The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born. You shall love the alien as yourself, for you were once aliens in the land of Egypt. —Leviticus 19.34
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I don’t like Stephen Miller. Not one bit. Maybe Jesus does, but I don’t. No, come to think of it, Jesus doesn’t either.
Jesus was Jewish. Stephen Miller is Jewish. Jesus could not abide those who mistreat the vulnerable. (See last Sunday’s post, “Jesus Ain’t Nice.”) Jesus honored the Torah and the prophets. Miller does not.
My first best friend was Jewish. I met Marvin in the first grade. I knew nothing about Judaism or the “blood libel” or the Holocaust or anti-Semitism. I just knew my best friend was Jewish.
In Sunday school I learned a lot about Judaism—about Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, and the Pharisees. In seminary, I discovered the prophets. Elijah. Isaiah. Amos. Micah. Jonah. I became a great admirer of Judaism.
Christianity is heaven-centric. Judaism is earth-centric. Christians generally can’t wait to get to heaven. Jews can’t wait to get heaven to earth.
The Lord’s prayer is a Jewish prayer.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
I once heard a rabbi summarize Judaism like this: God was at the beginning. God will be at the end. The in-between is up to us. So let’s make this life as wholesome, equitable, peaceful, and beautiful as possible. Do good work. Repair the world.
Love kindness. Act justly. Walk humbly. (Micah 6.8)
That warmed my heart.
No wonder some of the most devout advocates for human rights and social justice in our country have been Jewish: Louis Brandeis, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Elie Wiesel, Bella Abzug, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, Saul Alinsky, Harvey Milk, Gloria Steinem, Norman Lear, Rob Reiner.
Jews were among Martin Luther King’s most generous and devoted supporters.
And then there’s Stephen Miller.
You’d think that after 3,000 years of the oppression, persecution, and deportation of his people, Miller would be among the strongest advocates for human rights, social justice, and compassion.
You’d think he’d never want any population to live under the terror of raids. You’d think his heart would be tender. But alas, his heart is as hard as ole Pharaoh’s.
Someone should tell Mr. Miller:
If you allow the White Christian nationalists to have their way in this country, you will end up on their deportation list. Make America Christian Again doesn’t include the likes of you.
