Posted on 08/10/2011 7:51:09 PM PDT by xzins
Alabama church leaders,..., Episcopal Bishop Henry N. Parsley, Roman Catholic Bishop Robert Baker and United Methodist Bishop William H. Willimon filed suit Monday, Aug. 1,2011, to stop enforcement of Alabama's immigration law.
Leaders of the Episcopal, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches in Alabama filed a federal lawsuit this morning to stop enforcement of the state's new immigration law, which they say could strike at the core of their ability to worship.
The lawsuit was filed by: the Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley Jr., bishop of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Alabama; Rev. William H. Willimon, bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church; and the Most Rev. Thomas J. Rodi, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Mobile; and the Most Rev. Robert J. Baker, Roman Catholic Bishop of Birmingham.
According to the lawsuit, "the bishops have reason to fear that administering of religious sacraments, which are central to the Christian faith, to known undocumented persons may be criminalized under this law."
The new law is set to go into effect Sept. 1.
The lawsuit names Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange and Madison County District Attorney Robert L. Broussard as defendants in the civil lawsuit. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for northern Alabama.
"Motivated by God's mandate that the faithful are humbly bound to welcome and care for all people, the leaders of the Episcopal, Methodist and Roman Catholic Churches of Alabama respectfully request this Court to stop the enforcement of Alabama's Anti-Immigration Law," the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit states that it seeks to prevent "irreparable harm" to the 338,000 members of the three churches in Alabama. It calls Alabama's new law "the nation's most merciless anti-immigration legislation."
"If enforced, Alabama's Anti-Immigration Law will make it a crime to follow God's command to be Good Samaritans," according to the lawsuit.
The law, if enforced, will place Alabama church members in the "untenable position of verifying individuals' immigration documentation" before being able to provide things such as food clothing, shelter and transportation to those in need, according to the lawsuit.
Among the lawsuit's other claims are that the new law violates:
- The First Amendment rights of its members.
- Rights of Alabama residents to freely assemble "and welcome all people to the altar."
- The ability of the chuches to freely contract through the management of denominational thrift stores and church day cares and the performance of marriages, baptisms, and counseling services.
In a meeting of the Alabama Liars Club, Bishops of the Episcopal, Methodist, and Catholic churches claimed:
“According to the lawsuit, “the bishops have reason to fear that administering of religious sacraments, which are central to the Christian faith, to known undocumented persons may be criminalized under this law.”
Strikes me as a bald-faced lie. Anyone have the details?
religious exemption does not allow a citizen serving jail time to leave for communion or other religious purposes.
Currently the First says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof".
If you read that to say that this means "No prayer in school" you might forget that "establishment of religion" extends WAY WAY WAY beyond the idea of "church". It gets into the issues of doctrine, revelation, dogma, church organization (ecclesiastical questions) and so on.
Since Congress has no authority, and the state legislatures have no authority to regulate the order of worship in a church, nor to dictate the Sacraments (or the taking of Communion), seems to me these church guys have no complaint.
Bet they agree with the "No prayer in school" definition though.
Bunch of politically correct garbage. I live in Alabama. God, through the Apostle Paul, let us know in Romans that he expects us to obey the civil governments.
We are NOT to be lawbreakers. If you are a lawbreaker, God tells us to repent, which means stop breaking the law.
Hey, illegal aliens, stop breaking the law.
Separation of church and state doesn’t apply when pursuing Marxist objectives I guess.
Here’s an idea for revenue enhancement. All of these churches that get involved in politics should lose their tax-exempt status.
16 There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
.
I'm sure all these pastors (in addition to being haughty looking bald faced liars) support abortion on demand and gay marriage.
“Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (“Ἀπόδοτε οὖν τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ”) (Matthew 22:21).
It is disingenuous at best for these supporters of law-breakers to suggest that upholding the law in any way breaks faith.
I simply do not believe some pastor will be indicted or church punished for giving communion to an illegal. It’s an outrageous lie.
Since you’re from Alabama, have you heard any of this garbage? I got this info in the mail today from my denominational newsletter, (I’m UMC, same as Willimon, the Methodist bishop cited here), and I want ammunition.
Where could they be getting this out of the new Alabama law?
>> According to the lawsuit, “the bishops have reason to fear that administering of religious sacraments, which are central to the Christian faith, to known undocumented persons may be criminalized under this law.”
So, when was the last time you had to show a passport to receive the Host?
Good Lord, how low the Episcopal church (which I have so dearly loved for most all my life) has sunk. Et tu, Bishop, et tu?
This is so blatantly contrived and so clearly a lie.
How could any honest bishop claim that he is in danger of the law if he gives communion to an illegal...even knowing it’s an illegal?
The last I checked, the government is not in charge of who is eligible for communion.
When are these freeloading “churches” going to start paying taxes? If they want to play politics and have “some skin in the game”, they need to put their money where their big mouths are!!!!
Stupid beyond belief. Thanks for showing your slavish devotion to Marxism, you apostate sons of hell.
Rev. Parsley’s not being very sage this thyme.
Actually, as worded, yes the Alabama bill would infringe upon the sacrament of confession as well as the sacrament of the eucharist.
It’s not the first time that a law has been passed restricting confession and the eucharist.
This is a massive overreach by the state into areas which it has no jurisdiction.
This bill changes that. The state of Alabama is saying that they, and not the priests decide.
I’m rather disappointed that a crappy bill is the best that can be done. There’s absolutely no need for this unconstitutional bill.
What is needed is actual enforcement by the party that the constitution charges with the office of immigration, which is the federal government.
They need to get their ducks in a row. This bill won’t change anything except to deprive people of their liberties.
>> The last I checked, the government is not in charge of who is eligible for communion.
Yes, and the last time I checked, Episcopal churches had red doors. For a reason.
Ha!
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