Who is my neighbor?

[Bootstrap]

Extreme Republican? If you believe that about me and react to what I post with that assumption then there's no defending what I am trying to say.

Can we all agree that it's really not helpful to imply that someone else is simply incapable of being reasonable? Let's appeal to the best in each other. And the Good Samaritan is not about partisan politics, so can we just drop that whole issue from this thread?

My point is that everyone on the planet is not my neighbor in the sense that Jesus spoke of in the parable, and the point of the parable was to shame the lawyer into being the neighbor he should be. Understanding the scripture in certain ways leads to political action and mixed allegiances. I want us to avoid that and build the Kingdom of God in a tangible discernable way.

I don't think anyone has advocated political action in this thread, but I do think Jesus calls us to action. I agree that he was shaming the lawyer into being the neighbor he should be - but certainly not only to people who aren't Samaritans, good Jews who live next to him and look and practice the same religion in the same way. The thing I have difficulty with is the notion that the parable limits who we should be a neighbor to, limiting it even more than the Jews would have because it now applies only to truly obedient believers.

Surely the fact that this was a Samaritan is important to understanding the parable. I don't yet understand how your interpretation takes this into account.

[Robert]

In my mind, I really wasn't making a political statement at all. So I was surprised and frustrated that both Wayne and Robert seemed to be saying that I was. That frustration might have showed.

Please show me where I did this in this thread.

[Robert]

Wayne and Robert are both extreme republicans

I must appear that way to be titled that way.

I identify as libertarian, not even Libertarian. That would mean I support that party, which I do not. Republicans are slimeballs. Democrats are extreme slimeballs. I voted for neither party for president.

I guess I am not being a very good neighbor to Lester for him to so classify me. I better work on that.

Πορεύου καὶ σὺ ποίει ὁμοίως.
“You go, and do likewise.”

I was hoping you would chime in here and see if what I was told in Seminary by the Greek professor was what you have learned. He was also teaching Intro to NT. I was taking that class, not the Greek class, so he just referenced it quickly. Reason why I remember it so well after so long was the impact it made on my understanding. The "as you go" was not a lazzier fare thing, it was stated as an assumption that you were already going. Like "You are going out to proclaim the Good News" statement. "As you are going, because you ARE going, make disciples" kind of intent. I think this parrallels with what Boot is saying too. Sorry if I did not explain well enough.

[Bootstrap]

In my mind, I really wasn't making a political statement at all. So I was surprised and frustrated that both Wayne and Robert seemed to be saying that I was. That frustration might have showed.

Please show me where I did this in this thread.

If you're not saying that, maybe it's easier to just drop it and return to the Parable? I'm sorry if I misunderstood you.

[Robert]

If you're not saying that, maybe it's easier to just drop it and return to the Parable? I'm sorry if I misunderstood you.

I was not intending to, but might have. My fingers do not always say what my brain is thinking. If I did, please show me. I need to improve.

I AM your neighbor, You gots to be nice to me anyway!!

[Robert]

I could come one step closer to being Lester's neighbor!

http://awm.com/government-will-provide- ... ve-here-2/

[lesterb]

I could come one step closer to being Lester's neighbor!

http://awm.com/government-will-provide- ... ve-here-2/

Cape Breton? Are you kidding? That's twice as far from us as Michigan is! Plus any job you might get in Cape Breton would pay so poorly that you wouldn't even have enough resources to move away again...

[lesterb]

Well, maybe I overstated. But in my opinion libertarians are simply extreme republicans. (Note the lowercase). I was being a bit tongue in cheek but not totally. And Wayne, you did make that remark (in really small print) about political progressives shutting you down, or whatever it was. Somehow your position in this whole debate seemed a bit odd.

Republicans tend to be capitalistic in nature, and capitalism tends to be selfish in nature. Democrats support abortion on demand and the LGBTQ revolution, both of which tend to encourage immorality.

I struggle to see why so many good Christians lean in either direction.

[Josh]

Neither right-wing capitalism nor left-wing socialism (or variants thereof) really encapsulate the kingdom of heaven, and it's a bit foolish to confuse the two.

A tool of rhetoric is to have some political position (such as advocating for unlimited immigration) and then disguise it as the position that good Christians should take, and then attack anyone who isn't in favour of such a political position as not taking Jesus seriously, not being a real Christian, etc. I think that's what myself and Wayne are reacting to. I think Wayne and I both take seriously Jesus' commands to love our neighbour, love our enemies, and so on.

That doesn't mean that we have to agree with unlimited immigration, or expanded migration of refugees, or more specifically that we have to be part of political activism to lobby for expanding those things. When someone tells me I need to do that in order to be a follow of Jesus, I check out.

[Bootstrap]

A tool of rhetoric is to have some political position (such as advocating for unlimited immigration) and then disguise it as the position that good Christians should take, and then attack anyone who isn't in favour of such a political position as not taking Jesus seriously, not being a real Christian, etc. I think that's what myself and Wayne are reacting to.

Since nobody in this thread is saying that's what the parable says, and nobody seems to believe in unlimited migration, could we please stop talking about things nobody is saying, and focus on responding to what people actually are saying? I think that would make it easier to (1) talk about the subject of this thread and (2) talk with each other.

I think Wayne and I both take seriously Jesus' commands to love our neighbour, love our enemies, and so on.

I think so to. And many of us, at least, think that's closely related to what this parable is about.