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On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
One of the most famous parables in the bible. I'm not religious, but I always find this story so useful.
In order to understand it, we have to remember who the 'Samaritans' were to the audience here. They were one of the most hated, mis-trusted groups.
I'm pretty sure that every group or community or nation of peoples have their own version of 'Samaritans', not matter how 'enlightened' they are. It seems to be an integral part of human social dynamics. A group is always defined by what it is 'not'. From my own experience, in Ireland and the U.K., for example, often Muslims are the mis-trusted group. In Ireland, specifically, it's also the Irish Traveller community. The list of groups/identities we mis-trust or see as enemies is endless.
So, when thinking of the good Samaritan story, it's helpful to imagine the Samaritan being someone who you are instinctively wary of. For me, maybe it's right-wing groups in America, or TERFs.
Anyway, the point it that, if I were to fall and become injured, and another Irish person, or a communist, or even my father, without recognising me, all passed me by and avoided me, but then a TERF stopped to help me, then, my real 'neighbour' is the TERF.
And, of course, vice-versa, I am only a good 'neighbour' when I can reach out an help a fellow human, not matter who they are or what they stand for.
It's a pretty big ask in these days of identity politics, but its exactly why I try to remember this story all the time. It helps me look beneath 'identity' to something more fundamental - neighbourliness.