The Right To Protest The Right Way (By Gary Patterson)

 

The Christian Journeyman eZine 

Pastor Gary Patterson 

THE RIGHT TO PROTEST THE RIGHT WAY 

By Gary Patterson - 5/2/2024 

"Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:9) 

 "In America, the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights guarantees the “right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” So, for Christians in America, peaceful protesting is a right guaranteed by our Constitution. Participating in a peaceful protest is not breaking the law. Of course, legality is different than morality. Rioting is always wrong, but is it right for Christians to be involved in peaceful protests? (Should a Christian be involved in protests? GotQuestions-Your Questions, Biblical Answers GotQuestions.org) 

 Along with the right to protest, protected by the U.S. Constitution, is the responsibility to maintain peace in this great nation. America is made up a many nationalities and ethnic groups who have immigrated to this country. Even in the midst of illegal immigration because of our open border, we as a nation are to do as our text says: "judge righteously" There is a lot of antisemitism, not only on the college campuses, but all across this nation. 

 Even though we have our differences, we are still to respect the goal, of being "One Nation Under God." If you read your Bible, you will see that God wants us to be united under Him. (John 17:21) Just as a choir is made up of different parts, the harmony produces a beautiful unity, that will stir our souls. 

Yes, we have the right to protest, peacefully, and "defend the rights of the poor and needy." 1,139 people were killed in the October 7th invasion by Hamas. Israel's war on Gaza which has now killed more than 34,400 people and injured at least 77,500. The Palestinian people have no where to go, in the war between Israel and the militant terrorist group Hamas. And it has been very difficult to get humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. And there are hostages who need to be released. "As of April 2024, 133 hostages remained in captivity in the Gaza Strip, 129 of whom had been abducted on 7 October 2023; the other four hostages having been captured earlier." (Wikipedia) 

Do we have a right to protest, when people are hurting so severely? Yes! But we need to do it peacefully, and respect the lives of others. There is no need for a violent voice! No need for the hate that spills out in the demonstrations. It is good to have a voice heard, and objections plainly spoken. 

A question that I have had, since the protests have broken out on on our college campuses: Why would we jeopardize our education, by being suspended for unruly behavior, and making it rough for colleges to operate in providing an education that would substantiate future careers? 

There are better ways of getting our points of concern across. As our text says: We need to "judge righteously." We need to protest the way that God would have us to. We need to think of how our protest for peace, will benefit all. Not just for some. How can we be the best examples of love and respect, in the midst of attempting to make a difference for our nation, and for the world. GP 

Photo: OpenClipart-Vectors - Free for use under the Pixabay Content License www.pixabay.com