Where is my neighbor?

[Yes, and]

I would like to start a dialogue by first referring you to an article written by Anthony Esolen and published in the May 2005 edition of Touchstone (“A Journal of Mere Christianity”). The article is titled “Where Went the Neighborhood?” Even if you don't participate in this thread I would still suggest it worth the read. If you do desire to enter into a discussion then after thoughtfully reading it please start by responding to these questions:

• Do you think Esolen accurately depicts the reality of life in most of the US and Canada? (Since he doesn't go beyond these two countries, neither will I. But, if you happen to live in another country and want to participate, by all means...!)

• Do you think that since 2005 the conditions he describes perhaps have gotten more extreme?

• If you do not believe Esolen's depiction is accurate, please tell us why, and where you find this real neighborliness, this community which he suggests is gone from our way of life. Describe in detail your situation and why you think it exists where you live.

• If you believe his depiction is accurate, how does it make you feel? Then, think through ways in which you could act to change things in your own sphere. What would you do? What could you do? Or…Do you believe there's no real point in doing anything about it?

[Neighbor]

Here I am, here I am!

 ..

 .. 

 

[Neighbor]

8 hours ago, Yes, and said:

• Do you think Esolen accurately depicts the reality of life in most of the US and Canada? (Since he doesn't go beyond these two countries, neither will I. But, if you happen to live in another country and want to participate, by all means...!)

• Do you think that since 2005 the conditions he describes perhaps have gotten more extreme?

• If you do not believe Esolen's depiction is accurate, please tell us why, and where you find this real neighborliness, this community which he suggests is gone from our way of life. Describe in detail your situation and why you think it exists where you live.

• If you believe his depiction is accurate, how does it make you feel? Then, think through ways in which you could act to change things in your own sphere. What would you do? What could you do? Or…Do you believe there's no real point in doing anything about it?

 I really  don't get his writing, is it a lament?

At any rate I have two USA neighborhoods,  one quite rural the other definitely citified, and am aware of about three overseas neighborhoods. That  is the limit of my own awareness.

I know and or know of my neighbors in the city. When trouble strikes we work together to repair our neighborhood. Last hurricane  our street was a total mess of oak tree branches, just solid with them. I went out to pick up at my own yard. Noticed my immediate neighhbor's house was in worse condition so I went there,  and started working on his driveway and yard.

Soon as I got started all the other neighbors came over and took care of this one household first, as we knew the owner was out on patrol protecting the city and had been  up for over 36 hours in our behalf. Once we finished his household we all went to the end of the street working together.

We did the whole street piling up oak in six foot tall piles all down one side of the roadway. I being kinda old did get too tired to finish my own house, but the neighbors came right up to my entry and cleared away every bit of debris for me. 

The city came and picked up all our piles of stuff the very next day long before they even began to organize how to pick up  throughout the city. That process took many weeks, but we were cleared and clean because we did act together right off the bat.

At  the mountain digs I am familiar with , very rural, all work together, all say have a blessed day and mean it. As to foreign  lands I only know of a few areas very few and there our own have traveled whenever a need has been shared with us; everything from  providing clean fresh water wells  to drywalling a 8000 SF church facility in one week. I have traveled to Nassau and helped build classrooms there. Others have gone to Haiti and built entire schools, trained up locals to  teach at them and then run them.

I do not see people isolating, not just Christians, but people in general. Is it better or worse then in the past? Can't say, all I know of are  the people that are always active in sharing and caring one for another.

[luigi]

Materialism, which is idolatry, has been and is increasing. This increasing idolatry/materialism is what is shaping the worlds societies into greater lawlessness. I will say, though, that many other countries are not as caught up to the industrialized nations of the world, and are therefore currently less idolatrous than here in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and a few other industrialized nations.

And according to 2 Thessalonians 2, and Revelation 13, we haven't seen anything yet. When the man of sin appears, along with the beasts new world order, idolatry will then run rampant. It'll be considerably more like the days of Noah and the days of Lot.

