A couple weeks ago, my stomach turned when Jeff Sessions made it official: traumatizing immigrant children is now official American policy. When a family comes here illegally, rather than put them in a family detention center as previously done, the children are now ripped from their parents and placed in government care. The idea is to punish the parents by hurting their children.

Currently, an estimated 700 children are separated indefinitely from their parents. An estimated 100 of these children are under the age of 4. The government knows best regarding children? Right now, RIGHT NOW, there are children crying because they want to be with Mom and Dad and don’t know why any of this is happening. And it’s not necessary. The Obama Administration made accommodations to keep families together. Trump could, too. But the President, by all accounts, is the prime advocate for this policy.

THIS is now America?

I’ve been so disgusted, so revolted, that I’ve not even wanted to write about it. The Gospels clearly show how much Jesus loved and valued children, and he had harsh words for those who would harm children. Surely, Jesus is not pleased when he sees America–this country he has richly blessed–cause such distress for the young, innocent, and vulnerable.

Michael Gerson, an evangelical Christian opinion writer–a REAL evangelical, theologically, rather than one of those persons polls describe as “evangelical”–was similarly disgusted, but had no such qualms about putting it in writing.

Gerson wrote: “The debate over a border wall is a policy matter. The separation of children from their parents as a deterrent is a human rights abuse. And the Trump administration, at its highest levels, cannot tell the difference….Our country’s most basic commitment — and its limiting principle — is universal human rights and dignity. This does not prevent the government from enforcing reasonable immigration laws. It does forbid the government from inhumanity in the ENFORCEMENT of immigration laws.”

World Relief, the NAE relief organization with which the United Brethren Church is affiliated, issued a statement saying, “The way we treat asylum-seekers is proof that we can be a nation of laws and a nation of grace. The US government should do everything in its power to keep arriving families together, not separate them.”

For those of you who are inclined to support the President’s policies no matter what, I encourage you to think about this. What does the Bible say? And apart from the rationale you hear from conservative pundits, how do YOU, in your heart as a Christ-follower, really feel about forcing children away from their parents?

The prophet Nathan loved his king, but there came a time when he had to confront him and say, “David, on this, you are wrong.” And there were consequences.