{"id":136756,"date":"2018-06-14T19:38:53","date_gmt":"2018-06-15T01:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/?p=136756"},"modified":"2018-06-16T00:07:35","modified_gmt":"2018-06-16T06:07:35","slug":"jeff-session-says-the-bible-supports-trumps-immigrant-family-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2018\/06\/14\/jeff-session-says-the-bible-supports-trumps-immigrant-family-policy.html","title":{"rendered":"Jeff Sessions says the Bible supports Trump’s immigrant family policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well, kinda-sorta, but hearing pious Sessions quoting Scripture to bolster the Trump Administration’s decision to separate all children that are brought across the border by illegal immigrants or<\/i> by families legally<\/i> seeking asylum … well, it’s a pretty grim stretch, not to mention somewhat nauseating.<\/p>\n

My first thought on reading these headlines was that we were going to get some sort of Old Testament horror show about how God told the Israelites that they could steal the children (usually as slaves) of the tribes they conquered (except for the cases where God say they could be out-and-out killed) — and that that<\/i> would be what Sessions was relying upon.<\/p>\n

Nope. It’s less bloody-handed, but even more menacing than that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order,\u201d [Sessions] said. \u201cOrderly and lawful processes are good in themselves and protect the weak and lawful.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Okay, that’s already a dubious argument, but let’s actually look<\/i> at that passage (Romans 13:1-7<\/a>):<\/p>\n

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; 4 for it is God\u2019s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority[a] does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. 6 For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God\u2019s servants, busy with this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is due them\u2014taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So we’ll set aside the Trumpian \/ GOP multi-faceted irony of quoting a passage that also says, “Hey, those taxes? Pay up!”<\/p>\n

Let’s also set aside that this was Paul writing a letter that was readable by any Roman authority, to members of a church in a movement that was already being scowled upon for being a bit dodgy and possibly disloyal to the Empire.<\/p>\n

Instead of all that, let’s look at what this passage basically says: The government was appointed by God, to punish evildoers, so put up with what it does, otherwise God will use it to get you.<\/i><\/p>\n

That sentiment is profoundly un-American. It’s certainly the direct opposite of anything that resembles traditional GOP conservatism. Granted, Sessions is the Attorney General — the chief law enforcement officer (under the President) of the federal government, so one would expect a certain fondness for “OBEY!” as a philosophy.<\/p>\n

Still, it’s a breathtaking defense of governmental authoritarianism, esp. for someone who claims to be Christian, and is a member of a political party most often associated with conservative Christianity, a movement that often rails against actions by the Evil Government.<\/p>\n

Imagine, if you will, if the Obama Administration had devoutly cited Romans 13 as a defense for the laws and policies it<\/i> advanced. “Obama declares Islamist theocracy, claims to rule by divine right” would have been the mildest of responses from the Religious Right and every Republican politician.<\/p>\n

Sessions’ feeble and pernicious defense of his and his boss’ policies about separating children from their families is the height of hypocrisy, and one that should give any American the chills at its sweeping implications (so, any<\/i> legal policy of the government should be considered the dictates of God?). And it reminds me of another quotation<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u275dThe devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
\nAn evil soul producing holy witness
\nIs like a villain with a smiling cheek,
\nA goodly apple rotten at the heart:
\nO, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!\u275e<\/p>\n

— William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet. The Merchant of Venice<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n


\n
\n<\/a>
\nJeff Sessions Cited the Bible to Defend Separating Immigrant Families<\/a><\/span>
\n“I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Original Post<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well, kinda-sorta, but hearing pious Sessions quoting Scripture to bolster the Trump Administration’s decision to separate all children that are brought across the border by illegal immigrants or by families legally seeking asylum … well, it’s a pretty grim stretch, not to mention somewhat nauseating. My first thought on reading these headlines was that we … Continue reading “Jeff Sessions says the Bible supports Trump’s immigrant family policy”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":136788,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[106,10,17,380,110,1071],"tags":[1196,1681,1077],"class_list":["post-136756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-plusposts","category-geopolitical-brouhaha","category-homeland-security","category-nationalism-exceptionalism","category-religious-zanies","category-trump","tag-immigration","tag-scripture","tag-trump"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/jeff-sessions2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":136905,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2018\/09\/05\/trump-claims-he-never-called-insulted-sessions-that-way.html","url_meta":{"origin":136756,"position":0},"title":"Trump claims he never called insulted Sessions THAT way","author":"***Dave","date":"Wed 5-Sep-18 12:21am","format":false,"excerpt":"I can only assume he's afraid he\/the GOP will lose some Southern voters if people actually believe he derided Sessions as a \"dumb Southerner.\" I mean, he's lambasted the AG every other possible way, why not take ownership of this? Trump denies calling Sessions 'mentally retarded,' 'dumb Southerner' President Trump\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":134016,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/08\/01\/its-an-odd-day-when-jeff-sessions-counters-donald-trump.html","url_meta":{"origin":136756,"position":1},"title":"It's an odd day when Jeff Sessions counters Donald Trump","author":"***Dave","date":"Tue 1-Aug-17 11:25pm","format":false,"excerpt":"In speaking to a police conference, Jeff Sessions made a point of informing them that brutality and inappropriate use of force was not only wrong, but would lead to federal prosecution.The comments seemed a pointed response to the \"jokes\" that Donald Trump made a few days ago in a speech\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":132060,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2016\/11\/18\/trump-nominates-alabama-senator-jeff-sessions-as-ag.html","url_meta":{"origin":136756,"position":2},"title":"Trump nominates Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions as AG","author":"***Dave","date":"Fri 18-Nov-16 7:22am","format":false,"excerpt":"The best thing I can say for Jeff Sessions as a nominee for Attorney General is that he's not Rudy Giuliani. The second best is that it would remove a senior GOP leader from the Senate (not that I expect Alabama to flip blue any time soon).That said, there are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":133974,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/07\/27\/even-conservatives-seem-to-be-cooling-on-trump.html","url_meta":{"origin":136756,"position":3},"title":"Even conservatives seem to be cooling on Trump","author":"***Dave","date":"Thu 27-Jul-17 9:39am","format":false,"excerpt":"A collection of right-wing populist opinion about the President's latest shenanigans. They still support his purported agenda -- but mistrust that he does, or that he will follow through with it. And they're getting tired of how Trump makes everything about him and diverts attention from their important issues.Most importantly,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":133853,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/07\/14\/no-grandparents-for-you-promises-jeff-sessions.html","url_meta":{"origin":136756,"position":4},"title":""No Grandparents for You!" promises Jeff Sessions","author":"***Dave","date":"Fri 14-Jul-17 8:23pm","format":false,"excerpt":"A federal judge in Hawaii has ruled that the US government improperly excluded grandparents as \"close\" family members under the Trump Muslim-ish Travel Ban. Attorney General Jeff Sessions says he will appeal back to the Supreme Court. Because grandparents are way, way too dangerous to let into the United States,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":133872,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/07\/17\/the-alabama-senate-race-seems-to-be-about-who-is-trumpier-than-thou.html","url_meta":{"origin":136756,"position":5},"title":"The Alabama Senate race seems to be about Who Is Trumpier-than-Thou","author":"***Dave","date":"Mon 17-Jul-17 11:14am","format":false,"excerpt":"The race among the GOP (since apparently nobody votes Democratic in Alabama) to fill Jeff Sessions' seat is apparently turning into a race as to Who Is The Biggest Trump Fan, who can invoke God more often, and who loves guns possibly even more than they love Donald Trump.It would\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136756"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136756\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":136790,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136756\/revisions\/136790"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}