[jeremiah1five]

Concerning the question "Who is My Neighbor" I read the first couple of paragraphs and stopped. I didn't find it necessary to continue since his identification of "neighbor" was not the true, biblical neighbor as found in Scripture.

Presuming the author was a Gentile Christian, and that you are a Gentile Christian, I would like to share what I found in Scripture and who God has identified and deemed a "neighbor" is. Now, if you are interested in "Who is My Neighbor", then let me take you to Scripture to find God's answer to your question. I am going to proceed, and it is my hope that as a Christian (you) who should be interested in the Word of God and What God says to us from His Word.

First, a little background: After God delivered His people (through covenant) from the bondage of Egypt and destroyed the Egyptian army, close to 4 million Hebrews were being led by God in the desert on His way to fulfill promise and lead His people since He took them out to serve Him. In time God commanded Moses to build a Tabernacle that was to be the same construction as the heavenly Tabernacle. This Moses did. Then God personally and through Moses placed the twelve tribes or people around the Tabernacle. It's been estimated that the children of Israel in 400/430 years had grown population-wise to a great people of about 4 million people. From a mountaintop one could see this great people in the valley down below. Scripture relates exactly where they were located but to shorten what I have to share I'll leave it out but will say Balak and Balaam are involved in finding where God situated His people for the time being.

God instructed Moses in how to "plant" and situate the twelve tribes of people around the Tabernacle. There were three tribes to the north, three tribes to the south, three tribes to the east, and three tribes to the west. Now, the description as to "Who is My Neighbor" is directly tied in God's command to the twelve tribes in "Who to Love." After placing the tribes in their locations as God instructed the LORD gave command to His people which is found in Leviticus 19.

17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.       Leviticus 19:17–18.

Here is the understanding of God's command to His people Israel:

17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother [member of the same tribe] in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour [member of the tribe living next to you on either side and opposite of the Tabernacle], and not suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people [member of any tribe], but thou shalt love thy neighbour [member of the tribe living next to you on either side and opposite the Tabernacle] as thyself: I am the LORD.                                                                                                                           Leviticus 19:17–18.

As you can see a neighbor is a fellow believer or fellow covenant brethren. It cannot be any hard-core, uncircumcised, non-covenant "Gentile" or unbeliever not saved. Concerning hard-core, uncircumcised non-covenant Gentiles, God gave command to Israel of twelve tribes to "not mingle with the Gentiles nor learn their ways." With circumcision as commanded by God to Abraham (which birthed the Hebrew race), and with the giving of the Law to the children of Israel which birthed the Hebrew nation, God placed a middle wall partition between the races of "Jew" and Gentile. God divided His sheep (Israel) from the goats (non-covenant Gentiles.)

In Matthew 5 Jesus says this: (and it must be taken in context to the original command He gave to the children of Israel in the desert around the Tabernacle)

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.  Matthew 5:43–48.

Now, with Jesus' inclusion of the word "enemy" (vs. 43) this is understood in context to somewhat recent Hebrew/Jewish history. After the death of Solomon, the kingdom fractured into two warring camps: Ten tribes to the north identified as the kingdom of Israel, and two tribes to the south identified as the kingdom of Judah. Scripture recounts them as being bitter enemies who went to war several times under different 'kings' of each kingdom. 

Jesus' arrival to Israel as the Lamb of God also brought with Him the not-ready King of the Jews and His words in Matthew 5 is attempt at healing the two tribal kingdoms hatred which was still present and who were still holding animosity towards each other. Jesus did not come to change the Law, but to fulfill. These separated tribes "cursed each other", "hated each other', "despitefully used each other", and "persecuted each other." Jesus' attempts to make them understand that by doing so would make them "children of thy father" which "makes the sun to rise on their evilness and their goodness, " and "sends rain on the just of them as well as the unjust of them. The rest (vss. 46-48) should be understood in this way as well.

Knowing these things above made me to stop reading the author of that article as he was in error on all counts and deviated from Scripture on the question of "Who is My Neighbor."

