The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:17-18, NIV)

“…you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.” Jesus (Matthew 15:6)

In talking with other so-called “Christians” who don’t live in Minneapolis or Minnesota about events in my home of the Twin Cities, I have found a disturbing trend among many of them.

Those who support the Trump administration and I.C.E. agent activity – of whom I personally know several – typically begin their responses to me with saying things such as: “Well, I don’t condone all of the tactics of I.C.E., but…”

Then they drone on, giving an apologetic for the murders and violence in Minnesota by blaming the protesters and/or the local leadership, all the while referring to them as “rioters.”

In the last several years, I have personally attempted to remove the word “but” from my vocabulary as much as possible. The reason I do this is that:

The use of “but” in a sentence is a way of invalidating everything that was said in the first part of the statement.

I would conjecture that the reason for even making a prefacing comment before using the word “but” is to try and soften what the person really wants to say and emphasize. In other words, it’s a way of trying to appear somewhat empathetic or compassionate, so that the other person will listen. That’s why I try and no longer use the word “but.”

In the past couple of years, I’ve even began calling out people who use this type of tactic with the word “but.” Instead of getting into an argumentative discussion (which is nearly always what happens when the “but” language is employed), I simply respond to the person, “No ‘buts’ in the urinal,” and ask them to reframe their statement without using the word.

I grew up in the era before public smoking bans. When I was a little kid, I remember smokers being everywhere in public, including restaurants. Typically, there was cigarette smoke just about everywhere – which also created a problem with cigarette butts.

Men’s public bathrooms were notorious for having cigarette butts in the urinals. Public places that had chronic problems with this practice would often put signs above the urinals stating, “NO BUTTS IN THE URINAL.”

Those signs always made me laugh hilariously because, well, I was a little boy and I took the message quite literally. After all, I was in a bathroom! (Even to this day, I laugh out loud anytime I see a sign while driving past a business which says, “Parking In Rear”).

I hope you get my point, as uncouth as it may be. There is no place for using the word “but” in a discussion with anyone, if you intend on simply invalidating what another has said or believes.

So, I have a real problem with the disingenuousness and attempted manipulation of much of the use of the word “but” with “Christians” whose intent is to invalidate my thought and practice of speaking and writing against the presence of I.C.E. in Minnesota, protesting their violence and perpetual lies, and constantly agitating for people to speak and act humanely.

Out of all the Old Testament prophets, perhaps Jeremiah had the worst problem with the “but” people. After all, such persons have always existed throughout history.

The prophet Jeremiah spoke out and against the popular notion that one could worship God and offer the proper sacrifices, but at the same time, do whatever the heck you want to do – including worship of other gods, and giving the shaft to the needy through terrible injustices.

“‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.” (Jeremiah 7:2-8, NIV)

According to the present Trump administration, the prophet Jeremiah would be labeled as a “domestic terrorist” for speaking out against the powers that be, and for prophesying judgment upon them for lying words and sacrilegious ways. He would receive that moniker because, in their understanding, he would be getting in the way of the kingdom’s operations.

As for me, because I have supposedly impeded I.C.E. operations in my own community through both word and action (according to their definition), I and my compassionate peace-loving family fits their understanding of “domestic terrorists,” even though we have done everything according to our limited abilities to practice de-escalation tactics, provide spiritual care to protesters and immigrants, and uphold the words and ways of Jesus, of whom we seek to follow with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

It is high time to dispense with the word “but” in our speech, and embrace the word “and.” I have a few suggestive examples:

“Even though we do not agree, I am sorry this has happened, and I grieve with you over these recent tragic deaths.”

“Although we are at loggerheads with each other, I too, believe that human life is sacred, and I will work toward peace and harmony in my community.”

“Yes, we disagree about many things, and I am here to listen and to seek to understand what you believe and why it is important to you.”

“And tell me more about that…”

“And I care about what happens to all of us in this world.”

“And I love you, despite the fact we aren’t on the same page about this.”

These are statements I long to hear people of faith say to each other… I’m still waiting… and so I’m still presently living with profound sadness in a world in which it is imperative that Christians put love where love is not.

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart – especially those in Minneapolis who are both resident and non-resident – so that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.