What is it? What should our response as Christ followers be to the present immigration issues our country is facing?
Do we charge illegal immigrants with a felony? Our God is a God of justice, and there are consequences when we break the rules...is that our "Christ-like" response?
Do we continue to support those who willingly and knowingly break the law with money we might use to take care of the fatherless in our own country?
Where should we fall on this issue?
It is gnawing at my heart today because I hear the "rightness" in the voices of the Christians around me....Is that all we care about? Is that the best we have become with the transformation of Jesus in our lives?
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Christian response to immigration issues...
Posted by Ashlee Liddell at 10:57 AM
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11 comments:
What's law is law, and if you disagree with the law, fight to get it ammended. People aren't focusing on the root issue.
what do you feel the root issue is, Tmproff?
The root issue is is that our laws prohibit what the immigrants are doing. I have nothing against the immigrants working over here, but they need to do one of 2 things:
1. Go through the naturalization process
2. fight the system because it's difficult/unconstitutional to become a US citizen
Just ignoring the law and then protesting isn't the solution.
tmproff-- it's been a while! In response to your comment, I think the protesters thing they *are* fighting the system by protesting (#2). What ways of fighting the system do you mean?
I don't have a strong opinion either way on the immigration issue. I do think that racism in regards to suspected immigrants is at dangerous levels, and it's alarming ("Crash" style). I've been in several situations where someone mentions a crime was committed by a hispanic person, and someone responds, with no factual basis but lots of anger- "'They're' taking over! Flooding in and taking our jobs! Robbing our houses! I can't stand them hanging around the gas stations..."
So, I know it's a heated issue, and I don't like the hate that is growing beneath it. I think the hate is a more pressing problem than the paperwork/Senate bills/voting zones that they're debating about on TV.
In the past few days, I've heard some alarming statistics:
30% of our penal system is illegal immigrants
27 to 40 billion dollars has been spent in health care on illegal immigrants, with 94% of that paid by US citizens.
We LEGALLY naturalize 900,000 immigrants a year
75% of illegal immigrants live in California
I think that the more people we have in our country, the more econimically competitive we can be. BUT all of those people should be paying taxes and contributing to the services that they are using.
Lisa, I think the hate in which you address is part of where this post came from...the sad thing is I hear it (condemnation, judgment, arrogance, perhaps even hate) in the voices of Christians. Those known and associated with the name of Christ. That upsets me.
Tmproff, could you share the source of your stats? Not that I am disputing them, but if I share them with others I would like to be informed...and as "right" as you are about immigrants paying taxes, and abiding by the law, it seems to me like these are the very people Jesus would have embraced....where is the church? where are the Christians?
I just got those stats out of the last few days of the Houston Chronicle.
In Mark 12:13-17 says:
And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see [it].
And they brought [it]. And he saith unto them, Whose [is] this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.
Many people thought that Jesus came to help overthrow the Roman Empire, yet he made a point to show that they should obey government.
I don't think obeying the government is in dispute. To remain a civilized society, everyone must respect the rule of law or face the consequences set out by the law.
But what do we, personally, have to do with the law or enforcing it? Isn't it possible to have compassion on someone while helping them to understand and learn respect for the law?
How do we expect people to have respect for the law when our own government does not, i.e., does not enforce the laws already in existence? How do we condemn people for being part of a problem that our own government and citizens must shoulder the majority of the blame for? (For not securing the borders long ago, and employers who hire illegals.)
I don't think obeying the government is in dispute. To remain a civilized society, everyone must respect the rule of law or face the consequences set out by the law.
I totally agree. If the illegal immigrants respect the rule of law, they should face the punishment.
Most of them know exactly what they are doing (maybe not the children). They know it's against the law, they dont care. The benefits outweigh the consequences.
So saying that, they do not respect the government, thus the end result will be a less civilized society.
The role of the church....that's a good question.
Can we love them? Of course.
Can we help to change the law?
Sure!
Can we help to make their own country a better place?
I think that's the best option.
But we should not interfere with the rule of law.
Here is a good example. Lets say that you get in a car wreck with someone. They get out of the car and say "Well I dont have any car insurance, but it's your fault we got in this wreck!"
In actuality, that person shouldn't even be driving because they dont have any insurance! The argument of who's fault is unecessary.
some things there seem to be no easy answers for. immigration for me is tough because i think that the hardworking illegal immigrants (even if it is illegal to get a job, a lot of them have them) should be awarded with healthcare benefits and faster naturalization, while those that are obviously not committed to integrating into the nation but are only sucking up tax dollars shouldn't.
but how do we differentiate? where is the line? and who is to judge it?
i don't know.
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