Christians ask: Can you love thy neighbor but deport him, too?

KHOU television station ^ | Apr 28 2006 | Todd Gillman

[george wythe]

Does a focus on family values demand a tight border to protect Americans from outsiders, or an open-door policy to ensure opportunity to the poor of other nations? It is more important to welcome the stranger or to respect the rule of law?

At a forum Thursday hosted by the conservative Christian group Family Research Council, conservative and liberal religious leaders lobbed Bible verses, unable to agree on what Jesus would do about the nation's nearly 12 million illegal immigrants.

Immigrant advocates warned that a crackdown would harm families and violate Scripture. And a lawmaker leading the charge for tougher enforcement decried the impulse to direct "compassion" at foreigners while ignoring the plight of low-income Americans.

[Kuksool]

I am not surprised by the repsonses of the evangelical groups. For the last ten years, evangelical megachurches have aggressively "witnessed" to hispanics. It is now common for evangelical churches to offer Sunday Worship Services in Spanish.

[Finop]

Titus 3:1

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,

[Racehorse]

Deport them back the POS country they came from . . .

Just as many have written, generally speaking, there is no obstacle to solving all this.

Go after the employers.  If illegals are unable to work, they will self-deport.  Before the welfare state emerged, this happened each time the U.S. went into an economic plunge.

To minimize the welfare state's safety net, require applications for assistance to be processed through INS.  Tell hospitals and clinics, yes, they are responsible for proof of citizenship.  Tell them it is a form of health insurance.

[iluvlucy]

Good quote and totally just for this subject. I have just one question to make it justify the notion that illegals should be here if they want. Just one question......

Please provide the quote that specifies the alien arrived in Israel illegally? No interpretation, just the clear words no embellishment needed. Right?

[GregoTX]

You are right on ... you posted my first thought. John 10:1

Can Christians love their neighbor and enforce the law? What a dumb question.

[Dane]

I am not surprised by the repsonses of the evangelical groups. For the last ten years, evangelical megachurches have aggressively "witnessed" to hispanics. It is now common for evangelical churches to offer Sunday Worship Services in Spanish.

Traitors! IMO, will be the response from the congregants of the Church of michael weiner(savage).

[george wythe]

When Jesus gave his disciples the great commandment, "To love thy neighbor as thyself," his disciples asked, "Who is my neighbor?"

Then Jesus proceeded with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Why do you think that the parable has the qualifier "good" in front of Samaritan? Could it be that most Jesus thought that Samaritans were bad people?

Why did the Jews think that? Could it be that the Samaritans were illegal aliens? Or even worse, foreigners living on land stolen from the Israelites?

Could it be that the Samaritans were brought into Israel by the Assyrians and other oppressors of the Israelites? Could it be that the Samaritans were living in land stolen from the children of Israel, speaking a different language, and worshipping a different god?

Could it be that the Samaritans were a fifth column who sided with the Jews' enemies every time the Jews tried to improve their nation's stance?

How can such wicked illegal aliens living on stolen land be your neighbor?

[mikemach5]

Immigrant advocates warned that a crackdown would harm families and violate Scripture.

Total crap. Jesus never said to break the law. In fact He said "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21)

[DoctorMichael]

Christians ask: Can you love thy neighbor but deport him, too?

Love does not necessarily equate with extreme suicidal altruism.

[Kuksool]

The Tom Tancredo fans here should take a look at the churches that they attend this Sunday. I think they might shocked at how many Hispanics are sitting in their pews.

[fr_freak]

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.

We have treated these aliens very well. They get free medical care, a higher standard of living, and all of their babies get instant citizenship. That would be in fulfillment of the directive above.

However, the directive above says nothing about whether the "alien" is entitled to remain in your land, but merely that if he is in your land, treat him well. We have done that, and now would like for that alien, under the most comfortable of circumstances, to return to his homeland.

[TruthRespecter]

I recall Biblical directives from Christ Jesus that we should render unto Caesar those things that are Caesar's... which I take as a clear directive to follow the law of the land you're living in.

Therefore, I can well imagine His advice to the illegal immigrant (of any nation) would be to leave the US - and if desirous to return, (s)he should then re-enter the US following the proper legal procedure.

[trillabodilla]

God is not a door mat. God is a God of Love, but people conveniently forget that God is also a God of Justice. He don't like law-breakin'.

[tertiary01]

The Tom Tancredo fans here should take a look at the churches that they attend this Sunday. I think they might shocked at how many Hispanics are sitting in their pews.

So just what is your correlation here?

[MHGinTN]

Love the neighbor but deal with the neighbor's law breaking! As the neighbor is picked up for deportation, give them your address and let them know you will help when they enter legally or register to follow the legal pathway. We are being invaded by poor people fleeing a feudal state but sending back our dollars to relatives not able to leave the Vincdente Feudal kingdom ... and that means we are subsidizing the Mexican nation and its feudal suppression. If we are true Christians (one questions the Catholic support for continuing this support for feudalism), we will work to end this feudal kingdom of Vincente and his family lords.

[isrul]

And when you don't invite someone, you don't expect them to break in and take up residence, and help themselves to the fruits of your labor. And you wouldn't need to consult your pastor as to the appropriate action to take.

[george wythe]

In fact He said "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21)

That's the crux of the debate. We already know Caesar's law. We also know that Caesar's law can change very quickly.

The Christians in this panel were discussing God's law, the more permanent law that Christians must obey even if it conflict's with Caesar's temporarity laws.

[Lurking Libertarian]

It is now common for evangelical churches to offer Sunday Worship Services in Spanish.

And this is a bad thing?

I am reminded of the story (perhaps apochryphal) that, when President Eisenhower first proposed federal aid to teach foreign languages in public schools, one Southern Democrat Congressman picked up a King James Bible and thundered, "If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for me!"

[Scribbz]

Christians ask: Can you love thy neighbor but deport him, too?

Er, I would love to deport him.

Is this a trick question?

[Dane]

And when you don't invite someone, you don't expect them to break in and take up residence, and help themselves to the fruits of your labor.

As you help yourself to the fruits of their labor, such as eating food picked by them, etc.etc.