Heart of the Moral Issue

Below is my newest piece for Good Faith Media, “Heart of the Moral Issue”.

Heart of the Moral Issue

by Grace Ji-Sun Kim | Aug 30, 2024 | Feature-, Opinion

Stock Photo Illustration (Credit: Ghassan Salem/ Wiki Commons/ Ghassan Salem)

What we do to the least of them is the heart of the issue. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus offers a profound lesson, one that has resonated across centuries and cultures.

He taught, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me… for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me….just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me” (Matthew 25:40-45). 

This is not merely a call to charity, but a moral imperative to stand with the oppressed and marginalized. It is a reminder that the measure of our humanity lies in how we treat those who suffer the most. In current affairs, the people of Gaza embody the “least of them” and their plight demands our urgent attention and action.

Gaza holds a unique place in the tapestry of human history. It is a land steeped in ancient significance, a crossroads of cultures and religions and tragically, a site of ongoing suffering. 

The parallels between the persecution of the Palestinians today and the historical persecution of the Jewish people are stark. Ancient injustices reverberate through the streets of Gaza and through the Israeli and American people, where the descendants of those once oppressed now find themselves as oppressors. The irony is profound: a people who have endured centuries of displacement, violence and genocide are now implicated in a cycle of violence against another group, driven by a contest over what both deem as “holy land.”

This cycle of violence is not just a political or territorial conflict but a moral crisis of international, generational significance. The ongoing genocide, rape, and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza are not isolated incidents but symptomatic of a broader struggle for justice.

The screams of innocent sufferers, the devastation of grieving parents, and the pleas of those who have lost everything resonate as a haunting reminder of humanity’s capacity for cruelty. As we witness this tragedy unfold in real-time, we must turn our gaze inward to consider how such a calamity has escalated and examine the formidable role of contributing global powers such as the United States.

In the current American political climate, issues like free speech and identity politics have taken center stage, often at the expense of substantive action. As the presidential election approaches, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has pledged to continue supporting and funding the war in Gaza, prioritizing political expediency over moral righteousness. 

This is a grave moral failure. The preoccupation with identity in the West, while important in its own right, must not overshadow the urgent need to address the mass slaughter and unfathomable suffering of the Palestinian people.

Dr. Munther Isaac, a Palestinian scholar and minister, poignantly observes that “Gaza has become the moral compass of the world.” Indeed, Gaza is a mirror reflecting our collective failure over the past 76 years to stand up for justice. The world’s inaction has allowed this suffering to continue and as we approach another U.S. election, the stakes could not be higher.

We must challenge the dominant narratives that uphold systems of whiteness, empire and domination. The theology that has supported these systems needs to be re-examined.

Jesus himself spoke against the empire and consistently sided with the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. Today, that means standing with the people of Gaza. It means recognizing that the Palestinian child orphaned by a bomb is as much a reflection of Jesus as any other.

This is not just a call to Christians but to all people of conscience. We cannot allow another day of genocide to pass. 

The time for moral action is now. We must demand our leaders make the right choice, not just for Gaza, but for the soul of humanity itself.

**Read my other piece for Good Faith Media, “Starve Gaza” is Not an Option”.

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1.Join me for an online book discussion of When God Became White. It is free but you must register.

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