[Mrs. Don-o]

LS, your Biiblical paradigm is not at all self-evident and can be disputed from a number of angles, but here's one to think about:

• the Canaanites were abominable to God because of baby-killing (sacrificing babies to Moloch)
• the Jews got their land because they were people of His covenant
• Today, Americans have a much higher abortion rate than Mexicans, and therefore resemble baby-killing Canaanites;
• and the Mexicans are more predominantly Christian (very few Jews, Muslims, Wiccans, Scientologists, or ACLU atheists), and therefore they are by a bigger percentage, people of the Covenant.

  Following this line of reasoning, they should drive us out and occupy the land.

  Before you get out your flamethrower, I hasten to say I'm not advcating this point of view; I'm just saying it's as plausible as yours.

  I think Mark Earley's got it about right: acts of compassion at the personal and Church level; even-handed law enforcement at the government level. He argues his point well--- just what I'd expect from Prison Fellowship--- in a principled, lawful, and Christian manner.

[LS]

I disagree on why the Canaanites were an abomination---the harlot Rahab let the cat out of the bag when she said that they KNEW they were not supposed to be there. Obviously, God would be an unjust God if He allowed the Jews to take their land "just cuz."

We Christians are the people of His covenant now.

Regardless of what one wants to claim about abortion, the U.S. is the most moral nation on the planet, with more practicing Christians than anywhere (perhaps not as a % of population, but in sheer numbers). This is a glass half full vs. half empty argument.

If there was no such thing as "citizenship," Paul would NEVER have made such a big deal out of his civil rights as a Roman citizen. He would have had to say, "Well, I'm just another alien, so who cares. Kill me." But he appealed directly to Caesar on the basis of CITIZENSHIP LAW.

By their very nature in coming here illegally, the Mexicans have no more part in the "covenant" than anyone else. God doesn't like lawbreakers, and said so in Romans, repeatedly. Oh, and don't forget, they were the ORIGINAL child killers (Aztecs) in their previous incarnation.

[newgeezer]

Your point that "the Mexicans are more predominantly Christian" is debatable. But, the balance of your post was very good.

My response to him was mainly to say that Israel was God's chosen nation; we are not. You said that and more. :)