“Who is my neighbor” is a rhetorical question originating from the parable of the good Samaritan, where Samaritans where the sworn enemies of the Israelites and the Israelite did not want to recognize Samaritans as his neighbor, nor answer the high moral calling of being a good neighbor to all. The correct answer to being a good neighbor is: \u201cThe one who has mercy.\u201d This parable parallels the biblical story of Can and Abel, where, after Cain murdered his brother Abel, Cain deflects God’s inquiry as to where his brother Abel is.\u00a0 The correct answer to the rhetorical question of “Am I my brother’s keeper?” is: “Yes, you are your brother’s keeper.” Unfortunately, in common parlance, each in this pair of rhetorical questions is most often employed as a way to parry responsibility for one another, entirely missing the moral lesson. The intended moral lesson is that we have a deep and abiding responsibility to awe of our brothers and sisters, and our neighbors, which includes our enemies and foreigners in our land. This poem is a tip of the hat to awe of the protesters and resisters who get this moral lesson and protect the human rights of all, including immigrants and our enemies…<\/p>\n
Neighbor\u2019s Keeper<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Are you familiar Go and do like wise…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “Who is my neighbor” is a rhetorical question originating from the parable of the good Samaritan, where Samaritans where the sworn enemies of the Israelites and the Israelite did not want to recognize Samaritans as his neighbor, nor answer the … Continue reading
\nWith the explosive rhetorical device
\nAnd intimate biblical no\u2019ing
\nAs just a quest in
\nAm I my neighbor\u2019s keeper?
\nAre we awe mothers us
\nIn our rejoinder
\nFlooding the street
\nWith a righteous and riotous yea!
\nThat holy yes
\nI am my neighbors\u2019 keeper
\nAnd awe of my neighbors
\nAre keepers<\/p>\n