Abhijeet T
Recently in my greater family WhatsApp group there was a flyer posted inviting people to join the protest against the genocide in Gaza. The immediate concern of one of our family member from USA was that "Beware your Visa to come to America would be cancelled." Some of our family members profusely thanked the “Uncle” from America for cautioning them and saving their chance to go to America. It struck me, how many of us Christians are obsessed about going to America than about a longing to go to Heaven. They are more concerned about being right with Donald Trump than our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus clearly mentions in Matt 25 the parable of the sheep and goats, how some Christians are in for the shock of their lives when God will shut the door of heaven on their faces for neglecting the poor and the needy.
The whole world today is aghast and outraged about the genocide unfolding in Gaza. The latest report as per “Guardian” Israel’s own report says about 53,000 people have been killed in Gaza so far. 83 percent of those are civilians. While the whole world, except USA, stands united against Israel condemning the violence, Evangelical Christians around the world fiercely continue to support Israel and have no heart or spare no emotion for the indiscriminate killing in Gaza which includes thousands of women and children.
There is an international and independent medical humanitarian organization called "Doctors without borders." They go into conflict zones and treat provide medical care to the wounded there. They are even active right now in Gaza providing medical care and psychological support to the victims there at the cost of their own lives.
I wonder why Christians can’t be without borders? Why can’t we extent love of God, His compassion care and support towards the victims of Gaza. Why does all our compassion and care is restricted within the borders of Israel – to the jews only and does not extend to people suffering in Gaza . Today we accuse Hindutva people of stirring religious violence. How different are we in endorsing support to Israel in the name of religion? We cry foul when Indians are attacked bcoz of racism in foreign countries but are we not the same when we hurt more when jews are attacked and feel nothing when hundreds of civilians in Gaza are being killed daily.
In the protest that was organized in Mumbai against the Genocide in Gaza, hundreds gathered to show their solidarity and support for Palestinians in Gaza. I could see Fr Frazer Mascaren has and perhaps few Catholics scattered in the crowd, but couldn’t see a single protestant evangelical Christian, there was not a trace of any so-called Evangelical leader from Mumbai there. The organizers of the protest had struggled to get permission from the Bombay high court to hold the protest as the judge just couldn’t understand what the protestors had to do with Gaza when there are so many issues here in our country. Finally, the court did grant the permission. P. Sainath, former Rural Affairs Editor of The Hindu Newspaper, while addressing this said, “the issue of Gaza is not a foreign one, but it is ‘super-local’ for us, because Gaza lives in our hearts.” No person in his right mind and one who has a conscience that is alive will ever look away from the massacre in Gaza and be unaffected.
Who are we and what have become? Are we truly reflecting the heart of God who has made every human being in His image. It seems that we have become so spiritual today that we have ceased being normal human beings.
Eric Clapton wrote a song bemoaning the death of his 4 year old son, "Tears in Heaven." I bet there are tears in heaven today for Gaza and on earth too for all those who condemn the violence in Gaza, extend support towards the victims and protest against this unjust killing. In doing so they keep their conscience alive. But the dead and hardened hearts of Christians have no tears for Gaza!
(For the sake of this article please understand the term “Christians” refers to “Protestant Evangelical Christians”)
The author pastors a Church in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
