Pages

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

From A New "Reversed Standard Version"?

Because of the fear of Communist infiltration the US turned away thousands of Jewish refugees in he 1930's and 40's.
Much of what I hear from so-called Christians who are against taking in refugees from war-ravaged Syria makes me wonder if they are reading from some completely different version of the Bible.

Here are some examples of what the Bible doesn't say:

"The Lord your God defends the cause of the fatherless and the widows as long as they are proven Christians, but he turns away from strangers and aliens, denying them food, clothing and shelter. In the same way you must reject the alien, even though you once were aliens yourselves." 

"For God is our protection, who has created secure borders and dividing walls meant to keep people of other nations from seeking asylum with us."

"Be wary of offering hospitality to strangers, for in doing so some have entertained terrorists unawares."

Here's what texts like the above really say:

"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt."
- Deuteronomy12:17-19 NRSV

"Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’"
                                                                                                                   - Matthew 25:34-36 NRSV 

"For he is our peace; in his body he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us." 
                                                                                                                       - Ephesians 2:14 NRSV 

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured."
                                                                                                                        - Hebrews 13:2-3 NRSV

No comments:

Post a Comment