First Draft Opinion Maker for January 31

 

We live in challenging political times.  Some politicians on either the far corners of the left or the right would want to divide us and other Americans who may not share their personal beliefs.  I must admit that I usually try to ignore divisive political speech because I know what it is meant to do:  stir up emotions that divide and enrage voters to vote in a certain way.

On any given day or month, I may have a different favorite passage in the Bible.  Usually, I consider myself a Matthew 25 Christian.  It is probably because I find these words from that part of the Christian Bible so profound, “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… And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’”

In a March 2020 article in Sojourners magazine, the author a Presbyterian pastor states, “…invoking Matthew 25 is not a strategy to woo or convert the fairly entrenched…, but rather to mobilize around an optimism in the possibility of recuperating some notion of shared American values.”

Shared Americans values.  In these times, perhaps that is a naïve concept, but I don’t think so.  I do think there still are shared American values even if some politicians and certain other leaders would want to distort the truth.  I believe that Americans believe in Democracy, one person, one vote and that Americans support civil rights, religious freedom,  and a desire for a fair and impartial justice system.

However, there is indeed some political speech which I find too poisonous to ignore and simply feel that Matthew 25 requires us to speak out.  In May last year, Congressman Tim Walberg travelled to Uganda and gave a speech at a prayer breakfast attended by the President of that country.  Mr. Walberg represents those of us in Lincoln Township, southern Berrien county and Cass County.  In May according to Newsweek, the president of Uganda signed an Anti-Homosexuality Act which seeks to criminalize homosexuality and includes the possibility of the death penalty for individuals found guilty of "aggravated homosexuality”.

Mr. Walberg’s is quoted as commenting at the meeting “Though the rest of the world is pushing back on (the Ugandan law and) though there are other major countries that are trying to get into you and ultimately change you, stand firm. Stand firm.”  In addition according to Kalamazoo’s WMUK radio, Mr. Walberg cruelly “joked” or said, “If I could decide what I want to be, what gender whatever it is, I'd be a yellow Labrador Retriever.”

Mr. Walberg shame on you.  Your words do not represent shared American values and they certainly do not represent me.  Religious values and faith are important aspects of our humanity.  I have no doubt that you and others have strong beliefs regarding gender identity or homosexuality. I do too.  Mine are found in Matthew 25 and Mark 12:30-31 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

As Americans, we can and do have different beliefs and faiths.  That is one of the beauties of America.  Unlike countries like Iran, we do have freedom of religion established in our Bill of Rights. We all should be thankful for that.  In his book, God and the Gay Christian author Matthew Vines makes compelling arguments from a religious standpoint that there is nothing about being gay that prevents gays from being faithful Christians.  None other than former faith leader Rachel Held Evans in her review of the book says Mr. Vines has a “clear love for Scripture and deep, persistent faith.”

Mr. Walberg, your words were cruel and not shared American values, nor were they my Christian values.  My values call me to forgive you. I hope you can forgive yourself after an apology to all your voters in southern Michigan.