Thread: Is God for Illegal Immigration? (Opinion)

Is God for Illegal Immigration?

Friday, May 02, 2008

Yesterday, May Day, we witnessed some of the largest demonstrations of immigrants on American soil. The masses of mostly brown skinned activists and their followers were protesting what they consider unjust immigration policy and practice in the United States of America. Strewn conspicuously throughout the congregants, one couldn't help but notice church banners, crosses and other religious symbols. It would seem we are witnessing faith-based immigration reform activism. Does this mean God is on the side of the protesters?

Seeing these demonstrations on television, my thoughts darted back and forth between the immigration arguments of social conservatives, with their focus on the respect for law and national security (both of which are good objectives), and their liberal counterparts, with their focus on the protection of human rights (also a very good thing).

I believe the immigration reform logjam we now encounter is due in great part to the false premise that the good immigration objectives of the conservative movement are incompatible with the good objective, in this case, of liberal activists. When religious leaders or institutions give priority to the defense of human rights (as they should), this false premise becomes even more compelling. After all, have you ever seen a priest or a pastor protesting illegal border crossing? There is a reason for this, but it's not what most would think.

No, God is not in favor of illegal behavior and dangerous borders. But given a church's spiritual and humanitarian role, it is right and understandable that it speaks out with special force against the miserable conditions of the immigrants whom companies and governments are utilizing for economic gain. This moral voice, however, mustn't be one-sided. Just as every immigrant has a right to be treated with dignity, every government has the right and obligation to regulate immigration to sustainable levels, for the good of its own citizens and its immigrants. Religious leaders should be saying this too, don't you think? Why aren't they? Some are.

This one-sidedness is particularly evident in partisan politics. Democrats have done a better job making themselves into the good guys in public opinion by rightly criticizing the administration for a hypocritical system of random and sporadic crackdowns on illegal workers. But Republicans rightly complain that, in fact, the Democrats aren't really the moral puritans they profess to be because they refuse to control the borders and penalize employers.

The truth of the matter, one that both parties should be able to agree upon in principle, is that the dark side of immigration activism is the pursuit of some good objectives to the exclusion or vilification of others. Wouldn't it be nice to hear a Democratic pundit (or priest or pastor) on cable television or talk radio speak about the importance of the respect for law, not as a concession to the opponent, but rather as a conviction of their own? And wouldn't it be refreshing to hear from a Republican pundit that no love for law or security is ever a valid excuse for treating people like animals, or slaves?

Republican and Democratic administrations and legislative majorities have been guilty of hypocrisy and complacency. Our politicians on both sides of the aisle have feigned interest in rectifying our present immigration crisis, while cuddling up to the beneficiaries of cheap labor made possible by porous borders and paralyzed structures.

Social conservatives and liberals alike would be wise to re-examine their approach to our present crisis of illegal immigration. God is on the side of human rights and also on the side of legality and security. It is our problem if we choose one over the other and pretend that we are righteous.

God bless, Father Jonathan
• E-mail Father Jonathan

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,353984,00.html

And wouldn't it be refreshing to hear from a Republican pundit that no love for law or security is ever a valid excuse for treating people like animals, or slaves?

Helloooo....anybody there? For the millionth time..

I don't know about "republican pundits" but "social conservatives" have already committed themselves to alleviating the condition that OBL proponents claim to make illegal immigration necessary. The US already has $125 Billion in foreign assistance going out every year. The US has at least one or two million volunteers going abroad every year. This is money and services that COULD go into the US economy making our own lives easier. But we, because of our high moral and ethical standards, choose to make it available without discrimination..

We could pulverize any foreign entity, governmental or otherwise, who dares to cause us any grief just as they would likely do to us if they could. But we take the higher road of only seeking out those immediately culpable---and then restoring them to dignity when we have made our point. As a people we could hoard our technological achievemnts to ourselves--yet we allow other people from foreign countries to profit from the products made.

