ministrystaffingsearch.org BLOG

Things are too quiet! Is it that the church doesn't see the issue as important or is it that the church doesn't know what to say? Thankfully, the Bible isn't at a loss for words on the subject.

I believe there are two separate but somewhat related issues facing the nation - cross-border traffic and immigration. Not everyone who crosses our borders is or wants to be an immigrant nor should they be treated as such. Therefore, we need ways to deal with that traffic separately from immigration.

Nehemiah's experience in rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem can serve us well as an example of good "border policy". He believed that in order for Jerusalem to thrive, it must be secure - not isolated but secure. To that end, he rebuilt the wall and reinstalled the gates as a means of providing protection and regulating access. So long as there was no threat to the safety or sanctity of the city, the gates were open to whoever wanted to enter. But when the sanctity of the city was threatened by those who would pervert the Sabbath ordinance, the gates were closed. Not only that, Nehemiah soundly threatened the loiterers with bodily harm if they continued to hang around the gates when they were closed. (See Nehemiah 2:12-18 and 13:15-22).

The point here is that we not only have a right, we have a responsibility to make our country a safe and secure place for its citizens. If that means escorting those who would do us harm out of the country, so be it. If that means not allowing them into the country in the first place, so be it. We need to be part of the world around us but without being irresponsibly vulnerable to those whose agenda it is to cause the nation or its citizens physical, financial or spiritual harm.

On the other hand, there are many non-citizens who with good motives desire to be a part of our fine nation, raising their children here and contributing to the economy. Again, there is Biblical precedent for laws and policies regarding "strangers and aliens" in the land. God made it abundantly clear to Israel how He expected them to deal with aliens and immigrants.

1. They were forbidden to oppress the stranger, treat him with hostility, or crush him under an overwhelming burden. See Exodus 22:21 and 23:9; also Leviticus 19:33-34. The strangers were also just as welcome to glean after the harvest as any needy citizen. See Deuteronomy 24:19-22. (Economic policy)

2. They were required to have the same legal protections and privileges as well as the same consequences and penalties for both citizens and aliens. In God's eyes, justice is justice regardless of citizenship or economic status or any other consideration. See Leviticus 24:22; Numbers 15:14-16 and 35:15; Deuteronomy 1:16-17 and 24:14-18; Joshua 20:9. (Legal policy)

3. There was a process of naturalization which would allow full participation in worship of the covenant community as well as all its other benefits. Through circumcision, one could become a Jew, a citizen. See Exodus 12:43-51; Numbers 9:14; Ezra 6:21. (Political policy)

4. Preference was to be given to those who were committed to family and raising children in the community. (That principle is reflected as it should be in our present immigration policy.) See Ezekiel 47:22-23. (Social policy)

That pretty well describes what our laws and policies regarding immigrants needs to look like. Regardless of public outcry, we need to do the right thing with our laws to get there.

But......the actual situation is complicated by the fact that many immigrants haven't followed the rules we already have on the books. We must develop and implement policies to deal with them but in a way that is consistent with the above Biblical principles. How do we get all the "illegal immigrants" presently in the country from that status to legal status without causing undue harm to them or our own citizens? I don't have the answers to that one but I pray that a few God-centered Congressmen and Congresswomen will figure it out.

This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

In California, a border state, about 15 years ago on election day citizens were requested to approve bond levies for many of our local school districts.

Unfortunately, the bond levies in most districts were voted down. The reason, you say? At that time there were over 300,000 undocumented immigrant children attending school everyday in the California public school system.

We were very conflicted given the two positions that we had been presented. On the one hand, the Federal Government insisted that we do nothing about the border crossings even though there was a border patrol. Then we were told by the Fed that if immigrants successfully crossed the borders, delivered babies, or even manged to enroll in the school system, California taxpayers and not the Federal Government would have to pay for these students to attend school, and California hospitals many times had to absorb the costs of delivering babies of the pregnant mothers who crossed the border.

We also had to pay for undocumented student's innoculations. And I might add that if a pregnant mother had a baby on American soil, the baby became an American citizen and was entitled to benefits like AFDC or welfare.

I spoke to one of my latino parishioners, Jose. Jose was shocked that I was conflicted about this matter. I asked Jose, what does one do when the nation on one hand has a border patrol to control immigrants attempting to enter the country, then the same government allows the same immigrants to enter the country and then to enroll in school?

Most border states were and are still dealing with the same conundrum. Today, I am still conflicted, I never cared for the concept of State's Rights, but in this instance I wonder if it would not be more prudent for the states' who are moost affected by the border crossings to decide what should be done. The Federal Government has been very inconsistent with regard to this matter.

With regard to the Church, I recall what Dr. MLK said 45 years ago I believe it was, i.e, that the most segregated hour in America was on Sunday mornings. He would be pleased to see all of the integrated congregations that we have 45 years later.

Having said that, the church is doing a better job recently, i.e., getting involved in social issues, however, I suspect that other than showing Christian compassion, most churches can be of little help on this issue. Why? The Federal Government and too many American employers and families are conflicted on this matter. George Will, Syndicated Columnist, indicated a few weeks ago on the, This Week Show, that the "illegal aliens", help support the nation's Social Security system. He saw it as a benefit givent that many of them would never be able to collect from the system (EEK!)

Otherwise, I suspect, and this will sound very harsh to some, America is simply reaping what it once sowed for the time when Europeans illegally crossed the borders and entered into this sovereign but confiscated land. Some came via Plymouth Rock, some via Aetna Island and blacks were brought in through South Carolina. And now Hispanics, Chicanos and Hispanics are crossing the southern borders. Sounds like the tower of Babel story in reverse!

