News, I Was a Stranger. How should we deal with 12 million illegal immigrants? (churches, believer)

[John1960]

Do Bible verses on 'welcoming the stranger' apply to the U.S. immigration debate?

Christ is clearly concerned about how the poor are treated. His teaching in Matthew 25:31–46 says that to mistreat the "stranger" is to mistreat Christ. To care for the stranger in our midst—who is also our neighbor—is not to condone everything the stranger has done. It is to treat the stranger with mercy and to do everything possible to aid our "strange" neighbors. The question becomes, "How can we manifest the love and mercy of Christ in this particular situation?"

Verses on welcoming the stranger apply at the level of the local church. At the level of national interest, for a country whose President talks so loudly about Christian values, other verses apply: "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt" (Ex. 22:21); "Do not oppress an alien: you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens" (Ex. 23:9).

In verses dealing with welcoming the alien and the stranger, there's no distinction about how they arrived in the country. It's sad that some of the strongest anti-immigration sentiment is coming from conservative Christians who are otherwise "pro-life."

How complicated is "feed the hungry, give to those who ask"?

I Was a Stranger | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

[Blueberry]

Since the issue of immigration is rightly placed on the national scale, we have to look at God's commands for the nation of Israel. Israel was to be a separate nation. Israel was directed by God to drive out the aliens when settling the land so as not to be contaminated by their ungodly practices. After Israel was established, they were told to accept/welcome the alien IF the alien embraced the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. By embracing Israel's god, the alien would also be embracing Israel's laws and culture for the three were intertwined.

Since the U.S. is not a theocratic nation, it must operate on a separate, yet similar system. There is no national God to embrace. However, it is not unreasonable (in my opinion) to expect the alien who wants to reside in any country to embrace the laws and culture of that country. It would be unreasonable to expect a foreigner who is just visiting the country (short-term) to adhere to this standard, but an alien who wants to reside in a country for any length of time should certainly meet this standard.

The U.S. is known as a melting pot. As you know, in a pot of stew, the ingredients are separate yet blend together to make an appetizing whole. However, we're no longer exhibiting the characteristics of a melting pot. Many aliens who want to reside in the U.S. are hostile to our laws, our culture, and other nationalities. They want to be in the pot, but they don't want to blend with the other ingredients; many want to become the dominant or the only ingredient. They want to be in our country, but they no longer want to display allegiance to our country. Rather than assimilating in the community, they form separate communities and even refuse to learn the language of the country. Rather than trying to work with/adapt to the country, they expect the country to work with/adapt to them. This wouldn't work in a stew pot, and I can't see that it will work in a country.

How complicated is "feed the hungry, give to those who ask"?

Perhaps it's not complicated. However, again the Bible has standards.

2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

I Thessalonians 4:11-12
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. [emphasis added]

I Timothy 5:9-10
No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. [emphasis added]

I Timothy 5:8
If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

In the Bible, there were rules for giving out welfare. People were expected to take care of their own families. Even widows who had no family had to have shown she was worthy to receive aid based upon her prior actions (how she had lived her life).

Furthermore, social services were conducted through the church, not the government. Again, we don't have a national church. However, the principle at work in the Bible is to first take care of ourselves and our family, then take care of others through our freewill offerings. Social services were not a governmental responsibility, and they certainly weren't meant for people who were able but unwilling to help themselves.

The Bible often has principles regarding suffering the consequences of our actions. I don't see where this is any different for the alien. Perhaps the church and other non-governmental agencies can mitigate the consequences of some of these actions by extending grace and lovingkindness, but it would be foolhardy and against Biblical principles (IMO) not to put limitations put on the assistance.

There's a world of difference in how an individual, a church, or a government is supposed to treat aliens and those in need. We need to be sure we apply Biblical principles appropriately.





<Please note: This thread was first posted in the Christianity forum. This answer, therefore, is based on the idea that the OP was requesting a Christian perspective. (Just in case this gets moved. )>

[MTbound]

Originally Posted by Blueberry

The U.S. is known as a melting pot. As you know, in a pot of stew, the ingredients are separate yet blend together to make an appetizing whole.
B]

I had a professor many years ago who said the U.S. has always been more like a tossed salad than a pot of stew. I think he was, unfortunately, correct.

[Alanboy395]

i do not think churches should support illegal immigrants. the bible says we need to obey the laws of the land and churches supporting people who knowingly break the law to enter this country is just not a good idea.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by John1960

Do Bible verses on 'welcoming the stranger' apply to the U.S. immigration debate?

Christ is clearly concerned about how the poor are treated. His teaching in Matthew 25:31–46 says that to mistreat the "stranger" is to mistreat Christ. To care for the stranger in our midst—who is also our neighbor—is not to condone everything the stranger has done. It is to treat the stranger with mercy and to do everything possible to aid our "strange" neighbors. The question becomes, "How can we manifest the love and mercy of Christ in this particular situation?"

Verses on welcoming the stranger apply at the level of the local church. At the level of national interest, for a country whose President talks so loudly about Christian values, other verses apply: "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt" (Ex. 22:21); "Do not oppress an alien: you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens" (Ex. 23:9).

In verses dealing with welcoming the alien and the stranger, there's no distinction about how they arrived in the country. It's sad that some of the strongest anti-immigration sentiment is coming from conservative Christians who are otherwise "pro-life."

How complicated is "feed the hungry, give to those who ask"?

I Was a Stranger | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

the people that fought the civil war were devout christians on both sides some even masons. but they shot and killed and bayoneted each other big time. not because they were hypocrites, 19th century man was very godly.
today the majority are verbally beaten up on a regular basis for anything from immigration foreign policy and AA issues; race and religion are the usually devices used to do the beating. what happened to cultural pride and identity?
we overcome problems by our strength not our weakness. to seek solutions we must look at what we do right and press forward. self doubt is not a builder. the accuser is not a friend. he does not want improvement he wants to take you down. we can manifest the christ by seeing we already have and already do. dont listen to the snake.

stephen s
san diego ca

[iluvmountains]

Illegal immigrants are breaking the law and should go back to where they came from. I think the best way to accomplish this is for our government to seize any business that hires illegals, and arrest and seize the assets of anyone that rents to an illegal. If they can't work or rent here, they'll go home. A lawbreaker is a lawbreaker...period.