A Teaching Moment

Today, I want to share a story that illuminates why The Path’s principles matter more than ever. It begins with a young woman named Selena Gomez, born in Texas, who dared to show empathy for children being separated from their families. Her tears for others’ suffering sparked an ugly response that teaches us much about the challenges we face.

A failed political candidate and conspiracy theorist named Sam Parker called for her deportation, claiming her Mexican heritage somehow made her less American. His words, though lacking any official authority, represent something deeply troubling in our society – the growing movement of Christian nationalism that twists religious language to justify hatred and exclusion.

Let’s examine this moment through the lens of The Path’s principles, which draw from Jesus’s actual teachings rather than those who would use his name to promote fear and division.

Consider what Jesus taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). When asked “Who is my neighbor?”, Jesus told a story that deliberately challenged his audience’s prejudices. A man lies beaten and robbed on the road. Two religious leaders – people of status and supposed virtue – pass by, choosing to ignore his suffering. But a Samaritan – someone the audience would have considered an outsider, even an enemy – stops to help. This Samaritan bandages the man’s wounds, takes him to safety, and pays for his care, promising to return and cover any additional expenses.

This story’s relevance to our current moment is striking. When Selena Gomez sheds tears for separated families and suffering children, she’s acting like the Samaritan – seeing beyond social boundaries to respond to human suffering with compassion. Meanwhile, those who attack her for this empathy mirror the religious officials who walked past suffering on the other side of the road. They demonstrate exactly what the parable warns against – allowing prejudice and self-righteousness to blind us to our fundamental obligations to each other.

Jesus concluded this parable by asking who was truly a neighbor to the man in need. The answer was simple: “The one who showed mercy.” His command that followed was equally clear: “Go and do likewise.” Not “Go and do likewise, but only for people who look like you” or “Go and do likewise, but first check their immigration status.” Simply “Go and do likewise.” This is the essence of what The Path seeks to preserve – not just the words, but the radical call to see beyond our prejudices and show mercy to all.

This incident reveals the profound disconnect between Christian nationalism and Jesus’s actual teachings. Where Jesus taught “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35), Christian nationalism promotes fear of the stranger. Where Jesus challenged ethnic and religious boundaries, this movement seeks to build walls – both literal and metaphorical.

The irony here is striking. A young woman shows tears of compassion for suffering children, and those claiming to follow Jesus’s teachings respond with threats and mockery. Yet when we look at Matthew 19:14, we find Jesus saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.” His words could not be clearer about our obligations to protect and care for children.

What Parker and others who share his views don’t understand is that their version of Christianity bears no resemblance to Jesus’s radical message of universal compassion. The Path recognizes that Jesus wasn’t teaching us to create exclusive clubs of the supposedly righteous – he was showing us how to break down the barriers that divide humanity.

Selena Gomez’s response to Parker’s threat was telling – she met hatred with humor, threat with grace. In doing so, she demonstrated another core principle of The Path: responding to aggression not with equal hostility but with dignity and strength.

This moment offers us several profound lessons:

First, beware of those who use religion to justify cruelty. Jesus’s teachings were about expanding circles of compassion, not restricting them. When someone claims religious authority while promoting exclusion and hatred, they’ve strayed far from the path Jesus walked.

Second, true strength often shows itself through vulnerability. Gomez’s willingness to show emotion for others’ suffering demonstrates more courage than those who mock such empathy from behind keyboards.

Third, we must recognize that movements like Christian nationalism represent exactly what Jesus spoke against – using religion as a tool for power and exclusion rather than as a path to understanding and compassion.

The Path offers a different way forward. Instead of using faith as a weapon, we use understanding as a bridge. Instead of defining ourselves by who we exclude, we find strength in who we embrace. Instead of twisting ancient wisdom to justify modern prejudices, we apply that wisdom to create more just and compassionate communities.

When you encounter messages of exclusion and hatred, especially those wrapped in religious language, remember this: The Path isn’t about who we push away – it’s about who we draw close. It’s not about building walls but about opening hearts. Not about preserving power but about protecting dignity.

Selena Gomez’s tears for suffering children reflect more of Jesus’s teachings than all the harsh words of those who would use his name to justify cruelty. In choosing which example to follow, The Path’s choice is clear – we stand with those who choose compassion over condemnation, understanding over exclusion, and love over fear.

We will see you on The Path.