Spot on. Saving this. My niece and nephew belong to a woke Anti-Trump church in Florida, of all places. It's a bummer as they didn't used to be like this until after they moved there. They become brainwashed by a another woke pastor that lacks discernment. I think many people must have a cause in life to fight for and they choose to fight for a cause that runs counter to support of their country and offspring. Go figure... 🤔
This reframing of Philippians 1:9-11 around 'love with knowledge and discernment' is sharp. Id never thought about how empathy becomes dangerous when it skips the critical thinkng step. In dealing with policy stuff at work, I've seen how quick emotional reactions often get weaponized to shut down actual problem-solving. The distinction between feeling compassion vs. acting wisely about it feels important rn.
👏👏👏 A tremendous piece by Michael Clary and brought to us by Dr. Martin! Blind love is not Jesus teaches. Discerning love is what he taught us. Love that is rational, love that is informed and love that draws moral boundaries. It’s not Christian to believe lies and propaganda just because your angry or upset about something and want to believe it. It’s not Christian to wish death upon ICE agents. It’s not Christian to call for ICE to abolished. It’s not Christian to believe debunked nonsense. It’s not Christian to be against immigration enforcement. It’s not Christian to be for open borders. Look, I’m a theologically liberal Christian and an Independent moderate who socially liberal. I’m too the left of the rest of Dr. Martin’s audience on immigration. But I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Clary. As a liberal mainline Lutheran I believe in raising the immigration quota, amnesty and a pathway to citizenship for some illegal immigrants, birthright citizenship, and the establishment of a temporary guest worker program. Furthermore, I wish to see ICE reform and change how they operate and for the agents who killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti to be held accountable.
But I also believe that harassing, doxxing, attacking, spitting on, assaulting, and shooting at ICE agents is wrong. That most ICE agents are good people who just want to serve their country. That a nation without borders isn’t a nation. That one should be careful about believing anything they see online and think critically. That companies who hire illegals should be prosecuted. That all welfare benefits for illegals should be abolished. That we need to continue to expand the border wall. That immigration enforcement is extremely important. That we need to not only have compassion for illegal immigrants and their families but also for the families who’s loved ones were murdered by illegal immigrant criminals. That we need to fight the cartels who are agents of the devil. All these things can be true at once. God created a complex world and we as Christians need to do our research, look at the arguments of both sides, be compassionate towards those who disagree, be rational in how we think about this issue, and not give in to the temptation to demonize illegal immigrants or ICE officers. That is what God would want us to do. That is what Jesus would want us to do. Not be driven purely by emotion and partisan propaganda we see on the internet and social media.
Benjamin Cremer needs to resign his position as a pastor and go find another line of work. He is liar and a fraud just trying to drum up attention and money for himself. He clearly never read one word of the Bible. No thanks, I’ll take St. Paul’s word over yours “Pastor” Cremer. On another note, Dr. Martin I wanted to let you know, I left a comment on your post yesterday about ICE written by Daniel McCarthy. I thank God we have men like Michael Clary who remind us of God’s actual words and shields is from these false prophets trying to use the word of God for their own purposes. Don’t listen to charlatans like Cremer or his ilk. Let’s all pray for peace and law and order in Minneapolis! 🙏
Spot on. Saving this. My niece and nephew belong to a woke Anti-Trump church in Florida, of all places. It's a bummer as they didn't used to be like this until after they moved there. They become brainwashed by a another woke pastor that lacks discernment. I think many people must have a cause in life to fight for and they choose to fight for a cause that runs counter to support of their country and offspring. Go figure... 🤔
This reframing of Philippians 1:9-11 around 'love with knowledge and discernment' is sharp. Id never thought about how empathy becomes dangerous when it skips the critical thinkng step. In dealing with policy stuff at work, I've seen how quick emotional reactions often get weaponized to shut down actual problem-solving. The distinction between feeling compassion vs. acting wisely about it feels important rn.
