Posted on 03/18/2006 9:19:19 AM PST by sanormal
In a tiny house on the West Side, two nuns provide a daily break for Mexican immigrant mothers struggling to raise families in a foreign culture.
The nuns teach English, computer skills and arts and crafts. They celebrate birthdays and invite residents to the local Catholic church for Masses. If requested, they give advice on applying for citizenship.
It's free. No questions asked. Not about religion. Not about legal status.
But the work of the 7-month-old Presentation Ministry Center and similar organizations could be in jeopardy, according to opponents of a bill approved by the U.S. House in December.
As part of a proposed overhaul of immigration law, the House wants to make it a crime for any individual or group to knowingly assist the nation's estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants.
Whether Catholic, Protestant, Jewish or Islamic, religious leaders say critical social services to the undocumented potentially could be reduced — if not stopped — should that part of the bill become law.
It could force them into a moral quandary: Obey civil law or God's mandate to show compassion to the poor.
Many religious leaders already have made their choice.
"If they want to put a bunch of priests and ministers in jail, then we're going to have to face the consequences," said Father Jim Loiacono, pastor of Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church in Eagle Pass, four blocks from the Texas-Mexico border. "It's heartless because these are people who are so desperate there's no way we can turn them away."
(Excerpt) Read more at mysanantonio.com ...
Put the Nuns in prison for aiding and abetting.
It's a sin to break God's laws and a sin to break man's laws!
They aren't immigrants, and no one forced them to cross the border illegally into the land of the "foreign culture".
They are Mexican nationals illegally living and profiting off said foreign culture. Nothing more.
I think churches should aid them and report them. Don't let them starve, but don't help them continue to break the law.
Illegals are in effect outlaws.
Exodus 22: 21 "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.
Leviticus 19: 33 " 'When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 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.
Deuteronomy 14: 28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Deuteronomy 16: 13 Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. 14 Be joyful at your Feast—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.
Deuteronomy 24 14 “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates.
Ezekiel 47: 21 "You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You are to allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who have settled among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the alien settles, there you are to give him his inheritance," declares the Sovereign LORD.
Malachi 3: 5 "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.
"Put the Nuns in prison for aiding and abetting.
It's a sin to break God's laws and a sin to break man's laws!"
It would be different if they were only providing food, water and shelter - that's the Christian response. But giving advice on how to stay in the country is over the line.
Yes, but when this was written, Aliens were one or two people, usually passing through.
What we have here is the poor segment of Latin America--about 85% of the population of those countries--coming here to get on Uncle Sucker's Gravy Train.
Two Liberal hallmarks: Fantasy and Hypocrisy. Fantasy--"Oh, yeah. if they are willing, let them come". If Hispanics, why not oppressed Tibetans, people from Mynamar (Burma), the Sudan, etc, ad infinitum.
Hypocrisy: Let's see how many of those are allowed to settle in the gated communities where Libs live.
Foreign culture!? They're the invading colonists fro a foreign culture. IF the nuns are so dedicated to "helping", let them go to Mexico.
Thanks for those quotes. They point out a gap between what many religious people believe and the laws of the land. That's always a problem.
Here in the USA, our secular laws most often outweigh religious beliefs, especially when crime is involved. However, there are exceptions. For example, priests (and other ministers, by extension) may keep confidential confessions given to them in their official duties. So, a law that requires reporting, say, child molestors, may be ignored by priests who find out that a confessee has broken those laws.
The law isn't clear, however, on things like reporting illegal aliens. Many priests, ministers, and other religious folks do not see it as their responsibility to report illegal aliens they serve. They can cite, for example, some of the verses you quote, along with many others.
This raises a real dilemma for many Christians, who believe that their deity's laws are above all others. It has caused problems in right-to-life issues, immigration issues, sovereignty of family issues, etc.
It's not a simple question. Many believe that their deity requires them to aid the poor, whether illegal or not. What are they to do?
"But giving advice on how to stay in the country is over the line.
"
According to the article, they were giving them advice on applying for citizenship. Lawyers do that, too.
Hearst, instead, hides behind the words migrant or undocumented immigrant.
Caseropapism?
Isn't that nice. Shall I quote Romans 13 for starters?
I'm tired of liberals claiming that they are above the law because they are practicing their "faith". A selective practice, I might add.
This isn't true.
This is why I prefer going after those employers who hire illegals. These employers provide the carrot that causes illegals to sin. These employers take advantage of illegals by paying them low wages and no benefits as well as taxpayers who ultimately foot the bill for those benefits such as education, insurance, health care, and infrastructure.
This is ultimately redistribution of wealth from those who don't hire illegals to those that do. Employers who hire illegals should be jailed and have their property siezed and redistributed back to those taxpayers who don't hire illegals. Hiring an illegal is equivalent to stealing from taxpayers who don't hire illegals.
Does Romans 13 apply to immoral laws?
Why not explain to me how Jesus wasn't refering to illegal aliens when he explained our responsibility to our neighbors or are we only called to love those we deem legal?
"Yes, but when this was written, Aliens were one or two people, usually passing through.
"
Well, that's not actually true. The Middle East has always been a mix of cultures. Israel (in its first iteration) had lots of non-Jews living there.
Of course, borders were pretty poorly delineated back then, so it would have been hard to tell one country from another, frankly, in many places.
Later, in Jesus' time, Israel was even more mixed in population. There were the Romans (real invaders), plus Samaritans and lots of others in residence.
"This is why I prefer going after those employers who hire illegals. These employers provide the carrot that causes illegals to sin"
Yup, and there's the rub in this whole thing. We do not prosecuted employers, even though we have the laws necessary to do so. As long as people are free to employ illegal aliens without fear of prosecution, they'll continue to do so. If there is work, they will come.
