America isn’t a theocracy; there is supposed to be, in the words of Thomas Jefferson, “a wall of separation between church and state”. The Trump administration doesn’t appear to have got that 200-year-old old memo, however, and seems intent on turning the country into Gilead.

On Thursday, Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, used the Bible to defend the Trump administration’s policy of separating migrant children from their families. He told law enforcement officers: “Persons who violate the law of our nation are subject to prosecution. I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order.

“Orderly and lawful processes are good in themselves and protect the weak and lawful.”

At a press conference on Thursday, Sarah Sanders backed Sessions and said: “I can say that it is very biblical to enforce the law. That is actually repeated a number of times throughout the Bible.”

As was quickly pointed out, Romans 13 has also been used to justify slavery in the past. Hitler was also fond of that particular verse. The people using Romans 13 to justify oppressing others apparently didn’t read a little further along to Romans 13:10, where it says: “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

There have been various debates over the years as to how exactly Romans 13 should be interpreted, but the larger point is that no matter how you interpret the bible, it should have absolutely no place in modern law-making. You can, after all, find a bible-verse to justify just about anything, including turning your wife into salt. If the Trump administration does want to cherry-pick from the Bible to justify its policies, however, here are a few extracts it might want to consider:

Exodus 12:49

“The same law applies both to the native-born and to the foreigner residing among you.”

Exodus 22: 21

“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

Deuteronomy 10:17-18

“The Lord your God is the God of all gods and Lord of all lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who doesn’t play favorites and doesn’t take bribes. He enacts justice for orphans and widows, and he loves immigrants, giving them food and clothing.”

Deuteronomy 1:39

“And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad – they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.”

Luke 3:11

“Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

Hebrews 13:2

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”







