Hospitality and Inclusiveness

One of the virtues enjoined in the New Testament on Christians is “hospitality.” Romans, 1 Timothy, Titus, 1 Peter, Hebrews (“for thus some have entertained angels unaware” — possibly a reference to Abraham in Genesis 18 and Lot in Genesis 19). But there comes a time…

A man held a great party. He invited everyone he knew, and everyone who happened by he invited in, even though he did not know them. And a wonderful time was had by all. But one of the guests was very rude. He insulted the other guests and criticized the host’s choice of friends. He derided the host’s taste in the artwork that decorated his house. He was disrespectful to the host’s wife and spoke abusively to the host’s daughter. He gobbled down great quantities of the hors d’oeuvres before anyone else had a chance to partake. He spilled his beverage on the carpet, and left the wet glass on the table without using a coaster. When he went to the bathroom he peed on the toilet rim and did not put the seat down when he was finished. The host finally said, “It is time for you to leave now.”

+Katharine, who is a nicer person, would probably have put it differently. She would probably have said, “It is time for you to leave now, please.”