Leviticus 19:33-34
'When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 'The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 10:19
"So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
Question: Is it immoral for American Christians to advocate strict enforcement of immigration laws or to advocate laws which limit the permeability of our borders to peaceful immigrants?
Thursday, September 22, 2005
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8 comments:
Here in Arkansas, this very issue came to a head recently when a poultry processing plant was raided, resulting in the arrests of 119 illegals. The problem was exacerbated by the fact that many of the illegals had been living here for so long that many of their young children were US citizens and could not be deported. Area churches and the state had to scramble to find homes for these children because their parents were too frightened to admit to the authorities that there were children involved.
Our governor also proposed a while back that children of illegals who graduate from Arkansas high schools should not be ineligible to compete for scholarships only because of their parents' status. Talk about an uproar!
Border security in a post-9/11 America aside, I have a difficult time demanding that "these people", many of whom came here only to seek a better life, be sent back where they came from to pay up to $5000.00 for a legal shot at getting permission to enter the US maybe in 5-6 years.
As parents, would we do any less than to move and take our families where the work and hope for a better life might be found? I HAVE relocated my family for the sake of better opportunities. Several years ago when I moved from Arkansas to Oklahoma, I was even confronted by an "Okie" who resented my having come from outside and taken a job that might have otherwise been offered to an Oklahoma resident!
We are Americans primarily by the grace of the Lord God alone. We have done nothing to "earn" our citizenship; how can it be ours to deny others?
Jesus said, "To whom much has been given, much will be required." By His good grace, we've been blessed to bless others.
I believe the scriptures quoted have more to do with discrimination than immigration laws. After all they are speaking about how to treat people as if they belong. When you talk about the morality of certain laws you have to look at both sides of the issue. Michael spoke well above about the need to care for the aliens but what about the people who are already here. Unfettered access to our borders keeps some people who are already here in a state of poverty because they can't get a first job or any job in some cases.
What would happen if we let everyone who lives with less opportunity enter the U.S.A. we would end up with several billion people here. therefor I believe the only moral choice to be to enforce the laws we have eqally towards everyone.
I don't think the case you are making is anywhere near as cut and dry. On the one hand, the Israelites were forbidden from mistreating foriegners.
On the other hand, intermarriage was forbidden. Those of mixed lineage were not allowed into the full communion of Israel. Many of the conquered races were essentially second class citizens.
I think nations have the right to regulate who enters and leaves. However I think we should do so with an over-riding air of compassion.
After what I saw in graduate school, I also think the US immigration apparatus needs serious reform.
There certainly is no question that we cannot simply open the borders; there must be controls. Right now, however, it appears that Border Patrol can do nothing more than react to a given situation at a given time; reform is in order, as Jeff states. To what end, though?
Perhaps the application of Scripture is false. Maybe God's commandments referred to certain conditions in Israel at the time and cannot be directly applied as modern-day policies.
I just thank God that our illegal immigration problem is with Mexicans.
...and on the 8th day, God drew the colorful little borderlines around all the earths nations....
Not on the 8th day, but in Genesis 11:8.
I heard a funny thing awhile back about the border on how neither political party wants to close it...
For the Republicans and their supporters it is cheap labor.
For the Democrats it is cheap votes.
Seriously though, I think that borders are not easily solvable. There are far too many variables from economic, social, and political realms.
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