolman, MD is a psychiatrist in Northern California. A lifelong peace activist, she is helping to distribute a Peace Plan for the Holy Land- email her for a copy.
As the Green candidate for Congress in California District 1 in '08, she (more...)
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