The Importance of Hospitality

The two cities were filled with sin and evil.  It's true that there was debauchery and sins of indulgence. But their worst sin was turning their backs on the vital tradition of hospitality.  They no longer opened their city and homes to strangers.  They no longer cared for the poor and disadvantaged. They had hardened their hearts to all but their own selfish interests.

When the angels came, only Lot would take them in.  Only Lot and his family practiced the importance of being hospitable.  It angered the other citizens of the city so much, that a mob surrounded Lot's family, demanding that he bring out his guests, so that they could vilify and disrespect them.  Lot was so adamant about the importance of hospitality, that he would rather the mob disrespect his own family members before he would let them disrespect his guests.

And thus sealed the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Jesus believed in hospitality, front and center. When he went form town to town, he and his disciples would depend on the kindness and generosity of those living there to provide food and shelter for himself and his disciples.  He was open to everyone. including all into his flock, even those others had deemed sinners and unworthy.  He just asked that you believe, that you extend love in return.

He saved his wrath for the money-changers and merchants who sullied the temple grounds, attempting to make money off those who tired to worship there.  He constantly contradicted the Pharisees, a group obsessed with exacting rules, and determining who was clean and unclean.  Jesus made it clear.  Rules were not as important as love.  Inclusion was more important than exclusion.

Two states recently, Indiana and Arkansas, stood on the brink of codifying into law protecting acts of in-hospitality. In combating what some may see as sin, they were willing to commit the greater sin.  They would turn their backs on hospitality.  They would choose permitting hate and exclusion over love and inclusion.  And they would do so, astonishingly, in the name of "religious freedom".

As of writing this, both state have backed down somewhat from the precipice, rewriting their laws to be closer the the federal law that passed in the 90s, and more like the religious freedom laws already in place in many states.  I would love to tell you they did it because the response of individuals and/or people of faith made them realize they had made a mistake, but it was really almost exclusively to do with pressure and reaction they got from large corporations, and those who were threatening to withdraw conventions and businesses from their states.  When moneyed interests talk, politicians listen.

And now Georgia stands on the precipice with a similar law being considered by the legislature.  Which route will they go?  Will they emulate the federal law, or will they try to follow the inhospitable path of Indiana and Arkansas?

It is right and good and just to have laws on the books that allow people to follow their religious traditions when they don't impinge on the rights of others.  If someone feels required to wear their hair in such a way that others may not want to approve, unless there is some compelling health or safety reason to do so otherwise, the government should not be able to compel them to conform their hairstyle.  But to deliberately deny others their civil rights, to empower yourself to hate and exclude, particularly in the common marketplace?  I'm not sure what kind of religion actually wants to do that, but I do know this....

It's not Christianity.

Jesus wouldn't stand for it.