Lopez: How America's churches are harboring criminals (A Promiscuous Love)

NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE ^ | 3/15/2006 | Kathryn Jean Lopez, NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE

[GarySpFc]

On the corner of a busy road in a New York City suburb recently, I noticed a sign outside a small Christian church welcoming day laborers — an apt image for the state of immigration in the United States today.

The day laborers the church is welcoming are, most likely, illegal immigrants. We all know they're here and you may, like the churchmen, also know where. You may be one. You may employ one. You may even pass a group of illegal immigrants waiting for a day job on the way to your own job. Needless to say many illegal immigrants are good people just like you and me (in many cases just trying to care for their families) except for a problem that can't be overlooked: They're in the United States illegally.

While attending a meeting of some 30 pastors of independent Christian churches in Southern California, writer Christine A. Scheller of "Christianity Today" was told by one of the pastors that not only is his congregation 50-percent illegal, but that among the group assembled, "We have a lot of pastors who are illegal." The attitude Scheller encountered among pastors was almost completely accommodating to lawbreaking. A former Texas pastor actually compared churches providing a safe haven to illegal immigrants to the Jewish asylums of World War II. The analogy is ludicrous on more than one level. For one: If enforcement of immigration laws were a priority in the United States, the aforementioned church sign would not be so transparent and unapologetic. If government were actually policing immigration, that sign would be read as: "Policia, aqui!"

Read the rest of the article at: Lopez: How America's churches are harboring criminals

[wideawake]

Jesus also refused to let anyone approach Him unless they had a green card. Lopez is a top-notch theologian.

[GarySpFc]

Jesus did not think very highly of those who supported breaking the law.

[stopem]

If we can't trust our Churches anymore to fight for AMERICAN Family values and support Americans. That are harboring criminals what do we have in America? Anarchy??

What the heck is going on?

When our government doesn't support our laws and our churches don't support our laws what's left?

Our fantastic troops are out there on foreign soil fighting to support all of us and protect our shores while we sit back and allow our shores to be taken over by a bunch of socialist bums.

[mtbopfuyn]

A former Texas pastor actually compared churches providing a safe haven to illegal immigrants to the Jewish asylums of World War II.

Egads. If ICE really wanted to round up illegals, churches along the border would be the first place to start.

[Dr. Thorne]

Attributing specious nonsense to Jesus in order to make a sarcastic point is vile.

[robowombat]

How swell. How many of these churches are the same ones that harbored, enabled, and protected serial child molesters. Great folks, enabling pedophilia and enabling sedition.

[trebb]

The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:34

[ConsentofGoverned]

"The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:34"
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....................
Love does not mean to support criminal behavior..we can love the poor but to promote crime is just plain immoral. You cannot ignore the basic laws of G-d to promote this illegal insult.

[GarySpFc]

“Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. 34 Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God."
Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. "Text edition"--Spine. (2nd ed.) (Le 19:33-34). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

Your exegesis of the passage is faulty in that it ignores numerous passages, which provide property rights, the rights of nations, and obligations to the law abiding.

[dinoparty]

Oh yeah, now I remember the 11th Amendment -- thou shalt not cross a border without permission. Now it makes sense.

[ConsentofGoverned]

"Oh yeah, now I remember the 11th Amendment -- thou shalt not cross a border without permission. Now it makes sense."
>>>>>>>>>>...............
enabling criminals has never been a foundation of religion.
this is more so for good deeds for the poor can be done in their own countries..we do not need to encourage them to migrate here illegally. there are legal ways to come to the usa..those should be used and recommended by all those who cloak this illegal activity as Christian charity.

[trebb]

Love does not mean to support criminal behavior..we can love the poor but to promote crime is just plain immoral. You cannot ignore the basic laws of G-d to promote this illegal insult.

His Name is GOD, not G-d. I also cannot help but ignore those that try to tell me what God wants when they are afraid to spell His name out.

[ConsentofGoverned]

"when they are afraid to spell His name out."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.............
Done out of respect and yes fear. Perhaps you have need of further education on the foundations of western religion.
Torah would be a good place to start.

[trebb]

Your exegesis of the passage is faulty in that it ignores numerous passages, which provide property rights, the rights of nations, and obligations to the law abiding.

I guess God didn't believe wanting to live in another land as something to be termed illegal.

That said, I do believe we need to get a handle on our borders and know who is coming into this country. Even when the Prez tries to make a step forward, too many condemn him for not doing enough and end up keeping even the first baby steps from occuring. The issue is so huge that it cannot be handled quickly without huge internemnt camps and other radical means that would cause a lot of wholesale suffering. It's not as simple as some would have it.

[ConsentofGoverned]

"It's not as simple as some would have it."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.................
If you do not want strangers in your house ..you close and lock the doors..simple but effective. Your claims of huge internment camps rings very hollow. Secure the border and remove illegals in an orderly way, we in America would not have death camps for them..in fact many would live better in camps than in slum housing with 27 people to a 2 bedroom shack they are in now. Stop trying to appear concerned and Christian you are obviously neither.

[wideawake]

Thanks, nativist guy.

[wideawake]

You mean like assaulting moneychangers in a legitimate place of business?

[GarySpFc]

Jesus did not think very highly of those who supported breaking the law.

You mean like assaulting moneychangers in a legitimate place of business?

The moneychangers clearly were breaking the intent of the law.

[wideawake]

The truly great folks are guys like you, who accuse people of serious crimes without a shred of evidence.

I especially like your argument that inviting someone to worship with you is equivalent to sedition. Exactly how is that position different from Maoism?