Can you guess what number I’m thinking of? Hint: it’s not 1. Another hint: it’s the number of Palestinians that have been killed in Gaza since October 7th. If, with this hint, you really have no idea what the number is, it’s a pretty good bet that you don’t consider Palestinians to be as human as you are. And that’s something we need to talk about. The correct answer – according to recent reports – is 40,786. Without a doubt,... Read more
What Israel Supporters Really Mean When They Say “Release The Hostages” by Caitlin Johnstone, reposted from Caitlin’s Newsletter If you’re not on social media, you’ve likely spent ten and a half months blissfully unaware of an extremely freakish but very common phenomenon in which Israel’s supporters respond to images and videos of dead and mutilated children in Gaza by babbling about the Israeli hostages being held there by Hamas. Whenever you see someone sharing raw footage of the most horrific thing imaginable... Read more
On Tuesday, news got out from Gaza of a terrible tragedy. A pair of newborn twins were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Gaza’s healthcare sector has been decimated, and medical supplies are in extremely short supply, so the very fact that a woman in Gaza was able to carry twins to term and give birth to healthy infants is nothing less than miraculous.. But alhamdulillah – thank God – mother and babies were doing fine. (BTW, I’m putting today’s post... Read more
It’s not just Republicans who need a clue. Democrats have renounced their own priorities, and it’s high time we recognize that and make some changes. Democrats on the whole have created a “Palestine exception” to their own cherished principles. The preamble to the 2024 platform states, “Protest is among the highest forms of patriotism.” A great sentiment that prioritizes free speech…except when protesters are calling for a ceasefire or an end to military aid to Israel. “Character is on the... Read more
Short and sweet: Democrats can get this one thing right and save more than our democracy. Climb aboard this train. When Kamala Harris gave pro-Palestine protesters a scolding Ha’aretz reports: A speech in Detroit on Wednesday by Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, was briefly interrupted by a group of pro-Palestinian hecklers, who chanted “Kamala, Kamala, you can’t hide, we won’t vote for genocide.” Harris paused for a moment, saying she believed in democracy and the importance of every... Read more
The topic of Palestine is on the agendas of many Christian organizations lately – and rightly so, if we take seriously Jesus’ mandate to care for “the least of these.” Take a moment to check out these recent stories. If you are uncomfortable with Christian nationalism, you should know that support for Israel – and the destruction of Palestine – looms large in that ideology. Read: Inside Ziklag, the Secret Organization of Wealthy Christians Trying to Sway the Election and... Read more
Remember how Jesus used to single out individuals, especially marginalized individuals, for special blessing? Remember the Samaritan woman, the bleeding woman, the Canaanite woman, the tax collector? Remember “let the little children come to me”? Remember how the heroes in his parables were a Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), a poor beggar covered with sores (Luke 16:19-31), a debtor (Luke 7:40-43), and a tax collector (Luke 18:9–14)? Here are four short, true stories about marginalized people that tell big truths. Stories first,... Read more
It happens every four years: fringe-y voters are told to step in line. “We can’t afford to waste a single vote this time.” “Just vote for X. Endorse your third-party candidate next election cycle.” “This is not the time for making a statement – this is the time for unifying behind X.” This year, the pressure is stronger than ever – because, perhaps, the stakes are higher than ever. Pressure is mounting for Palestinian Americans and their allies – and... Read more
Jesus’ message in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46) is not complicated. It contains no disclaimers, no asterisks, no exemptions: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Jesus was always concerned for the needy and willing to come to their aid. The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) shows clearly that compassion should have no ethnic or religious boundaries. Throughout the Bible, we... Read more
No, really – think about it for a minute. What would you do with $320 million? You can only buy so many cars, take so many exotic vacations, pay off so many credit cards. What would you do with the rest? Especially if you are a person of faith, how would you use that money to be a blessing? House the unhoused in your city? Provide job training for one hundred young men and women? Fund an underperforming public school... Read more
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