Ask yourself why no employers are prosecuted. The answer's not pretty.
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary
of Biblical Theology
Foreigner [N] [E]
Person from a different racial, ethnic, and linguistic group as in contrast to a "native." Circumstances during biblical times often forced people to emigrate to another country, where they would become "resident aliens" (see Gen 19:9; Ruth 1:1). A less permanent settler was known as a "stranger" or "temporary resident." Sometimes the term "foreigner" is used to translate a Hebrew word that generally means an "outsider" from a different race, tribe, or family.
The Old Testament. The creation account records the first human residence in the garden of Eden. With the fall, humanity is exiled from God's immediate presence into a "foreign" land. This is the background to the important Old Testament theme of the promise of land.
After the judgment of the flood, the Book of Genesis records the Table of Nations (chap. 10), portraying the remarkable growth of the human community with its variety of racial, linguistic, and political divisions. The tower of Babel incident (11:1-9) is the reason for these divisions, as God confuses the language and disperses the human race. A divided humanity, alienated from God and from itself, is in desperate need of a home.
If the early history of the Bible ends with curse—the disintegration of humanity into many nations—the beginning of Israel's national history (chap. 12) commences with blessing as a family receives a divine pledge of land and a promise of progeny that will bless the alienated nations. Abram and his family, the founders of the Israelite nation, obeyed the call of God to emigrate to this land, leaving Mesopotamia to become resident aliens in Canaan (12:10; 20:1; 23:4). The patriarchs' lives were marked by a rootlessness, as the only land they actually received was a grave for Sarah, Abraham's wife (chap. 23). This pilgrim existence characterized early Israel (Exod 6:4), as the embryonic nation was shaped in Egypt, another foreign country (Exod 22:20; 23:9).
When Israel was constituted as a nation at Sinai (Exod 19-24), a concern for resident aliens was etched into the legal system. The alien peoples received special protection under the law (Exod 22:21; 23:9), and were even to be loved as native Israelites (Lev 19:34). Such protection was particularly necessary as immigrants would not have the social network of kinship relations for support during exigencies. Yet, although ancient Near Eastern law codes stressed protection for the widow and orphan, only Israel's contained legislation for the resident alien. This was probably due to the peculiar circumstances of her origin.
After Sinai and the wilderness wanderings, Israel received the gift of the promised land. In order to occupy it, however, she had to purge the land of its foreign population. Foreigners in this context represented hostile agents that would contaminate Israel and render her unholy before God. For the same reason, covenants and marriages with foreigners were forbidden. Paradoxically, only if her religion was pure could Israel be of help to foreigners (cf. Rahab, Ruth, Naaman, the widow of Zarepath). If Israel became sinful in the holy land, she would lose God's permanent presence, as he would become like a temporary resident (Jer 14:8).
And yet Israel's entire existence was bound up with being a blessing to foreigners (Gen 12:3). Some psalms envisioned the time when all nations would become subject to an Israelite king who would rule the world with justice. Solomon's prayer at the inauguration of the temple implied that it was to be a house of prayer for all peoples, as Israelite and foreigner could both pray to its Lord (1 Kings 8:41-43; cf. Isa 56:3-8). The prophets predicted that all nations would go up to Jerusalem to learn the Torah and depart changed people, no longer alienated from each other (Isa 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-5). There would be one humanity (Isa 19:23-25), speaking a purified language (Zep 3:9).
Although Israel received a residence in the promised land, she was reminded that the land was God's and that he allowed her to settle on it as a resident alien (Lev 25:23; cf. 1 Chron 29:15; Psalm 39:12; 119:19). Israel must wait for a true home.
The New Testament. By the time of the New Testament, Israel had become extremely exclusive, largely forgetting her mission to the nations. When the Messiah arrived, however, foreigners were present (Matt 2:1-12). During his ministry, he constantly interacted with them, indicating that God's love embraced the world (Luke 17:18; John 4 ). A Roman soldier pronounced a eulogy at his death (Luke 23:47). Death broke the hostile powers that caused human divisions (Eph 2:14-18). In Christ there was no longer any important racial, linguistic, or ethnic difference (Gal 3:26-29). Pentecost (Acts 2) reversed the judgment of the tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9).
At the same time, there was the realization that while members of the church had their citizenship in heaven, they were resident aliens on earth (1 Peter 1:17; 2:11). Before the coming of the kingdom, they had to live a nomadic existence as strangers and pilgrims, much like the patriarchs of the Old Testament (Heb 11:9-16). They must live in hope and faith, praying for the invasion of the kingdom and waiting patiently for the gift of a new Canaan, a new Eden, where they can reside with their God (Rev. 21-22). Meanwhile the church must act by helping literal strangers and foreigners, remembering her own identity and God's love for the powerless (Matt 25:35,38,43,44). Hospitality (philoxenos, lit. love for the stranger) is to be a characteristic of the follower of Christ (1 Peter 4:9; cf. Rom 12:13; Heb 13:2).
Stephen G. Dempster
See also Nations, the
Bibliography. G. Ahlsträ , TDOT, 4:52-58; F. C. Fensham, JNES 21 (1962): 129-39; D. E. Gowan, Int 41 (1987): 341-53; D. Kellerman, TDOT, 2:439-49; B. J. Malina, Int 41 (1987): 354-67; G. C. Moucarry, Themelios 14 (1988): 17-20; R. Patterson, BSac 130 (1973): 223-34; H. E. von Waldrow, CBQ 32 (1970): 182-204.
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