Islamophobia and Mercy

#mercy #islamophobia #aussievalues #christiannation #gospel #whatjesussaid #bible study

I'm getting very tired of seeing people claiming they're defending "Aussie Values" and acting like bigotry is a value and virtue rather than a vice.

So a few reminders

Jesus started life as a refugee with his parents moving to Egypt to get away from a ruler who was paranoid and megalomaniac slaughtering children.

Jesus reached out to and healed  people who were not Jewish, including Romans, Greeks, Syrians, and others.

Jesus preached about the Good Samaritan who didn't stop to do background security checks on the wounded person by the side of the road but helped him get to a safer location where he could receive medical attention.

Finally tying this back to the classics remember the ancient greek tradition of XENIA hospitality to strangers.

MERCY is a VIRTUE

In the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 20  verses 29 - 34 Jesus stops when two blind men sitting by the roadside cried out HAVE MERCY ON US
The crowd  okhlos rebuked them and tried to silence them but they continued to call for help HAVE MERCY ELEEESON

Notice jesus doesnt just bless them and go on his way he asks them

ti thelete poieesoo humin
what do you want me to do for you ?

Jesus showed mercy by healing them

He didn't post xenophobic rants on Twitter or other social media.

Okay you say I'm sitting on a laptop balanced on my knees posting to a blog.

Teaching however is also a form of ministry and a gift according to Paul.

You don't have to fly over to Syria and volunteer as an aid worker or medical staff and its okay if you don't have much money for donations but at least remind all the xenophobes and haters out there that if Australia is a "Christian nation" then we have to support not just Justice by fighting against ISIS but  also MERCY via practical actions.

Calling on bans on migration is not going to stop ISIS or terrorist actions.

Expressing Mercy by letting in more refugees is or should be an "Aussie value"

ELEEESON HAVE MERCY

on a technical note the 3 eees I typed represent a short e followed by a long vowel which has become I in modern greek.