God identifies Who is My Neighbor to Israel of twelve tribes and commands them to love each other in covenant. The lesson to Gentile Christians should be the same for Jesus Christ did not come to change the Law but to fulfill. Because of the middle wall partition erected by God between covenant Israel and non-covenant Gentiles the command still exists for covenant brethren whether you are saved Israel or saved Gentile. There is a world of distinction between both groups of people and God has made it so. We born-again believers are commanded to not cast our pearls (Scripture) to swine (or non-covenant) people, and to not give that which is holy (such as God's holy love) to dogs (non-covenant people." 

And I want to also add that to do otherwise is to oppose God.

1 John 2:15

James 4:4.

I hope this helps.

[Yes, and]

@Neighbor Since you responded to the actual inquiry, I will be responding to your post in due time, but would like to see if others respond to my inquiry. @luigiYou engaged with my inquiry, but just barely, so no response. @jeremiah1fiveYou utterly dismiss the inquiry and turn it into an opportunity to preach at me, rather than to engage. Whether you are right or wrong in your points is completely irrelevant, but one thing is for sure: by not reading the article, you completely miss what the author is saying, you completely misinterpreted the first 3 paragraphs, and you prove to not be a neighbor to me (a brother in the Lord) in your dismissive approach. So, like you not wanting to waste your time actually listening to what another brother says, I'm not going to waste my time listening to or responding what you had to say. Seems only fair. Grrr.

[Marathoner]

13 hours ago, Yes, and said:

Do you think Esolen accurately depicts the reality of life in most of the US and Canada? (Since he doesn't go beyond these two countries, neither will I. But, if you happen to live in another country and want to participate, by all means...!)

It's an excellent piece. Thank you for sharing that with us. 

I would say the author's depiction is accurate where urban and suburban areas are concerned. I share an experience in common with the author; I spent six years living in Spanish Land Grant country here in New Mexico. The village he describes in the article is remarkably similar to the Land Grant village a mile down the road from where I resided. 
 

13 hours ago, Yes, and said:

Do you think that since 2005 the conditions he describes perhaps have gotten more extreme?

I feel it's no different than conditions extant today. The same alienation was present in 1990. 
 

13 hours ago, Yes, and said:

If you believe his depiction is accurate, how does it make you feel? Then, think through ways in which you could act to change things in your own sphere. What would you do? What could you do? Or…Do you believe there's no real point in doing anything about it?

It's the present reality, my friend. As for what I can do to throw a wrench into the alienation of urban sprawl, I spent time walking the streets. I cleaned up used hypodermic needles... I greeted passersby... I gave water to the thirsty, clothing to those who needed it, and assisted the elderly who had no one looking after them. In this way, locals learned who I was. The gangbangers and dealers ignore my presence. I'm invisible to them. 

It also helps that I work for a transitional housing shelter for the homeless in the same locale. This is the so-called warzone, where 85% of reported violent crime is perpetrated. This is where the Lord sent me after my time in the Land Grants was done. 

[Marathoner]

How to overcome that resident alienation in urban areas? There's no formula for success apart from walking in the Spirit. Hindsight informs me that patience is the key. 

Certain residents took notice of what I was doing, and they eventually emerged from isolation to thank me for this or that. These residents became my "contacts" in the neighborhood, and I would go out of my way to visit with them during my rounds. Through them, I learned about what was going on where this individual or that individual was concerned. The individuals I refer to are the homeless addicts who haunt this area. 

I never ask questions; they volunteer what they know. I'm only interested in spending time with them and their own welfare. Ah, but what I learn benefits the housing shelter where I work greatly, particularly where the safety and well-being of our clients are concerned. By learning who the dealers are --- and observing where they ply their trade --- I'm empowered to serve the best interests of our clients who struggle with addiction to narcotics. In most cases, I know about a relapse before anyone else does. 

[Marathoner]

I'll address some similarities (and differences) between my experiences in the Land Grant village and the author's experience from the article. 

