God Doesn't Have Favorites

If you show favoritism, you sin. - James 2:9

The third message on the sermon series of Love and Power took place this past Sunday and Charles Clay and Dave Neumann insightfully led us through this concept of Christian nationalism, along with its origins, history, and what it resembles today.

Many of the defenses of this notion have proven to be quite harmful, and as a result, have caused pain and ruin due to deeming people who are not of this stance as: “others.”

History has proven again and again when the action of othering occurs, it is an act of alienation and rejection. Brené Brown (2018) writes in her article, Dehumanization Always Starts with Language, that “dehumanization is a process.” Brown (2018) unpacks this further:

…Michelle Maiese, the chair of the philosophy department at Emmanuel College, lays it out in a way that makes sense, so I’ll use some of her work here to walk us through it. Maiese defines dehumanization as “the psychological process of demonizing the enemy, making them seem less than human and hence not worthy of humane treatment.” Dehumanizing often starts with creating an enemy image. As we take sides, lose trust, and get angrier and angrier, we not only solidify an idea of our enemy, but also start to lose our ability to listen, communicate, and practice even a modicum of empathy.

Once we see people on “the other side” of a conflict as morally inferior and even dangerous, the conflict starts being framed as good versus evil…

In reflection, how might we be able to collectively influence the deconstruction of these conditioned notions? Who may we be able to be better listeners to? If in the “process,” how might we interrupt that process, pause, and replace that with empathy?

In closing, one of the most inclusionary aspects of every Sunday is to be welcomed at the table. Everyone is welcome. Does someone come to mind that you may invite and welcome in as Jesus did? 

We’ve been in the mountain of war. We’ve been in the mountain of violence. We’ve been in the mountain of hatred long enough. It is necessary to move on now, but only by moving out of this mountain can we move to the promised land of justice and brotherhood and the Kingdom of God.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Temple Israel of Hollywood February 26, 1965

Brown, B. (2018, May 17). Dehumanization always starts with language. Brené Brown. https://brenebrown.com/articles/2018/05/17/dehumanizing-always-starts-with-language/