Oppression and injustice happen when a person or a group of people is deprived, usually by law or by force, of basic and equal rights that are allotted to others. Often oppression and injustice use categories of people to afflict their damages. For example, our country was founded and built on laws that allowed for the brutal killing and enslavement of blacks and Native Americans, with many laws explicitly benefiting white people by name. This is oppression and injustice. Refugees are oppressed by something going on in their home country that they are fleeing from in order to save their lives. This is often religious or ethnic persecution and is often related to wars or guerrilla warfare dangers. The oppressed are the ones under the boot of those with power. We get less comfortable talking about oppression and injustice when we start looking at the vast inequities in the United States between whites and people of color. It’s a lot easier to talk about oppression of biblical times and the distant past, but much more uneasy when it’s right under our nose and we may or may not even be aware of it or acknowledge it.
Jesus is against the death penalty
When Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth,'” he is quoting Leviticus 24:20 of the Old Testament. This phrase is sandwiched in between Leviticus 24:17, “Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death.” and Leviticus 24:21b, which repeats the line. This is the Old Testament command for the death penalty. Jesus then says but I tell you, and goes on to give a new command that is the exact opposite of the death penalty. You can read it for yourself above.
Racism 101 – First Steps – Defining Racism
Want to take some steps beyond your #GeorgeFloyd social media post but don’t know where to start?
Racism 101 – First Steps – Defining Racism
Challenge to Christians: Give your Coronavirus Stimulus to Someone Who Needs it
This is a simple challenge to Christians who will be receiving stimulus money as a part of the United States Coronavirus Stimulus Package:
If you don’t need the money, give it to someone who does.
Podcast Ep. 9 (or 71), The Poverty Gospel vs. The Prosperity Gospel
Episode 9 compares the “Poverty Gospel” to the “Prosperity Gospel,” two opposites that both end up reflecting legalism. The conversation leads into tackling some very tough words of Jesus, and the ageless debate between faith and works.
An attempt at a fair look at the abortion debate
In an age of all out social war over issues like abortion, this is an attempt at a fair look at the debate. It’s an attempt to not shoot missiles at the other side, hoping the same can be done in return. The debate about abortion hinges around several key disagreements: When is a fetus […]