Liberal writers are supposedly knowledgeable. Apparently they don't have the foggiest clue about the essence of America.

[quote="butterbean"]Is God for Illegal Immigration?

Friday, May 02, 2008

Yesterday, May Day, we witnessed some of the largest demonstrations of immigrants on American soil. Not True, last years were bigger!The masses of mostly brown skinned activists and their followers were protesting what they consider unjust immigration policy and practice in the United States of America. Strewn conspicuously throughout the congregants, one couldn't help but notice church banners, crosses and other religious symbols. It would seem we are witnessing faith-based immigration reform activism. Does this mean God is on the side of the protesters? NO! It means again they are hiding behind the church. We've seen this before
Seeing these demonstrations on television, my thoughts darted back and forth between the immigration arguments of social conservatives, with their focus on the respect for law and national security (both of which are good objectives), and their liberal counterparts, with their focus on the protection of human rights (also a very good thing).

I believe the immigration reform logjam we now encounter is due in great part to the false premise that the good immigration objectives of the conservative movement are incompatible with the good objective, in this case, of liberal activists. When religious leaders or institutions give priority to the defense of human rights (as they should), this false premise becomes even more compelling. After all, have you ever seen a priest or a pastor protesting illegal border crossing? There is a reason for this, but it's not what most would think.

No, God is not in favor of illegal behavior and dangerous borders. But given a church's spiritual and humanitarian role, it is right and understandable that it speaks out with special force against the miserable conditions of the immigrants whom companies and governments are utilizing for economic gain. Try worrying about Americans! If you worry about other countries people then move there. This moral voice, however, mustn't be one-sided. Just as every immigrant has a right to be treated with dignity, every government has the right and obligation to regulate immigration to sustainable levels, for the good of its own citizens and its immigrants. Duh, ya think!!!!! Religious leaders should be saying this too, don't you think? Why aren't they? Some are.

This one-sidedness is particularly evident in partisan politics. Democrats have done a better job making themselves into the good guys in public opinion by rightly criticizing the administration for a hypocritical system of random and sporadic crackdowns on illegal workers. But Republicans rightly complain that, in fact, the Democrats aren't really the moral puritans they profess to be because they refuse to control the borders and penalize employers.

The truth of the matter, one that both parties should be able to agree upon in principle, is that the dark side of immigration activism is the pursuit of some good objectives to the exclusion or vilification of others. Wouldn't it be nice to hear a Democratic pundit (or priest or pastor) on cable television or talk radio speak about the importance of the respect for law, not as a concession to the opponent, but rather as a conviction of their own? Yup! And wouldn't it be refreshing to hear from a Republican pundit that no love for law or security is ever a valid excuse for treating people like animals, or slaves? The only ones treated like animals are the ones in jails for being CRIMINALS. Otherwise I expect they are gett a nice ride home to there country.

Republican and Democratic administrations and legislative majorities have been guilty of hypocrisy and complacency. Our politicians on both sides of the aisle have feigned interest in rectifying our present immigration crisis, while cuddling up to the beneficiaries of cheap labor made possible by porous borders and paralyzed structures.

Social conservatives and liberals alike would be wise to re-examine their approach to our present crisis of illegal immigration. God is on the side of human rights and also on the side of legality and security. Fix you're own church and historical SINS, like raping kids and enabling the Holocaust, then get back to me! It is our problem if we choose one over the other and pretend that we are righteous.

God bless, Father Jonathan
• E-mail Father Jonathan

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,353984,00.html[/quote

Oh brother, I have thought about this so much! God and illegal immigration.

Since I'm a God fearing person, in the sense that I believe that he knows full well when one is conciously doing something "wrong", I've always wanted to be SURE that he was okay and supportive of not only my feelings about illegal immigration, but my active participation in trying to stop it and to get our laws enforced.

My conclusion is that I believe totally that he "understands the REALITY of the world" and that he "understands the NEED for laws, and for people to obey the laws and for governments to enforce laws".

