Love Thy Neighbor: A Sunday Rally for Christians Against Cruelty

*This event is co-hosted by CCD's Latino Outreach Committee and Woodstock Community Action Network (CAN).*

We are gathering at First Baptist Church Woodstock because it is one of the largest and most influential churches in our region. Its membership and leadership sit inside the Southern Baptist Convention, a denomination whose political influence has fueled far-right Christian nationalism and supported the policies that allow ICE to violate people’s rights with impunity.

But this protest is not only about one church. It is a call to all Christians who believe faith should stand on the side of mercy, justice, and human dignity.

ICE has repeatedly broken the law. Courts have found ICE responsible for unconstitutional stops, unlawful raids, wrongful detentions, and even the detention of United States citizens. The Constitution applies to every person on American soil. Citizenship is not a prerequisite for due process, equal protection, or humane treatment. Even when someone has violated a law, cruelty is wrong. What ICE is doing is not kindness, not justice, and not lawful.

At the same time, thousands gather each Sunday at churches like this one and hear sermons about loving their neighbor while supporting political movements that terrorize immigrants, rip families apart, and disappear people into a system with almost no accountability. That contradiction matters. When religious institutions hold enormous cultural power, their silence or complicity shapes our entire community.

On Sunday from 12 to 1:30 P.M., we will stand on the public sidewalks outside First Baptist Woodstock with signs grounded in the values Christians claim to uphold. “Love thy neighbor.” “Do not oppress the foreigner.” “Due process for all.” “Cruelty is not Christian.” We are here because people in our community are being harmed, and faith without courage is just performance.

This is a fully protected First Amendment protest. All are welcome. Christians, former evangelicals, immigrants, citizens, atheists, pagans, and anyone who knows that ICE’s actions violate both our laws and our basic moral duties. Anti-Christian-nationalist Christians are especially welcome.

Parking and logistics will be sent to those who register.

We are calling on this church and every church to choose compassion over fear, dignity over cruelty, and real discipleship over political allegiance. If you claim to follow Jesus, stand with the people he commanded you to protect.

To learn more about others who are fighting against Christian nationalism, check out this podcast from the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC). In “Respecting Religion,” BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler and General Counsel Holly Hollman discuss religion and the law on the Respecting Religion podcast, including recent developments in the way the government relates to religion and the ongoing work of combating Christian nationalism.

https://bjconline.org/respectingreligion/