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“Christian nationalists walk around with a mouth full of scripture and a heart full of hate,” said the Texas State Representative, James Talarico.

“Don’t tell me what you believe; show me how you treat other people, and I’ll tell you what you believe,” were his exact words, followed thereafter.

Love your neighbor means love everyone, not just Christians

Talarico explained, “Jesus didn’t tell us to love our churches; he didn’t tell us to love our doctrines and our creeds; he didn’t even tell us to love our scriptures. He told us to love our neighbors. And there was no exception to that commandment:

Love thy neighbor regardless of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, or immigration status.”

He further added a quote from one of his favorite theologians, Barbara Brown Taylor, who once wrote:

“The only clear line I draw these days is this: when my religion tries to come between me and my neighbor, I will choose my neighbor. Jesus never commanded me to love my religion.”

Talarico then emphasized the above quote by saying, “You know what’s interesting? 

Not once in the entire Bible does Jesus ask us to worship him. All he asks is that we follow him; love [as] he loved, love the outcast, welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, heal the sick, free the oppressed.

As the hymn says, ‘They will know we are Christians by our love.’ We have to get back to that.”

You can hear these words directly from the man himself in the video below (tap the unmute icon if you can’t hear it):

@jamestalarico

♬ original sound - James Talarico

Compassionate message to both Christians and non-Christians

It’s always commendable when people can live by these principles and practice what they preach, because it is indeed true that actions do speak louder than words.

It’s a noble and compassionate message of wisdom from Talarico for people of all religions to take heed and live by as well.

 

True nature of good and bad in people

Good people are inherently good. They complement the religion they represent, even when they don’t need religion to tell them how to be good. That’s just their true nature. They’re wired that way. They can’t change that to become bad in the general sense of their personality.

Similarly…

Bad people are inherently bad. They contrast the religion they represent, even when religion tells them how to be good. That’s just their true nature. They’re wired that way. They can’t change that to become good in the general sense of their personality.

 

Example: Community Helpers

Just as with community helpers such as doctors, some are noble while others are corrupt, regardless of the ethical standards taught or the moral oath they are required to swear by.

Bad doctors are only forced to appear good, pressured by law, although laws, such as ethics and oaths, can never change their true nature. They will still manipulate the system every chance they get to benefit themselves while making others believe otherwise.

 

When religion becomes a dangerous cult

Similarly, religion becomes a dangerous cult when followers of a particular faith or belief see what’s good in it as bad and what’s bad in it as good.

Religious scriptures can also become a dangerous weapon of mass destruction when they are subjected to harmful misinterpretation and manipulation by twisted religious leaders.

The effect is the same for innocent followers who trust their religious leaders, who, though appearing kind and trustworthy, claim to hear “voices” from God telling them to do something harmful for the “greater good” out of blind faith.

While some sincerely believe a supernatural being is talking to them, offering comfort or emotional support, it’s probably nothing to worry about if no harm comes of it. 

However, in cases where people start to believe a supernatural being is commanding them to perform harmful acts of violence (but in their minds, it’s actually a noble act of “cleansing” the sin of others), then we have a serious problem.

Such individuals are very likely to suffer from delusions, hallucinations and thought disorder such as schizophrenia or psychosis without even realizing their need to seek urgent medical/mental health help from a certified professional psychiatrist.

And there’s really no shame in getting help. It’s the most intelligent and wise thing to do to keep us safe from harming ourselves and those around us.

With that, I leave you with this quote of wisdom by an anonymous author, who reminds us all not to forget that how we treat each other reflects our humanity more than how we practice and defend our beliefs:

“You don’t need religion to have morals. If you can’t determine right from wrong, then you lack empathy, not religion.”

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