👏👏👏 A tremendous piece by Michael Clary and brought to us by Dr. Martin! Blind love is not Jesus teaches. Discerning love is what he taught us. Love that is rational, love that is informed and love that draws moral boundaries. It’s not Christian to believe lies and propaganda just because your angry or upset about something and want to believe it. It’s not Christian to wish death upon ICE agents. It’s not Christian to call for ICE to abolished. It’s not Christian to believe debunked nonsense. It’s not Christian to be against immigration enforcement. It’s not Christian to be for open borders. Look, I’m a theologically liberal Christian and an Independent moderate who socially liberal. I’m too the left of the rest of Dr. Martin’s audience on immigration. But I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Clary. As a liberal mainline Lutheran I believe in raising the immigration quota, amnesty and a pathway to citizenship for some illegal immigrants, birthright citizenship, and the establishment of a temporary guest worker program. Furthermore, I wish to see ICE reform and change how they operate and for the agents who killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti to be held accountable.
But I also believe that harassing, doxxing, attacking, spitting on, assaulting, and shooting at ICE agents is wrong. That most ICE agents are good people who just want to serve their country. That a nation without borders isn’t a nation. That one should be careful about believing anything they see online and think critically. That companies who hire illegals should be prosecuted. That all welfare benefits for illegals should be abolished. That we need to continue to expand the border wall. That immigration enforcement is extremely important. That we need to not only have compassion for illegal immigrants and their families but also for the families who’s loved ones were murdered by illegal immigrant criminals. That we need to fight the cartels who are agents of the devil. All these things can be true at once. God created a complex world and we as Christians need to do our research, look at the arguments of both sides, be compassionate towards those who disagree, be rational in how we think about this issue, and not give in to the temptation to demonize illegal immigrants or ICE officers. That is what God would want us to do. That is what Jesus would want us to do. Not be driven purely by emotion and partisan propaganda we see on the internet and social media.
Benjamin Cremer needs to resign his position as a pastor and go find another line of work. He is liar and a fraud just trying to drum up attention and money for himself. He clearly never read one word of the Bible. No thanks, I’ll take St. Paul’s word over yours “Pastor” Cremer. On another note, Dr. Martin I wanted to let you know, I left a comment on your post yesterday about ICE written by Daniel McCarthy. I thank God we have men like Michael Clary who remind us of God’s actual words and shields is from these false prophets trying to use the word of God for their own purposes. Don’t listen to charlatans like Cremer or his ilk. Let’s all pray for peace and law and order in Minneapolis! 🙏
Telling: where is compassion for the ICE agents?
Excellent piece! It appropriately called them out with much wisdom and discernment. I hope it stimulates reflection.
Here are some great reads to help you get a good understanding of the immigration debate and help you develop a nuanced view:
• Securing America’s Future: A Blueprint for 21st Century Immigration Reform by Deron Edward Smallcomb
• Whom We Shall Welcome: Italian Americans and Immigration Reform, 1945-1965 by Danielle Battisti
• Dignity Not Citizenship: The Truth About Immigration No One is Telling You by Maria Elvira Salazar
• Immigration Reform: The Corpse That Will Not Die by Charles Kamaski
• The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers by Zeke Hernandez
• Streets of Gold: America’s Untold Story of Immigrant Success by Ran Abramitzky
• Losing Control: How a Left-Right Coalition Blocked Immigration Reform and Provoked the Backlash That Elected Trump by Jerry Kramer
• Overrun: How Joe Biden Unleashed the Greatest Border Crisis in U.S. History by Todd Bensman
• Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America by Michael Luo
• Immigration: An American History by Carl J. Bon Tempo & Hasia R. Diner
• Agent Under Fire: A Murder and a Manifesto by Victor Avila
• Undocumented Lives: The Untold Story of Mexican Migration by Ana Raquel Minian
• Our 50-State Border Crisis: How the Mexican Border Fuels the Drug Epidemic Across America by Howard G. Buffett