They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,

   saying, ‘Peace, peace’,

   when there is no peace. 

They acted shamefully, they committed abomination;

   yet they were not at all ashamed,

   they did not know how to blush.

Jeremiah 8:11-12 (NRSV)

If you don’t know what a hard week it’s been for folks, you probably haven’t been paying attention.

What’s a justice-focused pastor to do? What are Christians meant to feel? What voice will we raise? I don’t know about you, but I am REELING. I’m angry. I’m frustrated. But I’m also not naive enough to ignore how the world works sometimes.

Murders in Atlanta

At the time of this writing we don’t know the real reason why a white, twenty-one year-old man went on a shooting spree at spas in Atlanta. Six of the victims were Asian Americans, so many assume hate was the primary motive. In quotes from their murderer at the time of his arrest, the perpetrator claimed to be a sex addict who was trying to eliminate the source of his addiction.

This is sickening. There is no justification for choosing to shoot others as a solution to one’s problems. And whether this is determined to be a hate crime against the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community or not, six of them are dead. How can it not be considered a hate crime against the Asian American community? I hear the anger being published around the world right now, and it’s justified.

A Fearfully Rising Tide

AAPI folks, and predominantly women of that group, have been targeted in almost 3800 attacks during the pandemic. Check this paper out for the details.

It’s too much. We don’t need this kind of backsliding on race issues in the United States. We need to do better. We need to understand that God has a concern for all God’s children. We have a covenant with God that extends to all people. We need to stop living by the gun to solve our issues.

Standing with AAPI

This event touches on myriad issues. For today, I think it’s VERY important for Pilgrim Church to tell everyone in the AAPI community that we stand with you and against those who would oppress you. We value your lives, your spirits, and your contributions and we hate the hate you’ve suffered. We will seek to do better.

This is, of course, as much about violence as it is about hate. Many hate (sadly) who do not target that hate through the use of guns to spray bullets on others. We need to find a better way. Political debates rage around this topic, but God has told us clearly enough that we are to live in disagreement EVERY TIME rather than eliminating others to support our views and needs. Visit Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder.” If you have any confusion around his topic.

I’m heartbroken over this event. I hope you are too. Now what will we do about it?