A small town in Iowa, USA saw a climax of immigrant relations in late June of this year.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seized 32 men working in Iowa illegally from South America.

A pastor from church argued this was wrong and then a town local responded that it was also wrong to help criminals.

Bible verses were exchanged and two Godly men debated fiercely with each other for not seeing God’s laws the same way.

The pastor referenced Leviticus “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong… for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.”

In turn, the townsman referenced the Gospel of Mark: “render unto Caesar the thing’s that are Caesar’s” pointing to the fact that it was against the United States’ law to harbour illegal immigrants.

So, who was right? After all, they both had religion on their side.

Christian, Islamic, Hindu, and other holy doctrines are filled with enormous wisdom but when and how is holy word objective? Is it ever objective? Can it be objective in small-town America or anywhere else in the world?

When not focused on the differences between the pastor and the townsman, the similarities are gleaming. Both of them want the best for their fellow people.

The pastor cares for the immigrants and the townsman cares for his country. They are both doing what they know as right. They are both acting out of a love for someone or something.

Now, with so many different religions and so many arguments similarities tend to be overlooked.

Although, from a wider view it is perfectly visible that at the heart of every world religion is love- in some way or form. Different people have different opinions on where or what love is but all good people pursue it.

With this in mind, the pastor and the townsman reflected. “Do unto others what you would want done unto you.”

There is no clear answer on what was the objectively best option for this small town.

Illegal immigrants and refugees everywhere are blotted out by violence and sickness. It is important to imagine the pain they go through and to think what it would be like without a home.

Alternatively, to think of someone who would not accept immigrants into their country as a “villain” is blind.

The townsman from the story worked three jobs and lived paycheck to paycheck, he still wanted the best for his family and tried to fight for them.

Both men were right in their own way. Neither was objectively wrong or right. Perhaps, the only objective truth is Love.

 

Photo by Obed Hernández on Unsplash

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