# Love the Stranger as thyself -Or not-? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 11, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014 "2014-10-11T01:12:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tooldtocare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@tooldtocare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tooldtocare)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/1 "2014-10-11T01:12:06Z")
STRANGER—The term “ **stranger** ” is mentioned 123 times in the Holy Bible (Mal 3:5 KJV) _And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the **stranger** from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts._ (Jer 14:8 KJV) _O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a **stranger** in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?_ (Ezek 14:7 KJV) _For every one of the house of Israel, or of the **stranger** that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:_ (Deu 1:16 KJV) \* And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the **stranger** that is with him.\* (Deu 10:19 KJV) _Love ye therefore the **stranger** : for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt._ (Deu 24:19 KJV)\* When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the **stranger** , for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.\* (Deu 24:20 KJV) _When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the **stranger** , for the fatherless, and for the widow._ (Deu 24:21 KJV) _When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the **stranger** , for the fatherless, and for the widow._ (Jer 7:6 KJV) \* If ye oppress not the **stranger** , the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:\* (Jer 22:3 KJV) _Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the **stranger** , the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place._ (Ezek 22:7 KJV) \* In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the\*\* stranger\*\*: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.\* (Zec 7:10 KJV) _And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the **stranger** , nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart._ (Exo 22:21 KJV) \* Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. \* (Exo 23:9 KJV) \*Also thou shalt not oppress a **stranger** : for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. \* (Lev 19:34 KJV) _But the **stranger** that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God._ (Lev 25:35 KJV) _And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a **stranger** , or a sojourner; that he may live with thee._ (Num 35:15 KJV) \* These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the **stranger** , and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.\* (Deu 1:16 KJV) _And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the **stranger** that is with him._ (Deu 10:18 KJV) _He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the_\* stranger\*\*, in giving him food and raiment.\* (Deu 10:19 KJV) _Love ye therefore the **stranger** : for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt._ They were chosen to show us the way, to show us how to treat the stranger, how to be compassionate and loving to your neighbor and by doing so peace would envelope the world If “Israel” were to follow the above guideline would this bring a new era of peace in the Middle East–? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/2 "2014-10-11T07:23:35Z")
Like you, I’m too old to care. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/3 "2014-10-11T09:40:55Z")
You may never understand How the stranger is inspired But he isn’t always evil And he isn’t always wrong Though you drown in good intentions You will never quench the fire You’ll give in to your desire When the stranger comes along. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/4 "2014-10-11T12:31:39Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, **tooldtocare**. This topic is better suited to our Great Debates forum, so I have moved it thither for you. **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/5 "2014-10-11T12:42:52Z")
What makes you think the other M.E. states are “strangers” to Israel? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/6 "2014-10-11T14:37:01Z")
> [@tooldtocare](#): > > If “Israel” were to follow the above guideline would this bring a new era of peace in the Middle East–? Why “Israel”, and not just Israel? What are you saying here? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/7 "2014-10-11T15:31:38Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Why “Israel”, and not just Israel? What are you saying here? Presumably because he’s quoting the Torah, not the Koran. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/8 "2014-10-11T20:01:56Z")
What if I don’t like myself very much? ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/9 "2014-10-11T20:46:49Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > What if I don’t like myself very much? One should be careful about [these things](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-hatred), I think. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/10 "2014-10-11T21:51:13Z")
> [@tooldtocare](#): > > If “Israel” were to follow the above guideline would this bring a new era of peace in the Middle East–? Nothing Israel does could “bring a new era of peace”; they just aren’t that important or powerful. No one nation is. That’s the sort of thing that would require the cooperation of the nations involved as a group, and not just towards Israel. Look at relatively peaceful Europe; they didn’t get that way because, say, Hungary suddenly decided unilaterally it was time for peace in Europe. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/11 "2014-10-11T22:00:54Z")
What are the other 103 uses? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/12 "2014-10-11T22:20:50Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Like you, I’m too old to care. Actually, he’s either “too ld to care” or “to old to care.” Either of which will annoy my OCD muscle every time I see it. Fortunately I suspect this is a one-post wonder. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/13 "2014-10-12T01:03:15Z")
**Love the Stranger as thyself -Or not-?** Man, that’s a tough one. But after a lot of thought, I’m going with _Or not_. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/14 "2014-10-12T03:50:10Z")
\*People are strange when you’re a stranger Faces look ugly when you’re alone Women seem wicked when you’re unwanted Streets are uneven when you’re down \* ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/15 "2014-10-12T04:05:01Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > Actually, he’s either “too ld to care” or “to old to care.” Either of which will annoy my OCD muscle every time I see it. Fortunately I suspect this is a one-post wonder. They already have 5 posts, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/16 "2014-10-12T05:21:40Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > They already have 5 posts, actually. Yes, and one of them contained this gem: > [@](#): > > I mean how many “Israeli’s” speak ,.,…,.,.,.,Hebrew–? > Just asking., > > [Universalknowledge.net](http://Universalknowledge.net) , with quotation marks around the word Israeli. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/17 "2014-10-12T07:04:26Z")
For the record, the original term translated as “Stranger” in the OP is the Hebrew word “גר” (“ger”), which in the context of the Bible refers to non-Jews living among Jews (or as we would say today, religious and ethnic minorities). It does not refer to the residents of foreign countries. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/18 "2014-10-12T12:38:57Z")
But “Palestine” is not a foreign country, \*\*Alessan. \*\*Your government spends much effort emphasizing that it’s not in fact a country at all :D. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/19 "2014-10-12T12:59:29Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > But “Palestine” is not a foreign country, \*\*Alessan. \*\*Your government spends much effort emphasizing that it’s not in fact a country at all :D. The Bible isn’t current Israeli law. (Which is probably better for the Palestinians, all things considered. Ever read the book of Joshua? How about Judges?) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014/20 "2014-10-12T14:36:07Z")
True dat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-the-stranger-as-thyself-or-not/701014.md?page=2)