If you speak to many of the immigrants/undocumented aliens from Mexico, they do not feel that they are in violation of any law. They will tell you that they they are simply reclaiming parts of this country that was there's in the first place. If you visit California, you will quickly note that many of the streets, cities, countries have spanish names. And the name California itself, you would be surprised who California is named after!

Now it would appear that the tables have turned. So let the church pray, according to James 1:5, asking God for wisdom in how to deal with this serious matter. Why must pray, for perhaps this land never belonged to any of us anyway. And given all of the sin, debauchery and disobedience byits current occupants, similar to the Israelities who were initially given Canaan, perhaps God is permitting the present course of action, just as he allowed foreigners to return to conquer Israel and to remove the children of Israel from the land that they perceived was once there's!

Peace & Grace,

Anecdotal story,

A friend of mine parked his automobile in its customary parking place one day. Suddenly, he heard the loud sound of one car crashing into another one. When he looked out of his third story window, he saw that his parked car had been crashed into.

He also saw the person who hit his car. He jumped out of his vehicle, left the door standing and ran down the alley. My friend witnessed him running down the alley.

About that Jose and I showed up on the scene. My friend was explaining what happened and about to call the police. Suddenly, Jose, who was not there when the incident occured, injected, I don't why he ran.

Jose led us down the alley, I joined in, to set of apartments where there must have litterally been about 100 latinos in the area, mostly illegals.

The rest of the group turned the young man over to Jose who explained why he ran. He was in the country illegally. He did not have a green card or a driver's liense. He was afraid of being departed, so he ran.

My friend showed compassion and said, okay, I won't call the police, I simply want my car fixed.

Did my friend do the right thing?

If Jesus Christ is the Almighty God, then who kept things in order while Mary carried him in her womb for 9 months?

This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

To: tperrymandias,

The dyslexic agnostic, I heard, spent his life not believing in dog? So what is it that you are really trying to say?

Are you atheist or agnostic? Frankly, I listened to an atheist some time ago who spoke with such profundity.

He said that the true atheists do not have an issue with God, he went on to say that we simply do not believe that there is a God. His belief was that humans created God, and over time the belief in God simply spread.

But he also added that if we, speaking for his atheist organization, found out that there was a God, we would comply with whatever God wanted us to do. Why did I like what he said? Well, because I have discovered that there are a lot of pseudo-agnostics and pseudo-atheists out there who are angry at 'the God, for whom they either question his existence, or place zero importance in finding out whether God exists, or matters.

His group of atheists, were neither ignoring, nor running away from God. They reamin, after doing their homework, simply unconvinced!

With regard to the pseudo-atheists, consider Madelyn Murray O'Hare, if she did not believe that there was a God, why did she always appear to be so angry with the entity that we refer to as God. Where did all of the antipathy come from?

If you are seeking true wisdom, consider book of James, chapter 1 verse 5. The Apostle James would instruct you to direct your question to God. However, if your query is more of a sophist challenge to the Christology of Jesus Christ, then I don't know who could help you to find what you are 'not' looking for!

If your search is authentic think in terms of the following:
non human genderless extra-terrestrials; time-independence and time independent entities; think beyond the space-time continuum; consider the notion of relocation in space outside of our solar system; think of matter and non-matter; think beyond a 3-dimensional world and 3-dimensional beings, think of the earthly micro-organisms that some humans never knew existed, because they could not touch, see or feel them, but they were there all the time; think of the limits to human understanding and reasoning; but whatever you do, please do not anthropomorphize God, for that will only result in your being more frustrated and dissappointed.

Also a study in quantum physics might help to open your understanding up to Theos! Unfortunately, the church along with other cultures may have perhaps make God too difficult to believe in! Why? Most groups around the world and in history, have simply tried to make God the center of their religious experience. This thing is far bigger than, religion!

But this is just one minister's opinion!

To: tperrymandias,

The dyslexic agnostic, I heard, spent his life not believing in dog? So what is it that you are really trying to say?

Are you atheist or agnostic? Frankly, I listened to an atheist some time ago who spoke with such profundity.

He said that the true atheists do not have an issue with God, he went on to say that we simply do not believe that there is a God. His belief was that humans created God, and over time the belief in God simply spread.

But he also added that if we, speaking for his atheist organization, found out that there was a God, we would comply with whatever God wanted us to do. Why did I like what he said? Well, because I have discovered that there are a lot of pseudo-agnostics and pseudo-atheists out there who are angry at 'the God, for whom they either question its existence, or they simply do not place any value in finding out whether God exists or not, or more importantly whether God matters in their lives or not.

This atheist organization at least did some work, and as a result of all of their work, they concluded that were not angry with God or religion per se, at all. For if you think about it in their terms, at one time, weren't each of us atheists?

With respect to the pseudo-atheists, consider Madelyn Murray O'Hare, if she did not believe that there was a God, why did she always appear to be so angry with the entity that we refer to as God. Where did all of the antipathy come from?

If you are seeking true wisdom, consider book of James, chapter 1 verse 5. The Apostle James would instruct you to direct your question to God. However, if your query is more of a sophist challenge to the Christology of Jesus Christ, then I don't know who could help you to find what you are 'not' looking for!

If your search is authentic think in terms of the following:
non human genderless extra-terrestrials; time-independence and time independent entities; think beyond the space-time continuum; consider the notion of relocation in space outside of our solar system; think of matter and non-matter; think beyond a 3-dimensional world and 3-dimensional beings, think of the earthly micro-organisms that some humans never knew existed, because they could not touch, see or feel them, but they were there all the time; think of the limits to human understanding and reasoning; but whatever you do, please do not anthropomorphize God, for that will only result in your being more frustrated and dissappointed.

Also a study in quantum physics might help to open your understanding up to Theos! Unfortunately, the church along with other cultures may have make God too difficult to believe in, for the entity God is more than just the center of someone's Religion!

But this is just one minister's opinion!