My adopted mother lived far enough away from the village to where only wood cutters were familiar with her and her land. Cutting wood in alpine forests (we were little over 7,000 feet in elevation in the mountains) was a major source of seasonal income to some men and their families. Owing to the Treaty of Hidalgo of 1848 between the U.S. and Mexico (this ended the Mexican American War), the United States recognized the property rights of those who lived in the old Spanish Land Grants. These are the descendants of Spanish settlers who were given land by the Spanish Crown in what was to eventually become New Mexico and thus, they are colloquially known as "heirs." Anyone who can prove Land Grant ancestry is entitled to reside on land occupied by their ancestors. 

They are not subject to property taxes for residential property; the largest families own considerable tracts of land in those mountains. On the surface these people appear to live in poverty but in truth, they are wealthy in shared resources and community. Their communities are bilingual --- everyone speaks Spanish and English --- but they consider themselves separate and distinct from Hispanic people as a whole, calling themselves "Chicanos." They are fiercely patriotic... American flags adorn many of their homes... but they are exceedingly old-fashioned compared to most in the United States. 

Due to a storied history of being victimized by white folks from Santa Fe and Albuquerque hungry for their lands, many families resent outsiders in their midst. They aren't overtly hostile, but I would say "aloof" and "icy" best describes how most approach anyone who is white. Ah, but many view non-related Hispanic people in the same way. "Just because you speak Spanish doesn't make you one of us!", one of the heirs yelled at a Mexican immigrant who occupied a small plot of land adjacent to my adopted mother's ranch. It was a dark side to their way of life to be sure. 

Owing to my appearance spending most of my days working under the sun in those mountains, people from the village believed that I was from one of the reservations... they thought I was native American (I have Native American ancestors on both sides). Native Americans are accepted as a rule by the heirs, so I was never given a second glance whenever I ran errands for my adopted mother. I didn't understand why she wanted me to be the one to deal with the heirs until one afternoon, I witnessed icy stares and loathing directed toward her in one of the larger villages we stopped at on our way back to her land. 

The same people smiled and were friendly toward me. I was greeted warmly wherever I went in the Land Grants. This grieved me, brother. It was wrong!

Let it be said that over time, the largest family in the nearby village spoke for my adopted mother among the heirs. She was a good neighbor and respected their way of life, and their elder --- a man who became my closest friend in the Land Grants --- vouched for her presence. He introduced himself to me after he learned what I was doing. My occupation in looking after a lonely widow impressed this man and in the process, he also became her friend. His family pledged their support whenever we needed it. Fence posts? Need a car towed? Need car repairs? Is someone sick? Want to visit our homes and eat with us? Bueno!

When I became sick and feeble, this family sent an army of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to help my adopted mother cope with the livestock and all of those tasks that I managed when I was healthy and strong. There is a dark side to their way of life to be sure, but this family demonstrated all that was worthy and lovely about life in the Land Grants.  

Edited December 19, 2023 by Marathoner

[Sower]

On 12/18/2023 at 8:28 PM, Yes, and said:

I would like to start a dialogue by first referring you to an article written by Anthony Esolen and published in the May 2005 edition of Touchstone (“A Journal of Mere Christianity”). The article is titled “Where Went the Neighborhood?” Even if you don't participate in this thread I would still suggest it worth the read. If you do desire to enter into a discussion then after thoughtfully reading it please start by responding to these questions:

• Do you think Esolen accurately depicts the reality of life in most of the US and Canada? (Since he doesn't go beyond these two countries, neither will I. But, if you happen to live in another country and want to participate, by all means...!)

• Do you think that since 2005 the conditions he describes perhaps have gotten more extreme?

• If you do not believe Esolen's depiction is accurate, please tell us why, and where you find this real neighborliness, this community which he suggests is gone from our way of life. Describe in detail your situation and why you think it exists where you live.

• If you believe his depiction is accurate, how does it make you feel? Then, think through ways in which you could act to change things in your own sphere. What would you do? What could you do? Or…Do you believe there's no real point in doing anything about it?

 

The article is not about "Who is my neighbor".  It is about “Where Went the Neighborhood?”

I can not say as to the accuracy of Esolen's depiction of all the US/Canada as I only know/aware of my own "neighborhood".
Based upon what little I observe by media, movies, news clips of family violence, conversations of those from other parts of the country, and simple reading/studying articles about current digression nationwide of the basis of God's plan, the family structure, etc, I would say it is obvious the neighbor hood has changed as far as the social intermingling/activities go. It is way less, or non existent. Esolen's depiction to myself is quite accurate, if not liberal. Yes, there are exceptions for sure.

