Mike Pence Needs to be Born Again, Again

US vice-president Mike Pence was not likely to be in a church which uses the ecumenical lectionary or table of scripture lessons this morning. Pence became an evangelical, "born again" Christian as a young man, apparently to his mother's dismay. Pence wears his faith on his sleeve and seems to feel that Christians are persecuted for their faith convictions in America, a notion which is absurd. 

Mike Pence needed to hear from the book of Amos, the 8th century BC prophet who challenged the hypocrisy of religious, go-to-temple Jews who ignored the plight of the destitute as they praised God. The gospel lesson today is the story of the Good Samaritan, the outsider who lifts a beaten man out of the ditch while supposedly righteous people pass by. 

A couple of days ago Pence visited a Border Patrol facility holding migrants. There were about 400 men in a fenced area meant for half that many. When the detainees saw reporters arrive, many began shouting, saying they had been there for 40 days or more and they were hungry and wanted to brush their teeth. Agents guarding the cages were wearing face masks and the stench was overpowering. 

Those who watched the Veep say he was impassive, as though he wasn't taking in the plight of these men. Later he claimed that they were being treated well, although he changed his tune on this to a degree the next day. 

It would seem that Pence needs to be "born again", again, to have his eyes opened to Christ's powerful reminder that we can't claim to love our neighbours as ourselves yet act as though we don't see or hear the pain of others.

The same applies to all of us as Christians. Read this pointed criticism of the hypocrisy of some Christian leaders who ignore those who are in the ditch next door while they are raising money for efforts elsewhere. 

	Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx)
2019-07-13, 11:02 PM Where are the pastors of the Christian megachurches who raise money from their flock for soul-saving missions to Latin America?  And when they return they tell the congregation how bad things were there and how much good they did. When will you use your voices? This is wrong.