A Washington, D.C. building belonging to the United Methodist Church that is located on Capitol Hill has posted a message on their sign reading in part “’I was a stranger, and you tear gassed me.”
A parody of the words of Jesus Christ found in Matthew 25:35, the message came in response to the recent news of border patrol agents using tear gas to stop the migrant caravan from crossing into the United States.
The incident added to the heated debate over the treatment of the migrant caravan, with many criticizing President Donald Trump and Border Patrol for their reaction to the immigrants as they attempted to enter the United States.
The United Methodist Building serves as headquarters for the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society, an agency of the mainline denomination that engages in advocacy.
Warren Gill, spokesperson for the GBCS, provided The Christian Post with a statement on Thursday explaining that the sign sought “to highlight the disconnect between the words of Jesus and the actions of the U.S. government.”
“We have seen the photograph of a mother running away from a tear gas canister with her two children. One of those children is barefoot. I think Jesus was clear. We are called to love our neighbors and protect children. We must welcome the stranger,” stated Gill.
“There were barefooted babies at the U.S.-Mexico border this weekend, and the U.S. government threw tear gas at them. It’s shocking, and it’s immoral.”
Gill explained to CP that GBCS frequently uses their sign to convey messages about current issues and to celebrate seasons. Within the next few days, an Advent message will go up.
“When situations get out of hand, we expect the people with the most power to remain calm and level-headed. That’s not what happened. The use of chemical weapons like tear gas is banned in war,” continued Gill.
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SOURCE: Christian Post, Michael Gryboski
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