I believe that he wants us to be compassionate and caring people, do our best to help and promote freedom and human rights.

But he wants us to be "responsible" in what we do, he expects for us to make wise decisions, and expects for us to protect our country when protection is necessary from harm or being taken advantage of.

Not for one minute do I believe that God supports "ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION" and that's why I am here.

This is my view regarding this issue of God and illegal immigration which is extremely important to me too.

I believe that God would be angry with me if I did ANYTHING to disrespect, disregard, or break the laws of another country and to take advantage of the citizens of any country.

If in my opinion, he would be angry with me for doing that, therefore I believe that he would be AGAINST anyone else for doing it as well.

I can still be a compassionate and caring American and believe in the importance of upholding the rule of law. That's what I think and believe.

One must first understand the the church is not GOD! The church preaches its own doctrine in its mad rush to global control over the masses.

I was reading some verses in the Bible this morning and the word "law" loomed brightly. The verses I was reading referred to God's laws, but I also thought of man's laws and how God speaks of obeying those too.

To have order and to have freedom and to have compassion exhibited in the appropriate ways, you must have laws that govern those basics.

We are such a generous nation and unfortunately we do not account for so much that we so freely give. Billions are wasted and corruption and greed are suspected, with middle men often taking the very funds that would help so many.

These nations that are so wealthy in resources and riches must be pressured to develop their nations and advance their peoples, and we should not be rewarding those who continue these same patterns. To help the people we must ask that their leaders do the same or the people will never move forward and we are just throwing generosity and money down a never ending drain.

God wants us to be good stewards and illegal immigration does that for no one. To steal from the American people to better your own lives all the while lessening the quality of life of the citizenry is wrong. To cause poverty or financial crisis to people and businesses who do things the right way is wrong. How can we be generous if you keep robbing us blind?

God wants us to be compassionate, but those who seek it based on corruption and fraud and greed in His name are doing us all a disservice.

Psalm 91

CindyB wrote:

One must first understand the the church is not GOD! The church preaches its own doctrine in its mad rush to global control over the masses.

Very true CindyB! Most of the churches are no better than the coporations that are focused on money and power. They use the name of God to try to manipulate and get their agenda through. It is my opinon that the uncovered church scandals that we see often, are the wrath of God in action, after he has his fill of all the lies and sin being perpetrated in his name. "Vengence is mine thus sayth the Lord." is the scripture that comes to mind.

The God who INSPIRED me to PUBLICLY protest for our PERSECUTED fellow American patriots Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean is certainly NOT for ILLEGAL immigration! For illegal immigration is a CRIME, our laws AGAINST illegal immigration are JUST laws, and God NEVER sides with those who BREAK just laws!

I can still be a compassionate and caring American and believe in the importance of upholding the rule of law. That's what I think and believe.

Me too.

I do believe in God. But, I believe God wants us to follow the rules.
So, Lets see, we have people coming over here without permission, that is a law that has been broken.
Then we have people who are constantly LYING, to get benefits from the USA. Well, lets see that is lying and stealing, right????
We have people who come over here, Raping, murdering, and stealing, well lets see does GOD like that??? We have people who come over here, to basically DECIEVE AMERICA. Well, lets see .... when you are decieveing someone...isnt that lying????
They are also committing tax evasion....Back in the times of ceaser, they HAD TO pay their TAXES, or else. They where people who where put into prison for not paying there taxes, and yet we have people in congress who are NOT upholding the LAWS of the LAND. They got into office with AMERICANS help. We thought they would do the right thing, its evident they DECIEVED AMERICANS. We have laws to protect. And yet the AMERICAN people are having to PAY.
I believe they are good people, but, I am sick of hearing , the Land was stolden from them, so are AMERICANS suppose to pay, I wasnt even here.
The land was paid for, now ILLEGALS want their land back because we have a president who has opened his arms to ILLEGALS.

I believe we need to follow all laws that are put before us.
God would want us to do that.