Every time I see a picture of Attorney General Pam Bondi, she is wearing a chain around her neck with a cross on it. That is a well known, common symbol, for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It suggests that the wearer is a person of faith and a follower of Jesus.
I have such a chain as well, but I only wear it on special days and for special occasions. The cross once belonged to my father, a Christian minister. He gave it to me as it has my teeth marks on it. Apparently, while I was a child, sitting on his lap and beginning to teeth, I would grab his cross and chew on it. So this cross carries other additional associations for me, beyond the traditional. It belonged to a loving father and faithful Christian.
Ive added a hand to my chain as well, a symbol of an organization in Mexico devoted to changing the world to a more loving place, one person at a time. In truth, we never know how our action or inaction might change life as we know it. As we move in our environment and interact with others, or isolate and despair alone, the long-term consequences for good or ill may reveal themselves only after we are long gone. Symbols can carry our hopes and aspirations and remind us to care.
Im wondering about symbols, especially the cross. What does it represent for different people and how does it help define their actions. Does it have any influence on Pam Bondi when she makes a decision not to release all the Epstein files? Am I reminded to act differently with my neighbors when it hangs around my neck?
Earlier this year, Bondi celebrated the first meeting of the White House Religious Liberty Commission, a new entity in the Justice Department, created by executive order of the president, to root out anti-Christian bias. Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast, the president said: Its exciting and inspiring for pretty much any Christian that Bondi will be heading up an anti-Christian bias task force. There have been multiple incidences whereby the culture has come against Christians and what Christians believe. These include homosexual couples suing Christian businesses, attacks on prayer in schools, the woke agenda being forced through the school system and onto students, and that only covers a few things. The mission of this task force will be to immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government, work to fully prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism in our society and to move heaven and earth to defend the rights of Christians and religious believers nationwide.
Youve never had that before, but this is a very powerful document Im signing. Youve got it. Youve got it now, first time youve had it. If we dont have religious liberty, then we dont have a free country. We probably dont even have a country, Trump said.
The first meeting of the newly created Religious Liberty Commission was held in April. It was televised on C-Span. It was held at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. Bondi was the initial presenter. She assured the members that everyone in the country should be able to live out their faith freely without fear.
The problem seems to be that people have different conceptions of the faith, sometimes in contradiction with each other.
For instance, some Christian churches are open and affirming. Their faith does not discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation. Others are openly DEI, believing in diversity of race and class; believing in equality of the sexes, and inclusive of all, even the disabled. The cross around the neck of these Christians does not exclude others, even over cultural issues like abortion or immigration. They arent attacking other Christians, simply promoting their own understanding of the faith.
Most of the organizations in the states that resettle refugees are Christian: Lutheran Social Services, Church World Service, Bethany Christian Services, World Relief. In 2024, most of the 100,034 refugees resettled in the U.S. were Christians. Many were fleeing persecution for their faith in their home countries.
However, the Trump Administration, proclaiming religious liberty on one hand, shuts down the borders to fleeing Christian refugees and cuts off aid to the resettlement agencies. Christian churches are entered by ICE, and people stopped and investigated based on the color of their skin. Christian leaders, like Bishop Budde, are attacked for pleading for mercy for immigrants and LGBTQ people. And Vice President Vance suggests Catholic bishops see immigrants as dollar signs, instead of faithful human beings.
Id like for Bondi, Trump and Vance, and all the other decision-makers in this administration, to have a new addition to the chain around their neck. If they call themselves a Christian and have a cross, Id like them to add a Mexican hand. Id like them to see it as a symbol of extending a hand to immigrants and all the others being demonized, instead of always throwing a fist.
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