I assume everybody knows the family/neighborhood structure has gone way down hill in years past unless their head is buried in the sand, or do not have kids/family. My barometer started when I was a kid in the fifties, and raising my kids in the seventies. 2005 was the year we were getting grand kids, were still having foster kids at home, and were involved much with neighbors, distant neighbors, still. We lived in the rural country side where families were half mile away. The city has since enveloped our acreage on all four sides. Surrounded. Packed like sardines, and they brought the city and its problems with them, to our friendly neighbor hood in the country. God chastised me for my sinful attitude toward them, revealing to me they only wanted the same environment in the country as God has blessed our family. So since I make every effort to show friendliness to them, (and sow the gospel to this new mission field God supplied me) 

My wife and I remember as kids how we would ride our bikes or walk to the neighborhoods homes to play and come home in the dark and the only worry was a spanking for being home late. Not today. 

"Children who are regularly left without adult supervision during a significant portion of the day, referred to as 'latchkey children', are a growing social phenomenon. The main reason for the rising prevalence of latchkey children is the increase in dual income and single parent families."

No playing in the streets/yards and suspecting every slow moving car/late night walker, knowing a registered molester/monsters lives just a few blocks away. Amber warnings of another missing child.

       FIVE YEAR OLD CHILD!

Yes, since 2005, way more extreme. (Ck out the riots by the youth in inner city neighborhoods during covid)

Our family was home schooled starting in early eighties so mom was with them pretty much 24/7. They were supervised. And did not receive the fearful instructions their own kids (our grand kids) would get about not talking to strangers, being aware,  when they were outside playing. It is a different world today and not for the better, especially for the kids, way less parental supervision/protection. Won't get into what the government run public schools indoctrinate to them beyond parent involvement. Peer pressure of the masses.

By Anthony Esolen;  “Who was a neighbor to the man?” asks Jesus, reversing the scribe’s question. We like to put ourselves in the sandals of the passersby, trusting that we who do not know the names of the people on our own street would take sufficient notice of the man in the ditch to save his life. It does not occur to us that we are the man in the ditch. We are the sinners. We are those who long for immortality but who are destined to die.

We are the wretch who has been robbed and beaten and left for dead. The scribe expects an appeal to his almsgiving; instead, he is instructed in his own weakness, moral and bodily. Do not play the patron, says Jesus. You are the one who needs the neighbor.

And note what the passersby do. Jesus does not simply say that the priest and Levite, the stockbroker and college professor and attorney and other big shots, continue on their journey. These are human beings still, not monsters. They must walk past “on the other side”! They cannot get too close—I mean close enough perhaps to hear his groans—lest whatever important work they are about be deferred. Judge them not so harshly. A lot of children of divorce, for instance, are lying in that same ditch. We human beings have a marvelous capacity for walking on the other side.

And the age old expression, "There goes the neighbor hood."   To create a more united neighborhood is be neighborly.
Take the time/effort to talk to old cranky Mr. Jones. We're all fighting battles others know nothing about, right?

Sure his (Esolen) depiction is reasonably correct to most neighborhoods that I am aware of, and those I see/hear about via reading or on US news etc. I drive around the new neighbors streets around us and seldom see anyone out doors at all, much less kids playing or groups of people together in activity or conversation. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but that I don't see it any more. Most are inside with eyes glued to a screen, any kind of screen. The NEW social neighborhood!

We remember about twenty five yrs back, before the new sub divisions showed up, when a hail storm ravaged our neighborhood. It knocked every single window out of our home, lifted the roof up but not off, garden destroyed, and there was not any leaves on any tree for several miles. Within a few hours, we had a dozen or more neighbors come to our home and our daughters home and help to put plywood over our windows, and stretch a huge tarp over our roof to stop the rain from getting in. We worked in the dark and then went with plywood to others. Our previous neighborhood.